Just before Thanksgiving, Williamson Medical Center executives officially broke ground and unveiled renderings of the $65 million expansion project.Slated to open in early 2015, the project includes a dedicated children’s Emergency Department and hospital, as well as expanded surgery and women’s services and surgical suites. Comprised of two three-story buildings, construction officially began Nov. 19 with the placement of ceremonial shovels in the ground at the site of the front door of the children’s hospital, which will bear the name Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt at Williamson Medical Center. The name reflects WMC’s partnership with Vanderbilt to bring advanced pediatric inpatient care to Williamson County and its surrounding communities. “This day has been a long time in the making,” Don Webb, Williamson Medical CEO, said at the groundbreaking. “Honestly, I can remember back to 10 years ago when there was discussion about when would be the right time to begin providing healthcare for younger children in need of inpatient services. The tempo of this discussion picked up within the last two years, and today we celebrate the beginning of this next phase in our journey as we continue to grow to meet the needs of the communities.”Referring to the architectural renderings by Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) for the new project, Williamson Medical COO Julie Miller noted, “We have created a calming environment for families while they are here. This is not going to be your grandfather’s waiting room.”She added, “Our relationship with Vanderbilt is an important one. We could have picked any number of healthcare providers to partner with moving forward. We chose Vanderbilt, and we made that announcement in this very space in 2011 and today’s project is one good example of that relationship.”
