Fairfield County, SC - (WLTX) Within the next year the doors at Fairfield Memorial Hospital will close but residents won't have to worry about not having a place to get health care.
Construction is underway in Winnsboro for the new Providence Health Fairfield Emergency Room. The nearly eighteen thousand square foot facility is set to open at the end of this year. CEO of Providence Health northeast Lindy White explains why this site is so important.
"It's matter of life or death" says White. She goes on to explain by saying, "In this community there are going to be circumstances daily that come and minutes count to get to a healthcare facility so that's what's going to be important about this facility and insuring patients know that we're here."
Terry Vickers with the Fairfield chamber of commerce says the community needs this major healthcare facility to keep the people and the economy healthy.
"Not only will there be quality health care provided here but were hoping that the staff will utilize our shopping restaurants and our facilities our boutiques not only in Winnsboro but also in Ridgeway. So it really is a partnership all around" says Vickers
Willa Mae Kennedy has lived her entire life in Winnsboro. To her this is more than just a construction site.
She says, "It feels good because I might not have an emergency but some of my family members and neighbors might have one and they may not have transportation to get all the way to Columbia. This is a county we need an emergency room cause you'll never when there will be an emergency so I'm just happy it coming."
The expansion is being funded by a $3.8 million grant from the South Carolina Hospital Transformation Program and is set to open by the end of 2018.