Uncategorized

Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia, presented a Special Achievement Award to St. Joseph’s / Candler in recognition of its Sixth Magnet Excellence Award from the American Nurses Credentialing Center at the Alliance’s 42^nd Annual Conference.

State Representative Carl Gilliard presented the award, along with Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

“Receiving the Magnet Nursing Excellence designation once is an incredible accomplishment, which St. Joseph’s / Candler achieved for the first time in 2002,” said Veazey.

“But receiving it five additional times, as St. Joseph’s Candler achieved in 2006, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, puts the hospitals among the nation’s elite institutions. In total, only twenty hospitals in the United States have received the Magnet Nursing Excellence designation six times, placing St. Joseph’s / Candler in the top three percent of all magnet-recognized hospitals nationwide,” said Veazey.

“The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s assessment includes measures of: resource and staffing levels; professional autonomy of nurses; fundamentals of quality nursing care; interprofessional relationships; leadership availability and responsiveness; professional development; and nursing teamwork and collaboration,” said Veazey.

“Beyond the accolades accompanying this recognition, St. Joseph’s / Candler hospitals, their nursing staff, and patients have seen improvements in several measurable outcomes. During the last eight quarters, the health system outperformed the Magnet standards on: hospital-acquired pressure ulcers; Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI); patient falls with injury; patient satisfaction with discharge education; surgical outcomes, nurse engagement, and workplace safety,” said Veazey

“I am proud to present this Special Achievement Award from the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals to St. Joseph’s / Candler,” said Veazey.

Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospital, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia, named Senator John F. Kennedy of Macon as “Legislator of the Year” for 2025 at the Alliance’s 42^nd Annual Conference.

State Representative Rob Clifton of Augusta introduced Senator Kennedy, along with Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

“I am pleased to recognize Senator John F. Kennedy as our Legislator of the Year, for his leadership on behalf of his constituents, the State of Georgia, and the impact he has had for Georgia’s hospitals and their patients,” said Veazey.

“This year, Senator John F. Kennedy was the lead architect and shepherd for Senate Bills 68 and 69, developed with Governor Brian Kemp, and constituting the first major state tort reform since 2005,” said Veazey.

“On behalf of our member hospitals, we’d like to thank Senator Kennedy for the many hours he spent working on this bill to improve the lives of Georgians by reducing the economic drag of tort litigation,” said Veazey

“After passage of these tort reforms, the American Tort Reform Association named the Georgia legislature a ‘Tort Reform Trailblazer’ after years of Georgia being branded a ‘Judicial Hellhole’ for excessive tort awards. The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals is proud to have worked with Senator Kennedy and his legislative colleagues for this major advancement,” said Veazey.

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.

Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospital, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia named Tanner Health System as “Large Hospital of the Year” for 2025 at the Alliance’s 42nd Annual Conference.

Tres Jernigan Senior Vice President of RaLin, a Gold Sponsor 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.

“Since the founding of Tanner Memorial Hospital in 1949, Tanner Health System has developed into a multi-state system with four hospitals, numerous urgent care facilities, specialty clinics, and home health, hospice, and senior living facilities,” said Veazey.

“Tanner Health also plays a role in addressing Georgia’s healthcare workforce shortage, investing in Future of Healthcare Scholarships for medical students and Advanced Practitioners. The Tanner Teen Institute provides younger students with exposure to healthcare careers and a partnership with the University of West Georgia connects senior nursing students to local practice. In 2026, Tanner will welcome third- and fourth-year medical students to their partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine to prepare students for the challenges of rural healthcare,” said Veazey.

“Tanner also works to address the social determinants of health, developing outreach programs that include corporate wellness partnerships and support for law enforcement agencies. Their Fresh Food Farmacy brings free nutrition and diabetes and social services to low-income patients, and additional nutrition programs, including ‘Food as Medicine’ cooking classes, serve thousands in their community,” said Veazey

“I am proud to present Tanner Health System with the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Large Hospital of the Year award,” said Veazey.

Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia, named Northside Hospital Forsyth President and CEO Lynn Jackson as “Outstanding Woman in Healthcare” for 2025 at the Alliance’s 42^nd Annual Conference.

Julie Ballantine, Director of Strategic Planning for Northside Hospital, presented the award, along with Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals. The award was sponsored by the Georgia Chapter, Women in Healthcare.

“Lynn Jackson has served as CEO of Northside Hospital Forsyth after twenty years as Chief Operating Officer. During her leadership, Northside Forsyth has grown from a small 41-bed hospital serving a largely rural area to a 407-bed regional medical center serving a vibrant and growing population in suburban Atlanta,” said Veazey.

“It’s not just a massive growth in scale she has overseen, but an ongoing commitment to patient care that led to Northside Forsyth being named among Georgia’s top hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Hospitals and earning the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award, placing it among the top 15% nationwide for patient satisfaction,” said Veazey.

“The Forsyth County Schools Superintendents wrote about how Lynn Jackson helped Forsyth Central High School develop their STEM Academy and helped establish an internship program that allows high school students to become certified phlebotomists before they begin college. This helps ensure a strong pipeline for future healthcare workers to help address Georgia’s need for more healthcare workforce members,” said Veazey

“I am proud to present Lynn Jackson with the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Annual Outstanding Woman in Healthcare Award,” said Veazey.

Tifton, GA – The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, representing not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems in Georgia, named Piedmont Eastside Medical Center CEO Larry Ebert as “CEO of the Year” for 2025 at the Alliance’s 42^nd Annual Conference.

Michael Burnett, President of Piedmont Athens Regional, presented the award, along with Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

“I am pleased to recognize Larry Ebert, CEO of Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, as our CEO of the Year for 2025, recognizing his accomplishments,” said Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Alliance.

“As the CEO of Piedmont Eastside, Larry Ebert has shown true leadership in understanding the challenges and needs of their diverse patient base, which includes suburban, exurban, and rural communities,” said Veazey.

“Larry Ebert invested the time and effort to understand the needs of his hospital’s community, and has shaped their services to address the transportation issues many patients face. He also worked to open a new free-standing Acute Inpatient Rehab Facility to ensure patients will have suitable follow-up care,” said Veazey.

“Larry’s work to partner with educational institutions at all levels, including Georgia Gwinnett College, Gwinnett Tech, and McClure Health Science High School, will help Georgia address the critical lack of needed healthcare workforce,” said Veazey.

“I am proud to present Larry Ebert with the 2025 Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals CEO of the Year award,” said Veazey.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and SGMC Health’s ongoing commitment to women’s health, the SGMC Health Breast Center is proud to offer 150 free 3D mammogram screenings to women who are uninsured and demonstrate financial need. Screenings will be available at the SGMC Imaging Center in Valdosta and SGMC Health Berrien in Nashville.

Now in its third year, this life-saving initiative is made possible through generous contributions to the SGMC Health Foundation. Eligible women can apply online at sgmc.org/mammo. Once approved, a Breast Center representative will contact applicants to schedule their screening.

“Thanks to our incredible donors, we’re able to remove barriers to care and ensure more women in our region have access to essential screenings,” shares Hilary Gibbs, Vice President of Support Services and Chief Development Officer. “These efforts not only save lives but strengthen families and communities across South Georgia.”

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., with 1 in 8 expected to develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection through regular screenings has significantly reduced mortality rates, especially among women under 50.

SGMC Health utilizes Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exams by Hologic, Inc., a leading innovator in women’s health. This advanced technology improves cancer detection and reduces the need for follow-up testing.

The free 3-D mammograms will be available to the first 150 eligible women who meet the following criteria:

No physician order is required. To apply, visit sgmc.org/mammo.

Dodge County Hospital and Bleckley Memorial Hospital are pleased to announce a new management agreement that strengthens collaboration between the two neighboring rural hospitals. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring continued access to high-quality, local healthcare for the residents of Dodge and Bleckley counties.

