Mission Hospital has received state approval to add 95 acute-care beds in Buncombe County, while competing proposals from other healthcare systems were turned down.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services rejected plans from AdventHealth and UNC Health, which had each applied to add more beds.
The 2025 State Medical Facilities Plan identified a need for up to 129 additional acute-care beds to serve Buncombe, Graham, Madison and Yancey counties. Mission, owned by HCA Healthcare, had applied to develop all 129 beds, but state officials awarded the hospital 95. The state’s findings letter did not explain why fewer beds were approved.
State officials say Mission was selected due to its scope of services, including its role as the region’s only Level 1 trauma center.
The decision comes as Mission continues to face scrutiny from federal regulators over past safety concerns.
Meanwhile, Novant Health was approved to build a separate 34-bed hospital in Arden.
Unless appealed, the expansion will increase Mission Hospital’s total capacity to 828 beds.