RINCON, Ga. — Effingham Health System held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new medical complex in South Effingham, marking a major step toward expanding health care access in the county’s fastest-growing region.
The facility will be built on 33 acres off Goshen Road, near the proposed Effingham Parkway — a six-mile connector between State Route 30 and Blue Jay Road. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, following completion of the parkway.
“Everyone in our county will have access to our health care,” said Dr. Alexander Wynn, chief medical officer of Effingham Health System.
New complex to serve growing population
The complex is designed to expand outpatient and specialty services while supporting the system’s growth as a regional health care provider. Currently, most of Effingham Health’s facilities are located in the northern part of the county. The new development brings services closer to South Effingham residents and enhances the system’s ability to serve surrounding communities.
“This new facility is not meant to replace our current hospital,” said Dr. Fran Witt, president and CEO of Effingham Health System. “I am often asked how we intend to respond to the accelerated growth of our county. This medical complex is the next phase of our strategic growth to meet that need.”
Witt described the expansion into the southern part of the county as a “gamechanger.”
“This medical complex will embody the next generation of our healthcare system,” she said. “We are currently optimizing our existing health system footprint, and this new complex will provide us with the space we need to continue to improve and increase access to healthcare.”
Community input to shape services, design
Witt said a formal community needs assessment is underway, and public input will guide key decisions, including the cost, staffing, and types of services the facility will provide.
“This serves as a kickoff to engage the community in our planning process, which will be collaborative,” she said. “We will be actively engaging our residents over the next year.”
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington), who attended the event, applauded the initiative.
“What Fran has done here is truly outstanding,” Burns said. “Effingham Health System is a model of success in the state and nation.”
