The Columbia County Hospital Authority received updates on the construction of the upcoming medical center on Gateway Boulevard in Grovetown during its quarterly meeting, Wednesday afternoon.
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Jennifer Miller, vice president of strategy and business development with WellStar MCG Health, and Wellstar MCG President Ralph Turner gave a presentation to the board highlighting the hospital’s progress, which includes the completion of the 90,000-square foot medical office building’s steel framing and beginning the installation of concrete floors.
To support construction, Georgia Power will be energizing power at the site this week, and initial paving and interior wall framing are to begin in July.
Responding to a question from Hospital Authority District 1 director Dr. Rick Richards, Miller stated that the ER will be on one level, with two trauma rooms that can serve as operating rooms.
Turner noted that the Columbia County facility will be WellStar’s first ground up construction in roughly 12 years, the most recent being the Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram, Ga., built in 2014, where he last served as president.
Wellstar reports that some $47 million has been spent on construction so far, out of a committed $263.4 million commitment and a budget of more than $300 million. The company broke ground on the site in April, behind the Columbia County Exhibition Center.
Per a standard practice of Wellstar, patients and families members in Columbia County contributed to developing the design of the hospital.
“We believe that in order to design an appropriate environment for our patients and families, we should include them as part of the design process,” said Miller. “Wellstar prides themselves on ‘people care.’ Part of being good at people care is including them in decision making.”
Miller also noted that staff planning and the process of onboarding medical personnel are already underway. Construction of the hospital is projected to be complete in March of 2026, after which preparations ensue, including bringing in medical equipment and network gear. The hospital is expected to open in the third or fourth quarter of that year.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
