Certificate of Need News
Open heart surgery site opposed
2/27/2009
Three metro Atlanta hospitals - Piedmont Hospital, Emory University Hospital and Emory Crawford Long Hospital - filed written appeals this month opposing an open heart surgery center approved for Gwinnett Medical Center, according to the state Department of Community Health's Web site.
Gwinnett Medical Center President and CEO Phil Wolfe issued a written statement saying he is "deeply disappointed" by the opposition.
"None of these hospitals are in a position to effectively serve our community, nor are they prepared to do so in the future," Wolfe said. "However, we are confident that GMC will ultimately bring open heart surgery to Gwinnett."
Gwinnett Medical Center, the county's largest hospital, cleared a major hurdle June 5 by gaining approval from the state Department of Community Health to start the open heart surgery center.
Gwinnett is the largest county in the nation without an open heart surgery center, medical center officials have said.
Read this article by Beth Warren from the July 14, 2008 issue of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
