Construction Progresses on Surgical Pavilion and Nurse Education Center

Construction crews are hard at work on two projects that will help ensure Beaufort Memorial is ready to meet the community's healthcare needs well into the future.

Surgical Pavilion – Adding and enlarging surgical suites in the hospital's surgical pavilion will better accommodate the technologies used in more complex and minimally invasive procedures.

Education Center – Building simulation labs and dedicated learning space with access to medical equipment and technology is key to developing the healthcare workforce by expanding the number of nursing students enrolled at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) and supporting the career growth and development of hundreds of current and future employees at Beaufort Memorial.

Watch the video for a current behind-the-scenes glimpse and read on for more background on the two projects.

Surgical Pavilion Renovation & Expansion

The three-year construction project will be moving into the second of five phases in July and includes the addition of two state-of-the-art surgical suites to address the growing demand for advanced procedures; expansion of the existing suites to accommodate the latest technologies and optimize the surgical process; and the renovation of pre- and post-operating care areas to streamline patient flow.

Hospital officials began planning this project in 2018, working with the medical staff and architects to identify the space, technology and equipment needs to meet the area’s current and growing surgical demands. A ceremonial "wallbreaking" kicked off construction of the multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion on Sept. 26 with special guest U.S. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham.

Graham secured approximately $18 million in federal funds for the surgical pavilion project, as part of the 2022 Omnibus Bill passed to provide support for critical infrastructure projects throughout the nation, including more than $150 million in funds for Beaufort County. “There will be somebody able to be treated (at BMH) in the next couple years that couldn’t be treated today," Graham said during his formal remarks at the ceremony. "There will be a life saved; a family changed. That’s a good investment.”

As the fundraising arm of the not-for-profit hospital, the Beaufort Memorial Foundation began working with donors to solicit donations for the multi-million-dollar effort shortly after planning started in 2018. The $4.3 million raised by the Foundation, including more than $1 million earmarked proceeds from its annual Valentine Ball, will cover most of the increase seen in construction costs since the project was submitted through the state’s certificate of need (CON) application process.

The hospital’s CON application for the project was approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) in March 2022. The final application to receive the Omnibus Bill funding was completed in May 2022.

Education Center

With a summer 2024 completion date, the nursing education center will provide a dedicated learning space with access to medical equipment, technology and training for future and current healthcare professionals, including nursing students enrolled at USCB and in the Beaufort Memorial PATH Program. Simulation labs will also be used by current nurses for continuing education on clinical competencies. The 6,340 square-foot facility will be located on the second floor of the Beaufort Memorial Medical and Administrative Center at 990 Ribaut Road.

Planning for the new nursing education center began in late 2021 amid growing concerns about nursing shortages following the pandemic. In 2022 Beaufort County provided $500,000 in funds toward its construction and USCB provided an additional $500,000.

Last year City Council approved an amendment to its budget, allocating $1.5 million to healthcare workforce development programs and simulation labs in the new education center. The city received funding through a grant from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for a nursing expansion and retention program. An additional $500,000 was approved through a budget amendment by City of Beaufort on January 23, 2024.