Williamson Medical Center Expands To Meet Needs of Community
To keep pace with rapid growth, the award-winning hospital launched a $200 million expansion campaign.
Sponsored by: Williamson Medical Center
In January 2023, Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, TN, marks 65 years of service to the community. The celebration comes in the midst of the largest renovation and expansion project in hospital history.
Once considered a rural outpost of Nashville, the vibrant Williamson County region boasts some of the nation’s fastest-growing municipalities including Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Nolensville and Thompson’s Station.
Analysts project the current countywide population of more than 250,000 will double by the year 2040. To keep pace with rapid growth, the award-winning hospital launched a $200 million expansion campaign to ensure continued access to world-class care.
“We need to prepare now for the future so Williamson Medical Center can provide the most advanced quality care possible for our community,” CEO Phil Mazzuca says of the impetus behind the massive project. “The expansion allows us to have the resources to accommodate more patients, higher acuity services and introduce even more advanced technologies, providing even greater access to care for decades to come.”
More for You. Close to Home.
The ambitious project, which touches nearly every department in the hospital, broke ground April 4, 2022. Primary construction is scheduled for completion in 2024, with renovations to existing areas wrapped up in 2025.
When finished, the community will benefit from:
- Additional capacity in the adult ER, which expands from 28 beds to 43 beds and includes an eight-bed behavioral health pod.
- Expanded obstetrics department growing from 28 beds to 33 beds with separate rooms for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum patients, addition of another operating room for C-section deliveries and a reconfigured neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with nine private bays.
- New floors and a new wing in the West Tower, along with renovation of current floors, to add a 22-bed observation unit and increase capacity in the ICU/stepdown and medical/surgical units to accommodate more patients.
- Room renovations in the existing facility to update finishes and create more space for patients and their families.
To pay for the construction and renovation, the hospital secured $150 million in bond financing, and the Williamson Medical Center Foundation launched the “More for You. Close to Home.” capital campaign co-chaired by Vicki McNamara and Caroline Bryan, along with her husband, country superstar Luke Bryan.
A longtime community volunteer, WMC Foundation Board member and wife of a physician at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, Vicki McNamara is keenly aware of the critical mission the hospital plays in the community.
“I’ve learned all too well the ins and outs of health care and how important it is for hospital staff to not only be highly skilled and compassionate but also be well-equipped with the technology they need to effectively serve their patients,” she says. “I’m proud of how Williamson Medical Center has achieved this balance over the years and felt compelled to help continue that mission into the future through this project.”
When asked to be a part of the campaign, Caroline Bryan says she was immediately on board. Being close to a hospital was one of her priorities when the family was looking for a place to call home.
“The first question I asked Luke when we found our farm was how close it was to the hospital,” she recalls. Since then, Caroline continues, “We’ve had two children born there, made multiple trips to the ER and have established relationships with doctors and other staff. Having the best possible health care close by is important for our entire community, and Luke and I are proud to team up with Vicki and the Williamson Medical Center Foundation to lend a hand.”
Luke notes: “Making Tennessee our home has been a big part in achieving our dreams. Having children here in Williamson County has rooted us to the community. Because we’ve been blessed by this area, we are proud to do anything we can to make it the best place it can be. The ‘More for You. Close to Home.’ campaign gives us the opportunity to support Williamson Medical Center’s ability to provide exceptional care within the community we love.”
Thriving Hospital. Healthy Community.
Financially independent without receiving county taxpayer funds, except for a partnership with Williamson County on EMS services, Williamson Medical Center reinvests profits back into the community, higher acuity services, advanced technologies and facility improvements to serve the region. A thriving hospital keeps the community healthy in more ways than one. In addition to providing medical services that are nationally recognized for quality and safety, Williamson Medical Center is one of the county’s largest employers with nearly 2,000 team members.
The hospital supports the community in myriad ways, including providing Emergency Medical Services for the entire county; supplying dedicated athletic trainers for each Williamson County high school; sponsoring local organizations and community events; and providing free mammograms and free or discounted services to underserved populations throughout the region.
To learn more about hospital services or support the expansion campaign, go to WilliamsonMedicalCenter.org.
