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Contributed commentary by Dr. Kevin Kennedy Jr. on proposals for a new hospital in Clarksville:  

Clarksville has been my home for my entire life, except a few years of professional training. I’ve grown up here, invested in my career here, and am now raising my own family in the very neighborhoods that shaped me. I believe with my whole heart this is the greatest place to live in America.

But even the best places must grow to meet the needs of their people. As a pediatric dentist and small-business advocate, I’ve seen firsthand how our community’s citizens are underserved with access to quality options for medical care compared to other similar-sized communities in Tennessee. The need is urgent: Families are waiting too long for emergency care, children are being referred out of town for treatment, and local providers are stretched beyond capacity for various reasons.

That’s why I wholeheartedly support the development and approval of new hospital systems in Clarksville, whatever they may be. We need all the help we can get. New hospital systems ease the burden on our existing facilities, provide critical access to care, recruit new professionals to our area, and ensure that no one has to leave town to get the treatment they need and deserve. Ascension St. Thomas and TriStar understand the value of the Clarksville community, and it would serve us well to do whatever is in our power to get both systems in our community.

I’m asking you – my fellow citizens and neighbors – to understand the importance of our collective voice and show your support to our local and state officials making these decisions.

This is not a matter of convenience – it’s a matter of community well-being. We must speak up, not just for ourselves, but for our children, our elderly and our future. Reach out to your representatives and show up to the Certificate of Need hearing in Nashville next month. Let them know Clarksville is ready, and that this is our moment to invest in the health of our community with multiple options.

If we want to preserve and grow what makes Clarksville the greatest place to live, we must be willing to grow with wisdom, compassion and action. Together, let’s build a healthier tomorrow.

Dr. Kevin Kennedy Jr.

For more

The Certificate of Need hearing for the Ascension Saint Thomas and TriStar requests will be Wednesday, July 23, at 9 a.m. at 425 N. Representative John Lewis Way, Senate Hearing Room I, Cordell Hull State Legislative Building, Nashville. The meeting is open to the public.

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