FISCAL YE AR 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
N O R T H E A S T G EO R G I A H E A LT H S Y S T E M
Our mission: Improving the health of our community
in all we do
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This is a wonderful time of year to reflect on all we’ve accomplished over the past year and be reminded of the many reasons we feel grateful. After picking up the baton from Carol in April, I’ve seen firsthand the dedication and excellence that define Northeast Georgia Health System and the people who make it so special. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of you, hear your stories and learn your history. Your dedication to our mission—improving the health of our community in all we do—is evident in every corner of our system. This book highlights some of the great work that’s taken place over the last year. Thanks to your commitment and the support of our community board members, we’ve reached new milestones and laid the groundwork for an exciting future. I’m proud to stand beside you as we continue to shape the future of health care for the communities we’re honored to serve. Here’s to our journey ahead.
Matt Hanley, MD NGHS President and CEO
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a year forthe record books 4
aCEO transition
AFTER 26 YEARS WITH NGHS, CAROL BURRELL RETIRED AS PRESIDENT AND CEO. BEFORE CAROL RETIRED, SHE RECEIVED SEVERAL AWARDS THAT RECOGNIZED THE IMPACT OF HER VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING:
Georgia Hospital Association’s 2024 W. Daniel Barker Leadership Award
Georgia Commission on Women 2025 Leadership Legacy Award
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia’s 2025 Woman of Distinction
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AFTER AN EXTENSIVE NATIONAL SEARCH, THE NGHS BOARD SELECTED MATT HANLEY, MD, TO BECOME NGHS’ NEXT PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
Matt spent his first six months at NGHS getting to know the organization and the communities we serve.
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CAROL GENEROUSLY STAYED IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AFTER MATT’S ARRIVAL TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
Passing the CEO baton
Introducing Matt throughout NGHS
Hosting a joint Town Hall meeting on Matt’s first day
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NGMC GAINESVILLE’S GREEN TOWER OPENED The 11-story, 927,000-square-foot facility opened in February, creating a new destination for emergency care, heart services and one of the state’s few Level I trauma centers.
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A+
UPDATED CREDIT RATINGS INDICATE SOLID OPERATIONS AND STABILITY FOR NGHS Two of the world’s leading credit rating agencies – Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings – upgraded NGHS from “A” to “A+” and issued a stable outlook for the organization.
NGMC NAMED STATE’S BEST COMMUNITY HOSPITAL U.S. News & World Report released its annual list of best hospitals, and NGMC was named the state’s best community hospital and ranked among the top three hospitals overall in Georgia.
NORTHEAST GEORGIA REHABILITATION INSTITUTE OPENED NGHS and Lifepoint Health celebrated the opening of Northeast Georgia Rehabilitation Institute, a freestanding, 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Gainesville that allows us to care for patients with more complex medical needs in spaces custom-designed for every stage of their recovery. 9
NGMC Braselton celebrated a decade of growth
PHASE 1 OF NGMC BRASELTON’S EXPANSION PROJECT OPENED IN AUGUST, ADDING 48 BEDS TO THIS CAMPUS..
OVER THE LAST DECADE:
+10,000 Deliveries
+500,000
+60,000
+81,000
+5 million
+4.5 million
Surgeries
Lab Tests
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Emergency Department Visits
Inpatients
Meals to Patients and Visitors
Elizabeth Lyle, NGHS’ longest tenured employee, retired after 58 years of service. 11
thegreater good OPENING OF MEDICAL PLAZA I IN FLOWERY BRANCH
ADDITION OF A THIRD CATHETERIZATION LAB AT NGMC BRASELTON TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY’S GROWING HEART & VASCULAR NEEDS.
CHUCK AND DIANE STEPHENS HOSPICE HOUSE GROUND BREAKING This is NGHS’ first facility fully funded through philanthropy and the region’s first freestanding hospice house. The James H. Downey Society voted to designate $100,000 to benefit the Chuck and Diane Stephens Hospice House.
RENOVATION OF NGMC BARROW’S EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WAITING AREA.
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awards and recognitions NGMC Habersham received accreditation in Pain and Addiction Care in the Emergency Department (PACED) by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), making NGHS the first health system in the state to have five hospitals providing this recognized level of care.
