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Ray Hamilton, Cordele Dispatch

Something I think we can all agree on is that cookies are the greatest invention ever… Luckily we are about to punch that ticket coming up Saturday, December 7^th between 9-11am. Cookies with Santa will be held at Crisp Regional Hospital and I hope the line won’t be too long. The cookies will be preceded by a ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place at Crisp Regional. The overall focus, aside from those tasty treats will be on Mercer University School of Medicine. The fine folks at Crisp Regional Emergency Department want to inform the public that they have entered into a partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine as part of the Kids Alliance for Better Care (Kids ABC). Santa will be on hand with cookies and his sleigh, and medical students from the Mercer University School of Medicine.

One item the staff at Crisp Regional really want the public to know is about the cutting-edge facilities available to the people of Crisp County. One of the programs that they are quite proud of is the Rural Health Innovation Center. This program came about in 2018 after lawmakers dedicated special funds to establish a center tasked with confronting complex healthcare challenges and disparities facing rural communities. In 2019 Mercer University School of Medicine was awarded a grant and formally established the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center on its Macon campus. Mercer University’s School of Medicine was established in 1982 to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary 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. They continue a longstanding commitment to serve rural Georgia’s healthcare needs. The mission of the Rural Health Innovation Center is to educate physicians dedicated to improving the health of residents of rural Georgia. It serves as a critical resource to rural communities improving access to healthcare by offering research collaboration and training opportunities.

Another wonderful piece of news is that the pediatric healthcare in Georgia is greatly enhanced by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which is the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia. This remarkable resource is a beacon of hope for everyone in the community who might be in need of pediatric care. The mission of this non-profit is to make kids healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs which includes top healthcare professionals, as well as leading research and technology. It stands to reason that these health providers are proud of the healthcare they deliver to this region. Not only are they one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, they also manage more than one million patient visits per year. When you’re enjoying your cookies with Santa and a ride in his sleigh, please remember how much impact these programs may have on local children. Not only that, but the positive impact on the region has been in effect for over 100 years. Here’s to 100 more years of outstanding pediatric care for the children in southern Georgia.