Atrium Health Celebrates Milestone for New Advanced Care Facility at Carolinas Medical Center

New care tower will improve access to high-quality care to meet the needs of a growing community.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 3, 2024 – Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center has marked a milestone in the construction of a new advanced care facility at the health system’s flagship hospital in Charlotte, N.C. A topping out ceremony was held Tuesday to celebrate progress on the new advanced care facility, while recognizing the hundreds of construction workers and teammates for their unwavering dedication to our community.

“This topping out ceremony is a momentous step forward in bringing our state-of-the-art facility to life,” said Ken Haynes, president of the Southeast Region for Advocate Health, which Atrium Health is a part of. “What makes this milestone even more meaningful, however, is what this tower will represent. Atrium Health serves as a cornerstone for Charlotte and the surrounding communities during life’s most profound moments – from the joy of welcoming a new baby to navigating life’s greatest challenges. This is more than just a building; it’s a testament to the lives we’re privileged to impact and the futures we’re honored to help shape.”

A topping out ceremony is part of a construction tradition. It marks the installation of the final steel beams of the project, signifying the completion of the structural framework. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility is expected to offer:

• A new emergency department
• Nearly 450 patient rooms
• More than 50 operating and procedure rooms
• A new helipad
• Dedicated space on each floor for teammate health and well-being
• Connectivity across campus with new pedestrian bridges and walkways
• A calming respite for the community outdoors along the renovated greenway

“When you look around and see this building not only taking shape, but growing toward completion every day, it is an amazing accomplishment,” said Collin Lane, senior vice president of facilities management for Atrium Health. “We are grateful for all the workers, especially DPR construction and Roberts Builders, who have spent countless hours on this project. Their efforts will one day significantly enhance the experience for both patients and their care teams within these walls.”

As the community continues to grow, so does the need for access to the best health care available. Atrium Health remains committed to significant investments in the region, as this project is one of many which are part of the modernization of the campus at Carolinas Medical Center, including proton beam therapy, which saw its first patients earlier this year, and the opening of the David L. Conlan Center at Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation, which opened in 2023 and is nationally recognized for excellence in rehabilitation.

Carolinas Medical Center first opened its doors in 1940 as Charlotte Memorial Hospital. It has evolved with many different additions and is now the largest hospital in the region – and the best hospital in Charlotte, according to rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. It also serves as the region’s only Level I trauma center.

Two time-lapse videos of the construction, which began with the groundbreaking in July 2023, are available for download here and here, as well as imagery from the event here. Please courtesy Atrium Health.

 

About Atrium Health Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing nearly $3 billion in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits in 2023.

About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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