ATLANTA — A new proposal could bring a teaching hospital to Atlanta’s West End as leaders continue efforts to expand healthcare access on the city’s south side following the closure of Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center in 2022.
Atrium Health is seeking state approval for a short-stay acute care teaching hospital that would be part of a 40-acre mixed-use development focused on healthcare, research, education, housing and retail.
The proposed facility would be located near the West End MARTA station, between Murphy Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway.
Plans call for the hospital to initially operate as a 50-bed facility, with future expansion bringing capacity to about 380 beds.
The proposal includes a 24-hour emergency department, surgical services, diagnostic imaging and other acute care capabilities. The facility would also serve as a teaching hospital through an academic affiliation with the Morehouse School of Medicine, with a focus on medical education, residency training, workforce development and research.
Atrium Health says the proposal meets state requirements for a certificate of need exemption because it would replace a portion of the healthcare capacity lost when Atlanta Medical Center closed.
The proposal aligns with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ recently announced “Project Robin,” an initiative aimed at addressing healthcare disparities.
“Will we choose to let some parts of our city continue to flourish, while communities just a few miles away are left waiting for their turn,” Dickens said.
In a statement, Atrium Health said, “This will help restore critical healthcare services and address longstanding gaps in access to communities who have suffered far too long from losing two safety net hospitals.”
The proposal does not include a timeline for when the hospital could open.
WSB Radio’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story.