Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper, Ga., part of Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare, opened a freestanding emergency room on Monday, known publicly as Piedmont Mountainside Emergency Services at Ellijay (Ga.).
Here are five things to know.
1. Piedmont Mountainside touts the project as the first freestanding ER in Georgia.
2. Project plans were first revealed in June, following the closure of North Georgia Medical Center in Ellijay. The freestanding ER is housed on the former NGMC campus, according to a news release.
3. Among the freestanding ER's features are emergent medical equipment, along with X-ray and pharmacy and laboratory equipment.
4. Thirty-five employees will work at the facility, including nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists and radiology and lab technicians, the release states.
5. While commenting on the ER project, Denise Ray, CEO of Piedmont Mountainside, stressed the importance of such a facility in the community. "It is imperative patients have access to emergency care, especially for life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke where every minute matters. That's why this agreement is so important for the community. With the nearest hospital 20-30 minutes away, the health and well-being of many depend on it," she said in the release.