Novant plants flag on hospital giants’ North Carolina turf

Novant Health, North Carolina's second-largest hospital chain, is trying to shake up the competitive landscape in one of North Carolina's most attractive healthcare markets. Novant has announced plans to build a $110 million, 46-bed hospital in Holly Springs, a community in fast-growing western Wake County. Novant executives say they have eyes only for Holly Springs, and the nonprofit health-services chain will face several obstacles as it tries to win state regulators' approval. But the market's established medical providers—including UNC Health Care, Duke University Health System, and WakeMed—have reason to be nervous about a potential Novant foray into the area, experts say.