HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — Officials with McLeod Health have announced plans to build a new 4-story hospital with up to 48-beds on McLeod's exisitng 42-acre Carolina Forest campus in Horry County.
“We have filed a Certificate of Need with the State, as required, demonstrating the need for a hospital in this location,” said Monica Vehige, Administrator, McLeod Health.
Carolina Forest is an unincorporated community between Conway and Myrtle Beach.
According to McLeod Health's press release, in the 2020 South Carolina Health Plan developed by South Carolina's Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), Horry County needs an additional 155 hospital beds by 2024. The need for general hospital beds is determined through the consideration of current utilization and projected population growth with the goal of having beds available within approximately 30 minutes’ travel time.
The Carolina Forest campus is envisioned to offer a wide range of health services that will provide the emergent, primary, specialty and inpatient care that patients need.
“The planned $56 million hospital will have 4 operating suites and will be available for patients from our Carolina Forest Emergency Department that need continuing care,” says Vehige. “Additionally, patients from this community, who have various illnesses or require surgery, will find care closer to their home."
McLeod Health system serves the healthcare needs of the northeastern portion of South Carolina, including the coastal counties. With the new hospital, McLeod will be the only healthcare system building a continuum of care, with specialty services at all three Horry County hospitals – McLeod Seacoast, McLeod Loris and McLeod Carolina Forest campuses.
