Forrest General and Southern Bone and Joint Specialists to build orthopedic facility in Hattiesburg | Health

The Following is a press release from Forrest General:

Forrest General and Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A., are pleased to announce a joint venture to create a new orthopedic facility in Hattiesburg – Forrest General's Orthopedic Hospital at Southern Bone and Joint. The facility will combine the latest technology, expert physicians and staff, and the added convenience of a satellite resource in delivering advanced orthopedic care for the region.

Forrest General's Orthopedic Hospital at Southern Bone and Joint will relocate 30 existing orthopedic beds from Forrest General’s main campus to a site on the campus of Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, located at 3688 Veterans Memorial Dr. The new location is part of a complex which includes orthopedic surgeons, MRI Imaging and Southern Surgery Center.  According to representatives of Forrest General and Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, the goal of this project is to provide the most technologically-advanced facility in the region specifically tailored and dedicated to orthopedic care.

“Forrest General will lead this region with constant advancements in facilities and technology while also providing comfort and convenience for our patients,” said Evan Dillard, Forrest General president and CEO. “I am excited about the opportunity to offer this new facility that will accomplish both of those goals. Forrest General's Orthopedic Hospital at Southern Bone and Joint will be a great asset to Hattiesburg, our state and the southeast in offering outstanding orthopedic care."

“We are committed to advancing the quality of orthopedic healthcare for our region,” said Southern Bone and Joint President  Elliott Nipper, M.D. “Forrest General's Orthopedic Hospital at Southern Bone and Joint will offer a personalized patient-focused environment and will add to Hattiesburg’s reputation as a regional referral center in orthopedics and other medical specialties.” 

The project will include more than 74,000 square feet of new construction at a cost in excess of $30 million. In addition to the 30 licensed orthopedic beds, the facility will have orthopedic operating rooms, pre-operative and recovery rooms, as well as support services such as physical and occupational therapy, laboratory and diagnostic imaging services.

The facility, which is scheduled to be ready for patients in October 2012, will be designed and constructed by Davis • Stokes Collaborative, P.C. This well-known architectural firm is responsible for many outstanding orthopedic facilities across the country, including Las Vegas, Nev., Los Angeles, Calif., San Antonio, Texas and facilities across Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Ohio and New Mexico.

For more information on Forrest General or its available services, call FGH OnCall at 1-800-844-4445, or visit forrestgeneral.com.

Pictured in the photo below at the groundbreaking ceremony are, from left to right: Willie Stokes of Davis Stokes Collaborative, PC; James Sikes, M.D.; David Burckel, CEO of Southern Bone and Joint; Rocco Barbieri, M.D.; Jay Antinnes, M.D.; Susi Folse, M.D.; Doug Rouse, M.D.; Richard Conn, M.D.; Lance Line, M.D.; Ed Bagingito, M.D.; Neal Gregg, D.O.; Robert Dews, M.D.; Michael Patterson, M.D.; John Keene, Forrest General Board of Trustees; Elliott Nipper, M.D.; Tristan Johannssen, Robins and Morton construction manager; Dave Bush, BancorpSouth; Evan Dillard, Forrest General President and CEO; Rick Preusch, Forrest General Board of Trustees; Burkett Ross, Forrest General Board of Trustees; Derek Gregg, Robins and Morton construction manager and David Hogan, Forrest County Board of Supervisors.