New McLeod Health hospital set to open in Carolina Forest this fall

August 28, 2026 - 14:05

A new hospital is preparing to open its doors in Carolina Forest this fall. McLeod Health gave the community a first look inside Thursday, celebrating the new facility with a ribbon cutting and tours for local residents and officials.

The hospital is part of a larger medical campus that has been under construction for the past two years. It sits off Carolina Forest Boulevard, close to several growing neighborhoods and the main thoroughfares connecting the area to Myrtle Beach and Conway.

The new building includes an emergency department with 12 treatment rooms, imaging services, a full laboratory, and inpatient beds for patients who need short stays. There is also space set aside for future expansion, which hospital leaders say could include additional surgical services and specialty clinics.

McLeod Health officials say the goal is to reduce travel time for residents in the Carolina Forest area, who currently have to drive to Conway or Myrtle Beach for most hospital services. The new location is expected to handle routine emergencies and common medical needs, while more complex cases will still be transferred to the larger McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence.

The facility will also offer outpatient rehabilitation and diagnostic services, with plans to add primary care and urgent care options on the same campus in the coming months. Staffing is already underway, and hiring for clinical and support positions is expected to continue through the summer.

An exact opening date has not been announced, but the hospital is scheduled to welcome its first patients in October. Community members who attended Thursday's event got a chance to walk through the building and meet some of the staff who will be working there.