CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – With three hospital groups jockeying for position to build new facilities here, the Aspire Foundation hosted top leaders from all three for a Clarksville Healthcare Forum on Tuesday, giving each one 15 minutes to make their pitch to business and community leaders.
“Our community is growing fast, but we don’t have the same hospital capabilities and coverage that we see in other counties,” said Buck Dellinger, CEO of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council, who facilitated the meeting. Dellinger said County Mayor Wes Golden recently summed it well: “This might be the biggest thing that’s happened in Montgomery County in 50 years.”
On May 15, Ascension Saint Thomas announced their plan for a full-service hospital and ER. Two weeks later, TriStar Health said it is also seeking approval for a Clarksville hospital. In the wake of those announcements, Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville said they will ask to change the location for their planned satellite hospital from north Clarksville to a spot next to the current satellite ER in Sango.
Tennova: ‘Our community hospital’
Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville CEO Drew Emery outlined by the numbers the ways in which the hospital has served the community over the years…