Heart ‘cath lab’ is sought by TCreek Medical Center
Turkey Creek Medical Center is moving ahead on the addition of a heart catheterization laboratory, or “cath lab,” and a connection from Physicians Plaza II to the hospital as it discussed its site plan with Town of Farragut officials at a Staff/Developer meeting Tuesday, Oct. 30.
The plan is expected to appear on the agenda at Farragut Municipal Planning Commission’s meeting Thursday, Nov. 15.
“(Tennova Healthcare is) hoping to start (construction) within the next six to eight weeks,” said Jack Parker, senior project manager and civil engineer with Catalyst Design Group.
The improvements were made public during a launching celebration at Turkey Creek Medical Center in September, when Tony Benton, Tennova Healthcare market CEO, announced the expansion of the hospital’s heart services.
“There are two exterior improvements that would be part of this project,” Parker said. “One is a cath lab addition.”
The cath lab would house diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found.
Parker said the cath lab would be built on the southwest corner of the hospital facility. “There currently is a roundabout on that portion of the site,” he said.
Mark Shipley, Farragut Community Development director, said the addition would encompass more than 5,000 square feet.
“They are reconfiguring the parking lot (at that part of the property),” Shipley said.
The other improvement is a 10-foot-wide, second-story elevated connector from Physician’s Plaza II medical office building to the main hospital, Parker said.
One of the written comments of the site plan came from Dan Johnson, Farragut fire marshal, regarding speed bumps at one of the roads at the hospital.
“One of my concerns is the clearance on that,” Johnson said. “It does meet the minimums for the fire code. My concern, of course, about the speed humps or adding any pavement there in the future is you’re getting really close.
“My other concern is I know normal truck traffic is not routed that way; however, I can see the potential for there being a box truck that would come through there, so I don’t know how that will be addressed,” he said, adding he would prefer to see the hump made higher.
