FirstHealth of the Carolinas recently celebrated an important milestone with a groundbreaking to kick off an expansion project at Moore Regional Hospital – Hoke in Raeford.

The shovels in the ground on Thursday morning represent the next step in the system’s commitment to serving the people of Hoke County and providing access to high-quality care, close to home.

“MRH-Hoke has served this area since 2013, and this new investment ensures that we can continue to meet the needs of this growing community in Raeford, Hoke County and beyond for years to come,” said Mickey Foster, MHA, chief executive officer of FirstHealth, in a press release.

The expansion project represents a $50 million investment in the future of health care in Hoke County. The project includes:

• A two-story, 35,280-square-foot hospital tower
• 24 new inpatient beds
• A 15,560-square-foot addition to the existing medical office building

Construction on the hospital expansion is expected to be completed in April 2027, with the first patients welcomed in July. This project comes on the heels of a recent emergency department expansion in 2022.

Matt Prestwood, MHA, FACHE, president of MRH-Hoke, said the new project is about much more than expanding the hospital’s footprint.

“The people of MRH-Hoke truly define this hospital, and today is an inspiring day for them as well because they show up each day to care for their neighbors with compassion, expertise and a deep sense of responsibility to the people we serve,” Prestwood said in a press release. “We are proud to be a part of Hoke County and energized by what lies ahead.”