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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Trident Medical Center on Thursday announced plans to build a 50-bed hospital on Johns Island.
The hospital submitted a certificate of need to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control for the new facility to be located between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road. Trident estimates the cost of the facility to come in at around $277 million.
Trident Health President and CEO Christina Oh says the new hospital will make care more accessible to people living on the island.
“Currently on Johns Island and neighboring communities, it can take residents 30 to 45 minutes to drive to their nearest hospital, and often longer in heavy traffic and inclement weather,” Oh said. “Our goal is to increase access to timely, high quality and affordable health care services.”
A release from Trident states plans to bring nearly 300 jobs to the island within the first three years and contribute $10 million in taxes to support the community.
Once complete, officials say the facility will have 50 beds, 40 medical and 10 ICU beds, 20 ER rooms, four operating rooms and diagnostic capabilities. The hospital will have the space to expand up to 150 beds.
Primary care, specialty services and outpatient services are also included in the plans for the facility, officials said.
The announced plans continue a string of expansions and improvements by the hospital.
Trident opened a $47 million, 60-bed mental health and wellness facility in Ladson in July. Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness has inpatient and outpatient care for children and adults ages 12 and up. The facility has shown the need for such services in the area, finding itself near capacity less than a week after opening. The adolescent wing of the facility opened earlier this month and filled its first seven beds in a week.
A new, freestanding emergency room on James Island is set to open in a few weeks.
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