UNC Health, an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system, has inaugurated a new facility, North Carolina Surgical Hospital, in Chapel Hill, US. 

The hospital is poised to begin treating patients starting this July.  

UNC Health said that the opening of the new facility marks the ‘single largest’ expansion of the Chapel Hill campus since its inception in 1952. 

The new hospital, located at 101 Manning Drive, spans seven storeys and covers 375,000ft². It features 80 patient rooms and 26 advanced surgical suites equipped to support the latest surgical procedures. 

UNC said that the design of the North Carolina Surgical Hospital prioritises the well-being of patients, families, and staff.  

Four operating rooms in the new hospital have been designated as 'hybrid spaces' and incorporate imaging technology to improve surgical precision.  

The hospital focuses on pre and post-surgery care and provides a wide range of surgical services, including bariatric, plastic and reconstructive, trauma surgery, primary and revisional surgery for reflux, urologic surgery, and robotic-assisted surgeries.  

It also houses spacious operating rooms for specialised procedures such as liver, heart, pancreas, and kidney transplants. 

UNC Health CEO and UNC School of Medicine dean Dr Wesley Burks said: “We are so excited to celebrate the grand opening of the North Carolina Surgical Hospital. It’s a project that’s been in the works for many years, including nearly five years of construction.” 

The facility is expected to create approximately 500 jobs, with more than 100 new positions. 

UNC Hospitals president Janet Hadar added: “With this new hospital, we are gaining capacity and will be able to accept more patients and enhance access to the surgical care that the people of North Carolina need. 

“We will have the beds, ICUs, and ORs necessary to accept the next case now and complete the cases when they need to be done, not later.”