NGMC LUMPKIN RECEIVED 5-STAR CMS RATING FOR QUALITY Ronnie Ramadan, MD, medical director of the Structural Heart Center, was featured in Georgia Trend Magazine’s “The State of Cardiac Care.”
Every year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes a list of its “Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings.” Hospitals are ranked on a one- to five-star scale, and NGMC Lumpkin was one of only 290 hospitals in the country to earn a five-star quality rating from CMS in 2025.
NEW HORIZONS LANIER PARK AND LIMESTONE WERE RECOGNIZED BY NEWSWEEK AS ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST NURSING HOMES FOR 2026.
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NGHS WINS STATEWIDE PATIENT SAFETY AWARDS FROM GHA NGHS received four awards for our advancements in patient care at the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Patient Safety and Quality Summit.
NGHS EARNED MULTIPLE NATIONAL AWARDS FOR CREATING A POSITIVE WORKPLACE • Newsweek added NGHS to several of its “America’s Greatest Workplaces” lists for 2025. • NGHS was also named one of the state’s best employers by Forbes for the sixth year in a row. • We also received Cigna Healthcare’s 2024 gold-level Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and vitality of employees through a workplace well-being program. • NGHS also was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as a 2025 Healthiest Employer.
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HOSPICE OF NGMC RECOGNIZED AMONG THE TOP 5% IN THE NATION Hospice of NGMC was named a Hospice Honors Elite recipient by HEALTHCAREfirst, which recognizes fewer than 5% of hospice organizations nationwide.
NGHS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE NGHS was one of only two health systems in the state, and one of just 56 healthcare groups across the nation, to be named to Global Healthcare Exchange’s (GHX) 2024 Millennium Club, which recognizes healthcare providers and suppliers for their outstanding commitment to a digital-first supply chain.
BARROW EMS RECEIVED STATE AWARD FOR TRAUMA CARE Barrow County EMS received the Mary Beth Bowns Excellence in Trauma Care Award from the Georgia EMS Association for their work to save lives during the 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School.
UNG’S ABSN PROGRAM RANKED TOP IN THE NATION The University of North Georgia’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, which was launched in partnership with NGHS, was ranked No. 5 in the nation by RegisteredNursing.org.
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Best of Dawson Awards • Best Hospital: NGMC Lumpkin • Best Imaging Service: Imaging Center Dawsonville • Best Cardiology: Georgia Heart Institute • Best Pain Management: NGPG Interventional Pain • Best Urgent Care: NGPG Urgent Care Dawsonville • Best OB/GYN: NGPG OB/GYN Dawsonville • Best Pediatrician: George Petro, MD, NGPG • Best Non-MD Medical Professional: Katelyn Goodwin, FNP, NGPG
NGMC Braselton named one of the Best of Gwinnett Hospitals for 2024 Best of Hall Awards • Women’s Health Physicians Group: NGPG OB/GYN Gainesville • Obstetrics: NGPG OB/GYN Gainesville • Vein/Vascular: NGPG Vascular Center • Hormone Replacement Therapy: Amber French, DO, NGPG • Hospice of NGMC
NGMC LUMPKIN RECEIVED ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE’S 2025 BEST IN ATLANTA REAL ESTATE AWARD IN THE HEALTH CARE CATEGORY.
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Antonio Rios, MD, received Georgia Hospital Association’s 2024 Physician Hero Award recognizing his service to NGHS, the communities we serve and the state of Georgia. 17
2025 Carol H. Burrell Employee of the Year Lynne Cox, LPC, an Employee Assistance Program counselor, is our 2025 Carol H. Burrell Employee of the Year (EOY), the highest honor an NGHS employee can receive. The EOY is awarded to someone who truly brings their best every day and exemplifies our core values and competencies. 18
CHRISTY MOORE, NGHS’ DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, WAS AWARDED THE 2025 ADVOCATE AWARD FROM THE UNITED WAY OF HALL COUNTY FOR HER WORK LEADING CRITICAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.
