Interstate Visibility Improved with Tree Replacement

January 20, 2010 – StoneCrest Medical Center is replacing the tree line that separates the facility from Interstate 24 at Sam Ridley Parkway in Smyrna, TN.  The tree overgrowth posed visibility challenges for interstate travelers seeking emergency care.  “Many emergent patients choose to drive themselves to the emergency room.  Any delays in reaching emergency medical care can be life threatening,” said Terry Ketch, M.D., an interventional cardiologist.  In an effort to assist emergency patients in accessing the hospital, StoneCrest initiated the tree replacement project to improve visibility from the interstate.

The existing tree line will be replaced with landscaping that includes a combined total of nearly 100 cherry, dogwood, and maple trees.  The project cost nearly $135,000 and involved almost a year of planning that entailed environmental preservation and beautification.  “Maintaining the balance between environment and ecological factors was a top priority in the project planning stages”, said Mark Sims, CEO at StoneCrest Medical Center.  “We are pleased with the fact that both our environmental and patient safety goals have been achieved.” 

StoneCrest Medical Center, part of the TriStar Health System, is an Accredited Chest Pain and Accredited Cancer Center that offers a full array of acute care services including emergency care, general surgery, cardiology, obstetrics, intensive care, physical medicine, outpatient diagnostic services, and cancer care. Situated on 43 acres at the intersection of Interstate 24 and Sam Ridley Parkway, StoneCrest Medical Center offers 101 total beds. Additionally, the 160,000 square foot physician's building is adjacent to the medical center, providing convenient access from physician offices to the hospital.