Chamber Business Buzz: AdventHealth adds endocrinologist, opens OB ED; community events

AdventHealth has bolstered specialty and maternal services in the region, adding board-certified endocrinologist Aaron W. Barton, MD, MS, and opening an Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB ED) at The Baby Place at AdventHealth Hendersonville to provide around-the-clock OB evaluation services. These moves increase local access to care for conditions ranging from diabetes and thyroid disorders to urgent pregnancy concerns, reducing the need for some patients to travel to larger hospitals in Asheville or beyond.

The Asheville Area Chamber’s weekly Business Buzz collected the announcements alongside a slate of community and business events, reflecting how health system investments intersect with workforce and civic initiatives across Buncombe County. The OB ED expands 24/7 evaluation capacity at a time when rural and regional access to maternal care remains a policy focus for health planners and elected officials. For expecting parents in Henderson County and western Buncombe neighborhoods, the new OB ED means quicker evaluation for labor concerns, complications, and triage decisions that can affect outcomes and transportation costs.

Adding a board-certified endocrinologist enhances local capacity to manage chronic metabolic conditions that are common drivers of outpatient visits and hospital admissions. Greater specialty coverage can lower wait times for new appointments, reduce referrals out of the county, and retain healthcare spending locally. Those effects matter to employers and small businesses that face health benefit costs tied to chronic disease management and to workers who balance treatment needs with commutes and childcare.

The Business Buzz also highlighted upcoming and recent professional development and community events. The Western ExCEL / ExCEL NC childcare economic summit took place Jan. 16, focusing on childcare as a workforce and economic development issue. A Wake Forest Executive Education workshop is scheduled for Jan. 22, offering training geared toward business leaders. The calendar included a Stephens-Lee Community Center playground ribbon cutting and other recovery-related community investments, signaling continued public-private collaboration on neighborhood amenities and resilience projects.

For business leaders, health providers, and community organizers, these items connect to broader trends: healthcare investment as an anchor for local economies, childcare availability as a constraint on labor supply, and targeted training to bolster leadership capacity. Short-term effects include increased appointment options and a new emergency evaluation point for obstetrical care; longer-term implications include potential reductions in outmigration for specialist services and incremental gains in local economic activity tied to retained healthcare spending.

Residents should note the expanded OB ED services at The Baby Place in Hendersonville and the addition of Dr. Barton for endocrinology referrals. Business and nonprofit partners can follow the Chamber calendar for registration details on workshops and summits that aim to address workforce and community needs in Buncombe County.