VALDOSTA – A multi-year project totaling $150 million is on the horizon for South Georgia Medical Center.

According to hospital officials during an authority meeting, SGMC is adding a gastroenterology clinic, a second women’s health center and a new residency class as part of a long-term expansion plan to diversify patient services and attract more talent to the hospital system.

Hospital officials said the hospital welcomed a  second class of eight resident physicians in July as part of a residency program with Mercer University. A third class of 24 physicians was expected this summer.

SGMC welcomed its first class of eight physicians in July 2022; these doctors will move into the post-graduate second year of their journey.

The physicians practice in many specialties including gastroenterology, radiation oncology, internal medicine, family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology.

With the influx of physicians, SGMC opened open two new medical clinics, SGMC Gastroenterology and a second SGMC Women’s Health location.

This includes moving forward with Phase I of its long-range plan, which includes a main campus redesign and a new women and infant’s patient tower, emergency department and front entrance.

The multi-year project is estimated to cost $125 million and leadership anticipates beginning construction in 2024.

In May, SGMC kicked off of a $15 million expansion of its Berrien County hospital with a groundbreaking ceremony.

The project includes a new two-story emergency room addition that will expand the current campus footprint by 26,000 square feet.

The new facility is slated to replace the original four-room emergency department with a new, modern nine-room emergency department. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2024.

The City of Valdosta and the Hospital Authority came to an agreement in 2023 for the the authority to take over Mathis City Auditorium, which sits next to SGMC’s mai campus.

The plan includes removing the Mathis facility and the former South Georgia Regional Library on nearby Woodrow Wilson Drive in order to build a new connector boulevard and create more convenient parking for families and guests.