McLeod Health plans groundbreaking for new Carolina Forest hospital

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - A new hospital is on its way to becoming a reality in the Carolina Forest community as McLeod Health announced they will break ground this fall.

CEO of McLeod Loris Seacoast Hospital Monica Vehige said the need for a hospital in this location has been proven and McLeod Health has received the Certification of Need from the state.

“Pending permitting, the construction of this investment in the community’s health will take approximately 24 months,” said Vehige. “Over the past year, more than 110,000 patient visits have occurred at our Carolina Forest Campus. These are patients who have chosen McLeod Health for their healthcare, and we owe it to them to have a convenient choice for inpatient care.”

The Carolina Forest campus currently has three outpatient buildings on campus serving patients with primary care, specialty care and emergency care. The hospital will be part of an expansion of Building 1 and Building 2 on the 42-acre Carolina Forest campus and will be a four-story building with 48 beds and four operating suites.

“McLeod Health has demonstrated we are committed to our mission to improve the overall health and well-being of people living in the communities we serve,” said Scott Montgomery, CEO of McLeod Health Carolina Forest. “We were the first to build a major medical campus in Carolina Forest, the first to bring a free-standing emergency department to Carolina Forest, and we will be the first to build a hospital in this community in response to our residents.”

Horry County has been named one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina by the U.S. Census, with Carolina Forest as one of the fastest-growing communities.

These Federal and state statistics demonstrate the need for additional beds in this area.

The planned hospital will cost $56 million and 82,613 square feet and will be available for patients from the Carolina Forest Emergency Department who need continuing care.

The Carolina Forest community will have access to advanced imaging and diagnostic services, pharmacy, and laboratory services.

“Bringing a new hospital into the Carolina Forest community means more than just another building. This new hospital will positively impact the quality and accessibility of healthcare for people in that community,” said Montgomery. “Additionally, this new hospital will create jobs and attract economic opportunities for the community. McLeod Health Carolina Forest Hospital will employ local people and support local businesses.”

McLeod Health has not yet released a date for the groundbreaking but said it is planned for this fall.