Heeding the Call: Roper Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina

It was only a matter of time before the exponential population growth East of the Cooper would require the construction of a second major medical facility in the area. The new Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital will be built on 78 acres of land at the intersection of Highway 17 North and Faison Road in the Carolina Park Development. Construction will get underway in 2008. The facility is scheduled to open in November 2010.

"... many East Cooper residents live 20 to 30 minutes away from the nearest hospital ..."

"It’s vitally important that as any community grows, its core services grow with it," says David Dunlap, president and chief executive office of Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Growth Brings Roper Emergency Physicians To Mount Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant has seen an explosion in growth over the last 15 years, with the population center shifting to the north. As a result, many East Cooper residents live 20 to 30 minutes away from the nearest hospital, a situation with potentially tragic implications when emergencies arise.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in August 2008, was born in 1998 when Roper and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospitals combined to create an integrated health system. These two paragons of medicine have provided more than 150 years of caring and compassion in the SC Lowcountry. Currently, the system offers 657 beds and more than 20 facilities in four counties.

St. Francis Hospital New Charleston County Location

"We are thrilled to bring a new hospital to Mount Pleasant and surrounding communities East of the Cooper," says Patricia Crimminger, director of Corporate Communications for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. "This provides area residents with convenient, high quality health care closer to home."

The Mount Pleasant hospital will house 85 inpatient beds, 24-hour emergency care, women’s services including high-tech, comfortable labor and delivery suites, inpatient and outpatient surgery, intensive and critical care units, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services as well as a pharmacy.

Crimminger explains that Roper St. Francis is building "the hospital of the future" with the help of architects FreemanWhite, the oldest practicing firm in North Carolina. The construction manager for the project, BE&K Building Group of Charlotte, brings an established track record for serving healthcare, commercial, industrial and institutional clients throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital will provide much-needed medical and urgent care to more than 80,000 people living in and around the East Cooper area. To keep track of the progress of the project or to learn more about Roper St. Francis Healthcare, visit www.rsfh.com.

by Stacy E. Domingo