SHANNON GLOVER, MLIS, NGHS’ MEDICAL LIBRARIAN, WAS AWARDED THE LOIS ANN COLAIANNI AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN HOSPITAL LIBRARIANSHIP BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
ALIX SCHNIBBEN, PHARMD, NGPG’S DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL QUALITY AND AMBULATORY PHARMACY SERVICES, WAS NAMED THE GEORGIA PHARMACIST OF THE YEAR BY THE GEORGIA SOCIETY OF HEALTH-SYSTEM PHARMACISTS.
BECKER’S HOSPITAL REVIEW RECOGNIZED NGHS LEADERS
Melissa Tymchuk, NGHS’ Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff, was named one of the “70 Chief Strategy Officers to Know.”
Chris Paravate, NGHS’ Chief Information Officer, was named one of the “148 Hospital and Health System CIOs to Know.”
Carol Burrell, NGHS President and CEO (retired), was named one of the “Great Leaders in Healthcare.” 19
Stuart Downs, RN, NGHS’ Chief Nursing Executive, was named 2026 president-elect of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Board of Directors.
Monica Newton, DO, was named president of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.
2024 Nurses’ Choice Physicians of the Year
NGMC Barrow Sujoy Gulati, MD
NGMC Braselton Shehzad Muhamed, MD
NGMC Gainesville Ron Lewis, MD
NGMC Habersham Amy Howard, MD
NGMC Lumpkin Nagaraju Choragudi, MD
2024 Physician Leadership Awards
Academic Excellence Nelson Royall, MD
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Innovation Award Chitra Srinivasan, MD
Chairman’s Award Clifton Hastings, MD
Frank G. Lake III Impact on Philanthropy Award Pierpont (Pepper) Brown III, MD
2025 Healthy Hall Awards THESE ANNUAL AWARDS HONOR THOSE IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY WHO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS. WE’RE PROUD TO SEE THOSE WITHIN THE NGHS COMMUNITY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. • Healthcare Education: Mary Martin, DNP (retired) • Community Impact: NGMC Gainesville’s Green Tower • Physician of the Year: Dr. Alisa Davis, Dr. Ron Lewis and Dr. Chad Copper • Visonary Leader: Jack McGuire, CNM • Lifetime Achievement: Carol Burrell (retired)
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advancing cancer care FIRST ION ROBOTIC BRONCHOSCOPY PERFORMED AT NGMC BRASELTON This groundbreaking procedure helps identify lung cancer in its earliest stages.
CLINICAL TRIAL MILESTONE NGMC is the No. 1 site in the nation for enrollments in the BOOMBOX clinical trial, which will study qualified histotripsy patients for up to five years to help improve standard treatment protocols for patients with liver cancer. NGMC was the first in the world to offer this trial to patients.
NGHS OFFERS NEW TREATMENT OPTION FOR LIVER CANCER NGMC Gainesville launched a Hepatic Artery Infusion (HAI) Pump Therapy program – becoming one of only three hospitals in Georgia to offer this option for patients with certain types of liver cancer.
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surgical services SURGEONS WITH BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS CENTER AT NGMC COMPLETED FIRST ADOLESCENT WEIGHTLOSS SURGERY
FIRST ROBOTIC SURGERY AT NGMC LUMPKIN
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leading with nursing 2025 Nurse of the Year Honorees Each year during Nurses Week, we proudly recognize nurses across our system who go above and beyond the call of duty.
NGMC Barrow Terri Osborne, RN
NGMC Habersham Ansley McClure, RN
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NGMC Braselton Jill Fontana, RN
NGMC Gainesville Melisa Fincher, RN
NGMC Lumpkin Joshua O’Neil, RN
NGMC HABERSHAM EARNS LANTERN AWARD NGMC Habersham received the Emergency Nurses Association’s Lantern Award, which recognizes emergency departments that demonstrate exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. This recognition makes NGHS the first healthcare system in Georgia to have five hospitals honored with this distinction.
Jennifer Herr, RN, was named a 2025 Nurse Excellence Award winner by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Tara Jernigan, RN, NGHS’ director of Facilties Activation, received the DAISY Leader in Healthcare Design Award.
