Grady Memorial Hospital 2012535 219614203 2008-06-16T02:23:46Z JoeDeRose 3089246 {{Infobox Hospital | Name = Grady Memorial Hospital | Org/Group = <!-- optional --> | Image = Gradymemorial.JPG | Caption = <!-- optional --> | Logo = <!-- optional --> | Location = | Region = Atlanta | State = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] | Country = US | HealthCare = Public | Type = General | Speciality = | Standards = <!-- optional if no national standards --> | Emergency = I | Affiliation= [[Emory University]]<br />[[Morehouse School of Medicine]] | Beds = 953 (700 in operation) | Founded = 1890 | Closed = <!-- optional --> | Website = http://www.gradyhealthsystem.org/ | Wiki-Links = <!-- optional --> |}} '''Grady Memorial Hospital''', frequently referred to as '''Grady Hospital''' or simply '''Grady''', is the largest [[hospital]] in the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and is the [[public hospital]] for the city of [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]]. Historical segregation of its hospital units meant that it was also called "The Gradys", a name that still surfaces among elderly Atlanta residents, especially African Americans. It is a [[Level I trauma center]]. Located near [[downtown Atlanta|downtown]] and the [[campus]] of [[Georgia State University]], Grady is considered to be one of the premier public hospitals in the [[Southern United States]]. It is named for [[Henry W. Grady]], an ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|Atlanta Constitution]]'' [[journalism|journalist]] and later owner who became a major force in Georgia [[politics]], and [[advocate]]d for a public city hospital. It is now the [[flagship]] of the '''Grady Health System'''. ==History== It was first founded in 1890 (a decade after [[Saint Joseph's Infirmary]], Atlanta's first) and opened in 1892, as an outgrowth of the [[Atlanta Benevolent Home]]. The original building (at 36 Butler Street) is now on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and is known as [[Georgia Hall]], where the hospital's [[human resources]] staff now work. The second Grady Hospital at [[Butler Hall]] opened in 1912 and was for [[White people|whites]] only, with [[Black people|blacks]] being [[Racial segregation|segregate]]d at the [[Atlanta Medical College]]. The third hospital was at [[Hirsch Hall]], and the current location is its fourth. Since 1945 it has been run by the [[Fulton/DeKalb Hospital Authority]]. The current facility was also built as a [[racial segregation|segregated]] institution, with one section serving Whites (Wings A & B; facing the city) and another section serving African-Americans (Wings C & D; facing the opposite direction). Even though it is a single building and the two sides are connected by a hallway (Wing E), the facility was referred to in the plural ("The Gradys") during the years of segregation.<ref>{{cite web | title=Children at Grady Hospital | publisher=The New Georgia Encyclopedia | url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Multimedia.jsp?id=m-8063&adv=y&hl=y# | accessdate=2006-12-23}}</ref> [[CNN]]'s medical correspondent Dr. [[Sanjay Gupta]], who is Associate Chief of Neurosurgery at Grady, filmed a documentary at the hospital called ''Grady's Anatomy'' (a play on ''[[Gray's Anatomy]]'') that aired in 2007 for ''[[CNN Special Investigations Unit]]''. The documentary focused on four young [[Residency (medicine)|medical residents]] and the daily stress of large hospital practice. ==Notable Patients== In [[2001]], actor [[Whitman Mayo]], who played the character [[Grady Wilson|Grady]] on television's [[Sanford and Son]], died of a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at Grady. Grady Hospital gained some national attention for treating supermodel [[Niki Taylor]] after her near-fatal car accident on [[April 29]], [[2001]]. Taylor has spoken many times about the great job the hospital did in treating her after her accident. In particular, the Hospital's effectiveness as a [[level I trauma center]] has been highlighted by this incident (Taylor suffered severe trauma in the accident).{{Fact|date=February 2007}}<!-- is a model's thanks to a hospital [[WP:reliable sources]] ? --> It again gained attention after the [[Bluffton University bus accident]] in which seven died. The hospital cleared a whole wing of the hospital for the injured victims and their families. André 3000 one half of the duo group OutKast was born in Grady Memorial Hospital ==Current Service== The hospital serves a large [[Proportionality (mathematics)|proportion]] of [[Poverty|low-income]] patients. Grady [[lawsuit|sue]]d the state over lack of [[Medicaid]] [[Deferred compensation|compensation]] in 2004.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}<!-- but did they win the case, if not then not real-world accepted that unfairly underfunded --> Grady relies almost entirely on Emory and Morehouse Schools of Medicine to provide doctor and resident staffing. As an editorial in ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'' said, "When you read the phrase 'Grady doctor,' do a silent translation, because those words really mean either 'Emory doctor' or 'Morehouse doctor.'"