There are few noteworthy distinctions between the hospitals that two of the state’s hospital systems – Cone Health and Duke Novant – are competing to build in Mebane, an Alamance News analysis of their proposals reveals.
Cone Health and Duke University Health System (in partnership with Novant Health) both filed Certificate of Need (CON) applications with the state Department of Health and Human Services on April 15, seeking state approval to build what would become the city of Mebane’s first hospital.
Each hospital system is seeking state approval to build a hospital with 46 acute-care beds in Mebane. State law currently requires healthcare providers to obtain prior approval by the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in order to expand or build new facilities in the state.
Each hospital system points to projected population growth as the basis for its proposal to build a hospital to serve the city of Mebane and surrounding areas.
Additionally, the latest State Medical Facilities Plan developed by DHHS shows that, based on projected population growth and other data, Alamance County would have a deficit of 46 hospital beds by 2027.
The proposed Cone Health Mebane Hospital would have a slightly larger footprint (161,578 square feet) and would be built on three parcels along Mebane Oaks Road that were recently acquired for $6.9 million. Cone Health officials told The Alamance News on April 16 that the newly-acquired property would likely be incorporated into its existing properties that stretch from the existing MedCenter Mebane campus along Arrowhead Boulevard.
[Story continues below chart with comparisons of the Cone and Duke proposed certificates of need for the new Mebane hospital.]
By comparison, the proposed 145, 060-square foot Duke Novant Mebane Hospital would be built on 22.4 acres along Gregory Poole Lane that Duke University Health System purchased for more than $3.1 million between July 2021 and October 2022, based on documents filed with the county’s Register of Deeds.
The proposed Cone Health Mebane Hospital would have three general operating rooms, versus one that Duke Novant would build at its proposed Mebane hospital. Cone also would carve out more emergency treatment/exam rooms – 15, versus 10 that would be built at the proposed Duke Novant Mebane Hospital.
Each of the proposed hospitals would operate a 24-hour emergency room, in addition to offering general medical and surgical services, such as OB/GYN; diagnostic treatment via CT scans, ultrasound, and other medical imaging services. Both hospitals plan to offer provide respiratory, speech, occupational, and physical therapy services, as well as an in-house pharmacy.
[Story continues below chart of proposed services to be provided by Cone vs. Duke for new Mebane hospital.]
Cone would put construction contracts out to bid early next year; Duke Novant would start that process a year later, in January 2027, according to application materials submitted to DHHS.
Both hospital systems have set the target opening date during the first half of 2029, according to their CON applications.
Cone Health estimates its overall investment in the Mebane hospital would top $250 million; Duke Novant, $225 million.
Cone Health estimates that the proposed Mebane hospital would lead to approximately 209 full-time equivalent jobs within the first full year of operation (2030); salaries would range from a low of $46,788 for a “host” to a high of $263,338 for a pharmacy manager, though benefits and taxes account for 29.5 percent of the estimated annual salaries.
By comparison, Duke Novant estimates that its proposed hospital in Mebane would lead to 128 full-time equivalent jobs within the first full year of operation. Annual salaries would range from a low of $54,743 for sterile supply technicians to a high of $300,424 for an operations administrator, according to its application materials.
A decision by the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section is expected later this year, according to the applications that have been filed by Cone Health and Duke Novant.
