An administrative law judge at the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings has reaffirmed the State Health Planning Agency's approval of Mission Hospital's Certificate of Need (CON) application for a new emergency room in West Asheville, according to Mission's press release published in Mountain XPress.
Greg Lowe, CEO of Mission Health and Mission Hospital – which are a part of HCA Healthcare – said the organization was "gratified" by the affirmation of the application, and said the new ER will help meet community needs and expand access to emergency care in Buncombe County.
"We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional care with this new facility," he said.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT
As a reason for pursuing the CON approval, Mission cited an influx of emergency department patients, both nationally and locally, who are facing longer wait times.
Mission's initial application was approved in 2022 by the State Health Planning Agency. Following that approval, Mission has defended the agency's decision at the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings and the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Like Mission's South Asheville ER, the West Asheville location will provide 24/7 emergency care, staffed with board-certified ER physicians and meeting the same accreditation standards as the system's other hospital-based ERs.
It will treat stroke, severe chest pain and traumatic injuries, and accept EMS patients. The facility will also offer advanced life support, complex radiology and lab services.
THE LARGER TREND
While it's unclear why Mission had to defend its ER application, it's common for Certificate of Need applications to encounter disputes, often from competing healthcare providers concerned about market competition and resource allocation.
Lowe said the ER in South Asheville has been warmly received and expects the same will happen with the new facility.
"This new facility will provide convenient access to emergency care for West Asheville residents, offering faster treatment for urgent medical issues," said Lowe. "We are excited about this opportunity to enhance our community's health."
Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.