Three days at the Georgia Rural Health Association Annual Conference on St. Simons Island, and the energy was something to experience. Lots of educational sessions and connecting across multiple areas of the state’s rural health landscape.
Georgia's Rural Health Transformation Program (GREAT Health) includes 116 subrecipients, including 93 hospitals, supporting 126 counties. The projects will make an immediate difference: transportation for people in mental health crisis to reach treatment, regional transportation for rural nursing homes, and OB carts for rural hospitals.
The State Office of Rural Health, an institution in Georgia for its longstanding impact, continues to be a leader in this space. One example: a project bringing trauma care training and education to rural communities and building a sustainable network and database of instructors.
I also appreciated hearing the state's update on Georgia CareConnect, the Medicaid Enterprise System Transformation (MEST) project. The Department of Community Health shared how much the feedback from providers during testing will shape the rollout and thanked the attendees for their support with that effort.
A full agenda, and a thoughtful one.
I was grateful to attend the conference with my colleague, Kate Breslin, who is part of the North Highland team supporting Georgia's MEST work with a focus on change management, program management, and testing.
We both especially appreciated the warm welcome from Lloyd Sirmons and Nita Ham who made us feel connected to the community. This is a group that has been building relationships for years, and it shows. And they’re also investing in the future, with many medical schools represented at the conference, and a strong showing of student posters from the next generation of rural health professionals.
One evening the conference hosted a reception at the historic St. Simons Lighthouse, built in 1872 and still standing watch over the coast. A fitting backdrop for conversations about what it takes to keep rural communities strong for the long haul.
This is what On the Ground looks like. The work, the people, and the culture of the places we go.
Next stop: Carson City, NV to workshop opportunities to enhance and strengthen the state's provider network.
#RuralHealth #OnTheGround #GRHA2026 #PublicHealth #NorthHighland