Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) project review hearing today hopefully brings the residents of York County closer to having choice in their hospital care. At the hearing, Presbyterian Healthcare leaders were pleased to share that they had received more than 10,000 letters of support from York County residents and physicians. “We received more than double the number of support letters from our last application---and even then we had the most letters. It’s clear York County residents are champions of Presbyterian Healthcare’s quality of care,” said Paula Vincent, Chief Nursing Officer for Presbyterian Healthcare.
Novant Health, which operates Presbyterian Healthcare, hopes to be selected to build a 64-bed $76.2 million hospital located at I-77 and Sutton Road to offer choice for the more than 40 percent of York County residents who leave the county for care. “We believe a large reason residents support our proposal is because more than 90,000 a year already touch our system in some way every year,” said Vincent. “They know the quality care we provide and want to have easier access to receiving it.” Novant Health anticipates DHEC will announce which hospital will be granted the certificate of need to build a Fort Mill hospital late this summer or early fall. Hospitals then have the chance to appeal the ruling. “The residents of York County have waited too long for this new hospital to be built. We hope this process moves expeditiously. We are immediately ready to build Presbyterian Hospital Fort Mill,” said Vincent.
Presbyterian Healthcare already operates Fort Mill Family Practice, Family Medicine Associates York, Family Medicine Associates Clover, Rock Hill Family Practice and Surgical Specialists of the Carolinas in York County. “We are committed to a long-term investment in York County, including constructing an urgent care center in York,” said Vincent. More than 500 Novant Health employees live in York County and more than 250 work in the county.
