UNICOI, Tenn. (WCYB) \u2014 Ballad Health will build a new hospital in the town of Unicoi, according to Mayor Kevin Kevin McInturff.<\/p>\n
This comes after the Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin was destroyed by Helene.<\/p>\n
McInturff told News 5 that the hospital will be built behind the Walmart off exit 34.<\/p>\n
Ballad said in a statement that construction is expected to begin this spring and will take roughly two years to complete.<\/p>\n
We’ll have more information coming up Wednesday on News 5.<\/p>\n
Below are quotes from various officials.<\/p>\n
\u201cWalking through that hospital in the days after Helene is something I will never forget,\u201d Ballad Health Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton said. \u201cI saw heartbreak \u2013 but I also saw extraordinary courage and resilience. The people of Unicoi County have carried themselves with strength and grace, and it is an honor to move forward by rebuilding a facility that will provide the care they deserve. Rebuilding Unicoi County Hospital is about more than bricks and mortar; it\u2019s about keeping care close to home for people who have been through so much. We\u2019re committed to transparency throughout this process and will share updates as design work continues and construction begins with an overall goal to bring back the essential services this community relied on for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRebuilding this hospital will require the same kind of partnership that sustained our communities through the storm itself,” Ballad CEO Alan Levine said. “We are committed to working closely with local leaders, state partners and our federal delegation to ensure this hospital is rebuilt thoughtfully, resiliently and in a way that meets the long-term healthcare needs of this region. This is not something any one organization can do alone, and we are grateful for the collaboration and shared resolve it will take to restore this critical access point for care.\u201d<\/p>\n
State Sen. Steve Southerland of Tennessee\u2019s Ninth District supported today\u2019s announcement, adding, \u201cUnicoi County Hospital plays a vital role in ensuring people in East Tennessee have access to timely, high-quality healthcare close to home. In rural communities like ours, a hospital is not only essential for medical care \u2013 it supports emergency response, economic stability and the overall well-being of the region. I am grateful for Ballad Health\u2019s commitment to rebuilding and their focus on working with partners at every level to restore this critical resource for the people of Unicoi County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rep. Renea Jones of Tennessee\u2019s Fourth District said, \u201cThe rebuilding of Unicoi County Hospital is critical to the long-term health and stability of our community. I appreciate Ballad Health\u2019s commitment to restoring local inpatient care and their willingness to work collaboratively with local, state and federal partners to make this possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unicoi County Mayor Garland \u201cBubba\u201d Evely added, \u201cThis hospital is more than a building \u2013 it is a lifeline for families in Unicoi County and the surrounding area. Today\u2019s announcement marks meaningful progress in our recovery after Hurricane Helene, bringing critical healthcare services closer to where people live and work while strengthening the county\u2019s ability to respond in emergencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud that the Town of Unicoi will be home to the next chapter of Unicoi County Hospital,\u201d said McInturff said in a statement. \u201cI appreciate Ballad Health\u2019s commitment to collaboration and resilience, and we look forward to working together with county, state and federal partners to ensure this hospital serves our community well for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Glenn White of the Town of Erwin also shared his support for the project, saying, \u201cWhile the original hospital was located in the Town of Erwin, what matters most is that Unicoi County continues to have strong access to inpatient care. Ballad Health kept its word, and that means a great deal to our community. The hospital will be accessible to everyone, and I appreciate the health system\u2019s commitment to doing what is right for the entire county.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UNICOI, Tenn. (WCYB) \u2014 Ballad Health will build a new hospital in the town of Unicoi, according to…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":551214,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[210,1141,1142,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-551213","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-care","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-health-care","10":"tag-healthcare","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115977592821534426","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=551213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/551213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/551214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=551213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=551213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}