New hospital to begin operation at 6:00 a.m. Thursday

It will be the end of an era at 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning, when the doors at Polk Medical Center on North Main Street close their doors, and a new era begins at that same time some three miles to the east on Highway 278.

At that same moment, the emergency room will become operational at the new Polk Medical Center facility just east of town, according to Matt Gorman, administrator of Polk Medical Center.

Over the past several weeks, a massive undertaking of moving some of the equipment, infrastructure, records, and eventually patients has been underway.

The community was able to get a firsthand look at the new hospital a few weeks ago during an open house event. Gorman says to look for a formal ribbon cutting in the near future for the new hospital facility.

As for the old building on North Main Street, the city of Cedartown will take possession on Thursday and work should begin soon on the One Door Polk Network, which will house a number of healthcare and social services, and eventually a new Joint Emergency Operations Center for Polk County.