September 30, 2021 – UNC Health’s plans to build a $252 million hospital in Research Triangle Park have been approved by North Carolina’s state regulators despite opposition from Duke Health and WakeMed.
The planned 40-bed hospital will have two operating rooms, a 24-hour emergency department, and an obstetrical unit for delivering babies that includes two dedicated C-section operating rooms.
UNC says about 300 people will work at the hospital, which it hopes to open in 2026.
The hospital will be in the Durham portion of Research Triangle Park, and UNC told state regulators that it expects a large majority of patients to come from Durham County.
UNC requested a “certificate of need” from the state. The state Department of Health and Human Services had previously determined that Durham County is running a deficit of 40 hospital beds and four operating rooms. Both UNC and Duke Health proposed plans to the state.
Duke proposed adding 40 inpatient beds and two operating rooms to Duke University Hospital in Durham and two operating rooms at its Arringdon ambulatory surgery center.
WakeMed also opposed the proposed RTP hospital, saying it appeared UNC was discounting the number of patients it would draw from nearby Wake County. UNC told regulators that it expects only 9.2% of patients at the new hospital will come from Wake.
Over those objections, the state issued the certificate of need to UNC. Duke and WakeMed could appeal the decision in court.