Breaking Ground: St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System Celebrates New Georgia Urgent Care Facility

St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System celebrates a huge milestone in the development of its new urgent care facility in Southeast Georgia with a ceremonial groundbreaking.  Located in Richmond Hill, the 10,000-SF center will provide the community quick access to much-needed medical services.  The groundbreaking marks a significant step in phase I of construction, keeping the Urgent Care on schedule to allow the new tenants ample time to move in their equipment and get settled into the new space. To further enhance the facility for community members, phase II of construction will upfit the remaining shell space for a primary care practice or specialty office.

The Urgent Care facility is just one part of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s three-year strategic plan to expand access to affordable urgent care and healthcare options in the Southeast Georgia area. Launched in 2019 with the construction of their Pooler Campus, the plan continues with the area's second facility in Richmond Hill. In total, this is the eighth urgent care center built by the hospital system to provide access to quick, affordable medical care for communities that need it the most.

Unfortunately, necessary visits to hospital emergency rooms have the potential to result in hefty medical bills. Hospital leaders noted the urgent care facility will provide community members an affordable alternative to an ER.  "A hospital ER, as many of you know, is about 10-to-20 times the cost of an urgent care," said Paul Hinchey, President and CEO of St. Joseph's/Candler. Thanks to the facility’s expansive ground floor and space-capitalizing design, the new Richmond Hill medical facility will be able to handle approximately 80% of all medical surprises the members of the community may encounter.

Designed by Batson Associates, the $4-million facility in Richmond Hill will employ 30 people and is scheduled to open September 2021.