MUSC new hospital construction underway, on track to open in 2023
LAKE CITY, S.C. (WMBF) - Two Pee Dee hospitals will be closing their doors soon, making way for a new medical center.
MUSC Black River Medical Center, a brand new $50 million-dollar hospital, will help expand services to patients in need and replace hospitals in Williamsburg and Lake City.
It’s located a few miles between both Lake City Community Hospital and Williamsburg Regional Hospital.
“The design of this facility was patient-centered and patient-focused and designed to be efficient for the staff and the care team that are in here,” said Williamsburg Regional CEO Allen Abernethy. “Efficiency and accessibility are two main goals for this new hospital. It’s going to replace the two surrounding facilities in the next year.”
It sits close to 64,000 square feet.
When the new hospital opens, the nearly 64,000 sq ft building with allow residents access to a full range of modern diagnostic and interventional capabilities, including:
- 25 inpatient beds
- Five observation beds
- Two operating rooms
- 16 emergency treatment areas
- CT scanner
- MRI
- Nuclear medicine
- Mammography
- General radiology department
- Laboratory, respiratory, pharmacy and
- other ancillary services.
The two closing hospitals both work independently with high volumes. Abernethy said this centralized location will help service a larger portion of surrounding communities as well as making it more accessible for patients.
“It’s greatly needed for one,” he said. “I think the social economics and the health of both communities need specialty care. We’re prepared to take on the responsibility and accountability for these communities.”
Construction of the Black River Medical Center is set to be completed by January 2023.
Once operations begin, both Lake City Community and Williamsburg Regional will close their doors.
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