AdventHealth Redmond recently celebrated 25 nurses who completed the hospital’s yearlong Nurse Residency Program, marking their transition from nursing school into professional practice.
Georgia continues to face a growing shortage of physicians and other healthcare providers, with rural communities experiencing some of the greatest challenges in accessing medical care.
CareSource has reversed a controversial 20% reimbursement rate cut for some pediatric therapy providers in Georgia following months of criticism from families, therapists and state lawmakers. However, the change does not apply to every provider, leaving some clinics facing reduced payments and uncertainty.
The rate reduction, which took effect earlier this year, affected providers offering services such as speech, occupational, physical and behavioral therapy to children enrolled in Georgia Medicaid. Many providers warned the cuts threatened access to care, particularly in rural areas where therapy options are already limited. Some clinics reduced services or stopped accepting CareSource patients altogether.
According to Atlanta News First, CareSource has notified some providers that it will restore reimbursement rates, but others remain excluded from the reversal. Those providers say the uneven decision continues to create financial challenges and could still impact access to therapy for Georgia children.
AdventHealth Redmond will host a community blood drive on Thursday, July 23, giving area residents an opportunity to help patients in need.
The blood drive will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at AdventHealth Redmond in Rome.
Hospital representatives say donated blood can provide hope and support for patients and families facing medical emergencies, surgeries and other serious health needs. Every eligible donor has the potential to make a meaningful difference for someone receiving care.
Walk-ins will be welcome throughout the event, although donors may also reserve an appointment in advance through Blood Assurance’s online scheduling system.
Those planning to donate should bring a valid photo identification and are encouraged to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before arriving.
AdventHealth Redmond is encouraging community members who are able to donate to take part in the drive and help maintain the regional blood supply.
Appointments may be scheduled through the Blood Assurance website.
AdventHealth celebrated the official opening of its new Cancer Pavilion in Rome with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, July 15, marking a major expansion of comprehensive cancer care in Northwest Georgia.
More than $2 million in grants has been awarded to nonprofit organizations across northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama through the Atrium Health Floyd-Polk Foundation’s 2026 Community Impact Grant program.
The American Red Cross is asking donors to roll up their sleeves after declaring an emergency blood shortage caused by a sharp decline in donations during June. The organization says its blood supply dropped nearly 25 percent, creating a growing gap between available blood and hospital demand. The shortage is especially critical for platelets, O-positive blood, and B-negative blood.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a major milestone in processing disability claims, with the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits dropping below 70,000 for the first time in more than six years.
According to the VA, the number of disability compensation and pension claims pending longer than 125 days—the department’s definition of a backlog—has fallen below the 70,000 mark for the first time since February 2020. The agency says the backlog has been reduced by more than 74 percent since January 2025.
The VA also reports that it is processing claims faster than at any point in its history. The average time to complete a disability compensation or pension claim is now 77.7 days, a record low. Since the beginning of 2025, the department says it has completed more than one million claims in fewer than 30 days.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said the improvements mean faster decisions, better service, and quicker access to benefits for veterans and their families.
The agency also highlighted several additional accomplishments over the past year, including opening 38 new VA health care facilities, processing more than 3 million disability compensation and pension claims during Fiscal Year 2025, offering veterans more than 3 million appointments outside normal business hours, and permanently housing 51,936 homeless veterans, the highest annual total in seven years.
Veterans who have not yet applied for benefits or health care are encouraged to visit VA.gov or Choose.VA.gov to learn more about available programs and begin the application process.
U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are again urging the Defense Health Agency to abandon plans to significantly reduce services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon, warning the proposal could negatively affect thousands of active-duty servicemembers, veterans, military families and civilian employees.
In a letter to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Keith Bass, the senators expressed concern over the agency’s plan to eliminate all inpatient services and transition the hospital into an ambulatory care center. The proposal would also convert the facility’s emergency department into an urgent care center. The lawmakers said the Defense Health Agency has not provided a clear plan explaining how patients would continue receiving care or how the changes would affect the surrounding healthcare system.
Ossoff and Warnock wrote that reducing services without a comprehensive transition plan could create confusion and make it more difficult for servicemembers, their families and veterans to access the care they need. They urged the agency to halt implementation of the plan, withdraw its congressional notification and provide additional information before moving forward.
The senators noted that Eisenhower Army Medical Center serves an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 active-duty servicemembers, retirees, military families and Department of Defense civilians in the Central Savannah River Area. Senator Ossoff first began pressing the Defense Health Agency for answers about the proposed reductions last year and has continued to oppose the changes
Patients in Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia who require emergency air transport may now benefit from faster treatment thanks to a new medical technology added to Erlanger’s LIFE FORCE Air Medical helicopters.
LIFE FORCE has announced that it has equipped its entire helicopter fleet with the LifeFlow® PLUS portable rapid fluid and blood resuscitation system. The hand-operated device allows flight crews to deliver blood, blood products and intravenous fluids more quickly to critically ill and injured patients suffering from conditions such as severe blood loss, shock and sepsis.
According to LIFE FORCE, the new system is designed to provide faster, more controlled fluid delivery than traditional methods, helping stabilize patients while they are being transported to the hospital. Officials say the upgrade is especially valuable in emergency situations where every minute can make a difference.
LIFE FORCE serves a large region that includes North Georgia, East Tennessee, Northeast Alabama and Western North Carolina, with helicopter bases in Calhoun and Blue Ridge helping provide emergency air medical coverage for Northwest Georgia.