Governor Brian P. Kemp recently announced that Emanuel Medical Center is among 13 Georgia rural hospitals to receive grant awards totaling $6 million as part of the Dual Track Rural Hospital Support program.
“Since I took office, my administration has worked to deliver on the promise that we would work with state and local partners to develop Georgia's rural communities, including efforts to improve our rural healthcare systems," said Governor Kemp. "These awards will provide further support to those hospitals that serve rural Georgians and communities in need.”
Emanuel Medical Center will receive $500,000 from the Dual Track Rural Hospital Support Grant, which is funded through the state’s Rural Hospital Stabilization Grant program. The funding will support the expansion and redesign of the hospital’s Emergency Department.
Improvements slated for EMC’s Emergency Department include the remodel of the existing space to improve patient flow, the addition of new treatment rooms, and the introduction of a Fast Track – an area within the department designated for treating lower acuity patients. The improvements are aimed at increasing capacity, improving efficiency, and reducing overall wait times.
“Emanuel Medical Center is dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality medical care for our community. This funding will significantly enhance our capacity and strengthen our infrastructure, ensuring that residents of Emanuel County and the surrounding areas continue to have reliable access to emergency care,” said Damien Scott, CEO of Emanuel Medical Center.
The Dual Track Rural Hospital Support announcement marks the second grant awarded to facilitate EMC’s Emergency Department expansion. Last fall, the hospital was awarded $875,000 from the Department of Community Health’s State office of Rural Health to support the project. Additional funding for the Emergency Department improvements will come from funds collected through the Georgia HEART program, a unique program that allows any Georgia taxpayer to direct their state income tax dollars to qualifying hospitals, such as Emanuel Medical Center.
“By participating in Georgia HEART, community members have the unique opportunity to see firsthand where their tax dollars are being spent,” said Scott. “Their contributions will directly support the expansion of our Emergency Department, an investment that will benefit this community for years to come.”
Emanuel Medical Center is one of 54 rural Georgia hospitals eligible to participate in Georgia HEART, which is the only program of its kind in the nation. For more information about keeping your state income tax dollars local and supporting the EMC through the Georgia HEART program, contact Lynn Brinson, Director of Development at Emanuel Medical Center, at 478-289-1274 or lynn.brinson@emanuelmedical.org.
Construction is expected to begin on the Emergency Department expansion in the coming months.
