WellStar Health System has abruptly stopped plans to move forward with an outpatient surgery center in Towne Lake.
The Marietta-based company has decided not to file a Certificate of Need with the Georgia Department of Community Health "at this time," said WellStar Spokesperson Keith Bowermaster.
"We will continue to evaluate the market and decide whether to refile a Letter of Intent in the future," he added in a prepared statement.
WellStar filed the letter of intent last month to build a proposed $23 million facility at 145 North Parkway near Woodstock. The letter, according to state regulations, have to be filed 30 days before a Certificate of Need review can be filed.
The state department's Certificate of Need Program evaluates proposals for new health care facilities or services.
WellStar already has several medical offices at the address they had proposed the new facility would be located.
The certificate of need process came know to the public as WellStar and Northside faced off last year when WellStar challenged Northside Hospital's letter of intent to build a replacement hospital in Canton.
The company eventually dropped its challenge and Northside has moved forward with its plans to replace its 84-bed facility on Hospital Road in Canton with a new building along Commerce Boulevard.
Construction is well underway for Northside Hospital's new medical office building at 900 Towne Lake Parkway, which will be located in close proximity to WellStar's Urgent Care at Towne Lake