Improving the health of the community is at the center of Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS) mission, and a recent report evaluating hospitals as community partners recognized Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) with top marks. The hospital campuses in Gainesville and Braselton – which are reported together under one Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services certification number – received an “A” grade, as did NGMC Barrow and NGMC Lumpkin. NGMC Habersham received a “B” grade.

“This is a testament to how each and every employee at all of our hospital campuses brings their best every day,” said Carol Burrell, president and CEO of NGHS. “Being a leader in these areas is certainly a priority for us, so it’s an honor to be recognized for the dedication being put into it.”

As a health system, NGHS received a “B” grade, and was ranked No. 106 out of 311 health systems across the nation – boasting an “A” grade specifically in outcomes, which measures performance as it relates to a patient’s health and experience of care. NGMC Gainesville ranked No. 8 in the state of Georgia while NGMC Barrow ranked No. 10, NGMC Lumpkin ranked No. 14 and NGMC Habersham ranked No. 46.

The report, put out by The Lown Institute—an independent healthcare think tank—graded over 3,500 hospitals and 300 health systems nationwide. It evaluated a hospital’s health equity and value of care, alongside patient outcomes, to come up with a social responsibility ranking. In the fifth-annual rankings, the report measured over 50 metrics, including community benefit and racial inclusivity.

To learn more about Northeast Georgia Health System and its five hospitals, visit nghs.com.