Rocky Mount, N.C.-based UNC Health Nash has proposed a nearly $140 million inpatient bed tower project to make upgrades to the hospital.
The plan for the new tower was presented by Lee Isley, president and CEO of UNC Health Nash, at the Rocky Mount Chamber's annual economic summit Dec. 7, according to presentation slides shared by a UNC Health Nash spokesperson with Becker's.
Identified as a "high priority" modernization goal, the new tower would bring a facelift to the hospital and sit directly in front of the existing 52-year-old tower. Increased nurse access and patient monitoring, improved room sizing for care team delivery and bedside procedures, full bathrooms, and areas for family and loved ones to sleep are included in the design of the new tower.
The cost to renovate the existing tower would be almost as much as a new build, with a less than 10% difference, according to the presentation.
So far, the hospital's board has voted unanimously in favor of the project and is hoping to make a decision on moving forward with construction contracts by summer or fall of 2024, after soliciting feedback from staff and getting approvals from state and local agencies, among other steps. If approved, the current tower would be used for additional undecided services, the UNC Health Nash spokesperson told Becker's.