Erlanger Medical Center will be establishing medical facilities in North Georgia after purchasing land at Fort Oglethorpe.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority Board of Trustees voted to purchase approximately 20 acres of property on Battlefield Parkway in Catoosa County.
Officials said it will be used for the development of physician offices and related health and medical services.
With road frontage of approximately 875 feet, the back of the property is adjacent to the Benton Place Campus, which houses Catoosa County’s Public Library, The Colonnade, The Annie Evitt Health Department, and other county facilities.
Hospital officials said in the 2001 fiscal year, the hospital charges for the residents of North Georgia, which includes the counties of Catoosa, Walker and Dade, totaled $68,781,343.00.
The three county population growth, as well as the growth in patient volume that Erlanger has seen from the area, was a significant factor in developing the property for key medical services and programs, officials said.
Hospital administration also anticipates working collaboratively with the current North Georgia healthcare providers.
“The residents of North Georgia have used the Erlanger Health System for well over 100 years, but we are seeing a marked growth in patient volume from the area,” stated Erlanger CEO Dennis Pettigrew.
“We would like to make it much easier for the residents to access our comprehensive health care services within their own community, by establishing a physical presence. We are also very excited to be able to expand our services to our neighbors in North Georgia, who have always been an integral part of the region Erlanger serves.”