SGMC Health Lanier Joins Statewide KidsABC Pediatric Health Initiative

SGMC Health Lanier announces its participation in the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC), a statewide rural pediatric health initiative led by Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, with support from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Launched in 2023, KidsABC is designed to address the significant challenges rural hospitals face in delivering pediatric care. SGMC Health Lanier joins 27 other rural hospitals across Georgia in this collaborative effort to strengthen emergency pediatric care and ensure families can remain close to home.

"Rural hospitals provide excellent care to patients, including children. The KidsABC program comes alongside these hospitals to expand and strengthen the care they already give," said MUSM Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., MACP. "The staff are dedicated to completing specialized training in pediatric-specific emergency care and enhancing their skillsets, all with the goal of keeping kids close to home whenever possible."

This collaboration directly enhances the capabilities of SGMC Health Lanier by providing advanced pediatric training and clinical guidance for emergency staff, as well as new equipment tailored to pediatric emergency care.

"Joining KidsABC allows us to build on the extraordinary care already provided at our emergency department," said Geoff Hardy, Campus Administrator at SGMC Health Lanier. "We're proud to be part of a statewide network working to ensure that children in rural communities receive the care they need, when and where they need it."

To learn more, visit sgmc.org.