ELBERTON, Ga. — The Elbert Memorial Hospital (EMH) Emergency Department was recognized for its commitment to strengthening pediatric emergency care in Elbert County during a Sept. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony. Elbert Memorial Hospital was celebrated for reaching key milestones as a participating hospital in the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC). The Alliance, established in 2023, is a collaboration between Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM), its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC) and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s).
Georgia rural hospitals face unique challenges in their ability to treat and keep pediatric patients in their communities, and KidsABC is focused on improving access to quality pediatric care.
KidsABC helps participating hospitals, like Elbert Memorial Hospital, acquire child-friendly equipment, complete pediatric-specific emergency care staff training and implement the latest protocols and policies for treating children with critical conditions, such as asthma and diabetic ketoacidosis.
“At Elbert Memorial Hospital, our mission has always been to provide exceptional and compassionate care close to home. The work we do alongside KidsABC enhances our ability to deliver high-quality pediatric emergency services to the families of our community. Our local providers, combined with the expertise of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, one of the nation’s leading pediatric healthcare organizations, ensures that children receive the best possible care.”
Elbert Memorial Hospital commemorated its KidsABC participation and completion of milestones with a ribbon cutting attended by hospital, Children’s, Mercer University School of Medicine and GRHIC representatives. As part of the celebration, community members were invited to a free family fun day.
“Today marks a very important moment for kids in rural Georgia and in Elbert County,” said Mercer University School of Medicine Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., MACP. “We are honored to recognize the ED staff for their dedication to pediatric emergency care training and refining their skills to provide the best care for kids. Children are not just tiny adults when it comes to the practice of emergency medicine. They require special care and appropriate equipment and tools to help keep their care here at home. Elbert Memorial Hospital has been a strong, committed KidsABC participant and has set the bar very high for pediatric care. We commend the efforts of the staff and leadership. They are making a difference in children’s lives and will continue to do so for years to come.”
“Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta congratulates Elbert Memorial Hospital on achieving this milestone,” said Marc Welsh, Children’s V.P. of community impact. “The objectives of KidsABC align with Children’s vision to ‘Do Everything Possible to Make Anything Possible for Kids.’ We want to ensure all the children of Georgia have access to quality healthcare and, by participating in KidsABC, hospitals like Elbert Memorial Hospital are building capacity to serve even more kids in their own communities.”
KidsABC brings together a network of rural hospital emergency departments, pediatric offices, regional and state pediatric tertiary care hospitals and school systems to address the challenge of healthcare access, which many rural families face. KidsABC participants are equipped with the necessary tools, protocols, training and education, so families have access to subspecialty care, mental healthcare and emergency medical care in their hometowns.
Programs within KidsABC address the challenges of distance to specialty care and limited resources. KidsABC emphasizes the importance of early intervention in achieving positive outcomes. Children’s provided specialized pediatric clinical guidance to launch and sustain these programs.
For More Information:
KidsABC Initiatives: https://den.mercer.edu/school-of-medicine-announces-community-partners-in-rural-pediatric-health-care-initiative/
KidsABC Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative Expansion: https://den.mercer.edu/musm-and-grhic-expand-major-rural-pediatric-health-care-initiative-to-newly-selected-hospitals/
Feature image: (From left) EMH ER Medical Director Khaldoon Al Moosawi, M.D.; EMH ER Paramedic Ronnie Thompson; EMH ER Nurse Barb Gaston; EMH ER Nurse Angela Nix; EMH ER Nurse Cindy Lyon; EMH Clinical Nurse Director Shannon Rodgers; EMH CEO J. Tyler Taylor; EMH CNO Cyndi New; Elberton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Meredith White; Children’s Affiliations Operations Director Pamela Mason; Mercer School of Medicine Director of Rural Pediatrics Projects Michael Dykes; Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center Lead Community Resource and Assessment Specialist Samantha Johnson; Elbert Memorial Hospital Authority Board Member Rev. John Donaldson; Development Authority of Elbert County Chairman Al McCall.
