WakeMed has won regulatory approval to expand its North Raleigh facility and build new medical centers in Garner and Raleigh's Brier Creek area.
Wake County's largest hospital system is continuing to expand despite the recession. WakeMed officials are betting on increasing demand as the economy recovers and the region's population grows.
Expansions among other Triangle health systems also have held up during the downturn, as UNC Health Care System and Duke University Health System seek to add more services and win new customers.
"Health care is a strong and growing segment of the economy," said WakeMed CEO Bill Atkinson. "We're trying to balance where we spend time and energy, and figure out where we need to be."
In North Raleigh, WakeMed plans to add 41 beds to its existing facility, creating a new full-service hospital and the county's only women's hospital.
Moving ahead with that $34 million project became possible when Novant Health of Winston-Salem recently dropped its appeal of state regulators' decision to award WakeMed the beds in January. Novant had filed a so-called certificate of need application to build its own hospital in Holly Springs, but was denied.
In Garner, WakeMed had applied with state regulators nearly two years ago to build a $26.4 million healthplex. Hospital officials are still deciding where that facility will go, but one option is at Jones Sausage Road and U.S. 70, near the White Oak shopping center.
At Brier Creek, WakeMed will build a $36.8 million complex and is considering several parcels of land. That facility and the Garner center will include emergency departments, outpatient services and more.
"We're trying to find land that meets all our needs," said Stan Taylor, WakeMed's director of market development. "We need to close on land and get the sites nailed down. It's our desire to get these projects moving as quickly as possible."
Still, it will likely be at least late 2010 before any of the new facilities are open.
Assistant Business Editor Alan M. Wolf joined the N&O in 1999 covering the business of health care. He became an editor in 2001, and helps oversee the paper's daily business coverage and Sunday Work&Money section. He lives in Clayton with his wife and two children. Reach him at 919-829-4572 or 
Comments
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Has To Be A Joke
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 18:37 — Buffy1WakeMed needs to learn how to take care of the patients that it has now. I have a relative that has been there twice and each time they have had 1 nurse to the whole wing. We questioned why does it take so long for the nurse or CNA to arrive after we buzz the desk, "I'm working alone tonight because of cutbacks". We had one patient yelling across the hall for help and the one nurse yelled "I'll get to you later". Also I have noticed a substantial amount of non English speaking CNA's all around the hospital, that are not trained to answer any questions that they are asked. We also waited for 9 hours for the Dr. to come to the ICU waiting room to tell us how the procedure went for my relative, and he never showed. We questioned the front desk repeatedly as to what was going on and they did not have an answer and could not tell us where our relative was. The Dr. had gone for the evening. Think twice before going to this place!
How leveraged is this hospital?
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 05:08 — AquaManwonder if WakeMed is financing this through a bond issuance...
The market model for medical services doesnt work, Jon
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 05:06 — AquaManmore at www.sickforprofit.com
Why does Wake ration supply?
Tue, 08/18/2009 - 16:21 — PackMan97jonoflocke nailed it.
Why is our government rationing supply? If private enterprise want to build more capacity in our area, why is our government stopping folks? One would think that a little competition could go a long way towards both lowering cost and improving supply.
And we wonder why health care costs so much? They have their friends keeping the supply low so prices can remain sky high.
In NC the government determines the number of medical school seats, how many doctors are licensed to practive, where and what type of practice you can open, how many hospital beds there are, how many CAT scanners, MRI scanners are in an area, etc. Seems like a big ol' racket. Now they are using the artificially increased cost as a reason to grab more power!
If I didn't know better, I'd swear the Sopranos were running things.
Get the state out of it
Tue, 08/18/2009 - 14:27 — jonoflockeLook at how long it is taking to get more healthcare options to one of the fastest-growing areas in the state. That's because this state has "Certificate of Need" laws whereby state functionaries -- not the businesses bearing the risk of a bad business decision -- rule as to whether they think a community really "needs" more access to healthcare.
CON is Like A Cat With Nine Lives
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 05:03 — AquaManArt Pope started to try to get rid of CON in the early 90s. He has FAILED Jon.