In 2015, Mission Health announced plans to construct a new hospital tower on the grounds of the system’s flagship hospital in Asheville. The project is nearing completion, and is expected to open for patient care in October 2019.
Originally named the Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine, the $404 million facility will have a new name when it opens for patient care this fall – the Mission Hospital North Tower. Equipped with the latest clinical and diagnostic equipment, integrated care areas and expanded emergency department, the 12-story, 630,000-square-foot state-of-the-art tower will usher in a new era of healthcare for residents of western North Carolina when it opens for patient care this fall.
Why the name change?
Did you know that before FedEx officially adopted their name, it was known as Federal Express? Consumers are to credit for the catchy name sticking, and the company had to adapt. Our story goes a little something like that.
As planning, design and construction progressed, project stakeholders organically referred to the building as “the North Tower.” We couldn’t help but wonder if we kept calling it that, would others? That in mind, we took seriously into consideration the idea of renaming the facility to Mission Hospital North Tower.
Many have wondered if one of our facilities being titled as “advanced” meant that others within Mission Health are not. Are the other hospitals less advanced? Are we not applying the latest science, technology and medical procedures in the other hospitals? We don’t want our patients to have the perception that their care is less or more advanced depending on where they are in our system – technology may vary from one of our facilities to the next, but no matter where you are in Mission Health, you will receive the same level of advanced, quality and compassionate care.
It’s also about clarity and simplicity.
Navigating any healthcare system can be challenging, and we recognize that using simple and straightforward naming conventions for all of our facilities can make life easier. For example, “Mission Hospital North Tower” is consistent with “Mission Hospital McDowell” (formerly The McDowell Hospital), which opened in a new facility last year – the name provides clear direction and minimizes confusion about the location. Both names maintain their local identity and help patients, staff and visitors know where the facility can be found.
When the original Mission Hospital opened in Asheville in a five-room house as a place of healing, it was considered “advanced” for its time. Healthcare will always advance, and it doesn’t have to be in the name for us to declare that the Mission Hospital North Tower will provide advanced medicine.
We look forward to opening the Mission Hospital North Tower this fall, which will provide some of our region’s most advanced care, and continuing to fulfill our mission of improving the health of the people of western North Carolina.
