Modern facility will begin treating patients this summer, employ more than 500 people.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC Health celebrated the upcoming opening of the new North Carolina Surgical Hospital in Chapel Hill on Friday, April 19. The hospital, which is scheduled to begin treating patients in July, is the single largest addition to the Chapel Hill campus since it was built in 1952. It will help ensure that patients from across the state will receive the most advanced surgical care and services now and well into the future.
“We are so excited to celebrate the grand opening of the North Carolina Surgical Hospital,” said Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of UNC Health and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “It’s a project that’s been in the works for many years, including nearly 5 years of construction.”
The state-of-the-art facility spans seven stories and encompasses 375,000 square feet meticulously designed to offer a comforting atmosphere for patients and their loved ones. Boasting 26 advanced surgical suites and 80 patient rooms, the facility is fully equipped to facilitate the latest procedures, reinforcing our commitment to delivering superior patient care. Notably, four of these operating rooms are designated as “hybrid spaces,” seamlessly integrating imaging technology into surgical procedures to enhance precision and efficiency.
“This hospital is designed with healing in mind, leaning on the serenity we draw from the natural landscapes across our state. In short: When you’re here, there is some comfort of home – and that’s intentional,” Dr. Burks said.
Good design in a space like this offers patients and their families a sense of peace and respite during some of the most unsettling or difficult days in their lives. The meticulous design of this hospital also had our physicians and staff top of mind. We know our teams save and improve lives daily. Now that work will accelerate in a place that’s built to foster collaboration and nurture camaraderie.
“With this new hospital, we are gaining capacity and will be able to accept more patients and enhance access to the surgical care that the people of North Carolina need,” said Janet Hadar, President of UNC Hospitals. “We will have the beds, the ICUs, and the ORs necessary to accept the next case now and do the cases when they need to be done, not later.”
“There’s no question: UNC Hospitals helps care for some of the sickest and most complex patients from across the state,” said Dr. Caprice Greenberg, Chair of the Department of Surgery in the UNC School of Medicine. “This new facility will provide us with the most state-of-the-art equipment and technology available.
“The hybrid rooms in this new hospital have the built-in technology that will allow us to continue to grow this world-class program,” Dr. Greenberg said. “Transplant surgery is undergoing a transformation that will expand our ability to get more patients the life-saving surgeries they need. With the leadership of Dr. Chirag Desai, we are expanding our living related donor programs and the new hospital will have special rooms to facilitate those procedures. Programs such as these allow us to provide outstanding care while also generating new knowledge through cutting-edge research.”
The North Carolina Surgical Hospital is a symbol of growth and innovation, designed to offer the people of North Carolina more immediate access to complex care. In addition, we are proud to help train the next generation of surgeons in this new facility.
The new N.C. Surgical Hospital will employ about 500 people, including over 100 new jobs.
About UNC Health
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 15 hospitals, 19 hospital campuses and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others we serve and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. UNC Health provided more than $800 million in Uncompensated Charity Care during the past five years. Our hospitals have received numerous awards and recognition for quality care, patient safety, and the overall patient experience.