Officials from Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia, are planning a "record-setting facility expansion" that would build upon the hospital's growing cardiovascular program, according to a Wednesday news release.
Plans to build a new cardiovascular pavilion, which will house cardiovascular surgery and other cardiovascular specialty services, were announced following a gift from the Robert E. Shaw family, according to the release.
"Our family has been greatly affected by heart disease, and we are committed to improving the lives of others in our community and in the surrounding region for generations to come," Robert E. Shaw, flooring entrepreneur and longtime Hamilton supporter, said in the release. "By providing this gift for Hamilton's facility expansion, we are supporting the continued growth of the first-class cardiovascular program at Hamilton so that everyone has access to the very best care."
Officials did not reveal the cost or timeline for the project but said in the release that the process of seeking state review and approval had begun.
The new cardiovascular pavilion will comprise approximately 175,000 square feet to "serve the growing cardiovascular needs of the region," according to the release.
Contributed Rendering / A rendering shows Hamilton Medical Center's proposed cardiovascular pavilion.Hamilton launched its cardiac surgery program in 2021 under the leadership of Dr. Richard Morrison, who's been based in Chattanooga for more than four decades and now serves as Hamilton's medical director of cardiac surgery.
"This has the potential to change lives. Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death, and many of our patients possess heart disease risk factors that are prevalent across the region," Morrison said in the release. "We are very grateful to Mr. Shaw and the Shaw family for their gift and for their commitment to Hamilton and to health care in our region."
Hamilton CEO Jeff Myers previously told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that before the cardiac surgery program opened, Hamilton would transfer roughly 200 heart patients per year to Chattanooga so they could receive a higher level of care -- which could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes depending on traffic and capacity at the other hospitals.
Contributed Rendering / A rendering shows Hamilton Medical Center's proposed cardiovascular pavilion.Hamilton is a not-for-profit community hospital and flagship of Hamilton Health Care System, which includes the 282-bed acute care hospital, a skilled nursing facility, senior housing apartments, home health, hospice and a 75,000-square-foot fitness center.
In the past six years, the system has invested roughly $220 million in expanded services and infrastructure improvements. Of those investments, $100 million worth have occurred since 2019, including the Peeples Cancer Institute and the Anna Shaw Children's Institute.
Contact Elizabeth Fite at efite@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6673.