Northeast Georgia Health System's (NGHS) plan to develop a new surgery center in Braselton is one step closer to becoming reality.

Yesterday, the Georgia Department of Community Health approved NGHS' Certificate of Need application for an ambulatory surgery center. Ambulatory surgery centers typically provide less complex procedures compared to hospitals, which can result in lower costs and patients going home the same day as surgery.

"We have invested in healthcare services in the Braselton area for more than a decade, and we strongly believe we're in the best position to provide this service to improve care efficiency in our community," says Louis Smith, president of Acute and Post-Acute Operations for NGHS. "We’re excited that the state agrees, and we look forward to next steps."

Other health systems have 30 days to appeal the state’s approval. If no appeals are filed, NGHS will work toward a tentative timeline to open the ambulatory surgery center – which would offer a broad range of surgical specialties and feature four operating rooms, two procedure rooms and more than 25,000 square feet of space. The surgery center would be located inside a new building, called Medical Plaza 2, on Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton’s campus. Medical Plaza 2 would include 90,000 square feet of space, with the surgery center on the first floor and two additional floors for physician offices.

"We want to thank the hundreds of physicians and other healthcare providers who expressed their support through letters to the Department of Community Health, as well as the thousands of local residents, businesses, and civic leaders who voiced their desire for NGHS to develop the surgery center," says Anthony Williamson, president of NGMC Braselton. "We believe that support played a tremendous role in the state’s decision. We're honored to live, work, and play in this community – alongside the people who trust us to care for them."

As a non-profit, NGHS provides care to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. In fact, the Health System has made a 6 percent indigent care commitment for the future ambulatory surgery center and anticipates exceeding that commitment. The project has also received support from nearly a dozen other community organizations focused on providing care for the underinsured and uninsured.