No longer is quality health care one of our greatest needs
During the past four years, while our community and nation have struggled with the recession, unemployment and housing, our most positive local story has been the tremendous improvement of health care facilities.Don’t know many communities that have seen two new hospitals and a new health department built during this time — plus a clinic added to help the needy.
Our community has been blessed with these new facilities, which have turned the quality of health care from a negative to a positive. In fact, people are saying Newnan and Coweta County are becoming the health care mecca of south side Atlanta.
Just to review:
— The new, and much anticipated, Piedmont Newnan Hospital on Poplar Road opened on May 8. This state-of-the-art hospital may be the single most important health care improvement in this community’s history. It’s a magnificent hospital that will continue to add staff and expand offerings in the years ahead.
— On Aug. 15, the new Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southeastern Regional Medical Center is scheduled to open on the Newnan Bypass in Ashley Park. This week, Cancer Treatment Center executives welcomed a first wave of employees, called stakeholders.
The cancer hospital has hired 170 stakeholders. Another 100-120 employees will be added by September 2013, and officials say the hospital will generate 500 jobs and up to $500 million in economic activity in its first five years.
Our community is fortunate to have these new health care facilities. Indeed, for years Newnan and Coweta County residents have pointed to the lack of quality health care facilities as one of our greatest needs. That picture has changed. Our new facilities now make health care a much brighter asset for the community.
