WellStar Moves Forward With Health Park in Cherokee

Despite opposition from vocal members of the community, Marietta-based WellStar Health System said on Friday it will move forward with its plans to build a proposed health park in Holly Springs. 

The company in a news relesae said it's finalized the purchase of roughly 62 acres on the southwest corner of Sixes Road and Interstate 575 that will serve as the location for its new 150,000-square-foot health park.

"WellStar is committed to the health of Cherokee 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 county."

The company earlier this year petitioned the Holly Springs City Council to rezone the 62 acres to general commercial and to also grant them a conditional use permit to build the hospital or personal care home.

The council in March approved the rezoning request, but denied the conditional use permit. 

WellStar expects outpatient healthcare to grow by 30 percent over the next five years and, according to its release, their health parks "have been developed to deliver outpatient care in community-based facilities."

The company currently has a health park operating in Acworth and has one under construction in East Cobb. WellStar opened the Acworth Health Park in July 2012 and turned dirt on the East Cobb park in April.

The parks, the company added, "are tailored to provide innovative coordinated care to the local community."

"By combining and coordinating services under one roof, Cherokee County residents will no longer have to endure long drive times, frustrating traffic congestion and multiple trips to numerous locations for healthcare," said Joe Brywczynski, senior vice president health parks development. "The health park is truly a one-stop-shop opportunity."

The health park is slated to include 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.

A mix of physicans will also be included, such as primary care and specialists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, ENT, gastroenterologists, surgeons, allergy/asthma, endocrinology and others based on community needs.

The company also said it plans to link the health park's services with an electronic medical record, which should "greatly improve patient convenience and allow for better care coordination for patients." 

Construction on the Cherokee County facility is expected to begin in 2014. 

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