Rapid growth in the Southeast highlights region’s healthcare needs

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - Plans for more healthcare options are underway in the Coastal Empire and the Lowcountry. New healthcare facilities are in the works to keep up with the rapid growth this region is experiencing.

Novant Health is getting closer to being able to open its Bluffton Hospital and across the street, Beaufort Memorial is set to open a new hospital as well.

On Wednesday, Bluffton town leaders discussed plans for Novant Health’s new Bluffton Medical Center during the town’s Development Review Committee.

The agenda item was meant to review submitted plans for the construction of the hospital

“They just came back with a couple of questions about, I think, some of the access to the facility... they had a request to make sure that, you know, our mechanical is not going to be visible by the road,” explained Matthew Conrad, President of the Coastal Carolina Medical Center.

Bluffton resident James Curley was in attendance and says he wants to learn more about the new hospitals for his daughter who is moving to Bluffton and looking for work.

He said as a longtime resident, he’s seen how much the region has changed,

“We moved here in ’07, and... the growth is almost unimaginable,” Curley said.

The Lowcountry is seeing massive growth, which has created a bigger need for access to healthcare, jobs, and housing.

Curley said he’s looking forward to having more healthcare options closer to home.

“You don’t want to have to travel for different kinds of treatments or procedures.”

Conrad said that’s exactly why the new hospital is so important for the town.

“We don’t want people having to travel outside of this area for their care, for their follow-up care, you know, for the continued treatments they may have.”

This growth is occurring all over our region. Earlier this week, Memorial Health in Savannah announced plans to move forward with building stand-alone emergency rooms in Pooler and Richmond Hill.

Curley is hoping his daughter can secure a job at one of the new hospitals, but says with all this growth, his biggest concern is affordable housing.

Novant Health’s New Bluffton Hospital is set to open in the next two to three years.