(Featured submitted photo: Lee Henry, Hagler Group Global; Nic Wood, Piedmont McDuffie Executive Director – Administrator and Ben Hagler, Hagler Group Global)
THOMSON – Piedmont McDuffie has received a $110,000 Georgia HEART contribution from Hagler Group Global.
When determining where to make their Georgia HEART contribution, Ben Hagler learned Piedmont McDuffie was on the list of potential recipients, according to a news release from Piedmont Healthcare.
“It just made sense to give back to Piedmont McDuffie,” said Hagler, who was reared in Thomson. “As a local business owner, I see the value of keeping state taxes working locally and being reinvested.”
Since its inception in 2017, the Georgia Rural Hospital Organization tax credit initiative has improved the financial well‐being of rural hospitals and health outcomes throughout the state. Georgia taxpayer contributions have enabled eligible rural hospitals to strengthen their ability to deliver preventative, critical, and emergency medical care, the release said.
Effective in 2023, legislators increased the program cap from $60 to $75 million.
Through the Georgia HEART Hospital Program (HEART), Georgia taxpayers have contributed $367 million to eligible rural hospitals since 2017.
“We are extremely grateful for Hagler Group Global’s contribution through the Georgia HEART rural tax credit,” said Nic Wood, Piedmont McDuffie Executive Director and Administrator, in the release. “These funds will further empower our team to be able to provide access to high-quality care for McDuffie County and surrounding communities.”
Uses of HEART funds have included expanded and updated services, as well as purchases of essential equipment, such as X‐ray detector, MRI machine, 3D mammogram equipment, and computed tomography (CT) equipment. These and other purchases have enhanced and modernized maternity and newborn care, operating room surgical care, diagnostic care and overall patient care.
Lisa Kelly, President of HEART, emphasized the program’s impact.
“This one‐of‐a‐kind, efficient mechanism for providing essential, direct funding for Georgia’s rural hospitals is invaluable throughout our state,” she said in the release. “The continuation of this impactful program beyond its current ‘sunset’ date of 2024 is crucial to the sustainability of our rural communities. Thank you to our legislature, in advance, for making this a priority for 2024.”
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