FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Grady Health System is planning to build a freestanding emergency department due to the increase demand for health care access, officials announced on Wednesday.
The 20,000-square-foot facility will bring emergency care to those in the southern part of Fulton County. It is expected to be south of Interstate 20 in Union City. Officials said there was an increased demand for healthcare access after Wellstar's Atlanta Medical Center South and Atlanta Medical Center closed.
According to a release, Grady treated nearly 138,000 patients in its emergency department at its main campus in downtown Atlanta. The new facility is expected to have 16 bays and provide care to adult and pediatric patients with serious injuries or life-threatening conditions. The emergency department will also include imaging and laboratory services, a pharmacy and patient and staff support areas. There will also be an ambulance entrance for patients brought in and a helipad on-site for flight transfers to area hospitals.
Grady's President and CEO, John Haupert, said that as metro Atlanta's population increases, so does the need for medical care.
"The freestanding emergency department will allow us to serve this community by bringing exceptional care to patients right where they live," Haupert said. "The residents in this area deserve the same level of quality care available in other areas, and Grady is proud to take this major step toward fulfilling that need."
The department will be paid for by a combination of financial support from Fulton County and federal funding Grady secured.
Residents in South Fulton currently have to drive 40 minutes to receive emergency care, officials stated. The freestanding emergency department is part of the healthcare system's latest investment to meet community needs. Other examples include a new outpatient center that opened on Cascade Road last July, and another will open this coming summer at Lee + White, which is a mixed-use development in Atlanta's West End. Both locations are south of I-20.
Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts said the community is looking forward to seeing the facility get built.
"Everyone in Fulton County deserves access to health care, and no one should die early because of their ZIP code," Pitts said. "We are pleased to see Grady is taking action to address the healthcare desert in South Fulton."
Construction for the new development is expected to begin this fall pending certificate of need approval, officials said. The projected opening date is 2026.