(AHEC) increase access to primary care services in rural and urban underserved areas. The primary objectives of each regional AHEC are to educate community members about health career choices, recruit future health professionals, facilitate community based clinical training experiences for students and residents, and provide education and resources to assist and support health care professionals.
The Georgia HEART Hospital Program, which GCF operates as a subsidiary organization, is helping rural and critical access hospitals take advantage of an innovative opportunity to increase their funding and their ability to Help Enhance Access to Rural Treatment, or “HEART.”
For years, Georgia’s rural hospitals have been facing a financial crisis due to demographic, economic, and healthcare industry challenges. This crisis jeopardizes the access of rural Georgians to adequate health care. In response, in 2016, Georgia’s elected officials enacted Senate Bill 258, legislation that awards Georgia income tax credits to individual and corporate taxpayers who contribute to qualified rural hospital organizations (RHOs) located in Georgia.
Because of the expert manner in which Georgia GOAL operates as an SSO under the Education Expense Credit program, GCF created Georgia HEART to serve eligible rural hospitals who are participating in the Rural Hospital Organization Expense Credit program.
discharges patients to all 159 counties in the state of Georgia. The hospital’s physicians travel to outreach clinics in Albany, Valdosta, Athens, Waycross and Dublin to provide medical care for children who otherwise would not have direct access to pediatric subspecialists, ensuring that all of Georgia’s children have access to the healthcare they need and deserve.
provides scholarships to Medical College of Georgia students enrolled in an accelerated degree program who agree to serve in rural and underserved areas of Georgia.
provides funding to the Augusta University Health (AU Health) Rural Hospital Care Network to provide rural and underserved community hospitals with emergency room equipment that enables AU Health physicians and nurses to offer real time patient advice to remote ER service providers.
supports three initiatives: a clinical and community health network; a community engagement network to examine means to address the social determinants of health; and a physician development network designed to cultivate medical students from rural Georgia who are more likely to practice in underserved areas throughout Georgia.
is committed to serving rural Georgia’s health needs by educating physicians practicing in rural Georgia, and by partnering with rural counties to improve healthcare through reliable research, creative strategies, and sustainable solutions.
