Baptist Memorial and Fayette County board agree to establish new hospital in Fayette County

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2024– The Fayette County Board of Commissioners and Baptist Memorial Health Care have agreed to establish a new hospital in Fayette County.

This would be the only hospital in the county and would serve much of West Tennessee along the I-40 corridor between Arlington and Jackson.

“I am excited to work with the Fayette County Board of Commissioners to develop a hospital for Fayette County and its surrounding communities,” said Jason Little, president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Health Care. “Having access to emergent and inpatient medical care is critical to the health and well-being of a community of Fayette County’s size. Our plans include a hospital that incorporates medical and technological advancements that will meet the community’s needs for quality health care now and in the future.”

Fayette County consists of 11 incorporated cities and has a population of more than 41,000 people according to the 2020 census. The county is near BlueOval City, Ford’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem that will produce the next generation of electric trucks and is seeking to fill 6,000 positions in West Tennessee.

“The Fayette County Board of Commissioners and the Fayette County Industrial Development Board are excited to partner with Baptist Memorial Health Care on the development of a hospital for Fayette County,” said Rhea “Skip” Taylor, mayor of Fayette County. “After exploring our options and assessing our community’s future needs for emergency care, we chose Baptist Memorial Health Care as our partner because of its reputation for quality health care and its expertise and success in operating excellent hospitals.”  

Baptist Memorial and Fayette County expect the new construction project to cost about $24 million and take about 24 months to complete. Integrated into the Baptist Memorial Health Care system, the new hospital will include eight emergency rooms staffed by physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine, eight acute care inpatient beds, outpatient imaging and lab services.

“Fayette County needs a hospital, and we think this is the right time to invest in the development of quality health care that will serve our employers and community,” said John David Douglas, Fayette County Industrial Development Board. “Immediate access to health care is a critical component of a vibrant and healthy community. We are pleased to be a part of this development, which will not only support a healthy workforce, but also will bring jobs and economic growth to Fayette County for years to come.”  

The new hospital will be centrally located in Fayette County at the northwest corner of Highway 64 and Warren Road near Tennessee Tractor.

“This hospital will significantly improve access to emergency and trauma care in Fayette County,” said Glenn Miller, director of Emergency Medical Services for Fayette County. “Time is critical in an emergency and can be the difference between life and death, particularly for stroke, cardiac and trauma patients. Having Baptist’s quality emergency and acute inpatient services nearby will be a positive development for Fayette County and, most importantly, will help save lives.”

Baptist Memorial Health Care is one of the country’s largest not-for-profit health care systems and the largest provider of Medicaid in the region. Consistently ranking among the top integrated health care networks in the country, Baptist Memorial comprises 24 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, Mississippi and East Arkansas; a freestanding emergency department; more than 5,400 affiliated physicians; Baptist Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group with more than 1,100 providers; Baptist Cancer Center; home, hospice and psychiatric care; walk-in and urgent care clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system that includes Baptist Health Sciences University and a new medical school at Baptist Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Baptist employs more than 21,000 people, and in fiscal year 2022 contributed more than $455 million in community benefit and uncompensated care to the communities it serves. For more information, please visit www.baptistonline.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.com.