WellStar Health System has announced plans to move forward with planning for a new health park on 25 acres of property just south of Smyrna. The area borders I-285 to the east, Atlanta Road on the south and Cumberland Parkway on the north. The WellStar Vinings Health Park, a new 162,000 square foot health park in the Smyrna/Vinings area, is scheduled to break ground in 2014 and begin seeing patients in late 2015/early 2016.
“WellStar is committed to the health of Cobb County residents and is pleased to offer this convenient, comprehensive and high-quality care to our community,” said Chris Kane, WellStar senior vice president for strategic business development. The purchase of this property ideally positions WellStar to address the needs of the residents in this rapidly growing area. We have a noteworthy history in Cobb County but our Health Park investments are evidence of our optimism about the future.”
With outpatient healthcare expected to grow 30% over the next five years, WellStar health parks have been developed to deliver outpatient care in community-based facilities. WellStar health parks, currently open in Acworth and under construction in East Cobb, are tailored to provide innovative coordinated care to the local community.
“A health park is all about bringing outpatient and physician services directly to the communities we serve,” said Joe Brywczynski, senior vice president health parks development. “Residents will no longer have to expect to endure long drive times, frustrating traffic congestion and multiple trips to access their health services at multiple locations. By combining and coordinating services under one roof, we will greatly improve patient and family convenience and access to their outpatient care needs. The health park is truly a one-stop-shop opportunity.”
Plans for the health park in Vinings include a wide array of comprehensive medical diagnostic testing services such as medical imaging, urgent care, lab and pre-admission testing, cardiac and sleep diagnostics, physical therapy and sports medicine, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, pharmacy and community education, health screening and wellness services.
These services will be integrated with a multi-specialty mix of physicians to include a strong foundation of primary care physicians – family physicians, internal medicine, pediatrics and OB/GYN -and specialists, such as cardiologists, pulmonologists, ENT, gastroenterologists, surgeons, allergy/asthma, endocrinology and others based on community needs.
The health park’s services will be linked together with all other WellStar facilities via an electronic medical record. This will greatly improve patient convenience and allow for better care coordination for patients.
The new health park will enhance the already strong presence in the county including WellStar Cobb, Kennestone and Windy Hill hospitals along with many WellStar affiliated physicians and providers who practice in Cobb County.
WellStar opened the Acworth Health Park in July of 2012. WellStar also broke ground on its East Cobb Health Park, in April of 2013, and expects to begin seeing patients in September of 2014.
From the November 2013 issue of The Bright Side, Cobb County Georgia’s Newspaper covering Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton and Austell, GA.
