State Approves Plans for Outpatient Surgery Center at Hartselle Health Park

(News Release) On October 18, the State Health Planning & Development Agency Certificate of Need (CON) Review Board unanimously approved Cullman Regional’s application to build a multispecialty ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Hartselle.

The ASC, or outpatient surgery center, is the second expansion of services in Hartselle announced by Cullman Regional this year. Plans for a freestanding emergency department were approved by the state a few months ago. That facility will open in 2024.

“Adding a surgery center helps us round out the convenient outpatient services available locally in Hartselle,” said James Clements, Cullman Regional CEO. “We’re grateful to the CON Review Board and the State Health Planning & Development Agency for their oversight on projects like this and their support for what we are trying to do in Hartselle with the ASC and freestanding ED.”

When it opens in 2026, the outpatient surgery center will extend the footprint of Hartselle Health Park to the east side of Hwy 31 across from the freestanding emergency department, Urgent Care Center, Imaging Center and physician clinics.

The surgery center will offer four operating rooms, one procedure room, 10 pre- and post-surgery bays, as well as waiting areas, business offices and support spaces. It will be staffed by the same clinical teams found in a hospital-based surgery department including surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical nurses and other healthcare professionals.

“With the addition of an outpatient surgery center, the community will have local access to a lower cost option for outpatient surgery,” said Dr. Bill Smith, Cullman Regional Chief Medical Officer. “This facility will be another extension of high-quality healthcare in a community that needs it.”

Cullman Regional has operated an outpatient surgery center in Cullman since 2018, when it took over operations of the Surgery Center of Cullman.