How are local hospitals keeping up with the area’s rising population?
These days, it’s almost like repeating a broken record, but talk of the Tennessee Valley’s growing population is still non-stop. And it’s driving leaders in Madison County and the surrounding areas to keep a close eye on the community’s infrastructure.
When it comes to transportation, I-565 is expanding under a $29 million widening project. In education, Huntsville City Schools are one year into a 10-year expansion plan, and Madison County Schools are experiencing growth with the addition of two new schools in Hazel Green and Harvest.
But what about healthcare in Huntsville, Madison, and Athens?
The Huntsville Business Journal recently spoke with leaders at the county’s major hospitals to gain a deeper look at how they are preparing to meet rising demand and ensure quality care for an ever-expanding community.
Huntsville Hospital has 881 beds and is part of a larger system that serves North Alabama, extending even across the state line to Fayetteville, Tennessee.
Tracy Doughty, President and COO of Huntsville Hospital, emphasized the challenge of keeping up with growth while supporting staff.
“It’s tough to keep up. We want to make sure that we have the right departments and the right staffing for our citizens. We want to make sure we meet their needs. But the growth is sometimes faster than we can react,” Doughty said.
Doughty noted that staff are often picking up extra shifts, which raises concerns about burnout.
Doughty continued, “The managers do an outstanding job of making sure that we’re not getting to that point. But I do worry about some of our people who want to take care of their community and not leave an area short. I’m going to staff up to make sure that they’re working as much or as little as they want to keep them happy, which makes it easier to take care of patients.”
Recently, the hospital announced it will add to its downtown campus. Once completed, Huntsville Hospital’s newest expansion to the Madison Street Tower will include 154,000 square feet of new clinical space and 120 new private patient rooms.
When it comes to staffing this new expansion and Huntsville Hospital’s overall recruiting strategy, Doughty says partnering with local colleges and organizations is essential.
“We believe that we must be able to partner with our local organizations, local schools, to help create the talent that we need going forward. It’s a win-win situation for the university, school, or community college and Huntsville Hospital,” Doughty shared.
In recent years, Huntsville Hospital has partnered with Calhoun Community College to expand its nursing school in Huntsville.
The hospital also operates an LPN Launch program in collaboration with Drake State, covering 100% of tuition and lab fees to support the training of licensed practical nurses. Additionally, Huntsville Hospital recently doubled enrollment in its on-campus radiology school, increasing from 15 to 30 students per year.
Crestwood Medical Center, located just a few miles from Huntsville Hospital, is a 180-bed acute care hospital.
Justin Serrano, Crestwood’s CEO, noted that the influx of new residents and an aging population have contributed to more ER visits and increased demand for specialized care.
“With the population growth of Huntsville and Madison County, Crestwood Medical Center is seeing more patients, particularly among aging individuals and families moving in. Year-over-year, our team is experiencing increased ER visits with higher acuity and more critical care admissions,” Serrano said.
For Serrano and his team, recruiting is a proactive process.
“The rapid growth of Huntsville has reinforced the importance of long-term strategic planning. At Crestwood, we actively evaluate service line needs and capacity forecasts to plan for the future,” Serrano shared.
Currently, Crestwood has one freestanding emergency department located just off Highway 53. This location, which opened in July 2024, has gained a reputation for its short wait times and efficient care.
To meet the demand of an increasing population, Crestwood is building an additional freestanding emergency department in Madison. The new facility will be located at the intersection of Madison Blvd. and Research Blvd., close to the popular Town Madison development.
Serrano said the new Madison facility will follow a proven model already in place at their Harvest location, ensuring consistent delivery of emergency care.
“The Madison freestanding ED will be staffed with ER physicians, emergency-trained nurses, and technical staff – the same model as the free freestanding ER in Harvest,” Serrano said.
The Madison Freestanding Emergency Department is expected to open in early 2026.
According to Serrano, Crestwood also recently welcomed 20 additional resident physicians to its Internal and Family Medicine programs.
“This will be a strong pipeline for future physicians in our market, helping us retain talent and build a workforce rooted in our community,” Serrano shared.
Serrano added that Crestwood’s proactive efforts are paying off in terms of workforce retention and patient care.
“This work is showing results, and we are pleased to have seen year-over-year improvement in nurse retention. More workforce stability will help us accelerate our efforts in patient experience and quality improvement,” Serrano said.
Serrano says creating a supportive environment for staff at Crestwood remains a top priority as they continue to grow and adapt.
“We’re committed to creating an environment where our nurses and our entire team feel supported and valued. We continue to look for creative ways to recognize great work done across our health system through both formal and informal reward programs,” Serrano said.
Looking out toward the future, Doughty envisions more outpatient facilities across the county to make care more accessible.
“I think we’ll continue to grow, but with that growth, I think it’ll let us be strategic about having outpatient facilities around our county so everybody doesn’t have to come downtown,” Doughty said.
