A crowd of approximately 300 business and civic leaders, Health System employees, physicians and Camden County residents turned out for Southeast Georgia Health Systems official ground breaking for the new $30 million, 90,000 square foot expansion and renovation of its Camden Campus on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2006.

The 5:30 p.m. ceremony featured remarks by Georgia State Representative Cecily Hill, as well as System President and CEO Gary R. Colberg, Glynn-Brunswick Memorial Authority Chairperson Linda Pinson, Camden Campus Advisory Board Chairperson W.H. Gross, Doug Roeder, Vice President of HBE Corporation, the project design/build firm and Vice President and Camden Campus Administrator Howard W. Sepp. Jr.

"2006 marks a significant milestone in the life of the Health System, as Southeast Georgia Health System embarks on the most ambitious medical construction ever started in Camden County," Pinson told the crowd. "What better way to underscore, and celebrate, our Health Systems purpose to bring "Quality Health Care Close to Home" than to break ground on our new state of the art hospital expansion and renovation project in Camden County?" According to Sepp, the addition and renovation of existing areas of the hospital, providing a much needed expansion to accommodate the current and anticipated growth of services in this area. He said the total construction process including renovations will occur over a twenty-two month period.

The first floor of the expansion will include a new 17-bed Emergency Department, a new Imaging Department with a consolidated Woman's Imaging area, a new Cardiopulmonary Department, and a new Surgery Department with four operation rooms, compared to the current two, Sepp said. "A new Outpatient Services Department will also be intergrated with the Surgery Department to improve access to service," Sepp added. "We will also add a new front entrance and admissions area."

The new second floor will include three new impatient units, which will be moved from the current hospital, and will feature all private patient rooms. This includes a twenty-three bed medical-surgical unit, a five-bed ICU and the new 12-bed Maternity Center. These additions will then allow the System to renovate the existing hospital to expand and improve such areas as the Laboratory, dining, pharmacy and conference rooms.

"All of these changes and improvements will enhance our services to our patients. This renovation and expansion allows us to be more efficient and offer the latest technology in order us to meet the health care needs of Camden County, especially as the population grows," Colberg said. "We are also planning for the future by anticipating the future construction of a new nursing home to replace the current St. Marys Convalescent Center. The new home will be connected to the newly-expanded hospital. We look forward to involving the staff from the nursing home in the design of the new facility to make it staff and resident friendly". Sepp agrees. "These improvements to health care services will not only allow us to expand our services to the current residents of Camden County, but adding more and better technologies in a comfortable setting will help attract more physicians and people to the areas," Sepp said. "Camden County can be proud of the enhanced health services we offer right here at home."