Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health has filed a certificate of need application to build a full-service hospital in New Hanover County, N.C., becoming the latest health system seeking to expand in one of the state’s fastest-growing regions.
Atrium announced June 15 that more than 200 physicians and clinical providers in southeastern North Carolina support the proposal, citing growing demand for healthcare services and limited hospital capacity in the Wilmington area.
According to Atrium, the Wilmington metropolitan area was the nation’s seventh “fastest-growing” metro area from 2024 to 2025 and has added more than 75,000 residents in recent years, according to Atrium. The system said New Hanover County currently relies on a single hospital operating at more than 92% occupancy.
The 2026 North Carolina State Medical Facilities Plan identified a need for 225 additional hospital beds in New Hanover County.
“Atrium Health has had a connection to southeastern North Carolina for decades — and as the region’s healthcare needs continue to grow, we’re ready to deepen our commitment by bringing a hospital, primary care and specialty care this community deserves,” Steve Smoot, executive vice president and president of Advocate Health’s North Carolina and Georgia division, said in a news release.
Atrium said the proposed hospital would expand access to inpatient care, specialty services and outpatient care in the region. The system also plans to bring cancer, cardiovascular and neuroscience programs to the market.
The filing adds to increasing competition among health systems seeking to serve the rapidly growing coastal North Carolina region. Atrium previously managed New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s physician group from 2009 to 2020 and has operated Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Whiteville, N.C., since 2007.
Atrium Health is part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit health system.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.