BRASELTON — The Northeast Georgia Health System expects to hear the court’s decision on its certificate of need for a 100-bed hospital at Medical Plaza 1 in Braselton by the end of this month or the beginning of next month, according to health system officials.

"We have the CON pending and if history holds true, we’ll know this month or early December," Jim Gardner, the health system’s president and CEO, said at the Braselton Rotary Club’s Nov. 5 meeting. "I’m remaining cautiously optimistic that it’ll turn out in our favor."

Barrow Regional Medical Center is opposing the CON.

Chief Executive Officer Blake Watts said, "We are also awaiting the court’s decision but there is no definite timeline. We, of course, are hopeful the ruling of the Superior Court will be upheld. We still stand behind the Superior Court ruling."

In May 2007, Northeast Georgia Medical Center received its certificate of need, a document approved by the Georgia Department of Community Health stating the medical center’s intention to move 100 acute-care beds from its Lanier Park campus to the new South Hall hospital. The application was revised in 2007 for 100 new beds.

Barrow Regional Medical Center in Winder appealed the approval, arguing the decision was critical for the survival of its local 56-bed hospital.

A hearing officer upheld the original ruling and after a subsequent appeal by Barrow Regional Medical Center, a review board continued to rule in favor of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, according to hospital officials.

Barrow Regional then filed suit in Barrow County Superior Court, where Superior Court Judge Robert Adamson of Winder ruled in Barrow Regional’s favor on Dec. 22, 2008, and reversed the decision by the Georgia Department of Community Health approving the new South Hall hospital for Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Northeast Georgia appealed the case to the Georgia Court of Appeals, which on Jan. 30 agreed to hear the case.

In the meantime, Watts said Barrow Regional Medical Center is focused on its mission: enhancing patient care for its service area.

"We are meeting the health needs of our community as it is growing, and we are growing to meet that need," said Watts, who points to improving quality of care and satisfaction as indicators that Barrow Regional is well on the way toward its goal.

"New services are being added and new physicians are providing new specialities for our community," said Watts. "I am excited about the direction we are moving here."

Barrow Regional Medical Center is planning for growth to better meet the needs of the community. A fresh look for the ER is being showcased Sunday during a 2-5 p.m. open house. "We are really excited about that and we hope to have a good turnout," said Watts.

"We are also excited about all the events which will be happening throughout the holidays, including the Dec. 1 Lights of Love tree-lighting event in our atrium," said Watts.

"We are also pleased to be a sponsor of the Chamber’s Women in Business luncheon and we will be announcing some of the services we are adding just for women," said Watts. (See related story.)

"I am really excited that people will be seeing good things," he said.

Pending the outcome of the case, Northeast Georgia plans to build the hospital campus in Braselton and hopes to have it completed by 2014. The proposed hospital would cost an estimated $200 million and bring between 700 and 750 full-time jobs to the area, Gardner said.