Sheffield, Ala.-based Helen Keller Hospital submitted an application to the state's Health Planning and Development Agency to convert its outpatient department into an ASC, the TimesDaily reported Jan. 28.
The conversion would see the hospital spend $4.01 million to develop the Singing River Surgery Center. The project would allow several local physicians to buy in to the surgery center, according to a letter of intent submitted to the agency provided to Becker's ASC Review.
The hospital's Helen Keller Hospital Outpatient Surgery Pavilion opened in 2009. The health system said in the letter of intent that the pavilion is underutilized. The hospital currently performs services including gastroenterology, general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics and ENT. The surgery center will perform similar services.
The conversion would allow the hospital to increase the types and number of surgical procedures it performs.
The state is accepting statements on the project until March 11.
Note: Becker's reached out to a representative of Helen Keller Hospital for more information. We'll update this story when we hear back.