Charleston's long-awaited children's hospital has passed a key inspection it needs before it can open, following months of delays.
The Medical University of South Carolina first planned to open its Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital in October. The opening date was pushed back to mid-December, then to 2020, as the hospital system waited for the contractor to iron out issues with the building.
When Hurricane Dorian side-swiped Charleston in September, construction workers found leaks in the hospital. The storm also delayed the contractor, Robins & Morton.
A December report by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control revealed that the facility still had "major issues of concern," including with the exhaust system and generators. Those issues now appear to be resolved.
DHEC confirmed the hospital passed its final construction review on Wednesday. The state agency oversees all of the state's health facilities, and its approval is needed before new hospitals can open.
An opening date for the $389 million hospital has not yet been announced, an MUSC spokeswoman said Thursday. The hospital system is waiting to set a new date until a final licensing inspection is complete. DHEC will check the hospital's patient care areas during that inspection, scheduled for Monday. Once the facility clears that final hurdle, it can begin taking patients.
A $22,000 fine for each day the hospital is delayed was built into the agreement with contractor Robins & Morton.
"It is a beautiful building and we share in the excitement that will come with the opening of this valuable community asset," Robins & Morton spokesman Joe Forsthoffer said in a statement.
MUSC's staff is prepared to make their move across the street within a couple of days once opening day comes. The contractor will stay on-site to provide support as the hospital staff move into their new space, Forsthoffer said.
