Ag News
Emanuel Medical Center receives grant to expand heart and lung services
Posted on Feb 25, 2026 at 12:27 PM
The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, a branch of the Georgia Department of Agriculture and known as Georgia’s Rural Center, has approved a $110,038 grant to assist Emanuel Medical Center (EMC) with the purchase of a replacement echocardiogram system and a new bronchoscope to enable bedside bronchoscopies.
Emanuel Medical Center, located in Swainsboro, has been repeatedly defined as one of Georgia’s most necessary hospitals. This is due to its remote location and the chronically ill population it serves. Currently, EMC provides $500,000-$600,000 per month in uncompensated care. Despite this, EMC has earned the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 4-Star or 5-Star every year. In addition, EMC is in the top 5 Georgia Trend Hospitals annually.
“Emanuel Medical serves a critical sector of rural Georgia, and Georgia’s Rural Center is proud to partner with EMC to continue its medical service to Swainsboro and the surrounding region,” said Charlie Fiveash, executive director of Georgia’s Rural Center. “We are grateful to the local legislative delegation, particularly Representative (Butch) Parrish and Senator (Max) Burns, for supporting the Rural Center’s efforts to support health care initiatives in rural east/central Georgia.”
New services require new technology and equipment, and EMC is expanding cardiovascular services. Emanuel County’s obesity rate is about 50%, and the adult diabetes rate is about 14%. These two chronic diseases contribute greatly to cardiovascular disease. Since the addition of Dr. Randall Brown, cardiothoracic surgeon, to the EMC medical staff, the volume of echocardiograms and bronchoscopies performed at the hospital has grown 53%.
“The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, a branch of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, stepped up to provide vital funding to replace the aging echocardiogram system and a new bronchoscope to enable bedside bronchoscopies. These units will allow EMC to continue to grow Dr. Brown's practice and to expand and enhance the scope of services available in Emanuel and surrounding counties,” said Dave Flanders, EMC operations and systems consultant.
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