Grady unveils more plans for freestanding ER in southern Fulton County

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Grady Health and Union City officials held a meeting on plans to build a new freestanding emergency department in Union City on May 8, 2025. (FOX 5)

UNION CITY, Ga. - Grady Health System and Union City officials unveiled more plans on Thursday for a new freestanding emergency department that will expand emergency medical access in South Fulton County, an area long considered underserved.

Grady’s freestanding ER

The backstory:

The facility, expected to open in fall 2026, will be a 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art center with 16 emergency bays, imaging and laboratory services, a pharmacy, and staff support space. It will serve both adult and pediatric patients with serious or life-threatening conditions.

Residents gathered at The Gathering Place Community Center in Union City for a town hall where Grady representatives and local officials detailed the project and fielded community questions. The effort marks a major milestone for a part of metro Atlanta where access to emergency care often requires long travel times.

The town hall was attended by Grady executives including Chief Operating Officer Anthony Saul, Vice President of Emergency Services Ashley Gresham, and Trauma Surgeon Dr. Randi Smith, along with Union City council members.

State-of-the-art ER

What they're saying:

"This is a state-of-the-art freestanding emergency department," said Dr. Yolanda Wimberly, Grady’s Chief Health Outcomes Officer. "It’s going to give people a real opportunity to have a level playing field when it comes to emergency medical services."

"If you think about it, the closest emergency department is Grady’s main campus, which can be 30 to 45 minutes away—or even an hour in traffic," Wimberly said. "This new facility allows us to bring lifesaving care closer to home."

Union City Mayor Vince Williams called the project "a reality" after years of advocacy.

"We’ve been hoping, praying, and dreaming about something like this for decades," Williams said. "This is an opportunity for people to feel like they are not left behind."

Williams said the new emergency room would not only serve Union City but also residents across South Fulton County and beyond. "We’ve had a challenge with access to healthcare on this side of heaven for quite some time," he added.

Grady officials emphasized that while the facility will be equipped to stabilize patients with critical conditions—such as strokes, heart attacks, and gunshot wounds—some patients may still be transferred to the main Grady hospital if advanced surgical care or inpatient treatment is required.

"This will offer stabilization and triage here," said Wimberly, "and if further care is needed, we’re fully prepared to transfer patients by ambulance or helicopter to downtown Grady."

The town hall also served to clarify the difference between emergency services and urgent care, and to inform residents about other health resources Grady already operates in the area, including primary and urgent care clinics at Camp Creek and along Roosevelt Highway.

Williams, who spoke candidly about his own family’s struggles accessing care during a medical emergency, said the new ER would help eliminate disparities in healthcare access.

"We get sick. We birth babies. We deserve the same care as everyone else," he said. "This is about closing the gap and building a future where everyone in metro Atlanta—regardless of ZIP code—can get the care they need."

Dig deeper:

The project is being developed in collaboration with Gov. Brian Kemp, Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts, and other civic leaders.

"Grady has stepped up," Williams said. "This partnership is one of the most beneficial for this entire region."