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Medical Center Increases Number of Beds Proposed for Fort Mill, S.C., Hospital

Posted on: Wednesday, 5 October 2005, 00:00 CDT

By Julie Graham, The Herald, Rock Hill, S.C.

Oct. 1--Piedmont Medical Center has decided to change the number of beds at its proposed Fort Mill hospital to 100 from 64, saying it would better serve the rapidly growing area.

PMC, one of the four competitors vying to build York County's second hospital, will resubmit its application to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control next week, hospital officials said.

"By the time this facility is opened and occupied, 64 beds would be inadequate," said Charlie Miller, PMC's president and chief executive officer, at a news conference Friday at the hospital.

PMC was among the four applicants that applied to DHEC to build a 64-bed hospital based on the 2004 State Health Plan. The state determined the area has a need for 64 more beds, based on population growth.

The additional 36 beds in PMC's new application would be moved from the hospital's 288-bed facility in Rock Hill, Miller said. He added they have studied the demand in Rock Hill and are not concerned with compromising service there.

"We think of it as a reallocation of existing resources," Miller said.

DHEC officials said PMC can add 36 beds in Fort Mill as along as it can prove they are necessary.

"What we look for is a demonstration of need," DHEC spokesman Thom Berry said. "There is no denying this a huge growth area."

Competitors vie for support All the hospitals have been working to win over area councils and residents for support so they are chosen by DHEC to build the hospital.

The other hospitals -- Carolinas HealthCare System, Hospital Partners of America and Presbyterian Healthcare -- had mixed reactions to PMC's change.

"We have been saying for as long as we've been proposing a hospital that we could see the need for future expansion," CHS spokesman Scott White said.

"When the time arose for more beds, we would apply to the state."

Kati Everett of Presbyterian said she was surprised but declined further comment before reading PMC's final application.

Terry Linn of Hospital Partners said: "I think it's a way to differentiate four very similar applications."

The PMC proposed hospital would stay the same square footage, but the price would increase to $125 million from $107 million. PMC had designed the proposed facility so more beds could be added.

"Our original proposal includes space that easily could be finished to 100 beds," Miller said. "After evaluating growth patterns, the scope of Piedmont's services and our resources, we believe we should submit this request sooner rather than later."

The four hospitals already submitted applications to DHEC and were waiting for a public hearing to be scheduled. DHEC, which decides who gets to build the hospital, planned to hold the hearing in the Fort Mill area sometime in November. A decision was expected to be made early next year.

DHEC's Berry would not say how PMC's change would affect the process.

"We have received nothing in writing," he said. "Right now, we're not sure.

We'll have to see what comes in."

PMC plans to submit the application on Friday.

Fort Mill Mayor Charlie Powers thanked PMC officials at the news conference for increasing the number of beds in their proposal.

"I just want to thank you for the concern and commitment to the Fort Mill area," he said. "And I agree with you. The numbers that we look at every day are low, and I feel like more is needed in that area."

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Source: The Herald

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