HCA Virginia breaks ground on freestanding ER, bringing care to growing Scott’s Addition

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Henrico Doctors' Hospital officially broke ground on the Scott's Walk Emergency Room on Thursday, marking HCA Virginia's ninth freestanding emergency room (ER) and a major step in expanding rapid-access critical care in the Greater Richmond Region.

Located off Ellen Road in Scott's Addition, the site, which is currently just dirt, will soon house a cutting-edge emergency facility. The ceremony, held on Thursday, Oct. 2, launched the $24 million investment in Central Virginia's healthcare infrastructure.

"We already have an incredible free standing over in Hanover as part of the Henrico Doctors Health System hospital system. I'm so excited to see this one come to life," said Devin Tobin, Chief Operating Officer at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital.

With the steady growth of the neighborhood, Tobin said the hospital system is excited to be apart of it. 

"This area specifically was chosen because we were able to look at patients who already have the privilege of serving across Henrico Doctors Hospital and looking at how do we bring an ER closer to their area," Tobin explained.

The new 11-room facility will be approximately 12,000 square feet and will offer the same comprehensive, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year emergency services found inside a main hospital.

The center will feature a dedicated ER physician on site 24/7, advanced practitioners specializing in emergency care, a dedicated trauma room, on-site imaging, including CT and X-ray.

Tobin stressed that benefit of a freestanding ER is saving precious time.

"Literally seconds count," Tobin said. "We're talking about heart attacks and strokes and other life-changing events. So really, what we found: a clinical outcome perspective is having an ER closer to where an emergency can happen."

If a patient requires a higher level of care or a specific specialist, they will be immediately transported via ambulance to Henrico Doctors' Hospital.

Scott's Walk ER is just one part of a major push by HCA Virginia to expand emergency services across the state. The facility is expected to open its doors to patients in the middle of 2026.

A second new freestanding ER is also scheduled to open in Chesterfield County the same year.

"I hope the community welcomes us with open arms, not just from a medical care perspective, but being invested as part of this community," Tobin said.