Dodge County Hospital is a Prospective Payment System (PPS), acute care hospital licensed for 94 beds, with 20 beds designated for inpatient adult geriatric psychiatric services.

Bleckley Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, where outpatient, emergency, and sub-acute services are hallmark service lines and central to its mission of community-based care.

Under the agreement, Dodge County Hospital will provide management oversight and leadership support to Bleckley Memorial Hospital. The goal is to leverage each hospital’s strengths, enhance operational efficiencies, and expand access to essential healthcare services in both communities.

“This partnership represents a significant step forward for rural healthcare in our region,” said Michael Purvis, CEO of Dodge County Hospital. “By combining our resources and expertise, we can better serve our patients, attract and retain quality staff, and ensure the long-term sustainability of both hospitals.”

“Bleckley Memorial Hospital has been a cornerstone of our community for decades,” said John Roland, CEO of Bleckley Memorial Hospital. “This agreement allows us to remain locally governed while benefiting from the management experience and support of Dodge County Hospital. Together, we are stronger.”

John Paul Jones, Chairman of the Dodge County Hospital Authority, added, “Our board is committed to ensuring Dodge County residents have access to strong, sustainable healthcare close to home. This agreement strengthens both hospitals and helps secure that future for the communities we serve.”

Bill Cheek, Chairman of the Bleckley Memorial Hospital Authority, shared, “This partnership ensures that Bleckley Memorial Hospital remains a vital part of our community. By working together, our hospitals can share resources, strengthen services, and continue providing the quality care our patients depend on.”

Community members should expect the same compassionate care from the providers and staff they know and trust, now with the added benefit of stronger hospital partnerships working behind the scenes.

St. Joseph’s/Candler will begin a new physician residency program in 2027 aimed at bolstering the critical need for doctors in southeast Georgia and the state.

This represents a natural expansion for the largest health system in the region, which for years has been reaching into underserved areas to bring top-quality healthcare and technology closer to where people live and work.

This new residency program will initially be backed by a $10 million grant from the state of Georgia to assist with the startup costs of the program.

The two initial tracks of the new residency program will focus on the vital need for primary care physicians: Internal Medicine and Family Medicine. There will be a total of 48 residency slots at capacity. It will expand to other residencies, such as cardiology fellowship, increasing the number of residents to 60.

A nation-wide search for a Dean of the residency program has been underway and the new Dean will be starting in October.

St. Joseph’s/Candler anticipates the program will receive accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and see its first round of residents by July 1, 2027.

“This is a sentinel moment for St. Joseph’s/Candler to offer a residency program, the final and most important step in a physician’s education,” said Paul P. Hinchey, President & CEO of St. Joseph’s/Candler. “That is when a physician really hones his or her skills and commits to their chosen specialty. The health system has a wealth of experienced and expertly-trained physicians that can guide these new doctors into exceptional clinicians. We believe this program will make a significant dent in the doctor shortage Georgia is facing, incentivizing these physicians to stay in Georgia, giving our patients better access to care. I want to thank Speaker of the House Jon Burns, Chairman Butch Parrish and the whole Chatham County delegation for securing this grant to help SJ/C bring this important program to our community and our state.”

The future vision for this residency program is to have 60-70 resident slots a year across other medical specialties that are in high demand.

“Creating a physician residency program at St. Joseph’s/Candler is a historic step forward for healthcare in Georgia,” said Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns. “The House remains committed to increasing access to quality, affordable healthcare across the state—and that includes strengthening our healthcare workforce. This $10 million grant awarded to St. Joseph’s/Candler will help us move forward with our mission to educate more providers. St. Joseph’s/Candler’s partnership with our great state, and in particular Southeast Georgia, ensures we are able to attract, train, and retain the best and brightest to practice here in Georgia. These incredible accomplishments would not be possible without the dedication of leaders like Chairman Butch Parrish and Paul P. Hinchey who tirelessly champion healthcare initiatives in communities throughout the state.”