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CRITICAL CARE UNITS EARN NATIONAL AWARD FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE Several of our hospitals’ intensive and intermediate care units were honored with the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). These awards recognize exceptional patient care, a healthy work environment and ongoing excellence in nursing practice.
NGMC GAINESVILLE • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – Gold • Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU) – Silver • Trauma Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) – Bronze
NGMC BRASELTON • Intermediate Care/Progressive Coronary Care Unit (PCCU) – Silver
NGMC BARROW • IMCU - Gold
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driving innovation NGHS Received State’s Only Level 10 Designation for Innovation For the second consecutive year, NGHS received Level 10 Digital Health Most Wired status from the College of Healthcare Information Management (CHIME). Our system was one of only 18 health systems across the nation, and the only one in Georgia, to receive this status. The recognition puts NGHS in elite company with other national healthcare leaders including Stanford Health Care, NYU Langone Health, UNC Health, Geisinger Health and more.
NGHS WAS NAMED 2024 GLOBAL CUSTOMER INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR BY OUR INTERNET SECURITY PROVIDER TREND MICRO. MYCHART ACTIVATIONS Increased MyChart activation rate to 82%, positioning us in the top 5th percentile among Epic healthcare clients nationwide
FAST PASS OPTIMIZATION Optimized Epic’s Fast Pass to improve scheduling efficiency and accelerate patient access, filling more than 4,000 last-minute cancellations within three months of launch
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) WAIT TIMES Launched real-time ED wait time displays across all campuses – promoting transparency and helping patients make informed care decisions
ON-DEMAND URGENT CARE VIDEO VISITS Expanded access to On-Demand Urgent Care Video Visits, now available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week – enhancing patient access and convenience
ONLINE SCHEDULING Online self-scheduling grew 46% over the past fiscal year, bringing in more than 2,400 new patients to NGHS
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futureof and heart vascular care DNV AWARDED NGMC HOSPITALS CARDIAC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE STATUS
NGPG OPENED A STANDALONE VEIN CLINIC
GEORGIA HEART INSTITUTE’S INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY TEAM PERFORMED THEIR FIRST CASE USING NEW AGENT DRUG-COATED BALLOON CATHETER
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GEORGIA HEART INSTITUTE’S INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGISTS PERFORMED THE FIRST CASES IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES USING THE SPECTRAWAVE HYPERVUE IMAGING SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM USES NEAR-INFRARED TECHNOLOGY TO CAPTURE HIGHLY DETAILED IMAGES FROM INSIDE THE CORONARY ARTERIES.
NGMC GAINESVILLE’S CARDIOLOGY TEAM WAS FIRST IN THE REGION TO PERFORM PET/CT SCANS TO EVALUATE PATIENTS FOR PACEMAKER LEAD INFECTIONS.
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NGMC GAINESVILLE WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE INTERSOCIETAL ACCREDITATION COMMISSION (IAC) WITH A 25-YEAR SILVER ACCREDITATION MILESTONE FOR ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY.
We welcomed Mudassar Ahmed, MD, as our Chief Cardiology Officer to provide clinical oversight and physician leadership for Georgia Heart Institute. 30
NGMC HOSPITALS EARNED 21 NATIONAL AWARDS FROM THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S GET WITH THE GUIDELINES QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
training thephysician leadersof tomorrow INAUGURAL GRADUATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE FELLOWS
INAUGURAL GRADUATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENTS
THE CENTER FOR SIMULATION AND INNOVATION WAS FEATURED IN MODERN HEALTHCARE, SHOWCASING HOW VIDEO GAMES AND ESCAPE ROOMS ARE HELPING TO TRAIN RESIDENTS.
