Athens McMinn County Medical Supply Hub – Starr Regional Medical Center, I‑75 & US‑11 Corridor
Athens anchors Starr Regional Medical Center (135 beds, McMinn County’s largest hospital), Sweetwater Hospital Association (49 beds), Rhea Medical Center (60 beds, Dayton), McMinn County EMS, Athens Fire Department, I‑75 corridor, and the East Tennessee region linking Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Cleveland. Our LAC Health counter inside Walmart #663 at 1815 Decatur Pike keeps Starr Regional OR suites, Sweetwater Hospital teams, McMinn County EMS, East Tennessee visitor medical support, and regional partners stocked without waiting on Chattanooga or Knoxville depots.
Within 30 miles are Starr Regional Medical Center, Sweetwater Hospital Association, Rhea Medical Center, I‑75, US‑11, Sweetwater (6,000), Cleveland (47,000), and the East Tennessee region. Severe weather, I‑75 closures, East Tennessee visitor surges, and Chattanooga–Knoxville freight demands require a “medical suppliers near me” counter aligned with McMinn County ICS—this Decatur Pike hub delivers.
Athens blends healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, and transportation. LAC Health supports that mix with generator-backed cold rooms, manufacturing-sector manifests, and MOUs with Starr Regional, Sweetwater Hospital, and McMinn County EMA.
Location & Access Information
LAC Health Athens McMinn County Hub – Inside Walmart #663
1815 Decatur Pike
Athens, Tennessee 37303
ZIP Code 37303 (serves Athens, Sweetwater, Cleveland, and McMinn County)
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Parking & Loading: Ambulance spur, manufacturing vehicle bay, hazmat returns enclosure, and cold vault on dual-generator backup.
Highway Access: On Decatur Pike; 0.5 miles to I‑75, 2 miles to US‑11, 3 miles to Starr Regional Medical Center, 4 miles to Sweetwater Hospital Association, 50 miles to Chattanooga Airport.
Nearby Facilities: Starr Regional Medical Center (3 mi), Sweetwater Hospital Association (4 mi), Rhea Medical Center (15 mi), I‑75 (0.5 mi).
Medical Supply Services Available
Hospital & Community Logistics
- STAT replenishment for Starr Regional Medical Center (135 beds, 4 ORs, Level III trauma), Sweetwater Hospital Association (49 beds, 2 ORs), and Rhea Medical Center (60 beds, 3 ORs).
- Cold-chain biologics, trauma blood, orthopedic implants, and oncology therapies tracked in Epic, Cerner, and Athena with telemetry.
- School nurse caches for McMinn County Schools, Tennessee Wesleyan University, and regional educational institutions.
- Public health surge totes for tornado shelters, East Tennessee visitor incidents, and community events.
- Support for behavioral health units, detox programs, and rural clinic networks across McMinn, Monroe, and Rhea counties.
EMS & Manufacturing Support
- ALS/BLS cache rotation for McMinn County EMS, Athens Fire Department, Sweetwater Fire, Cleveland Fire, and LIFESTAR.
- Hazmat returns and rehab kits for manufacturing facilities, industrial sites, and East Tennessee operations with PHMSA documentation.
- Continuity totes for I‑75/US‑11 multi-vehicle incidents, tornado response, and East Tennessee visitor incidents.
- Rehab modules for manufacturing incidents, East Tennessee events, and community gatherings.
- Rapid shipments for FEMA Region 4 staging, Tennessee National Guard exercises, and mutual aid to Georgia/North Carolina.
- Support for rural clinics, pharmacies, and telehealth deployments across East Tennessee.
Meet the McMinn County Team
Our Athens staff blends hospital supply expertise, manufacturing coordination, and East Tennessee regional support.
Patricia Morgan
Hospital Liaison
Former Starr Regional Medical Center materials management director managing $3.2M annual spend across 135 beds, 4 ORs, and Level III trauma center while coordinating Sweetwater Hospital transfers and regional support.
Email: [email protected]
Douglas Cooper
EMS & Manufacturing Logistics Lead
Former McMinn County EMS coordinator overseeing ALS cache audits, I‑75 corridor ICS, and manufacturing sector medical response coordination.
Email: [email protected]
Rebecca Bennett
Compliance Director
Former Starr Regional pharmacy purchasing manager fluent in Tennessee Board of Pharmacy regulations, PHMSA/DOT hazmat, and compliance documentation.
Email: [email protected]
How to Use This Counter
- Monitor Weather & I‑75 Alerts
Call +1-703-810-3898 when tornadoes, I‑75 closures, or East Tennessee incidents arise so we can pre-stage totes at hospital docks or reroute via US‑11.
- Bring Credentials
Hospital badges, manufacturing facility IDs, or OEM cards ensure expedited release; we pre-clear rosters daily with Starr Regional, Sweetwater Hospital, and McMinn County security.
- Document Custody
Every load is barcoded, temperature logged, photographed, and digitally signed; proofs sync to Epic, Cerner, ESO, WebEOC, and FEMA Resource Manager.
- Stay Alerted
Subscribe to McMinn County Emergency Alerts, TDOT SmartWay, East Tennessee updates, and NWS Morristown bulletins.
Coverage Footprint
Supports McMinn, Monroe, and Rhea counties; East Tennessee region; I‑75/US‑11 corridors; and Chattanooga–Knoxville corridor.
McMinn County Resilience
The region has faced the 2020 pandemic waves, 2021 tornadoes, 2022 winter storms, and 2023 extreme weather. Hardened docks, redundant fiber/satellite links, and shared SOPs with Starr Regional, Sweetwater Hospital, and McMinn County EMA keep supply lines resilient.
Regional Demographics
McMinn County population ~54,000: 19.2% over age 65, 26.8% ages 45-64, 23.4% ages 25-44. Leading sectors: healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you deliver simultaneously to Starr Regional and Sweetwater Hospital?
Yes. We stage telemetered totes for each facility, align Epic/Cerner paperwork, and deliver with photo proof within 60–70 minutes.
Do you support East Tennessee visitor emergencies or tornado response?
We preload POD totes with ICS forms and telemetry logs, then refresh for visitor incidents or tornado response.
Can you deliver to Rhea Medical Center in Dayton?
Yes. We coordinate with Rhea Medical Center for STAT deliveries along I‑75 with telemetry proof.
Licensing & Compliance
Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, Tennessee Department of Health, PHMSA/DOT hazmat, FEMA Region 4 ICS/NIMS, HIPAA/HITECH.
