Northeast Georgia Health System is the first health system in Georgia to have all of its hospitals receive the Pediatric Readiness Designation. The Georgia Department of Public Health awards this designation to emergency departments that are equipped with child-specific medical supplies and staff trained in pediatric care.
Families across northeast Georgia can feel confident knowing they have access to high-quality emergency care for children without driving to Atlanta, as Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is now the first health system in the state to have every hospital within its network earn Pediatric Readiness Designation from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).
The emergency departments at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Lumpkin and NGMC Habersham are the latest hospitals to receive the designation from the DPH. They join NGHS’ three other hospitals – NGMC Gainesville, NGMC Braselton and NGMC Barrow – which received the designation earlier this year.
“Emergency care for children isn’t just about having the right equipment — it’s about having the right people,” said Hersh Mathur, MD, medical director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine for NGHS. “Our teams are trained to recognize and respond to pediatric emergencies with precision and empathy. This designation reinforces the trust families place in us every day.”
The Pediatric Readiness designation ensures that emergency departments are equipped with child-specific medical supplies and staffed by professionals trained in pediatric care.
NGMC Barrow, Braselton, Habersham and Lumpkin hospitals are designated as level III Pediatric Readiness Centers, which means they are prepared to evaluate and stabilize critically ill children and provide appropriate, timely transfer of children to a higher level of care if needed.
NGMC Gainesville is designated as a level II Pediatric Readiness Center, which means it is prepared to evaluate, stabilize and provide some ongoing care for critically ill children.
“These designations reflect our commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality care for children across every community we serve,” said Walt Wiley, executive director for Emergency, Trauma, Observation and EMS Services at NGMC. “Parents can feel confident knowing that no matter which of our hospitals they visit, their child will receive expert emergency care tailored to pediatric needs.”
In addition to its pediatric-ready emergency department, NGMC Gainesville offers a dedicated inpatient pediatric unit for children who require further observation or hospitalization. If a child needs to be admitted, NGHS ensures seamless transport and coordination between facilities, so families experience uninterrupted care and peace of mind.
“Our inpatient pediatric unit is designed to provide a comforting, child-focused environment where families can feel supported during what is often a stressful time,” said Ramanpreet Dhindsa, MD, medical director of Pediatrics at NGMC and a pediatrician with Longstreet Clinic. “Because we’re part of a connected system, we’re able to coordinate care from the emergency room to inpatient services smoothly – ensuring children get the right care, in the right place, without delay.”
For more information about NGMC’s Emergency Departments, visit nghs.com/emergency.