The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals (GACH) recently named Hamilton Medical Center (HMC) as the recipient of the Large Hospital of the Year Award for 2023.
GACH represents not-for-profit hospitals in Georgia. The award was announced recently at 40th annual conference for GACH.
Chris Green of Arch + Tower, a diamond sponsor of the GACH annual conference, presented the award, along with Monty Veazey, president and CEO of GACH.
“Hamilton Medical Center has been a pillar of its community for more than 100 years now and is growing and thriving along with the community they serve,” said Veazey.
“Hamilton is committed to providing excellent healthcare for our community members,” said Jeff Myers, president and CEO. “We serve with compassion, and at all times, we are committed to our pledge: Excellence. Every Person. Every Time.”
In 2020, Hamilton began an internal medicine residency program and then a family medicine residency program the following year. This year, Hamilton has 51 residents. Hamilton has been partnering with medical schools and has had almost 40 medical students rotating in the system during the past year. Medical school partnerships include Medical College of Georgia/Augusta University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
In addition to the Family Medicine and Internal Medicine outpatient clinics, Hamilton has 17 additional primary care or specialty care locations, thereby increasing access to care.
Other expansions within the last few years include the Peeples Cancer Institute (PCI), the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute (ASCI) and Hamilton Health – Cleveland. PCI provides advanced outpatient cancer diagnostic and treatment services in one location, and ASCI is a regional leader of and advocate for the care of children who are experiencing the challenges of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or developmental delays. ASCI has seen patients from six states, including as far away as Alaska. In 2021, HMC began performing open-heart surgeries. Since then, the program has continued to grow due to the demand in the area. Hamilton Health – Cleveland is a cardiology practice with room to expand, providing additional healthcare services.
In the coming months, Hamilton will open Hamilton Health – Calhoun, a new 34,000-square-foot facility, which will include walk-in care, family medicine, internal medicine and a number of specialty services. Hamilton Hearing Center and Hamilton Pediatric Rehabilitation will open soon, providing hearing services for patients of all ages, and pediatric rehabilitation (currently provided at Bradley Whiteside Rehabilitation). Also, construction will begin soon on a new cardiac pavilion, an addition to HMC that will face Thornton Avenue.
Since 2010, the number of Hamilton associates has grown from approximately 1,700 to 2,800 because of its expansion of services to the community. In the last five years, Hamilton has added 77 physicians.
Each year, Hamilton has consistently provided more than $60 million of uncompensated care to the community through direct patient care, subsidized health services, and community health services.
“We are proud to recognize Hamilton Medical Center as the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Large Hospital of the Year for 2023 in recognition of its service to their community, to our not-for-profit hospitals, and the state of Georgia,” said Veazey.