New Holly Springs Hospital combines technology and art for patient comfort :: WRAL.com

By Bryan Mims, WRAL reporter

The Triangle is getting a new hospital with an emergency department – another sign of how much the area is growing.

Standing eight stories tall, the Holly Springs Hospital is the highest building in Holly Springs – an area of Wake County that's seen explosive growth recently.

Don't expect any drab hospital corridors in this state-of-the-art hospital. The architecture and design makes a statement – from the emergency department down to labor and delivery, the halls are full of light and art.

Natural light beams in from ample windows along the airy corridors, with splashes of color and creativity along every hallway.

Nature photos. Paintings. Sculptures. Community art.

"They reach out to people. I think there's a calming effect with art," said Roy Tempke, chief operating officer, whose father's pottery also helps decorate the halls.

"He's 84-years-old and was very happy to donate them," said Tempke.

It's a hospital with 50 in-patient beds and an emergency department with 24 patient bays. It has no intensive care unit, though patients can be transferred to the main Rex hospital in Raleigh or to UNC.

Construction pressed on through the pandemic, as hospitals everywhere strained under the rush of COVID patients.

"We were fortunate in that the hospital was well underway by the time the pandemic started," said Tempke.

Staffing shortages plaguing other organizations haven't proved a hindrance to them. Around 120 to 140 employees from the main Rex hospital are transferring here; eventually the hospital will have a staff of about 400.

"We've been reasonably successful in finding new staff. we're rated at 90 percent staffed at this point in time," he said.

The Holly Springs Hospital was set to open in September, but was delayed because of the surge in COVID cases caused by the Delta variant. The hospital was able to direct its new hires to help handle the high number of patients.

Doctor Dawan Gunter, an OB-GYN at the hospital, said, "A lot of thought has been put into patient comfort here. It's functional, but it's beautiful. I think the most important part is all the thoughts about patient safety have been put in place here."

Gunter says the area is one the fastest growing spaces in Wake County.

"There are a lot of young families between here and Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs and Apex. This is a much-needed service," said Gunter.

The hospital has operating rooms for a variety of surgeries, as well as MRI, radiology and a pharmacy – medical technology working together with natural light and works of art.

It opens Monday, November 1.

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