Piedmont Henry Hospital has received approval from the Piedmont Board of Directors for a $215 million expansion. The health care provider announced on Sept. 20 that the project will include a new patient tower featuring 95 inpatient rooms. Construction on the new tower is expected to begin in early 2024 and to be completed within two-and-half years.

As part of the expansion, the hospital will have a new bed license for 355 total beds. Additional surface-level parking will be provided on site, as well as three new operating room suites.

“We are often at capacity now and this expansion will help us serve our patients, and the community, better,” David Kent, CEO of Piedmont Henry, said a press release. “We have grown with Henry County, and we will continue to grow to continue providing world-class, patient-centered care to the communities we serve well into the future.”

The expansion of the hospital’s operating room is expected to reduce wait times for patients having “high end surgical procedures.” The additional patient rooms are also expected to improve wait times in the emergency department.

“We take the responsibility of caring for our patients and the residents of this community very seriously,” Kent said. “We’ve made a lot of progress over the past few years. In addition to being designated a Level III Trauma Center, we’ve increased our use of robotic assisted surgery, brought in world-class physicians, and maximized space, both on campus and adjacent, to provide safe, high-quality care. An expansion of this magnitude is the next step for us.”

Piedmont Healthcare does not anticipate the multi-year construction project to have any impact on patient and visitor access to Piedmont Henry. However, the health care provider did warn that there may be a “limited disruption” to parking in the area and patients will be asked to arrive a few minutes early for scheduled appointments once the construction begins.