Update, 4:30 p.m.: TriStar Health hosted a ceremony Friday afternoon to formally announce its plans for a Clarksville location on Tiny Town Road, pending state approval.
“This new hospital, with not only its advanced medical resources, but also with a commitment to care that’s close to home, personalized and designed to meet the unique needs of our region,” state Sen. Bill Powers said during the ceremony.
“They (TriStar) saw a city on the rise and decided to meet us where we are,” said City Councilman Brian Zacharias. “At the intersection of rapid expansion and rising expectations. Let’s be clear, we’re not just talking about a hospital. We’re talking about local career opportunities, new training pathways, and a healthier tomorrow for every family of Clarksville and neighboring communities.”
Mitch Edgeworth, president of HCA Healthcare TriStar Division, told those in attendance, “As we wrap today, I want to anchor on our mission as an organization: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.”
Update, 11 a.m.: The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission Certificate of Need hearing for both TriStar Clarksville Hospital and Saint Thomas Ascension Clarksville was announced this morning. The hearing 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.
Previously:
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – TriStar Health, part of HCA Healthcare, announced Friday morning it is seeking approval to bring a 68-bed full service hospital with an ER to Tiny Town Road. This is the second hospital announcement for Clarksville in recent weeks, following Saint Thomas Ascension’s announcement on May 15.
TriStar will apply for a Certificate of Need with the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission to build the full-service, acute care, for-profit hospital. If approved, the $286 million, 213,000-square-foot facility will offer services including:
- 68 beds (with the ability to expand up to 224 in the future)
- 12-bed Emergency Room
- 42-bed Medical/Surgical Unit
- 8-bed Intensive Care Unit
- 10-bed Labor and Delivery Unit
- 8-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Level 2)
- 4 operating rooms
- 2 cardiac catheterization labs
- Imaging services, including MRI
- Inpatient dialysis
“Clarksville is growing at a tremendous rate, and we are excited to expand healthcare services with a community hospital designed to meet the needs of the residents who call Clarksville home,” said Mitch Edgeworth, president of HCA Healthcare TriStar Division, in a news release. “At TriStar Health, we value the role of community hospitals, and we have a track record of investing in technology and expanding services to ensure our hospitals are positioned to care for the communities they serve.”
The hospital is proposed for a site on the south side of Tiny Town Road, about 1.5 miles west of Exit 1 of Interstate 24. In recent weeks, the land owner has sought rezoning for a parcel at the site, from Residential to Commercial (C5), to expand the C5 zoning along Tiny Town Road to the south, which would make more room for the proposed hospital.
TriStar Clarksville Hospital will provide essential healthcare infrastructure to support the current and future growth of Montgomery County and surrounding communities, the release said.
“Clarksville is the fifth largest city in Tennessee and is on track to reach a population of 200,000 by 2028, nearly double what it was in 2000. Despite this rapid growth, healthcare access has not increased at the same rate. Clarksville is almost the size of Chattanooga, but Clarksville has only one acute care community hospital plus one military hospital at nearby Fort Campbell across the state line in Kentucky. Chattanooga has 11 hospitals, including five acute care medical-surgical hospitals, two satellite hospitals, two rehabilitation hospitals, two behavioral health hospitals and one long-term care hospital. Another acute care hospital is located in neighboring Hixson, in Hamilton County,” the release said.
While Clarksville’s population is indeed soon to surpass that of Chattanooga, the geography of city limits plays a role. While the Clarksville, TN-KY Metro Area has roughly 336,000 population, the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area is much higher at about 580,000.
Hospital proposals
Currently, the only full-service hospitals in Clarksville are the for-profit Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville and the military Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell. On May 15, Ascension Saint Thomas, a Nashville faith-based, nonprofit hospital system, announced their plan for a full-service hospital. The facility, located on 96 acres at the intersection of MLK Jr. Parkway and Interstate 24, will include 44 inpatient beds, with the ability to expand to 132 beds in the future.
On Monday, July 23, the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission will hear the proposals to issue a Certificate of Need for each proposal. The Commission could issue both certificates, only one, or none at all.
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In the news release, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden and state Sen. Bill Powers all expressed support for TriStar’s proposal.
TriStar Clarksville Hospital would bring more than 200 healthcare jobs to the community with the ability to expand as the community grows. The facility would initially be built with 68 beds and have capacity to expand to 224 beds in the future.
Fort Campbell connections
TriStar Health already has ties to Clarksville through collaboration with Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell. For three years, BACH soldier surgeons have worked side-by-side with TriStar Skyline’s trauma surgeons to provide care to critically injured patients in the region. This program allows soldier medical providers to take the first-hand experience they learn alongside TriStar Health physicians and clinical staff with them as they provide life-saving care in the field.
“Clarksville’s growth has been driven by a strong veteran population, and we are proud to support veterans through our many programs and services at HCA Healthcare, in addition to our support of active duty families through our work with Blanchfield Army Community Hospital,” said Edgeworth.
HCA Healthcare was named as a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times for the fifth consecutive year for efforts to recruit, mentor and retain U.S. service members. HCA Healthcare has hired more than 65,000 veterans, active-duty and reserve personnel and military spouses since 2012.
TriStar Health will be hosting an announcement event on Friday at 3 p.m. at the future site of TriStar Clarksville Hospital. Community members are welcome to attend. The location is at Tiny Town Road and Sandpiper Drive.
Jordan Renfro contributed to this report.
Correction: The state hearing will be Wednesday, July 23. The article has been updated.
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