PIEDMONT NEWNAN HOSPITAL RECEIVES STATE APPROVAL OF CERTIFICATE OF NEED FOR NEW HOSPITAL FACILITY

Piedmont Newnan Hospital has received approval on its Certificate of Need (CON) Application for a replacement hospital facility from the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Health Planning. The application was submitted in late January, and no opposition was filed against the application.

“We are so pleased and excited about this approval," said Michael Bass, president and CEO of Piedmont Newnan Hospital. “We know how anxious the community is for this new facility and appreciate the support of many who have helped in this process.”

“We plan to develop a technologically advanced, healing environment capable of adapting to the growing and ever-changing healthcare needs of the community,” Bass continued.

The facility will be located on approximately105 acres on Poplar Road near Interstate 85. The application defined a 362,376-square-foot, 136-bed hospital facility on nine floors to improve patient access and wayfinding; provide flexibility for changing clinical, technology and community needs; increase operational efficiencies; and accommodate future growth. Private, inpatient rooms will be adaptable to varying acuity needs of patients and will include 14 post-partum beds, 18 critical care beds and 104 general medical/surgical patient beds. The facility will feature 8 operating rooms and 23 patient rooms in the Emergency Department. The new hospital will be designed to provide an optimal setting for efficient, quality patient care.

The hospital will also utilize sustainable building strategies – such as energy efficiencies and water reuse and conservation technologies – in an effort to reduce future operating costs, provide a healthier work environment, and reduce the overall environmental impact of the project. It has been designed to comply with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™.

Designated green spaces and natural areas will serve to organize the overall campus and provide restorative spaces for patients, visitors and staff. These “green belts” will be used to facilitate wayfinding, extending from public parking to the lobby and along the public mall. The public mall will simplify access to many of the clinical services and destinations for patients and visitors, such as radiology, laboratory, cardiopulmonary and respiratory therapy services.

Phase I of the campus development includes the hospital as well as a support services building to house areas such as human resources, cardiac rehabilitation and education. Plans call for approximately 1,000 parking spaces to accommodate patients, visitors and staff.

Gregory A. Hurst, PNH board chairman and chief operating officer for Piedmont Healthcare, said, “We are appreciative of the State's review and approval of our application as we know how important this hospital is to the entire community. In addition, we value the community for its ongoing support of Piedmont Newnan Hospital during this transition time."

Project costs are $193,680,000. With regulatory approvals in place, construction will begin in October 2008, and the new hospital will open to serve the community by early 2011.