June 29th, 2023 – 11:50 AM

Atrium Health Floyd –

Atrium Health Floyd and the construction team had a mini celebration Wednesday as Chattooga County’s freestanding emergency department located next to Wal-Mart on U.S. 27 is nearing completion.

When finished, the $18.4 million FSED will serve residents in Chattooga County and portions of Walker County and northeast Alabama.

The facility will include six treatment rooms along with onsite laboratory and imaging services, including X-ray and a computed tomography (CT) scanner.

The 10,884-square-foot facility will also be home to a new mobile mammography unit to ensure more women have convenient access to lifesaving breast cancer screenings. A helipad will also be located on-site, providing quick access to Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, the only Level II trauma center in northwest Georgia.

It will be the first freestanding emergency department to be built from the ground up in the state of Georgia. It is unique for one to be built in a rural area. The FSED is expected to employ an estimated 44 people once it becomes operational this fall.

In September 2022, Atrium Health Floyd EMS became the official ambulance service provider in Chattooga County, positioning five ambulances across the county with 35 teammates. The service represents more than a $1 million investment in new vehicles and equipment.