NGHS’ CENTER FOR SIMULATION AND INNOVATION WAS GRANTED FULL ACCREDITATION BY THE ASSOCIATION OF STANDARDIZED PATIENT EDUCATORS (ASPE). 31
Our seventh class of physician learners
12
Emergency Medicine Residents
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12
Family Medicine Residents
6
General Surgery Residents
20
Internal Medicine Residents
4
Primary Care Track Residents
6
Psychiatry Residents
12
Transitional Year Residents
6
Cardiovascular Disease Fellows
1
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellow
230
TOTAL NUMBER OF PHYSICIAN LEARNERS
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supporting women and children NGMC BARROW, BRASELTON AND GAINESVILLE WERE THE FIRST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE TO BE ACCREDITED AS PEDIATRIC READINESS CENTERS BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
BRINGING HOPE TO GEORGIA MOTHERS HOPE for Georgia Moms, a federally funded initiative led by NGHS, hosted its inaugural Maternal Cardiac Roundtable to highlight the importance of cardiovascular disease risk assessment in postpartum care. Cardiovascular conditions are the leading cause of maternal deaths in Georgia. This fiscal year, the program supported innovative tools and resources including a teaching curriculum for fathers to recognize maternal warning signs, a gamification app to help providers and doulas work together to support women giving birth, and wearables for maternal self-monitoring of potential heart symptoms and vital signs. Monica Newton, DO, Family Medicine resident program director, used HOPE funding to develop an online maternal health module that has trained more than 270 resident physicians statewide. 34
advances in neurosciences ANDREW TARR, MD, WAS NAMED A “PARTNER IN MS CARE” BY THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY FOR DEMONSTRATING SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE IN TREATING PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.
NGMC GAINESVILLE OPENED AN EPILEPSY MONITORING UNIT, A SPECIALIZED INPATIENT FACILITY DESIGNED TO DIAGNOSE, MONITOR AND EVALUATE SEIZURE DISORDERS IN A CONTROLLED MEDICAL ENVIRONMENT.
NGMC BRASELTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO OFFER ULTRA-MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE SURGERY.
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inthe community
2025 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT NGHS, with input from the community, completes Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) every three years to gain insight into the greatest health needs of our community. In partnership with Stephens County Hospital, District 2 Public Health, Good News Clinics and others, NGHS heard from more than 3,600 community members through focus groups, interviews and surveys. With the help of community advisors, senior leadership and board members, the following health priorities were selected in 2025, and an action plan is currently in development: • Mental and Behavioral Health • Access to Care
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• Healthy Behaviors
thriving philanthropy 2025 CHERYL SHIPPEY MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISED $300,000 TO EXPAND EMERGENCY CARE AT NGMC BRASELTON.
THE 2024 MEDICAL CENTER OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISED MORE THAN $300,000 TO BENEFIT BRIDGING HOPE – AN ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF VOLUNTEERING AT NGMC BRASELTON, TOM AND ALEYCE LACY DECIDED TO INCLUDE NGHS IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS WITH A SIGNIFICANT PLANNED GIFT.
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+$16M
NGHS Foundation raised more than $16 million during the 2025 fiscal year.
$3.4M
Georgia taxpayers contributed $3.4 million through the Rural Hospital Tax Credit to support NGMC Habersham and NGMC Lumpkin.
$1.4M+
Hospice of NGMC received funding of more than $1.4 million during this fiscal year, including more than $268,000 from the 2024 Love Light program.
$280K
Marketplace raised more than $280,000 in 2024 to benefit Safe Kids of Northeast Georgia.
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caring volunteers IN 2025, NEARLY 700 VOLUNTEERS SERVED MORE THAN 46,000 HOURS.
Joan Kosmala Volunteer of the Year Award - Donna Hill
Marjorie Covington Smith Auxilian of the Year Susan Wentz
Nell Welchel Wiegand Patient Friend Award
115
teen and college volunteers served throughout the system
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annual stats NGMC CONTINUES TO HAVE A POSITIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND STATE, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST ANNUAL STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE GEORGIA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION. FOR 2023, NGMC CONTRIBUTED More than
$7.8
billion
of economic impact on local and state economies
More than
More than
$76
million
in total estimated charity care
35,000 $26 full-time jobs directly and indirectly sustained through NGMC’s economic impact
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More than
million
provided in community outreach
12,335 1,642 1,026
FY25 by the numbers Medical Staff Members
Employees
Licensed Beds
43,221 5,948 Total Discharges
Deliveries
232,552 31,937
Emergency Department Visits
Surgeries
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12.25 | SIP | 17,000