When Andalusia Regional Hospital received its Emergency Certificate of Need for a 12 bed rehabilitation wing, it almost went unnoticed.

The rehab facility, desperately needed in this part of the state will bring a new level of health care to the citizens of south Alabama. It will eliminate the need for them to travel more than 1 hour to the nearest facility. It will mean more to the patient. It will mean more to the family.

The Emergency CON, expedites the process for ARH receiving its permanent Certificate of Need and providing these services to area citizens quicker.

Like Andalusia Regional's CEO Barry Keel said, the need was here and the state recognized that.

And like Keel, we too must commend the State Health Planning and Development Agency for granting this Certificate of Need.

We all owe them a dose of gratitude.

With the announcement, much more than health care will be improved.

The new facility, which will be constructed next to the existing outpatient facility, will bring 12 new jobs to Andalusia. It also has the potential to bring two new physicians with specialities never offered before in this area to our community.

Those new employees and physicians will bring their families with them. Those new citizens will be welcome additions to our city.

But, let's examine those jobs a little closer. They will be well-paying jobs, and it's an example of an existing business creating new jobs where there previously weren't any.

That's a wonderful thing. When potential businesses see existing businesses succeeding and expanding, then they realize the potential to locate their business here.

It's a domino effect, and we're proud of Andalusia Regional for taking the initiative to not only serve a much needed demographic with a much needed service, but for creating something from nothing Š and that's a good thing.