Cape Fear Valley Plans New Hospital For Hoke
6/15/2009

Cape Fear Valley Health System is planning to build a new 41-bed hospital on the U.S. 401 corridor near the Cumberland-Hoke border to better serve the growing healthcare needs of Hoke County and southwestern Cumberland County.

Cape Fear Valley is also proposing to build a new outpatient center in Hoke County to serve the county’s growing population.

Cape Fear Valley is submitting applications for the two proposed facilities to the N.C. Certificate of Need (CON) section on Monday, June 15. State approval is required for both proposals under state CON rules, which are designed to prevent expensive and unnecessary duplication of expensive healthcare services.

More hospitalized patients in Hoke County already come to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for care than any other hospital, said Mike Nagowski, Chief Executive Officer for Cape Fear Valley Health System.

“More than 48 percent of the county’s inpatients come to Cape Fear Valley, based on total patient days,” he said. “That’s more than any other hospital in the state. Our goal is to further improve access to healthcare services for residents of Hoke County and southwestern Cumberland County in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible.”

The proposed hospital would include 41 inpatient beds, a 16-bed Emergency Department, two operating rooms for surgical patients and four birthing suites for obstetrical patients. It would also have a full range of imaging and diagnostic services, including a CT scanner and digital x-ray capability. The new facility would result in the creation of approximately 300 new jobs.

Called Cape Fear Valley West, the new hospital would be located close to the growing populations of eastern Hoke County and western Cumberland County along with U.S. 401 corridor. The planned obstetrical service would help serve the younger population in southwestern Cumberland County.

“Hoke is a fast-growing community and is projected to have the state’s 2nd fastest growing population between 2000 and 2030,” Nagowski said. “At the same time, southwestern Cumberland County’s population has also exploded. Areas such as Hope Mills, Rockfish, Beaver Creek, Stoney Point, Lake Rim, Jack Britt and Gates Four have seen incredible growth in recent years.”

The new outpatient center would replace the existing Hoke Family Medical Center. Called Health Pavilion Hoke, it would provide expanded imaging services for residents of Hoke County, including digital x-ray capability, mammography and ultrasound. It would also have a family practice coupled with an urgent care center, a pharmacy and office space for medical specialties.

Cape Fear Valley has served the needs of Hoke County since being invited by the county to take over operation of Hoke Family Medical Center in 1998 when it was struggling financially. The current facility is aging and in need of replacement, while demand for services has grown significantly.

“Together, these two new healthcare facilities would serve the growing healthcare needs of Hoke County and southwestern Cumberland County for many years to come,” Nagowski said.