Ascension Saint Thomas (AST) has announced plans to build a new $148.5 million hospital in Clarksville, Tennessee, in a major expansion aimed at addressing the region’s growing healthcare demands. The hospital, which will initially house 44 inpatient beds with capacity to expand to 132, is set to offer a wide range of services, including emergency care, surgery, cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, women’s health, and a neonatal intensive care unit.
The facility will be constructed on a nearly 100-acre site just northeast of Interstate 24 at Exit 11, near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. The campus will also feature outpatient surgery and advanced imaging services to support coordinated care and reduce the need for residents to travel outside the area for routine procedures.
Clarksville, one of Tennessee’s fastest-growing cities, currently offers only one civilian hospital to serve its nearly quarter-million residents. The population has increased approximately 12% since 2020, stretching local healthcare providers thin. Essential care, especially in obstetrics and surgery, forces many patients to drive up to 50 miles.
A greater healthcare choice for residents
Leaders at Ascension Saint Thomas emphasized that the new hospital will not only improve access to care but also provide residents with greater healthcare choice. The project is expected to create around 250 jobs during and after construction, contributing to the local economy and strengthening the region’s healthcare infrastructure.
Pending state approval through the Certificate of Need process, a public hearing on the project is scheduled for later this year. If approved, construction is expected to begin soon after, with a goal of opening the hospital within the next few years.
Local officials and physicians have praised the announcement as a much-needed step toward expanding care and keeping up with Clarksville’s rapid growth.
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Planned Ascension Saint Thomas (AST) Hospital in Clarksville: Project Factsheet
Project Overview
Project Name: Ascension Saint Thomas Clarksville Hospital
Investment: $148.5 million
Location: Northeast of Interstate 24 at Exit 11, near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Clarksville, TN
Site Size: Nearly 100 acres
Facility Specifications
Initial capacity: 44 inpatient beds
Expansion capacity: 132 beds
Services: Emergency care, surgery, cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, women’s health, and NICU
Additional facilities: Outpatient surgery center and advanced imaging services
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Community Impact of Planned AST Hospital in Clarksville
Will create approximately 250 jobs during and after construction
Addresses healthcare needs in one of Tennessee’s fastest-growing cities (12% population growth since 2020)
Reduces need for residents to travel up to 50 miles for essential care
Provides greater healthcare choice for a population of nearly 250,000 currently served by only one civilian hospital
Timeline
Public hearing scheduled for later this year
Construction contingent on Certificate of Need approval
Targeted opening: Within the next few years
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