New 50-bed hospital opens in Holly Springs

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WTVD) -- Monday, staff celebrated the opening of UNC REX Health's new hospital in Holly Springs, located at the corner of Avent Ferry Road and Highway 55.

The eight-story community hospital features 50 inpatient beds, as well as labor and delivery rooms, complete with labor tubs and family areas. There is an emergency department and operating rooms. The emergency department is staffed for 50 people a day but can go up to 200 a day when needed.

"As a general surgeon, we will be doing gallbladders and hernias," said Dr. Katherine Trahan, a surgical lead at the hospital. "We'll take care of diverticulitis. We do lumps and bumps. Certainly, we take care of abscesses. We'll be doing robotics. So we're bringing the brand new technology, state of the art robotics here. We'll be doing a lot of orthopedics. They will be doing hips and knee replacements."

Dr. Trahan said they have their first three general surgeries scheduled at the new hospital for Tuesday.

More than 400 people will work there.

"I think it's important that the patients need to understand that we're also their neighbors," Dr. Katherine Trahan said. "We live here. I live right up the road. My other partner, he lives about five minutes from the hospital. So we want to be their neighbors. We want to keep our patients here in the community."

The hospital was supposed to open in September but was postponed so staff could focus on the COVID-19 surge.

Artwork and sunlight fill the hospital's interiors.

"You want people to sort of relax as best they can when they when they come to the hospital, not feel like it's closed in or uncomfortable space," said COO Roy Tempke Jr. "Again, you walk in and it's just as bright as it can be."

Holly Springs Mayor Dick Sears said he and others have been working to bring a hospital to the fast-growing community for nearly 20 years.

"It is something that satisfies one of my personal goals," Mayor Sears said. "And that is help build a town where you don't have to leave unless you want to and this just about caps it off."

A sculpture outside the hospital is dedicated to him.