BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) – An empty plot of land filled with trees could soon become a state-of-the-art hospital. Novant Health is working on bringing a brand-new medical facility to Bluffton, aiming to serve the area's growing population.
“We’re really excited about the chance to invest in our community in different ways,” said Ryan Lee, president of Novant Health Coastal Carolina Hospital.
Their investment started almost a year ago when Novant Health first moved into South Carolina’s Lowcountry by acquiring Hilton Head Medical Center and Coastal Carolina Hospital. Now, they’re setting their sights on Bluffton with plans for a $320 million, full-service community hospital.
Joel Taylor, market president of Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center said, “It's really planning for the future and also understanding the dynamics in the environment of where patients, our patients moving to… And so, we've looked at it. Novant Health, in particular with their data and analytics has looked at it, and said, Bluffton is the place to start.”
With Bluffton’s population growing, the need for health care services is clear, and Novant Health is stepping in to help meet that demand.
The new hospital will be a 194,000-square-foot facility, spread out over four floors, located near Buckwalter Parkway and Lake Point Drive. It will start with 50 beds but has plenty of space to expand as the community grows.
“We're going to build it to rapidly expand as the community does. We know that this is a growing community, and we want to continue to meet that need,” said Lee.
Bluffton residents will get quicker access to health care, and it doesn’t end there.
“We're talking about a thousand new jobs that Novant Health, with its investment, will create over the span of five plus years,” said Taylor. These jobs will benefit not just southern Beaufort County but the entire region, helping the local economy grow.
Novant Health also has plans for outpatient clinics, specialists, a freestanding Emergency Department, surgery centers, urgent care, primary care and imaging services, all to accommodate that major growth.
“The initial focus will be on a freestanding emergency department that we've announced. Adjacent to that freestanding emergency department will be a medical office building of 40,000 square feet to bring in new providers to the area,” said Taylor. “We're focused on building that great space, and that should open probably Q2 of 2026.”
If you want to learn more about the new hospital, the South Carolina Department of Public Health is hosting a public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Bluffton Public Library. It starts at 10 a.m.