Wendell, N.C. — WakeMed has purchased 10 acres off U.S. Highway 64 in Wendell for a health-care facility to serve eastern Wake County, officials said Wednesday.

The $22 million WakeMed East Healthplex, in the Wendell Falls subdivision, will include a 24-hour, standalone emergency department, physician offices, a CT scanner and ultrasound, mammography, general radiology, fluoroscopy and laboratory services.

An application for the facility was submitted to state regulators in March.

The facility will be similar to WakeMed North Healthplex, which opened in 2002 at the intersection of Falls of Neuse and Durant roads in north Raleigh, officials said. That facility opened the state's first stand-alone emergency department two years ago and had 23,135 patient-visits last year.

"WakeMed's ambulatory growth strategy is to bring health-care services to patients in their neighborhoods," Carolyn Knaup, WakeMed vice president for ambulatory services, said in a statement. "Eastern Wake County and the communities of Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon are poised to grow quickly in the coming years. With the addition of WakeMed East Healthplex, we will ensure these new residents have convenient access to high-quality health-care services."

Construction is scheduled to begin on WakeMed East Healthplex late next year after a highway interchange near Eagle Rock Road  and U.S. 64 opens, officials said. The facility should open by fall 2009.

WakeMed also has an option to purchase 10 acres adjacent to the property in Wendell Falls for future expansion, officials said.