Louisburg, N.C.-based Franklin Medical Center will reopen as a freestanding emergency department in 2018 after the Franklin County Board of Commissioners reached a lease agreement with Brentwood, Tenn.-based Duke LifePoint, according to WRAL.
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health, the former owner of Franklin Medical Center, closed the hospital in October 2015 citing declining patient volumes and a highly competitive market.
Under the new lease agreement, Duke LifePoint will operate Franklin Medical Center as part of its Henderson, N.C.-based Maria Parham Health Hospital.
FMC will become a 24-hour freestanding ED, offering emergency care, diagnostic services and behavioral health services. The ED is expected to open in 2018 following site renovations and proper staffing.
"The community has been without access to local care for too long. Maria Parham has exciting plans for the Franklin Medical Center site, and we look forward to working with its team to relaunch crucial medical services here and advance efforts to ensure the health of everyone who lives in this region," Sidney E. Dunston, Franklin County commissioner, told WRAL.