From Staff Reports

The Winston-Salem-based nonprofit Novant Health announced on April 30 that it will be applying to build a new, 26-bed cancer-focused hospital in Buncombe County.

“Plans have the hospital located on a 24-acre site at 455 Long Shoals Road” in South Asheville, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported later April 30.

“We’ve said for years that we are committed to Western North Carolina — we are all in,” said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health, in a press release. 

“We are excited about this new opportunity to bring much-needed compassionate care and lifesaving innovation to the region. We’ve already taken steps to preserve cancer care access in partnership with respected local surgeons, and we look forward to building on that momentum with this proposed hospital.”

News 13 added, “State regulators will make the final decision.” The new facility would be called the Novant Health Asheville Medical Center.

Beckershospitalreview.com reported, “Additionally, the hospital, built on 24 acres, would blend the knowledge of local physicians with the resources available at Novant Health’s Cancer Institute, according to the health system.”

As for Novant’s latest Asheville plans, businessnc.com reported, “In addition to the proposed hospital, Novant Health said Tuesday (April 22) it is committing $20 million over the next five years to further develop rural primary care and has acquired space at 1815 Hendersonville Road in Asheville to open a medical office building....

“It’s the company’s second attempt to expand in the region. In November 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services denied its application for a $328 million, 67-acute care hospital in Asheville and instead allowed AdventHealth to build a hospital in the region.

“Construction of AdventHealth’s hospital has been held up since HCA, which operates a hospital in Asheville, has challenged the ruling,” Beckershospitalreview.com also noted.