Earl Architects (EA), a nationally recognized design firm that specializes exclusively in healthcare facilities, has been selected to design the new replacement facility for St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital.

Based in Greenville, S.C., EA has planned and designed hundreds of community and critical access hospitals across the Southeast, including the new 56-bed Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center soon to open just off I-85 in Lavonia, Ga., and an 88-bed replacement hospital for Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas.

“Earl Architects impressed us with their expertise and dedication to research-based best practices,” said Montez Carter, interim president of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital. “After completing a highly competitive process with many excellent firms, we chose Earl Architects because of their proven ability to design an innovative healing environment that reflects the personality of the community while providing significant operational efficiencies.”

According to co-owner and Principal-in-Charge Richard Earl, EA’s designs are based on extensive research showing that elements such as natural lighting, healing gardens, and accommodations for emerging technologies improve both patient and staff satisfaction. As a result, EA has earned multiple honors for its hospital designs, including the “Best of the Best” Pinnacle Award from the Associated General Contractors of America/American Institute of Architects.

Working with Collins Project Management and the leadership of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan, EA has already begun the planning process for the new replacement hospital, which will be built on a 24-acre site recently purchased by St. Mary’s on Ga. 44 at Carey Station Road. Carter said the facility, which will be designed to be one of the best critical access hospitals in the state, if not the nation, will be about twice the size of the current facility.

The new Good Samaritan replacement hospital will significantly increase the scope and quality of care available in Greene County and surrounding communities, Carter said. It will feature a 24/7 emergency department, a broad range of surgical services, extensive rehabilitative services, telemedicine capabilities for remote and shared diagnosis and treatment, and advanced imaging services with a 64-slice CT scanner and nuclear medicine imaging capability. As a critical access hospital, it will initially be built with 25 beds, but it will be designed to accommodate future expansion as enhanced services to the community increase patient volumes.

Total cost for design and construction is expected to be approximately $40 million, with groundbreaking planned for this summer and the grand opening anticipated in early 2014. The hospital will be wholly owned by St. Mary’s Health Care System. Funding for construction and equipment will be provided by St. Mary’s, Catholic Health East and the generous support of private donors.