CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — TriStar Health and Ascension Saint Thomas have proposed new hospitals in the area.

In order to move forward, both hospitals have to secure a "certificate of need" from the state. They're set to plead their case in a meeting on Wednesday morning.

Tennova currently serves as the hospital and emergency room in Clarksville. They recently wrote a letter to the state opposing the new hospitals. But TriStar and Ascension are doubling down.

Both hospitals say they've already received an overwhelming amount of community feedback, and this is a collaboration between them and the people of Clarksville.

Ascension Saint Thomas is orchestrating a caravan to the meeting at Cordell Hall from Clarksville. TriStar Health leaders are also providing free transportation at the Mosaic Church campus. Both Ascension Saint Thomas and TriStar hospital leaders said they're focused on bringing state-of-the-art care to an area that's underserved, and they want to do it side by side with the people of Clarksville.

Ascension St. Thomas President and CEO Fahad Tahir said they wanted to eliminate any barriers people would have of traveling into Nashville, and this is an easy and convenient way of making sure everyone in the community stays part of this decision process.

Tahir said Ascension St. Thomas has hosted three town hall sessions, and they've seen upwards of 150 people in attendance to express their thoughts on the hospital. He said they've been doing everything they can to continue garnering community support.

"People want to be heard and people deserve to be heard," Tahir said. "We felt like it was our responsibility to make this as easy, convenient and coordinated for people so we can have a higher likelihood of people attending and having their voices heard."

Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development for TriStar Health, David Whelan, said that ahead of Wednesday morning's proposal to the state, they've received over 2,000 written letters supporting the TriStar hospital including in places like Fort Campbell, where they're hoping to get support from Clarksville's veteran and military community.

Ascension Saint Thomas is asking everyone to meet at the Park & Ride lot off Exit 11. Across the street from 751 South Gateway Plaza Blvd., Clarksville. The meeting time for the caravan is 7 a.m., and the departure time is 7:30 a.m. Leaders said anyone who does not want to join the Clarksville caravan can meet outside the Cordell Hull State Office Building anytime after 8 a.m. TriStar leaders are asking everyone to meet at 8 a.m. on the Mosaic Church campus.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/middle-tn-neighborhood-news/ascension-saint-thomas-tristar-health-providing-transportation-for-clarksville-meeting/