“The Georgia House has consistently led the way to pass measures that expand access to quality, affordable healthcare in every corner of our great state,” said Georgia State Representative Butch Parrish. “Attracting, training, and retaining a skilled medical workforce is a critical part of that work. These programs in Savannah at St. Joseph’s/Candler, the new dental school, and the new medical school will all be great partners in helping Georgia secure more healthcare providers to practice where their services are needed most.”

The Medical College of Georgia launched a new four-year medical school in 2024 and a new dental school has been announced, both located on the campus of Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong campus.

Hinchey added, “We are very grateful for the support of our local delegation, who backed this grant and were instrumental in helping move this project forward. Senator Ben Watson put in the grant funding in that chamber and we had the pleasure of meeting with each legislator individually. They were all very excited to help. Each one of them, in their own way, worked to ensure that this residency program came to life.”

A physician residency program is a post-graduate training program. Doctors who have just graduated from four years of medical school enter a nation-wide matching program for placement in residency programs. With the experience and skill of the physicians at St. Joseph’s/Candler, the system expects to be very competitive in the matching process.

Residents get supervised clinical training from experienced “attending” doctors who have worked at St. Joseph’s/Candler for years. Residents will have access to cutting-edge technology, a diverse patient population, and mentorship from these experienced physicians.

One of the strengths of this new residency program at St. Joseph’s/Candler is the long-standing collaboration with the Medical College of Georgia. For more than a decade, third- and fourth-year students have completed rotations in the system and last year MCG opened a full, four-year campus in Savannah.

“The mission of Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia is to improve people’s lives and one way we do that is by ensuring people have access to the best health care possible, no matter their zip code,” said Dr. Russell T. Keen, president of Augusta University. “If we want more doctors to stay and serve Georgia’s communities, we have to train them here. Expanding graduate medical education represents a commitment to the health of our state. I am thankful to Paul P. Hinchey for understanding and stepping up to fill that commitment and the Georgia General Assembly for allocating the funding for additional residencies.”

“The Medical College of Georgia has the fourth largest medical school class size in the nation – but without expanded graduate medical education (GME) opportunities, our state continues to be a net exporter of medical students,” said MCG Dean David Hess, MD. “Georgia currently ranks 40th nationally in medical residents per capita, which demonstrates the tremendous need to grow our GME programs. St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, particularly Paul P. Hinchey, has been a valued partner in educating our students for nearly 15 years. Their support made it possible to launch our third four-year campus in Savannah just last year, and this new residency program will be a critical step in ensuring more MCG graduates stay in Georgia to complete their training and eventually practice.”

Georgia does not have enough doctors, particularly primary care doctors. Only three out of Georgia’s 159 counties have the recommended amount of primary care doctors, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. About a third of Georgians, or 3.3 million, live in an area with a primary care shortage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Georgia’s population is both growing and aging, creating even more problems with access to physicians.

For more than a decade, physicians at St. Joseph’s/Candler have trained medical students who performed clinical rotations through the health system.

“This residency program is a fantastic development for our community and the health system,” said Dr. Spencer Adoff and Dr. Brian Raj, Chiefs of Staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital. “We have many highly-trained and experienced doctors who are excited to become attending physicians and mold the future of health care in Savannah and Georgia.”

During the last decade St. Joseph’s/Candler has made expanding access to healthcare a priority, creating new medical campuses in Pooler, Bryan County, Bluffton and practices in Liberty County, Wayne County and Bulloch County. With more physicians entering the profession, the system will be able to serve even more patients.

“When residency is over, many doctors will choose to stay near the area,” Hinchey said. “With the new St. Joseph’s/Candler residency program, we can keep more doctors in Southeast Georgia and give our patients better access to care. This is a win for our entire state and we are grateful and proud of the support of our state leadership in this endeavor. We are committed to making this a competitive and highly sought-after program for new physicians.”

Hamilton Medical Center (HMC) has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2025 and recognized as a national leader. HMC is one of only 323 hospitals out of more than 6,100 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Hamilton’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that HMC has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, HMC has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award Hamilton Medical Center with the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “The receipt of this award indicates thatHamilton remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.