Columbia County residents will soon be able to access premier health care services close to home. The county’s first hospital, Wellstar Columbia County Hospital on Gateway Boulevard in Grovetown, is a little more than halfway completed with construction running ahead of schedule.

Officials from Wellstar MCG Health broke ground on construction in April 2024. When completed, the facility will be about 250,000 square feet, covering the size of about four football fields. It will feature a level 2 trauma center in its emergency department, offering 24-hour treatment for sudden injuries. Telehealth services and other new technology will benefit residents in rural areas.

Next to the hospital, a new 90,000-square-foot professional building will house services for women’s health and other specialties.

“Columbia County is the largest county without a hospital, and it is growing very, very fast,” said Jennifer Miller, vice president of strategy and business development at Wellstar MCG Health, in an interview with FOX 54 News. “We chose that location off of I-20, so it was easy to get to for some of the surrounding communities around us,” said Miller.

The hospital’s opening is anticipated to bring several hundred new jobs to the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). Wellstar MCG Health plans to post employment announcements during the first few months of 2025.

With approximately 505 days remaining until it is completed, the new hospital will open its doors to the community in 2026.