Atrium Health debuts new hospital in the Charlotte area

CHARLOTTE – Atrium Health Union West opened for the first time Wednesday morning, Feb. 23, making it the health system’s first newly built hospital in the Charlotte area in more than 30 years. The hospital serves the western part of Union County, North Carolina, including the towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, Stallings, Indian Trail, Weddington and surrounding communities in the eastern part of Mecklenburg County.

Atrium Health saw the necessity for this hospital as the area’s population increased over the last decade. With the closest Atrium Health hospitals located in Monroe and Charlotte – often making for an inconvenient drive for those seeking care – providing health care close to home became an important need to serve local patients.

In January 2020, ground was broken on the approximately 150,000 square foot facility. It opened with 40 licensed beds, a 24/7 emergency department with a helipad, three operating rooms and a maternity care unit with c-section capability.

“It’s incredible to think that over a century ago – in 1921 – the first hospital opened in Union County to provide the best care possible to everyone, no matter their background, demographic or even residential location,” Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health, said. “Now, 100 years later, Atrium Health Union West is opening its doors to build on that same, strong foundation of compassion and care, which still exists in Union County today.

“And, as we look to the future, we will remain committed to caring for this community’s health both inside and outside our clinical walls by partnering together in new and innovative ways to lift up all areas of Union County,” he said.

An adjoining medical plaza opened in January. Patients will be able to access specialty care at the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Levine Cancer Institute, the Charlotte Radiology Breast Center, Urology Specialists of the Carolinas, in addition to specialists in endocrinology, gastroenterology and hepatology, obstetrics and gynecology, pulmonology and sleep medicine.

“We are excited to be opening up the western side of Union County and eastern part of Mecklenburg County to the Atrium Health system,” said Seth Goldwire, vice president and facility executive for Atrium Health Union West. “We are now able to offer award-winning health care to the communities that surround our hospital. This will greatly impact the health of the residents of Matthews, Stallings, Indian Trail and all of the surrounding communities.

“I want to thank our physicians and teammates for getting the hospital ready,” he added. “It has been two years of preparation and we are now at the point that we may say, ‘We are open!’”

The construction of Atrium Health Union West is a large part of the Atrium Health growth plan which includes more than $1 billion in capital expenditures Atrium Health committed to investing back in 2018 to better position the system to serve the community. Last fall, new facilities opened including the Palmetto Tower at Atrium Health Pineville, and Birkdale Medical Plaza in Huntersville. Recently, a new emergency department in the Mountain Island Lake community opened its doors. Later this year, a new Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation Center will be opened.