AnMed Health launches $42 million expansion

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Coming out of a challenging season of furloughs and COVID-19 treatment, AnMed Health prepares to launch a three-year $42 million expansion project its leaders say will enhance the health care system’s outpatient capacity.

All inpatient operations will transition to AnMed Health Medical Center, the system’s main hospital at 900 N. Fant St. in Anderson, including the maternity and nursery services now provided at the Women and Children’s Hospital at the AnMed Health North Campus, according to William Kenley, CEO of the nonprofit health care system. A private same-day surgery area will be added to the Medical Center alongside expanded emergency services, leaving more room at the North Campus for additional outpatient services.

“Today, we’re here to share the news about our next step as a fully-integrated health care system,” Kenley said during a news conference Thursday. “Like other providers across the country, we at AnMed have seen a trend toward more outpatient utilization of health care and shorter stays on the inpatient side.”

Prompted by the need for consumer-driven health care, a new facility is also on AnMed Health’s horizon on property purchased in January from Anderson School District 5 on S.C. 81 North in front of McCant’s Middle School. Kenley would not comment more on the purpose of the building at this time but said construction will begin at the site within the first quarter of this year, pending approval of a certificate of need.

“We believe it has strategic use to us as we go forward,” he said. “We’re not at this time prepared to say specifically what program we’re going to have at that campus, but it is in an excellent location between our two campuses, the Medical Center campus and the North Campus.”

In expectation of growth at the North Campus, the health care system is “aggressively” recruiting primary care physicians and specialty providers to operate under its brand, according to a news release from the event.

No changes will be made to AnMed Health’s rehab hospital, one of four operated by the health care system, he said, and no plans have been announced for other tracts of land purchased by or donated to the hospital system for “strategic needs moving forward.”

Kenley also indicated that almost all staff furloughed in April 2020, in response to the enhanced demand for COVID-19 treatment and the suspension of elective surgeries, have returned to the hospital’s hallways and operating rooms.

“Certainly, we’re not back to the levels, in some areas, where we were before,” he said. “Like most hospitals across the country, our elective schedule has been impacted significantly and still is being impacted even though our COVID numbers are down.”

Brett Justice, AnMed Health’s new chief strategy officer and vice president of strategic planning, marketing and business development, will head up the expansion of the 648-bed health system.

“We’re grateful to have him here during this special time in our history,” Kenley said.