UNC Health Pardee Expands Behavioral Health and Trauma Services in Western North Carolina
UNC Health Pardee opened a 23-bed adolescent mental health unit in August and received Level III Trauma Center designation, expanding specialty services in western North Carolina. The Henderson County hospital has increased its Buncombe County patient volume by 60% since 2019, from 12,973 to 20,981 residents, while adding cancer infusion services and new medical offices in Brevard and Mills River. Pardee operates under a 2011 management agreement with UNC Health that maintains 100% local ownership while providing access to the academic health system's resources. The expansion comes as Mission Health's market position weakens following its 2019 acquisition by HCA, creating opportunities for Pardee to grow in traditionally Mission-dominated service areas.