Grady 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.

The 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.

In 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.

In 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.

In 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.

Managing 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).

Grady 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.

Close 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.