Mountain Lakes Medical Center Celebrated for Advancements in Pediatric Emergency Care
On August 3, Mountain Lakes Medical Center’s Emergency Department was recognized for its dedication to enhancing pediatric emergency care in Rabun County during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The center was acknowledged for achieving significant milestones as a participant in the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC).
Established in 2023, KidsABC is a partnership between Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM), the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC), and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s). The alliance aims to address the challenges rural hospitals face in providing pediatric care by improving access to quality services.
Mountain Lakes CEO Kristy Hall noted that Rabun County has limited pediatric services, with the nearest facilities located approximately 30 minutes away. She highlighted that distance can turn minor conditions into emergencies due to delayed medical attention.
KidsABC assists hospitals like Mountain Lakes in acquiring child-friendly equipment, offering pediatric-specific emergency care staff training, and implementing updated protocols for treating conditions such as asthma and diabetic ketoacidosis. Hall expressed appreciation for the specialized training and equipment provided through KidsABC, which she said has significantly benefited the community by fostering a supportive environment for families.
The ceremony, hosted by the Forward Rabun Chamber of Commerce, included a ribbon-cutting attended by representatives from the hospital, Children’s, MUSM, and GRHIC. The event also featured a free Back-to-School health fair with a school supply giveaway for community members.
MUSM Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., FACP, praised the ED staff for their commitment to pediatric care, emphasizing the importance of appropriate care and equipment for children. “Mountain Lakes Medical Center has set a high standard for pediatric care and is making a significant impact on children’s lives,” Sumner said.
Marc Welsh, V.P. of child advocacy and chief diversity officer at Children’s, congratulated Mountain Lakes on reaching this milestone and noted that KidsABC aligns with Children’s mission to provide comprehensive care for children across Georgia.
KidsABC brings together a network of rural hospitals, pediatric offices, and other healthcare entities to improve access to subspecialty, mental health, and emergency care in rural communities. The program focuses on early intervention and overcoming barriers to specialty care, supported by specialized pediatric clinical guidance from Children’s.
About Mercer University School of Medicine (Macon, Savannah and Columbus)
Mercer University’s School of Medicine was established in 1982 to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary care and health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia. Today, more than 60 percent of graduates currently practice in the state of Georgia, and of those, more than 80 percent are practicing in rural or medically underserved areas of Georgia. Mercer medical students benefit from a problem-based medical education program that provides early patient care experiences. Such an academic environment fosters the early development of clinical problem-solving and instills in each student an awareness of the place of the basic medical sciences in medical practice. The School opened additional four-year M.D. campuses in Savannah in 2008 and in Columbus in 2021, and a clinical campus in Valdosta in 2024. Following their second year, students participate in core clinical clerkships at the School’s primary teaching hospitals: Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center and Piedmont Macon Medical Center in Macon; Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah; Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital and St. Francis Hospital in Columbus; and SGMC Health in Valdosta. The School also offers master’s degrees in preclinical sciences and family therapy and Ph.D.s in biomedical sciences and rural health sciences.
About Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center
In 2018, Georgia lawmakers dedicated special funds to establish a new Rural Health Innovation Center tasked with confronting the complex health care challenges and wellness disparities facing rural communities. Mercer University School of Medicine was awarded the grant funds in 2019 and formally established the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center on its Macon campus. MUSM boasts a longstanding commitment to serving rural Georgia’s health needs, with a mission to educate physicians dedicated to tackling the health challenges in rural Georgia. The Rural Health Innovation Center serves as a critical resource to rural communities to improve access and effectiveness of health care by offering research, collaboration, and training opportunities.
About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology. Children’s is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, managing more than 1.1 million patient visits annually at three hospitals (Egleston, Scottish Rite and Hughes Spalding), Marcus Autism Center, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, urgent care centers and neighborhood locations. Consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has impacted the lives of kids in Georgia, across the United States and around the world for more than 100 years thanks to generous support from the community.
About Mountain Lakes Medical Center
Mountain Lakes Medical Center is an innovative hospital that reaches throughout northeast Georgia and the surrounding states. We represent a bold step into a new era of how we care for those in our community, family, and beyond. Providing a unique, healing environment that embraces collaborative and person-centered care. Our fully trained professional medical staff and employees are dedicated to improving healthcare and changing the way people think about their health and wellness in our local community. The doctors, nurses, and staff here at Mountain Lakes Medical Center help to ensure our patients receive the highest quality, most compassionate, and exceptional care possible. We are a full-service, acute care, 25-bed, level 4 trauma center with over 150 employees, 15 physicians, and healthcare providers.
