First ‘micro hospital’ in SC is coming to the Bluffton area. Here’s what that means to you

The Medical University of South Carolina and Beaufort Memorial Hospital are teaming up on plans to open a 20-bed “micro hospital” in Okatie Crossing, the hospitals announced on Thursday.

It would be the first of its kind in South Carolina, said Russell Baxley, CEO of Beaufort Memorial.

He said micro hospitals are being opened in areas, in particular in the Midwest and Western states, where hospitals are trying to serve communities that are a distance from the main hospital.

A news release from the two hospitals cited the rapid population growth in Bluffton.

And more area growth is anticipated with a Margaritaville development and the East Argent community announced last year that will bring tens of thousands of new residents to nearby Hardeeville and Jasper County.

“More and more, our patients want to receive care closer to home,” Baxley said.

The micro hospital, which will serve both pediatric and adult patients primarily for short stays, would be part of a 60,000- to 70,000-square-foot medical campus that Beaufort Memorial Hospital plans to build in Okatie Crossing at U.S. 278 and S.C. 170.

The Okatie Crossing area has long been talked about as a possible location for a Costco and other big box stores such as Kohl’s.

Beaufort Memorial officials expect to break ground on a medical office building on the site in June, with construction finished by September 2019.

MUSC and Beaufort Memorial would share the office building. Expected services in the facility include a cancer center, cardiology, pediatrics and a lab, among other medical specialties.

The micro hospital would have an emergency room and offer general surgery and imaging, among other services, Baxley said. It would not offer intensive care or birthing services.

The timetable for the opening of the micro hospital has not been finalized, according to Sheila Champlin of MUSC.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 4:29 PM with the headline "First ‘micro hospital’ in SC is coming to the Bluffton area. Here’s what that means to you."