FORT MILL, S.C. — Piedmont Medical Center will relocate its labor, delivery, and Level III neonatal intensive care unit services from its Rock Hill campus to Fort Mill on May 12.
Hospital officials said the move is based on research showing that population growth in the Fort Mill area is outpacing other parts of York County.
The decision aims to centralize obstetric and neonatal services at the Fort Mill campus to meet the increasing demand in that portion of the county.
Teresa Urquhart, an administrator for Piedmont Medical Center, said the hospital analyzed multiple factors before deciding to relocate the service line.
The data indicated that the Fort Mill area is experiencing a higher rate of growth than other regions in York County.
“We’ve looked at a lot of data points, looking at population growth in all of the markets that we serve as it relates to the OB service line,” Urquhart said. “And really, when you look at the growth in this particular part of York County, it’s growing faster than other parts of York County. And so it just made sense for us to relocate and to centralize those services here at the Fort Mill campus.”
Dr. Darshna Bhatt serves as the medical director of newborn and neonatal services at Piedmont Medical Center.
She noted that the new facility was designed with a layout that places the NICU on the same floor as postpartum mothers, a change from the configuration at the Rock Hill campus.
“Having our level three neonatal intensive care unit here allows our families to be in an environment that’s beautiful, it’s new, it’s fresh, and it has the latest technology built into it,” Bhatt said.
The new environment is intended to support infants who require specialized medical attention for several weeks or months.
Bhatt emphasized the importance of the facility’s atmosphere for families of sick or premature infants.
“If your baby’s gonna be there for two weeks, some are 10 to 12 weeks in the NICU, then it’s so nice that we can offer them an environment that’s welcoming, warm and it’s giving them the latest technology to take care of their very sick babies,” Bhatt said.
She added that helping a sick baby recover and return home is an “amazing” experience.
Fort Mill resident Tamara Galloway expressed support for the new local facility after having navigated two high-risk pregnancies at the Rock Hill campus.
She noted the emotional benefit of having a modern NICU nearby during unexpected medical situations.
“Having this state-of-the-art facility now for babies, for that peace of mind for moms, you know, when your baby has to go to the NICU, especially when you’re not expecting it,” Galloway said.
While some residents welcomed the move, others expressed concern regarding the loss of services in other parts of the county.
Brook Benfield, an expecting mother who is six months pregnant and lives in western York County, said the change increases the travel time for those outside of Fort Mill.
“I think where the frustration with us comes from is that York County is not just Fort Mill,” Benfield said. She noted that the existing Women’s Center in Rock Hill has historically served the entire community.
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