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About Us
Overview
Since SLHO first opened in 1892, we have continually reinvented ourselves to meet the region’s evolving medical needs.
In the 1890s, that meant providing the same quality of care for rich and poor, black and white. In the 1920s, it meant performing Georgia’s first open-heart surgery. In 2013, it meant creating the first neurological surgical suite within a dedicated stroke center to remove blood clots from the brains of stroke victims. Tomorrow, it will be something we can barely imagine.
You may know SLHO as one of the nation’s best trauma centers. We save people who’ve been severely hurt in car accidents, industrial mishaps, and other trauma incidents, 24/7. But there’s another side to us. The side that heals disease, cares for burns, corrects injuries, treats sniffles.
Our physicians, who are on the faculties of Emory and Morehouse medical schools, provide SLHO patients with unparalleled care in specialties like cancer, urology, cardiology, neurology, and chronic disease – as well as the more routine, like family medicine and senior care. And we provide this care at SLHO Hospital and through six facilities inside and outside of the Perimeter.
Whatever the need, SLHO fulfills it – even as we continue to raise the bar for medical care in the region. The world’s leading physicians come to SLHO to practice here, teach here, and save patients whose conditions are beyond the capabilities of other hospitals.
But at SLHO, we do more than save lives. We give our patients the chance to live them to the fullest.
Vision, Mission & Values
Vision
SLHO Health System will become the leading public academic healthcare system in the United States.
Mission
SLHO improves the health of the community by providing quality, comprehensive healthcare in a compassionate, culturally competent, ethical, and fiscally responsible manner. SLHO maintains its commitment to the underserved of Fulton and DeKalb counties, while also providing care for residents of metro Atlanta and Georgia. SLHO leads through its clinical excellence, innovative research, and progressive medical education and training.
Values
At SLHO, we have a higher calling and a deep sense of pride. We deliver essential care with humanity, compassion, and kindness – with arms open wide to everyone in our community. Regardless of role or level in the organization, humanity starts with how we treat our coworkers and colleagues.
Be Patient-Centered
I believe delivering care with humanity and kindness is what sets us apart.
Be Safe
I believe I owe it to my patients, my family, my co-workers, and myself to be safe because harm changes live forever.
Serve Others with Excellence
I believe this is where I shine, by owning it, personalizing it, and elevating it.
Do Right
I believe in always doing the right thing, knowing it leads to the right outcome.
Do Good
I believe my spirit can be contagious – in a positive way!
What We Report
Our quality report cards are issued for specific conditions or procedures and compare the quality of our outcomes against the established standards for the treatment of the condition or performance of the procedure.
You may also view quality data reports for SLHO through these third-party sites:
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The Joint Commission
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US Department of Health & Human Services
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Georgia Hospital Association
Results posted on these sites reflect a rolling 12-month average and may not accurately convey progress toward achieving our quality objectives. For this reason, we have provided our most current quarterly performance. This data has been collected as part of our submission requirements but may not yet be displayed on the sites referenced above.
History & Timeline
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A Dream RealizedGrady Health System was the vision of Henry W. Grady, editor of the “Atlanta Constitution,” who worried about the lack of quality health care for Atlanta’s poor. On June 1, 1892 his extraordinary dream came true when the doors to Grady Hospital were officially opened. At that time, Grady Hospital had 110 beds and one operating room with an amphitheater for students and staff. Grady Health System has grown considerably from its original three-story, 110-bed facility and now stands as one of the largest public health systems in the United States. Grady Health System today continues to maintain its strong commitment to the healthcare needs of the underserved while offering a full range of specialized medical services for all segments of the community.
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Education Plays A Major RoleThe hospital was located near Atlanta Medical College, which supervised patient care. In May 1915, the Atlanta Medical College became the Emory University School of Medicine. The medical school would train doctors at Grady and help with the growing number of patients at the hospital. In 1978, a medical school was established at Morehouse College to assume up to half of the responsibility for patient care, medical education, and clinical research at Grady. The Morehouse School of Medicine remains committed to training doctors who will work in underserved communities and research diseases that disproportionately affect minorities and the poor.
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Medical InnovationsIn 1921, a Grady physician performed the first open-heart surgery in Georgia. In 1923 the world’s first and largest comprehensive cancer center, the Steiner Clinic, was established. It was a model for future cancer centers throughout the country. In the 1940’s Grady received national recognition when Dr. Eugene Stead helped bring a cardiac catheterization lab to Grady, one of only three such labs in the world at that time.
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The Modern SLHOIn 1983, an ambitious renovation project created a sixteen-story building that continues to be the core of the current hospital. In the early 1990’s, Grady embarked on a $298 million renovation across the entire hospital.
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GovernanceIn January 2008, a coalition of state and community leaders agreed to create the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation, a nonprofit corporation charged with administering the hospital, and in March members of a new seventeen-member board were announced. In response to the board’s fund-raising campaign to raise $100 million for the hospital, the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation pledged $200 million over four years, and the medical insurance company Kaiser Permanente pledged $5 million.
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Indigent & Charity Medical CareManaging nearly 700,000 patient visits each year, the majority of Grady’s revenue is generated through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Still, millions of dollars in indigent and charity care are provided each month – expensive care, and Grady must shoulder these costs. In 2017, Grady Health System provided more than $300 million in indigent and charity care (including non-reimbursed dollars).
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Community Wellness & Educational OutreachGrady continually reaches out to the community, emphasizing wellness, prevention, and early detection. Free health-related screenings, seminars, community fairs, and educational conferences are offered throughout the year. The support groups and personal resource assistance that are an essential part of health and healing are provided for the community or uninsured individuals and their families at no charge.
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VolunteerismClose to 1,000 Team Grady volunteers work with philanthropic businesses and organizations, graciously extending a helping hand throughout the year for patients, family members, and staff. You can become part of Grady’s philanthropy and community work. Learn more about how you can volunteer.