SOUTH FULTON COUNTY, GA — Grady Health System officially broke ground today on a new freestanding emergency department in South Fulton County, marking a major step toward expanding healthcare access in the region.

The $38 million, 20,000-square-foot facility will be located on the 5600 block of Campbellton-Fairburn Road and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026. Once completed, it will operate 24/7 and feature 16 treatment bays, imaging and lab services, and a pharmacy.

Union City Mayor Vince Williams welcomed the development, saying the area has had a critical need for emergency care since the 2022 closure of Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

“Access to quality healthcare has been a huge concern,” Williams said. “This facility brings much needed services closer to our community.”

Grady Health CEO John Haupert emphasized that the project is supported by a mix of county and federal funding. “Grady is going to utilize federal funding that we secured for the express purpose of expanding access to care,” Haupert said.

While the facility will provide emergency services, it will not be designated as a trauma center. Patients requiring trauma care will still need to be transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in downtown Atlanta.

Still, Haupert stressed the importance of faster access to emergency services. “If someone is having chest pain, and their loved one brings them there, they can be much more quickly accessed than if someone had to drive them all the way up to Grady,” he said.

The new emergency department is expected to play a key role in filling a healthcare gap for residents in Union City, Fairburn, and surrounding communities.