For more than 30 years, DeKalb Medical has been committed to bringing much-needed healthcare services to south DeKalb County and the surrounding communities. Since 1970 when DeKalb County voters first approved a $1.95 million bond referendum to help fund a south DeKalb hospital, DeKalb Medical has devoted substantial time and resources to making a hospital there a reality.

In October 1974, a four-phase concept was developed and approved for bringing medical services to south DeKalb. The four phases included an outpatient diagnostic center/medical office building; expanded outpatient services and additional medical office space; an inpatient facility; and a continuing care retirement facility. Two years later, in 1976, DeKalb Medical acquired the Hillandale property. For the next 10 years, DeKalb Medical kept alive its plans – and the community’s dreams – for a hospital in south DeKalb. Despite round after round of legal opinions, position papers, feasibility studies and moratoriums questioning the need for new hospital beds not only in the Atlanta area but the entire state of Georgia, DeKalb Medical never lost sight of the community’s need for a hospital to call its own.

At the community’s urging, DeKalb Medical submitted in March 1986 a certificate-of-need (CON) application to the state for a 100-bed hospital called South DeKalb Hospital to be located at 5900 Hillandale Drive. Hospital officials thought the CON’s novel approach might have a chance of winning approval because it did not seek to add any new hospital beds. Rather, it sought to transfer 100 beds from DeKalb General Hospital, as DeKalb Medical was called then, to the proposed South DeKalb Hospital. In the meantime, the hospital also opened its first urgent care center, Family Care-South DeKalb, in July 1986 at 6038 Covington Highway.

DeKalb Medical’s plans for the South DeKalb Hospital were put on hold following the state’s denial of the CON in August 1986. According to the state, the area did not meet the state’s criteria for building a new hospital, namely due to the availability and accessibility of current beds and the cost. While plans were temporarily stalled, they weren’t abandoned. DeKalb Medical regrouped and moved forward with Phase I of our four-tiered approach to building a medical campus on Hillandale Drive.

In October 1994, DeKalb Medical at Hillandale opened on a 40-acre campus in Lithonia. The new campus featured a three-story facility with an outpatient diagnostic and treatment center with laboratory, imaging and rehabilitation services. In addition, 10 customized physician suites were constructed, bringing much-needed doctors to the area.

The hospital also established the South DeKalb Advisory Committee, which consisted of well-known and respected community residents and leaders, to advocate the community’s needs in the planning process. The group’s first meeting was held in July 1994.

Following the completion of a favorable feasibility study, DeKalb Medical submitted a CON application in April 1999 to build an outpatient hospital in south DeKalb County. The facility would include an outpatient surgery center, observation beds and a 24-hour minor emergency center. The state approved the CON in January 2000. Later that year, in November, the second medical office building, which was to house the outpatient facilities, was completed. In August 2001, the Minor Emergency Center and the Outpatient Surgery Center opened.

Also in August 2001, a CON application for a 100-bed hospital was submitted to the Division of Health Planning of the Department of Community Health (DCH) for review and approval. On February 13, 2002, DCH approved DeKalb Medical’s South DeKalb Medical application and denied a competing application for a new hospital to be built by Tenet.

On March 15, 2002, DeKalb Medical held a ceremonial “groundbreaking” for south DeKalb’s first full-service hospital, to be located on the Hillandale campus in Lithonia. Before construction could begin, however, the hospital had to endure an extensive appeals process.

Following 15 months of appeals by several competitors, DeKalb Medical cleared its final regulatory hurdle in May 2003. At last, construction of south DeKalb’s first full-service hospital could soon begin.
DeKalb Medical has long been the leading provider of health care services in DeKalb County. Over the years, DeKalb Medical has worked hard to earn the trust and support of residents of south DeKalb County and the surrounding communities, and it now has the infrastructure in place to support a hospital in south DeKalb County.

DeKalb Medical at Hillandale Construction Milestones

June 2002: Collins Project Management was appointed to help oversee the construction process for the new 100-bed hospital.

August 2003: The Atlanta office of Birmingham, Ala.-based contractors Brasfield & Gorrie, was selected as the general contractor for the new 100-bed hospital after an extensive bid process. Later that same month, site work was initiated and land was cleared for the new hospital.

September 2003: Construction began on 100-bed facility.

September 25, 2003: A gala reception was held at DeKalb Medical at Hillandale to thank elected officials and other supporters for their assistance in helping win state approval for the new hospital.

October 23, 2003 : DeKalb Medical and local officials celebrated the pouring of the foundation for the 100-bed hospital. VIPs also signed commemorative cement pavers that were placed in the garden area in front of the hospital.

April 30, 2004 : DeKalb Medical, Brasfield Gorrie and the entire project team celebrated the official topping out of the new hospital, indicating that the structure was now under roof.

August 2004: Exterior walls were completed and the structure was dried in.

January 3, 2005 : The Imaging Center becomes the first department to open in the new hospital, offering outpatient diagnostic services only. Previously located in the adjacent 5900 Building, the Imaging Center move makes way for the construction of the new hospital laboratory.

April 26, 2005: DeKalb Medical at Hillandale obtains its Certificate of Occupancy from the state fire marshal, signifying that the facility meets all building safety standards and is safe to occupy.

May 5, 2005: In a special ceremony, Brasfield & Gorrie officially turns over the keys to the new hospital to DeKalb Medical at Hillandale officials, signaling that the new building is ready for occupancy. Hospital officials begin moving in and placing furnishings, medical equipment and supplies.