Spartanburg Regional to build $325M heart hospital

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is investing $325 million to build the Upstate’s first dedicated heart and vascular hospital.

The healthcare system announced plans for a 240,996-square-foot facility that will expand access to nationally recognized heart and vascular services, streamline connections to primary and specialty physicians and support advanced procedures.

“When our Heart Center opened in 1988, it was groundbreaking — and we’re honored to continue that tradition of excellent care in a new, state-of-the-art facility for decades to come,” Dr. Nalin K. Srivastava, medical director, catheterization lab and structural heart program, said in a news release. “Caring for our community is a privilege, and this new heart and vascular hospital means we can keep meeting their needs with the latest diagnostics and therapies.”

Located in front of the existing Heart Center off Serpentine Drive, the new hospital is part of a massive infrastructure investment in the Spartanburg Medical Center campus that includes construction of a new interior entrance road and additional parking areas to improve overall patient experience, the release stated. A new power plant is also included in the project to position the campus for future expansion.

Construction is being done in phases, and the hospital is expected to be ready to serve patients in 2030.

The $325-million expansion includes:

• 104 new beds: 90 acute-care beds and 14 coronary care unit beds
• 24 catheterization lab pre-procedure and post-recovery beds
• Additional diagnostic testing and procedural space
• Renovation and expansion creating a new state-of-the-art cardiovascular recovery unit
• Space for structural heart program expansion

“Today, patients with complex heart conditions often need multiple visits to access the full range of advanced cardiac care,” Dr. Jason Rousseau, medical director, cardiothoracic surgery, said in the release. “As our community has seen significant growth, our goal is to mirror that growth in infrastructure, personnel and innovative therapies, while improving patient efficiency. The new hospital gives us the space and technology to diagnose and treat more patients, and provide comprehensive care in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery to the community.”

In recent years, Spartanburg Regional’s cardiovascular program has expanded to include structural heart services such as TAVR, WATCHMAN, MitraClip and TriClip — providing minimally invasive treatment options that can reduce length of hospitalization and expand patient eligibility.

Recent investments in advanced surgical technology, including the Da Vinci 5 robotic system, will further strengthen the program’s ability to offer robotic-assisted cardiovascular procedures and support the continued evolution of patient-centered care, Spartanburg Regional said in the release.

Last week, Spartanburg County Council and the Spartanburg Regional Health Services District Inc. Board of Trustees approved funding for the expansion project, which will help meet the growing demand for services in the Upstate, the release said.