State approves two hospitals; Heitzler pleased | Local News | Our Gazette

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State approves two hospitals; Heitzler pleased

Published Wednesday, July 01, 2009 7:52 AM

By Dan Brown
The Gazette

The Department of Health and Environment Control (DHEC) approved the Certificate of Need (CON) ruling in favor of building two new hospitals in Berkeley County Friday.

Roper St. Francis plans to build a 50-bed facility in the Carnes Crossroads community of Goose Creek and Trident Health Systems had planned to build a similar 50-bed hospital in Moncks Corner.

"I was pleased that DHEC has the confidence in the people of Berkeley County that they showed," Goose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzler said. "I think people don't realize how many people live in Berkeley County.

“I have no doubt that both hospitals will thrive, both in Carnes Crossroads and Moncks Corner."

Executives at Roper St. Francis applauded the CON ruling for two hospitals.

“It’s an exciting day for people living and working in Berkeley County,” said David L. Dunlap, President and CEO for Roper St. Francis. “After more than 30 years without a hospital, Berkeley County will now have two hospitals that are perfectly positioned to serve the health care needs at both the southern and northern ends of the county.”

Roper St. Francis plans to move forward with the implementation of construction plans in the Carnes Crossroads area.

“We will be firming up our timetable for developing and building our new Berkeley Hospital over the next few weeks,” said Doug Bowling, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Roper St. Francis.

Trident had a much different reaction.

In a released statement, Trident Health Systems officials said they were “stunned by the news that the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control awarded Certificates of Need to both Trident and Roper Hospital.”

Trident Health System “believes that it submitted a superior application and was the only application that qualified for approval,” the release continued.

Trident CEO Todd Gallati said that two hospitals was one too many.

“The Certificate of Need process has many facets, but one of the most important is to provide quality care to residents in a timely and fair manner,” Gallati said. “While quickly adding two hospitals to Berkeley County will always sound like a good idea at first, DHEC failed to acknowledge the reality that allowing both hospitals to be built will undermine any chance of either of them becoming financially viable in the near future.

“As a result of DHEC’s decisions, all Berkeley County residents will suffer in the long run. We are disappointed and believe the State Health Plan and CON laws were not followed in this case.”

“I hope Trident will go forward with their hospital here,” Moncks Corner Mayor Bill Peagler said. “It will benefit so many people not just with improved healthcare but with the creation more than 250 new jobs in Moncks Corner. The spin off businesses that will come of this will also be a big benefit to the area.”

Mike Holcombe, Senior Vice President and Regional Executive with Farmers and Merchants Bank in Moncks Corner, hopes cooler heads will prevail so construction can move forward.

“Even if we started construction today, it will take three years before these hospitals will open,” he said. “Significant growth will have occurred in both places by then. Taking the stance to delay the building of a hospital through the appeals process is a mistake. I feel there are more than enough people in northern Berkeley County to support two hospitals.”

Holcombe added that hospital officials need to take into consideration the long-term growth projected for Berkeley County and that any lengthy appeal will be a detriment to the area.

“A long, drawn out appeal will simply delay the process for all of us,” he said. “We need new hospitals now, not 10 years from now.”

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