<ref>[https://prod-www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/2007/autumn/grady.html Emory Magazine: Autumn 2007: Critical Condition<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Grady Hospital's ambulance service, Grady [[emergency medical services]], shares [[9-1-1]] responsibility for [[Fulton County, Georgia]]. The [[Downtown Connector]] (Interstate 75/85) makes a large bend around the hospital on its otherwise due north-south route, dubbed the "Grady Curve" on [[Traffic reporting|traffic report]]s.{{Fact|date=January 2008}}<!--the curve goes around the whole of downtown + I've never heard it called that.--> ==Problems and Restructuring== The hospital serves a large [[Proportionality (mathematics)|proportion]] of [[Poverty|low-income]] patients. The hospital is supported almost entirely by [[Fulton County, Georgia|Fulton]] and [[DeKalb County, Georgia|DeKalb]] [[County|counties]], with little help from the suburbs or state, despite serving all of [[Atlanta metropolitan area|metro Atlanta]]'s several counties. Grady has also suffered from corruption and cronyism. In 2005, a state senator was convicted of using his influence to secure overpriced Grady contracts for his temporary services business. It is further plagued by staff shortages and anachronistic technology - notably as one of every five Medicaid reimbursement billings were rejected by the state due to filing mistakes. The hospital board has long been reluctant to make money-saving changes that might reduce its traditional mission. In late 2006, it rejected the advice of financial consultants and its newly hired chief executive to close an expensive outpatient dialysis clinic for the poor, being concerned that many of the clinic’s uninsured patients, including many illegal immigrants, would have nowhere else to turn to. Others argued that the board of directors are politically clumsy, and prone to micromanagement. In May the board’s own consultants concluded that “Grady does not currently have the depth of leadership” necessary to transform the hospital. Grady Hospital continues to face possible closure or restructuring as it cannot find funding to repay the over $100 million debt it owes to [[Emory University]] and [[Morehouse School of Medicine]] for their staffing of Doctors.<ref>[http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=24144 With $100 Million Debt, Grady Hospital May Close Doors | The Emory Wheel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2007/08/19/grady0819.html</ref> A current plan is underway to transfer control of the hospital from the public [[Fulton/DeKalb Hospital Authority]] to a new nonprofit corporation, keeping with “the Atlanta way” or long-standing tradition of bringing together black political power and white business power, which would enable Grady to attract philanthropic donations, expand into money-making services and remove interference from politics. Black board members who backed the deal, however, were considered “sell-out Uncle Toms” by critics who asserted that the move amounted to the black-run hospital's privatization by whites which would jeopardize Grady’s mission. The board would only agree to yield power to the non-profit organization in return for guarantees of funding from the state and country.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/us/08grady.html A Safety-Net Hospital Falls Into Financial Crisis - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==2008 Tornado== On March 14, 2008, the buildings of Grady sustained minor damage when a [[tornado]] tore through [[downtown Atlanta]]. Historic Georgia Hall was the hardest hit with windows blown out, a chimney that collapsed and water damage. The main hospital had a few cafeteria windows blown out, but never lost power. It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s. Nine people were taken to Grady for treatment, one of which had critical injuries.<ref name="ajctornado">[http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/03/14/domeburst_0315.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab Friday tornado pummels downtown; Saturday storm kills 2] by Tim Eberly and Paul Shea for the ''[[Atlanta Journal and Constitution]]'', [[March 15]], [[2008]]. Retrieved [[March 15]], [[2008]].</ref><ref name="ajclandmarks">[http://www.ajc.com/search/content/news/stories/2008/03/16/landmark0316.html Atlanta Tornado: The Aftermath: Landmarks Take a Hit] by Rhonda Cook et. al. for the ''[[Atlanta Journal and Constitution]]'', [[March 16]], [[2008]]. Retrieved [[March 16]], [[2008]].</ref> *''See article: [[2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak]].'' ==References== <references/> ==External links== *[http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/gra.htm National Parks Service: Georgia Hall] *[http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/urbandesign_hirsch.aspx Atlanta city government: Hirsch Hall] *[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?path=/ScienceMedicine/Medicine/MajorHospitals&id=h-1216 New Georgia Encyclopedia: Grady Healthcare System] *[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/us/08grady.html A Safety-Net Hospital Falls Into Financial Crisis] * [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/atlanta/ Atlanta, Georgia, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel Itinerary] {{Geolinks-US-buildingscale|33.752221|-84.382392}} [[Category:1892 establishments]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Atlanta, Georgia]] [[Category:History of Atlanta, Georgia]] [[Category:Hospitals in Georgia (U.S. state)]] [[Category:Registered Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state)]]