NEGMC named "large hospital of the year"

TIFTON - The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals announced today that Northeast Georgia Medical Center has won its top honor for the year, being named “Large Hospital of the Year.” Northeast Georgia’s win follows an exhaustive application process. Entries were received from hospitals across Georgia, and were ranked by a panel of judges with decades of experience in health care.

In announcing the award, the Alliance specifically praised Northeast Georgia for its innovative approach to providing care for uninsured patients in the region. Specifically, the hospital partners with Health Access Initiative to provide free inpatient and diagnostic services right in their facility to qualified applicants. This program enrolls local residents who have low incomes, but are not eligible for any other assistance. This initiative provided over four thousand appointments and six million dollars in free care last year.

“Every day, Georgia’s not for profit hospitals are confronted by the rising number of patients in our state who are uninsured. In addition to being a bedrock healthcare institution with the very best in professionals, equipment and facilities, Northeast Georgia has taken an innovative approach to providing primary and specialty care to patients who have no public or private insurance coverage. Their efforts have resulted in program that brings the entire community together and serves as a national model. I want to commend CEO Jim Gardner and his team for winning this award, and thank them for the years of dedicated service that resulted in this achievement,” said Georgia Alliance CEO Monty Veazey.

“It’s a tremendous honor to accept this award, which validates the combined good works of several important partner organizations such as Health Access Initiative, Good News Clinics, Safe Kids and the Hall County Health Department,” says Jim Gardner, President and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). “We’re thankful to be part of a community which is proactively committed to improving the health of all its citizens, including the most vulnerable among us.”

The awards were judged by a diverse team of judges with decades of experience. Judges were Irene Munn, General Counsel to Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Mark Trail, a former Georgia Medicaid director and principal at Health Management Associates, and Leigh Hantho a former top executive with Catholic Health Initiatives and current principal at Carter Align Healthcare.

Founded 26 years ago, GACH is the advocacy voice for Georgia’s not for profit community hospitals. GACH members currently account for the vast majority of Georgia’s hospital capacity, serving virtually every community in the State of Georgia.

Link: Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals