Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals names Jeff Davis Hospital as “Small Hospital of the Year” for 2025
Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia, named Jeff Davis Hospital in Hazlehurst as “Small Hospital of the Year” for 2025 at the Alliance’s 42nd Annual Conference.
Leo Reichert of Wellstar Health System, outgoing Chairman of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Annual Conference, presented the award, along with Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.
“Amid the chaos of Hurricane Helene in 2024, which left 85 to 90 percent of Jeff Davis County without power, Jeff Davis Hospital not only kept the lights on and stayed open, but they became a lifeline for thousands of Georgians in their service area,” said Veazey.
“We often say that community hospitals represent their communities, and in the case of Hurricane Helene, Jeff Davis Hospital epitomized the toughness and resilience of their home county and all of South Georgia,” said Veazey.
“During the hurricane and in its aftermath, the healthcare workers at Jeff Davis Hospital performed heroically, keeping their Emergency Department open and functioning, stabilizing numerous patients suffering from cardiac issues, stroke, trauma, and critically ill patients,” said Veazey
“But beyond this, Jeff Davis Hospital exemplified how a hospital is more than a building, demonstrating the strength and resilience of residents and local businesses, bringing back together a community in the midst of suffering. Jeff Davis Hospital stabilized patients and arranged their transportation to tertiary facilities while maintaining the safety net of healthcare in their community,” said Veazey.
“I am proud to present Barry Bloom, President and CEO of Jeff Davis Hospital, with the 2025 Small Hospital of the Year 2025,” said Veazey.
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