Parkridge Health System is planning to build a $16 million, freestanding emergency department in Soddy-Daisy.
The Soddy-Daisy City Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution supporting the development of the facility and state approval of a certificate of need, which is required for the plans to proceed.
“If approved, the new FSER [freestanding emergency room] will fill a critical gap in access to emergency care,” Michelle Hindmon, Parkridge Health System communication marketing specialist, said in an email.
According to the Tennessee Hospital Association, the state has experienced 16 hospital closures since 2010 — the second highest rate in the United States. Thirteen of those closures were in rural areas.
The certificate-of-need process can take months. Hindmon said she did not know when construction would begin if the facility is approved.
The 12-bed freestanding emergency department would be the first facility of its kind in Soddy-Daisy and has been needed for many years, Mayor Rick Nunley said by phone.
“The north end of the county is growing by leaps and bounds, and all the hospital ERs in Chattanooga are overwhelmed,” Nunley said. “I’ve heard horror stories of people having to wait in the emergency room in the lobby for six hours waiting to be seen. Hopefully this will lighten the load on the other hospitals’ emergency rooms, and it shortens the time from the north end of the county to get to emergency care by quite a bit.”
The planned site of the facility is located off of Harrison Lane near the Walmart. It would cut the length of time it takes people in North Hamilton County to get to an emergency deparment by about half, he said.
“It’s going to be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by emergency room doctors,” Nunley said, adding that the facility will also feature a helicoptor landing pad.
Parkridge already operates a freestanding emergency department on Lee Highway, Parkridge North ER, and recently began construction on a similar facility off of Exit 1 in East Ridge.
In Georgia, Atrium Health Floyd is opening an emergency care facility in Chattooga County. The facility will be located on U.S. 27, south of Trion and will be open around the clock and will have six exam rooms, two observation rooms, lab services, diagnostic machines including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scanner and a staff of 44.
(READ MORE: Georgia may end Parkridge challenge of new Ringgold hospital)
Contact Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.