Georgia allocates $6M to 13 rural Georgia hospitals

(The Center Square) — Georgia is doling out $6 million in grants to 13 rural hospitals as part of the Dual Track Rural Hospital Support program.

Awardees can choose between funding for direct hospital support and new or existing graduate medical education programs. The Department of Community Health’s State Office of Rural Health administers the program.

“These funds will provide support to initiatives that address critical needs for both Georgia’s rural hospitals and citizens,” Joel Presley, executive director of the State Office of Rural Health, said in a statement.

The program will allocate $1 million to both the John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville and the Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie for graduate medical education funding. Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia and Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin will each receive $250,000 for graduate medical education funding.

It will also allocate $500,000 each to Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin in Milledgeville, Emanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro, Effingham Health System in Springfield, Putnam General Hospital in Eatonton and Washington County Regional Medical Center in Sandersville for hospital support funding. Jefferson Hospital in Louisville, Upson Regional Medical Center in Thomaston and Union General Hospital in Blairsville will each receive $250,000 for hospital support funding.

“These awards will provide further support to those hospitals that serve rural Georgians and communities in need,” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said in a release announcing the awards.