WakeMed Announces Plans to Create Greater Access to Mental Health and Medical Services for Our Region
August 15, 2022RALEIGH, N.C. (August 15, 2022) - Today, WakeMed is filing two certificates of need (CON) with the state of North Carolina to build a 150-bed mental health hospital and a 45-bed acute care hospital.
“These projects reflect our community-wide commitment to provide area individuals and families with greater access to the right health care in the right health care settings,” says Donald Gintzig, president & CEO, WakeMed Health & Hospitals.
In addition to our community’s unprecedented growth, area hospital emergency departments and mental health facilities continue to see dramatic increases in the number of adults and children suffering mental health and substance use crises. Since the start of the WakeMed Emergency Departments have seen a 25 percent increase in these diagnoses – an increase of 40,000 visits a year – since the beginning of the pandemic.
“We know our region will continue to grow. It’s a great place to live, work and raise a family,” says Gintzig. “We have to plan today to meet the needs of an even larger community in the future. These two new facilities will help us do that.”
WakeMed Mental Health Hospital
Pending approval by the state, WakeMed will build a 150-bed mental health. WakeMed previously received 50 mental health beds from the state, and, with today’s certificate of need filing, they are requesting 100 more.
“As the pandemic took its toll on our community’s families, we quickly realized that a 50-bed mental health hospital is not enough,” says Gintzig. “Mental health touches every life and there is a collective understanding that we must take action to both eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and support our growing population. While the new facility will be a WakeMed entity, it will be part of our entire community’s concerted effort to provide more abundant, specialized inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance use care and services to the residents of our region.”
WakeMed Garner Hospital
WakeMed today also filed a certificate of need with the state to build a 45-bed acute care hospital with 24 emergency department bays in Garner, N.C.
WakeMed has three healthplexes – one in Garner, one in Brier Creek and one in Apex – that all include full-service emergency departments (EDs). The Garner Healthplex ED is responsible for 44 percent of the overall healthplex ED patient volume. Pending state approval, the Garner Healthplex ED, which currently has 12 beds, will move to the new hospital and will have 24 beds. The current Garner Healthplex will convert to a medical park, which will include medical practices and ambulatory services such as imaging and lab.
For additional background, please refer to the related fact sheets provided for each project.
About WakeMed Health & Hospitals
Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of our community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed’s 970-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, seven emergency departments, a dedicated Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, more than 80 physician offices and Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center. WakeMed’s mission-driven team includes more than 10,300 employees, 1,000 volunteers and 1,300 affiliated physicians, along with the more than 700 physicians and providers with WakeMed Physician Practices – all representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit www.wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
###
For Additional Information:
WakeMed Health & Hospitals
Kristin Kelly | Phone: 919-350-5921
Email: krkelly@wakemed.org