Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 13, 2007 – Alix Coulter Cross and Jeff Miller, two members of the H³GM litigation team, successfully argued in favor of United Regional Medical Center’s certificate of need for a new hospital and nursing home.  The 12-member board of the Tennessee Health Services Development Agency unanimously approved URMC’s request at a board hearing on Wednesday.

In July, Cross and Miller filed applications to obtain certificates of need (CON) with the state on behalf of United Regional Medical Center located in Manchester, Tennessee.  The CON application requested replacement facilities for both the medical center and nursing home.  The nursing home is currently housed in a wing of the hospital.  The hospital was built in 1954 and cannot meet modern standards of care for either hospital or nursing home services.

The hearing before the Tennessee Health Services Development Agency took place before a packed crowd of Manchester residents supporting the replacement of the old facilities with a new hospital and new nursing home.  Adverse to the CON were representatives from the Medical Center of Manchester and Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma.  The adverse parties contended that Coffee County does not need a new hospital.

Cross, Miller and URMC board member Wendell McAbee, M.D., presented arguments in favor of the new medical center.   They maintained that the replacement hospital is needed due to the current hospital’s lack of private rooms and baths for patients, and because the hospital lacks space for intensive care and maternity services.  The Tennessee Health Services Development Agency agreed that Manchester is entitled to upgrade its healthcare services from “the 12th Century to the 21st Century,” and unanimously approved the hospital’s CON.  The decision was greeted with thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.  URMC plans to start construction in February of 2008.

About United Regional Medical Center
United Regional Medical Center (URMC) is a physician-owned, acute-care, full-service community hospital located in Manchester, Tennessee.  URMC is governed bay a 10-member board.  For more information visit www.urmchealthcare.com/

About H³GM
Harwell Howard Hyne Gabbert & Manner, P.C. has earned a national reputation for providing sound legal advice to business clients for over 30 years.  Our attorneys advise clients in matters critical to their business success.  H³GM attorneys represent public and private companies across a wide range of industries.  For more information visit www.h3gm.com