MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – Novant Health East Cooper Medical Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary, recognizing four decades of compassionate care, community growth and the people who have shaped the hospital’s legacy since opening in 1986.
Originally opened as AMI East Cooper Community Hospital, the facility was the first hospital in Mount Pleasant, serving a town of what was then around 15,000 residents. Today, Mount Pleasant has grown into one of South Carolina’s largest communities with more than 95,000 residents, and East Cooper Medical Center has grown alongside it, evolving into a regional healthcare destination and the anchor of a growing Lowcountry network of care.
Mount Pleasant leader and former mayor Johnnie Dodds championed master planning efforts that helped pave the way for a local hospital east of the Cooper River. “This hospital was so important to my father,” said his son, Johnnie Dodds Jr., member of the East Cooper Governing Board. “We had arts and recreation, but he knew we needed a hospital east of the Cooper to really flourish as a vibrant, strong community.”
Portrait of Johnnie Dodds, who championed the development of a hospital "East of the Cooper."
The hospital’s 40th anniversary is being commemorated during 2026 National Hospital Week. Team members will celebrate the milestone with special events honoring the hospital’s roots and longstanding culture of teamwork. Activities include an ’80s-themed dress-up day, ruby-colored desserts symbolizing a 40th anniversary celebration, a nostalgic Olan Mills-style photo booth and a Family Fun Fair for team members and their families on Saturday, May 16, featuring music, games, bounce houses, face painting and more.
Team members are also being encouraged to give back through the “4 Ways to Give” campaign, including contributing to Novant Health Foundation, volunteering in the community, giving praise to a colleague and writing notes of encouragement to the next generation of healthcare workers.
“The East Cooper Medical Center family is proud to celebrate 40 years of service to our community,” said Kirsten Royster, president of Novant Health’s Charleston area and East Cooper Medical Center. “For generations, this hospital has cared for families through some of life’s most important moments. What makes East Cooper special has always been our people — compassionate team members who are deeply connected to this community and committed to exceptional care.”
Over the past four decades, East Cooper Medical Center has marked several major milestones, including relocating in 2010 to its current 250,000-square-foot facility featuring a Level III Trauma Center, dedicated women’s services, a Level II neonatal unit and expanded specialty care services.
Ribbon Cutting opening the Mullis Building, 2014
In 2014, the hospital expanded further with the opening of the Mullis medical office building adjacent to the hospital campus, named for board member Danny Mullis in honor of his more than 25 years of service and dedication to the hospital.
“Mt. Pleasant is a completely different place than it was back in 1986. East Cooper is no longer a quiet little community hospital. We deliver state-of-the-art care. We have some of the best providers in the country here,” said Mullis, Chair Emeritus of the East Cooper Medical Center Governing Board.
In 2024, the hospital entered a new chapter when it became part of Novant Health, transitioning into a not-for-profit health system focused on expanding access, investing in advanced care and strengthening community health across the region.
Since joining Novant Health, East Cooper Medical Center has continued to earn recognition for quality and patient outcomes while also serving as the anchor of a rapidly growing Lowcountry network that now extends into West Ashley, North Charleston, Summerville and Nexton.
Novant Health East Cooper Medical Center, 2026
“We are building on a 40-year legacy of care while focusing on a future marked by expanded access to care,” said Jason Bernd, senior vice president of Novant Health South Carolina. “We are building a connected system of care that ensures patients can receive high-quality services where and when they need them.”
Recent and upcoming investments across the Charleston region include the opening of the Dayfield Park multispecialty clinic in Nexton; a new Center for Women’s Health on the East Cooper campus; freestanding emergency departments on Clements Ferry Road and in Summers Corner; expanded primary care access; and new specialty services designed to meet the needs of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions.
As a not-for-profit health system, Novant Health has also expanded East Cooper’s community engagement efforts through volunteer initiatives, charitable partnerships and outreach programs focused on improving health outcomes beyond the walls of the hospital.
As East Cooper Medical Center celebrates 40 years, its role has never been more important. Still grounded in the culture and community that defined its early days, the hospital now serves as the anchor of a much larger, more connected network designed to care for the Lowcountry for decades to come.
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