The Certificate of Need application related to a proposed new hospital in Lee County was filed with the Georgia Department of Community Health. The filing is the next step toward seeking approval to build a new 60-bed general hospital in Lee County.

The County Commission has been working for months with a dedicated team of experts, including local physicians, architects, developers and an experienced hospital operator to achieve its vision for the new hospital, which is described in the detailed CON application.

Similar to many other states, Georgia requires approval of a CON application to build a new healthcare facility.

“Our number one priority in building this hospital is to ensure that our community has a choice when it comes to accessing the local, excellent healthcare the people in our area deserve,” said Billy Mathis, Lee County Commission Vice Chairman. “Lee County Medical Center will not only provide this high-quality care to the residents of our County, but also to our surrounding neighbors in Southwest Georgia.”

The proposed hospital will be a full-service healthcare provider, offering both acute and emergency care services such as an ICU, medical/surgical unit, inpatient and outpatient services, MRI and CT scan capabilities, and more. The CON application includes a variety of specific details about the hospital, including:

- The County will provide the land for the hospital, along with the necessary infrastructure.  The County will work with an experienced developer to construct the hospital and an experienced for-profit hospital operator, which will operate and manage the hospital.  The Development Authority will own the hospital and the operator will operate and manage the hospital pursuant to a lease agreement.

- Expert architects will finalize the design of a state-of-the-art, 60-bed general hospital on Grand Island Road.

- The hospital will provide both acute and emergency care services, including an ICU, medical/surgical unit, inpatient and outpatient services, MRI and CT scan capabilities, and more.

- The hospital will provide access to great healthcare for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital projects that it will provide total uncompensated care of nearly $6 million in the first year of operation and nearly $12 million in year two.

- The hospital will create more than 350 good-paying jobs, and will provide important training opportunities for medical and professional students.

- The hospital will collaborate with a variety of community partners, such as Lee County Optical, Lee County Medical Arts Center, Hughston Clinic, Lee County Health & Rehabilitation, and more.

“We are committed to ensuring that Lee County is as successful as possible – not just today or five years from today, but for generations down the road,” said Winston Oxford, Lee County Chamber of Commerce President. “In addition to providing excellent care to our community, we believe Lee County Medical Center will provide a critical economic boost to our area that has the potential to spur additional growth across many local industries in the future.”

The application review process will take approximately four months to complete, and the County expects to break ground for the hospital later this year.

“We are thankful and humbled by all of the support we have received so far – from local community leaders, physicians, businesses, residents and more. It’s clear to us that our community believes in the vision for the new hospital as much as we do,” said Mathis.

The County is committed to keeping the community informed throughout this process.

To learn more about the County’s plans for the hospital, see frequently asked questions, and sign up for the latest updates, visit www.ABetterLeeCounty.com.

On Thursday, May 25th, the Lee County Chamber of Commerce will host an informal “Business After Hours” meeting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to share additional details about Lee County Medical Center. Additional opportunities will be communicated throughout the coming months.