Grandview Physicians Center latest example of Birmingham’s continued growth in the medical sector
Over the last few decades Birmingham has positioned itself as a city with world-class medical facilities — hospitals, rehab programs and a top-ranked medical school in UAB.
Councilor Hunter Williams, who chairs the Birmingham City Council’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee, said “the medical sector’s continued growth has had a major impact on Birmingham’s local economy and will continue to do so for decades to come.”
A major component of that sustained growth is the new Grandview Physicians Plaza II that will be operational soon in District 2. The seven-story, 200,000 square foot structure is the latest expansion of the sprawling medical campus that opened in 2015.
During a recent groundbreaking ceremony, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey lauded the new development. “The growth happening at Grandview Medical Center helps further solidify our position as a national leader in top-notch medical care,” Governor Ivey said. “’I’m always proud to celebrate the health care contributions that Birmingham makes, not only to Alabama, but to the southeast region and the entire country. Today, I was proud to join Grandview in breaking ground on this new facility.”
Councilor Williams, who represents the district where the Grandview campus is located, said the City has made investments into Birmingham’s medical infrastructure as a way to position the city for the future. In 2017 the City Council approved a budget with roughly $1.9 million in redevelopment incentives for the Grandview campus, a move that helped facilitate the new Physicians Plaza.
“As we’ve seen over the last couple of years with the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong hospital system is vital in our society — one that is able to withstand the challenges we’ve seen in other parts of the country,” Williams said. “Our frontline workers in Birmingham have stepped up to the call and proven yet again how important it is to make investments into quality medical care facilities and programs that can recruit talent from all over the world to Birmingham.”
According to Williams, the City is already reaping the benefits of these investments. The University of Alabama’s medical centers alone generates roughly $7 billion in annual economic impact and employs thousands of doctors, nurses and staff.
The new expansion of the Grandview campus is the latest example of economic benefits that can be achieved through investing in Birmingham’s future as a medical destination.
According to a representative with Grandview, “Continued investment and recruitment of nearly 500 new physicians has helped Grandview grow into a tertiary medical resource for the region with a record of operational and clinical success. The hospital has experienced significant growth in admissions, surgeries and ER visits while sustaining safety, quality, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. Community access to care has steadily expanded as the employed physician network has grown to 130-plus providers in more than 20 locations.”
As we’ve seen over the last few years, rural medical facilities are being shutdown due to lack of funding. This leaves a massive gap in healthcare coverage for people in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and other rural communities. Birmingham helps serve as a place that can offer world-class medical care to people who have fallen into the gaps of rural healthcare offerings across the state and beyond.
“We are going to continue to invest in Birmingham’s future as a city that is on the cutting edge of medical research and care,” Councilor Williams said. “We’ve experienced tremendous growth in this sector in recent years and through continued support from the city and private sector, Birmingham is well-positioned to offer the some of the best medical care in the world for generations to come.”
