(MURFREESBORO) On Wednesday morning (11/14/2018) Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital officially launched construction of a project that will add three additional floors to the west patient tower. As Rutherford County's population continues to explode, the hospital is expanding to meet the healthcare needs of the tenth fastest growing area of the United States and the fastest growing area in the Volunteer State.

St. Thomas Rutherford's President and CEO Gordon Ferguson told NewsRadio WGNS that Gresham Smith and Partners along with Turner Construction are expected to have the expansion completed by mid-2020.

Joining with Ferguson to make the announcement in the hospital's McDonald Dining Room were Dr. Brady Allen, MD, and Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce President Paul Latture.

In Tennessee, Ascension's Saint Thomas Health operates nine hospitals in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities that cover a 68-county area and employ more than 8,000 associates.

Across the state, Saint Thomas Health provided more than $127 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2018.

Serving Tennessee for 15 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.

Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world's largest Catholic health system, operating more than 2,600 sites of care - including 151 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities - in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.sthealth.com.