Seven years after construction started, the $130 million new Broughton Hospital in Morganton is expected to open early this month, pending final inspections by the N.C. State Construction Office. Once they are allowed to enter the site, N.C. Department of Health and Social Services staffers will learn new technology and procedures, test equipment and set up patient care areas. They will also undertake drills to test the systems and procedures.
Construction started in January 2012 and was supposed to be completed in September 2014. The project has been plagued with foundation and other engineering problems. State officials replaced contractor Archer Western Construction in April 2017 with insurer Travelers Casualty & Surety of America. After Archer disputed the charges of mismanagement, Travelers hired the contractor to finish the work, with the state’s approval.
The existing Broughton Hospital accepted its first patient in 1883 and once housed 4,000 psychiatric patients. The enrollment is now fewer than 300, while employment totals about 1,200 state workers.
