South Georgia Medical Center commemorated the grand re-opening of its SGMC Smith Northview hospital on Wednesday, Dec. 7 with a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The hospital is slated to fully reopen in January 2023, becoming the second fully operational hospital in Lowndes County.
SGMC leadership welcomed community leaders, state and local legislators, physicians, and staff to recognize the significant role that the hospital and campus play in access to quality healthcare for the region.
According to Ronald E. Dean, SGMC President and Chief Executive Officer, creating unequaled access is a top priority for the health system because convenience and capability matter. “The opening of 12 additional emergency care beds, 45 acute inpatient care beds, and a nearby urgent care center on the Smith Northview campus, significantly enhances access to our remarkable team of 600 plus providers and the most comprehensive healthcare system in the region,” shared Dean.
Furthermore, patients who receive care at any SGMC location or facility receive access to their own MyChart account and application (commonly referred to as an Electronic Health Record) that allows for a centralized record of their information that integrates seamlessly with all care provided to them across the health system.
“Expanding services at the Smith Northview campus enables us to serve more and to serve better as demand grows. For that, we are deeply grateful,” said Dean.
According to Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bill Slaughter, Lowndes County grew 9.8 percent during the last Census with much of that growth centered around the northern portion of the county. “Reopening the Smith Northview hospital fully is certainly beneficial for the residents in that area, but also remains a tremendous asset for our entire community as well as our region,” shared Slaughter.
SGMC is a not-for-profit regional health system with four hospital campuses in Lowndes, Berrien, and Lanier counties. SGMC has the region’s most comprehensive physician network with more than 40 locations across South Georgia. The system provides a broad range of high-quality healthcare services to 400,000 residents across a 15-county area.
To learn more visit sgmc.org.