SUMMERVILLE MEDICAL CENTER COMPLETES $67 MILLION INPATIENT EXPANSION PROJECT AND PRIVATIZES INPATIEN
Signals Significant Growth for Inpatient and Critical Care in the Lowcountry
Summerville, SC (March 12, 2025) – Summerville Medical Center is thrilled to announce the completion of it’s $67 million inpatient expansion project, which increases the hospital’s licensed bed count by 40% to 174 licensed beds. This expansion also allows the hospital to privatize all inpatient units, ensuring that patients in the community can enjoy the comfort of private rooms while receiving care.
This project marks a significant milestone in Summerville Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to be the healthcare provider of choice for the communities they serve. It is the latest of more than $250 million invested in recent years to expand the hospital’s facility, services, and team to meet the needs of the growing community.
In October 2024, Phase 1 opened with the 3 North Surgical Unit featuring 30 private beds for high-quality post-surgical care. The final phase has now been completed, adding 14 private Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and 12 private Progressive Care Unit (PCU) beds on the new 4th floor. This addition significantly enhances critical care services for the residents of Dorchester County, Berkeley County, and the surrounding areas.
“We are proud to open a larger ICU and PCU, which will reduce wait times in the Emergency Department for patients requiring additional care,” said Theresa Kloewer, Chief Nursing Officer at Summerville Medical Center. “Our focus at Summerville Medical Center is always on providing high-quality, patient-centered care. We track a variety of factors, such as Emergency Department visits, length of stay, patient experience, and more, to ensure we’re delivering the best possible care for each individual. With more critical care beds available, we can offer timely access for our patients and continue to improve their health journeys.”
“We recognize the importance of providing our patients with a private room during their hospital stay,” added BonnieRae Guthrie, Director of the ICU, PCU, and Dialysis. “This expansion gives our community access to individual rooms, ensuring enhanced privacy for both patients and their support systems. It not only improves the overall patient experience but also reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections, fostering a more comfortable and healing environment for rest and recovery.”
“Summerville Medical Center is situated in one of the fastest growing areas in Charleston, and while we work to meet the health needs of our community, it is vital that we also add capacity and clinical programs,” commented Stephen Chandler, Chief Executive Officer at Summerville Medical Center. “Every patient who enters our doors is our neighbor, a member of our church, the owner of a local business we frequent. They are the heart of our mission to provide comprehensive, high quality care for all those who need us, for many years to come.”
Project Details:
Increases Summerville Medical Center’s licensed bed count by 40% to 174 licensed beds
Opening of the 3 North surgical unit with 30 private beds to provide high quality post-surgical care
14 Intensive Care Unit private beds on the new 4th floor
12 Progressive Care Unit private beds on the new 4th floor
5th floor shell for future expansion
64,000 square feet of new space
This year Summerville Medical Center and Trident Health were recognized for the fourth consecutive year as America’s Top 250 Best Hospital in the U.S. and America’s 100 Best Hospitals Awards for Spine and Orthopedic Surgery.
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Summerville Medical Center is a 174-bed, acute-care hospital serving families in Dorchester County, Berkeley County and surrounding communities for more than 30 years. The hospital has a 24-hour emergency room, including a dedicated ER for children, and a wide range of surgical services and comprehensive medical services. Summerville Medical Center is recognized for its emergency, women’s and children’s, cardiac, imaging, orthopedic and stroke services. Surgical services includes gynecological, orthopedic, spine, reflux, breast, robotic and weight loss procedures. Learn more at www.SummervilleMed.com.
Summerville Medical Center is a part of Trident Health, which includes hospitals Trident Medical Center and Live Oak Mental Health & Wellness; freestanding emergency departments Brighton Park Emergency, Monks Corner Medical Center, Centre Pointe Emergency, and James Island Emergency; and urgent care centers CareNow Goose Creek and CareNow N. Charleston. For the fourth consecutive year, Trident Health’s acute care hospitals earned Healthgrades’ America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award and America’s 100 Best Hospitals Awards for Spine and Orthopedic Surgery.
Last year, more than 360,000 patients were treated at a Trident Health facility. More than 2,800 babies were born at Summerville Medical Center and more than 2,500 trauma patients received care at Trident Medical Center. Additionally, more than 185,000 patients received emergency care at a Trident Health facility.
Trident Health’s impact on the Charleston, SC region goes beyond the healthcare it provides. Last year, Trident Health provided more than $55M in charity and uncompensated care; paid nearly $39M in taxes; and invested $118M in capital projects.
