The Georgia Department of Community Health announced on Monday its approval of CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia’s certificate of need application to provide full-service cancer services with new equipment at CHI Memorial Parkway in Ringgold.
Concerning a possible appeal of the decision, Erlanger Health System Vice President of Operations & Market CEO Tanner Goodrich said, “Erlanger was just notified of this decision Monday at 5:00 PM. We respect the Georgia Department of Community Health’s decision. Our team is evaluating the various options relative to next steps in the CON process. Regardless, Erlanger will continue to focus on enabling greater access to high quality health care in North Georgia.”
"We are prepared to upgrade our linear accelerator to provide full-service cancer services as early as September," officials said. "The only thing that could delay this start is an appeal of the decision by Erlanger Health System. Erlanger’s application for a new cancer center in Ringgold was denied. Only Erlanger can delay the community’s cancer care by trying to block CHI Memorial from providing care to the people of North Georgia. Access to radiation oncology at CHI Memorial Parkway could be delayed by two years or more as the issue is resolved through the legal process. Hundreds of people will be denied access to life-saving care close to home.
"We need your voice. We need you to take action today. Through the CHI Memorial Now! Initiative, we want to work with the citizens in North Georgia, a community that needs cancer care now. Talk to your neighbors, go online to CHIMemorialNOW.org and sign the online petition. Let’s stand together for cancer care now," officials said.
“Erlanger had its opportunity to invest in radiation oncology services over the three years it managed Hutcheson Medical Center, yet failed to do so,” said Larry Schumacher, CHI Memorial CEO and senior vice president of operations, Southeast Division, Catholic Health Initiatives. “It also owned the land for its proposed cancer center for 10 years, but again failed to take steps to create a cancer center.”
“Each year, more than 500 people travel from this Georgia region for cancer care when they could stay near home for care”, said Edward Arrowsmith, M.D., medical oncologist at CHI Memorial Rees Skillern Cancer Institute. “People should not have to travel great distances to obtain life-saving radiation therapy. Extensive travel for treatment can be exhausting for the individual and challenging for family members who are there to help.”
CHI Memorial has developed expertise in oncology, cardiology, and orthopedics that is unmatched by other area hospitals”, said Mr. Schumacher. “As we have become widely recognized for excellence, we are excited to bring our expertise and capabilities to the North Georgia region.”
"Providing full-service cancer care is part of the initiative CHI Memorial began several years ago to expand the availability of quality healthcare to the residents of North Georgia. We identified opportunities for primary care providers to join CHI Memorial Medical Group in Chickamauga, LaFayette, Ringgold, and Trenton; and we now have 19 providers caring for thousands of people. We also recently invested in bringing specialty care to the region, with the addition of The Chattanooga Heart Institute and Pediatric Diagnostic Associates.
"Last year, we strengthened our commitment by investing in much needed advanced medical services for the people who live and work in North Georgia through the acquisition of the former Cornerstone Medical Center – now CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia – and Hutcheson on the Parkway – now CHI Memorial Parkway.
"We have made significant strides in advancing health care services to the community by expanding the availability of in-patient beds at CHI Memorial Hospital Georgia, establishing a hospitalist program, increasing access to imaging services, and initiating EMS ambulance services to facilitate quick transfers when a higher level of care is needed," officials said.