While the sick don't stop getting sick just because it's a holiday, hospitals are nonetheless a business. When labor day comes around, it's time for them to take a day off from their labor as well.
Both the St. Mary's and Athens Regional Medical Center had their public relations departments closed Monday, and without proper contacts it's a difficult to get in touch with those you need to.
The question that sparked my interest -- thank you Prof. Thomas -- is do Athens' two hospitals see an influx of patients on gamedays? Or possibly everything slows down? Which one picks up it's traffic more, St. Mary's (the "official" health care provider of the Georgia Bulldogs) or Athens Regional (which doesn't have their ad running continuously inside of Sanford Stadium for 92,000 plus fans to see)?
Of course without proper background of the hospitals, this all means a little more than nothing. Now, the 30 second history of Athens' local infirmaries.
St. Marys: Located on Baxter Street, St. Mary's is the hospital most students are likely to have seen during their travels in Athens. According to its Web site, St. Mary's was founded in 1906 by Drs. Henry Marshall Fullilove and J. Peebles Proctor and following their deaths in 1937 the hosptial was closed. However, the hospital didn't stay closed for long. In 1938 the hospital was reopened by the Members of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus -- meaning nuns. The hospital was sponsored by the group until 1999, when it was taken over by Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The hospital is a 501(C)(3), meaning a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.
Athens Regional: Situated on Prince Avenue, this health care provider is tucked away in an area many students may have never seen before. According to its Web site, it was opened in 1921, the hospital was a joint effort by Drs. Goss, Holliday, Hunnicutt and Reynolds to provide a health care facility for the community of Clarke County. In 1924, the hospital was purchased by the citizens of Clarke County and it began operating under a board of trustees. In 1960, the Hospital Authority of Clarke County took over ownership.
About Me
- Colin Dunlop
- I'm a graduate student at the University of Georgia studying health and medical journalism.
5 comments:
Interesting blog. As a lifelong Athenian, I have always preferred Athens Regional. My guess is that there are probably more trips to the ER during home football weekends, but fewer scheduled surgeries. I look forward to finding out.
Amber's comment raises an interesting point: she "prefers" ARMC, but why is that? Americans consistently see doctors and hospitals as flawed yet believe they, personally, are receiving excellent care. These beliefs may or may not be backed by evidence.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with ARMC or St. Mary's, but as reporters we are obliged to find out how well local hospitals perform compared with similar facilities in other places.
Fortunately, Colin, you can learn much from online databases. For starters, check out the 2007 Gnat Line News Briefing report posted in the events and conferences section of KnightHealth. Presentations by Charlie Ornstein (LA Times) and Karl Stark (Philly Inquirer) will point you in the right direction. The Assoc of Health Care Journalists also has an excellent publication called "Covering Hospitals: Using tools on the web." This can be downloaded from their site.
I've always preferred St. Mary's. I avoid ARMC whenever I can.
Competition is usually good, so I am glad we are blessed with two hospital systems in the Athens area. I wonder if it keeps our cost down. Maybe an interesting exercise?
Being a non-profit professional, I always enjoy supporting other non-profits, so I usually visit St. Marys.
I have gone to Athens Regional First Care facilities though--because of their convenient locations. These facilities have extended hours, but charge less than an emergency room. The insurance co-pay is the same as going to your primary care physician.
When we get the new Medical School up and running at the Navy Supply School, there will be a third option. It will be interesting to see how this new development will positively impact our city.
Mr. t guy echols,
Check your facts...Athens Regional is a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization as well. I'm a long-time Athenian, too, and Athens Regional is much more involved in the community from what I've seen. St. Mary's is too busy trying to impress students by sponsoring football.
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