Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Healthcare Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
WakeMed seeks state approval for 12‑bed emergency department on 401 in Fuquay Varina
Summary
WakeMed representatives told the Fuquay Varina board they filed a certificate‑of‑need application to add a 12‑bed emergency department and HealthPlex on their existing 401 medical office campus; they expect state review this summer and aim to open in October 2027 if approved.
WakeMed officials told the Fuquay Varina Board of Commissioners they have filed an application with the state to add a 12‑bed emergency department, called a HealthPlex, to the medical office campus on U.S. 401. The project would place a 25,000‑square‑foot, 24/7 emergency facility on the existing footprint, the presenter said, with imaging (CT, x‑ray, ultrasound), a lab, pharmacy and expectations that about 90 percent of visitors would be treated and released on site.
Why it matters: The proposal would add a neighborhood emergency care option for residents and is intended to keep lower‑acuity emergency visits close to home while allowing higher‑acuity patients to be transferred to hospitals with greater levels of care.
What WakeMed said: Kinotte, identified as senior vice president for strategic ventures and ambulatory operations, said WakeMed filed its application on Feb. 17 and that the public comment period closed in March with no filed opposition. She said the state’s review process can take up to about 150 days and that the hospital expects a decision between July and September; if awarded a certificate of need and after any remaining comment period, she said WakeMed hopes to begin construction in 2026 and open the HealthPlex in October 2027.
Project details provided by WakeMed - Size and services: 25,000 square feet, 12 beds, CT, x‑ray, ultrasound, lab and pharmacy; estimated year‑3 patient volume about 20,000 visits and projected addition of roughly 87 jobs. - Operations: 24/7 emergency coverage; EMS may bypass for trauma, active labor or other high‑acuity calls but walk‑ins would be treated. - Timeline: Application filed Feb. 17; state public hearing scheduled next Monday (staff noted presenters attending on WakeMed’s behalf); 150‑day review window; possible decision between July and September 2025; construction hopeful in 2026 and opening in October 2027 if awarded the certificate of need.
Board remarks and context: Mayor Blake Massengill and other commissioners welcomed the proposal as a local improvement to emergency access; Massengill described the service as “important to our citizens” and emphasized convenience and neighborhood‑level access. WakeMed representatives said the HealthPlex footprint mirrors other WakeMed HealthPlex facilities already operating in the region.
What the town will do next: WakeMed will proceed with the state certificate‑of‑need process and, if approved, will work with town staff on subsequent permitting and local approvals. No formal action by the board was required or taken at the meeting.
