DULUTH, Ga., Oct. 4, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Gwinnett Hospital System broke ground today on its new hospital in Duluth, to replace the 60-year-old Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital.
The new hospital, located near the intersection of Pleasant Hill and Howell Ferry roads, will be a vital addition to GHS assuring that healthcare in Gwinnett will remain superior in quality and sufficient in capacity well into the future. The new facility will provide state-of-the-art inpatient medical, surgical, intensive and intermediate care and 24-hour emergency services.
"I want to commend the Gwinnett Health System for all you do to meet the health needs of Georgians and for your commitment to continue meeting their needs in the future," said Gov. Sonny Perdue. "When this hospital opens in 2006, it's going to be a place of health and hope."
"This day is a dream come true for a lot of us in the Gwinnett community," said Franklin Rinker, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Hospital System and Gwinnett Medical Center. "We stand just a few hundred yards from the first hospital in this county, Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital. And here, on this ground, we will build Atlanta's next great hospital."
The location of the new hospital will make access to expanded healthcare services more convenient. It will be within easy walking distance from the Glancy Outpatient Center and the Hudgens Professional Building and will be surrounded by ample parking.
The 81-bed facility will include 175,476 square feet of modern inpatient treatment space, larger operating rooms that accommodate the latest high-tech surgical equipment and 23 emergency department exam and treatment rooms. The number of critical care beds will be double the amount in the current hospital and the intensive care unit will be family friendly with contemporary, private rooms.
"A great hospital system helps keep a community strong, vibrant and growing," said Wayne Sikes, chairman of the GHS board. "That's why it is so important for all of us to support this hospital system; support these doctors and nurses, and help this system grow."
The projected completion date is early 2006.
Gwinnett Hospital System is a not-for-profit healthcare network offering facilities and services to Gwinnett and the surrounding community. Their 479-bed system includes three hospitals plus supporting facilities anchored by their flagship, Gwinnett Medical Center, in Lawrenceville. With almost 4,000 associates and 700 affiliated physicians representing over 60 specialties, they take great pride in their role as guardians of their community's good health. In fiscal year 2004, they cared for 386,327 patients and delivered 5,792 babies. For more information on GHS, please visit www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org.
Editors Note: A rendering of the building and photos of the groundbreaking event are available.