Charleston, S.C.-based Roper St. Francis Healthcare is relocating its Roper Hospital from the Charleston peninsula to make it easier for patients to access it, as well as expanding its footprint and modernizing technology through its 2030 strategic plan.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown celebrated construction progress on its new surgery and critical care tower and a rehabilitation hospital it is building in partnership with Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare. 

The following health systems have opened hospitals, advanced proposals to build them or announced plans for them in the last two weeks:

Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University's board of directors approved a $650 million expansion to its hospital Oct. 29, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine opened its 17-story, $1.6 billion hospital, the Pavilion, Oct. 30, the University of Pennsylvania's largest capital project and the biggest hospital project in the Philadelphia area, according to the health system.

Construction began Oct. 29 on Mason, Ohio-based Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital, a 172,000-square-foot, $200 million facility, the Dayton Daily News reported.

Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health said Oct. 28 it is planning to build a new hospital campus on 52 acres of land in Fort Myers. 

Here are 18 hospitals or health systems that have announced, advanced or completed construction projects in the last two weeks:

Penn Medicine's new 1.5 million-square-foot pavilion on the Hospital of the University of Philadelphia campus — which opens Oct. 30 — received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Healthcare v4 Gold Certification, becoming the largest certified project in the world to do so.

University of Chicago Medicine is planning to build a 116,000-square-foot medical facility with a microhospital in northwest Indiana, the Chicago Tribune reported Oct. 26.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health and Novant Health, the biggest health systems in Charlotte, are competing to add more hospital beds in Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte Business Journal reported Oct. 25.

To keep up with its growing population, Dallas-based Children's Health on Oct. 26 broke ground on its 300,000-square-foot tower at its Plano, Texas, campus, which will increase the total number of beds from 72 to 212.

The ThedaCare board of trustees approved a $100 million investment to enhance services at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah (Wis.), which includes an expanded emergency department.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, several hospitals have forged ahead with costly renovations, improvements and expansions.

A committee of the Virginia health department recommends denying Riverside Health System's plan to build a 50-bed hospital in Isle of Wight County, according to local news station WAVY.

Fort Collins, Colo.-based UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital broke ground on its two-year, $76.5 million renovation, the Coloradoan reported Oct. 21.

Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Northside Hospital Gwinnett opened its expanded emergency department Oct. 18 and recently received approval from the Georgia Department of Community Health for a new 10-story tower.

Since Aug. 1, 13 hospitals and health systems announced, advanced or completed expansion and renovation projects with price tags of $500 million or more.

Bon Secours held a ceremonial wall breaking Oct. 20 for its $48.5 million, 48,000-square-foot expansion of Mechanicsville, Va.-based Memorial Regional Medical Center.

Construction began Oct. 18 for the new Plant City-based South Florida Baptist Hospital, which was originally scheduled for August but was delayed because of a surge of COVID-19 cases.