WATKINSVILLE, GA — St. Mary’s Health Care System has opened a new medical office building on Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville, giving three St. Mary’s Medical Group practices a shared home and adding more space for patient care in Northeast Georgia.
The building opened Tuesday, Oct. 6, according to a company release. It now houses Endocrine Specialists of Athens, Georgia Family Medicine and St. Mary’s Neurological Specialists.
Providers at the location are accepting new patients, and appointments are already being scheduled.
A $100 million investment aimed at better access
The new Watkinsville facility is part of a larger investment plan by St. Mary’s and Trinity Health Georgia, which officials said totals $100 million. Trinity Health Georgia is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system.
Stonish Pierce, president and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, said the investment is intended to improve access to healthcare across Northeast Georgia. That broader effort frames the new office building as more than a single expansion project.
For patients, the new space is meant to bring specialty and primary care services together in a way that supports easier scheduling and a more efficient visit experience. The organization says it is focused on expanding care while keeping services close to the communities it serves.
Three practices now share one Watkinsville location
The new building brings together three practices that serve different needs but can now operate from the same site. Endocrine Specialists of Athens focuses on endocrine care, Georgia Family Medicine handles general family medicine, and St. Mary’s Neurological Specialists treats neurological conditions.
Housing those groups in one facility can make it simpler for patients who need more than one kind of care. It also gives the practices a common address on Hog Mountain Road, which may help streamline referrals and visits.
The setup reflects a growing trend in healthcare toward coordinated offices that keep multiple services under one roof. For St. Mary’s, the arrangement creates space to serve more patients without losing the patient-centered approach it says is central to its mission.
Officials say the move supports a better patient experience
Brittainy Horne, president of St. Mary’s Medical Group, said the relocation and expansion are designed to improve the patient experience. In the release, Horne said the new location gives the organization more room to grow while continuing to provide compassionate, patient-centered care.
That emphasis on comfort and capacity suggests the project is meant to meet current demand as well as future growth. More space can mean better flow for appointments, more flexibility for providers and a more welcoming environment for patients.
For local residents, the opening adds another nearby option for care in a part of Northeast Georgia where access remains an important issue. St. Mary’s says the site is already active and taking new patients.
Part of a broader health care expansion in Northeast Georgia
The Watkinsville office building is only one piece of St. Mary’s larger expansion plans. Earlier this year, the health system began construction on the Center for Heart Vascular and Neurosciences, another major project in its network.
That center is expected to be completed in October 2027. Together, the new building and the future center point to a long-term strategy to broaden services and strengthen medical access in the region.
While the Watkinsville site is now open, the heart, vascular and neuroscience center shows that the system’s expansion is still underway. The two projects together suggest St. Mary’s is building for both immediate needs and future demand.
What the opening means for local patients
For patients in Watkinsville and surrounding communities, the new office building offers a more consolidated place to get care from several St. Mary’s providers. That can be especially useful for people managing chronic conditions or seeking ongoing treatment from specialists.
Because the practices are accepting new patients, the opening may also help new residents or families who are looking for local care. Scheduling is already underway, which means the facility is not just ready in theory but already serving the public.
St. Mary’s has tied the opening to its larger goal of improving access, and the new building gives that goal a visible, local presence. The project adds another healthcare option to Watkinsville while supporting the system’s broader footprint in Northeast Georgia.