MACON, Ga. — Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC), with continued support from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s), are expanding their statewide rural pediatric health initiative for the fourth consecutive year. The Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) now includes 28 rural hospitals across the state.
The newest hospitals selected to join KidsABC in year four include:
- Appling Healthcare, Appling County
- Dorminy Medical Center, Ben Hill County
- Emanuel Medical Center, Emanuel County
- Memorial Hospital & Manor, Decatur County
- Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, Sumter County
- SGMC Health Lanier, Lanier County
- Union General Hospital, Union County
Launched in February 2023, KidsABC addresses the significant challenges rural hospitals face in delivering pediatric care in their local emergency departments. KidsABC is committed to providing child-friendly equipment, resources and tools, and staff training to support hospitals and staff in delivering effective pediatric care in their communities.
“Rural hospitals provide excellent care to patients, including children. The KidsABC program comes alongside these hospitals to expand and strengthen the care they already give,” said MUSM Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., MACP. “The staff are dedicated to completing specialized training in pediatric-specific emergency care and enhancing their skillsets, all with the goal of keeping kids close to home whenever possible.”
“It is inspiring to see the momentum we continue to build in expanding access to high‑quality pediatric care across Georgia,” said Children’s Chief Executive Officer Donna Hyland. “We are proud of the adult hospital systems working with KidsABC, and we are excited by the growing number of success stories, each driven by real, meaningful results for families who call rural Georgia home.”
KidsABC creates a statewide network of rural hospital emergency departments, pediatric and family medicine physicians, regional pediatric hospitals and school systems, working collaboratively to:
- Provide rural hospital emergency department support through pediatric training, clinical guidance and regional network building
- Deliver physician-to-physician telehealth and provider training for pediatricians, advanced practice providers and nurses
- Expand behavioral and mental health services, including virtual counseling for students and school-based mental health assessments and training
Ensuring these gains are sustainable by expanding the rural pediatric workforce is essential to increasing access to primary care and mental healthcare for children. With this in mind, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholarship Program offers 10 annual scholarships to Mercer medical students committed to practicing in rural Georgia. The Children’s Family Therapy Scholarship Program supports students training to provide mental health services in rural communities.
KidsABC will continue its expansion over the next seven years, with the goal of strengthening pediatric care throughout all of rural Georgia.
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/
