Community Corner

Duluth Hospital Celebrates Fifth Anniversary Oct. 18

Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth has added specialized services like bariatric surgery, an advanced interventional radiology unit and robotic surgery since opening.

is celebrating its fifth anniversary today. GMC-Duluth, an acute care hospital, first opened its doors on Oct. 18, 2006. Previously Duluth and surrounding areas had been served for nearly 70 years by Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital, which was Gwinnett County’s first hospital, now the Glancy Rehabilitation Center and a part of GMC.

“We are driven to help the community realize their full potential by offering a compendium of care,” said Phil Wolfe, President and CEO of Gwinnett Medical Center in an announcement about the anniversary. “This is further emphasized by GMC-Duluth’s strategic, continued growth by adding specialized services like bariatric surgery, an advanced interventional radiology unit and robotic surgery.”

“We’ve combined a quiet, healing environment with the latest in digital technology to continually deliver high-quality healthcare services to the Gwinnett and north Fulton communities,” said Lea Bay, president of GMC-Duluth, in the announcement. “GMC-Duluth provides residents with healthcare options and leading physicians in a location close to home.”

Find out what's happening in Duluthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Since GMC-Duluth opened:

  • Admissions grew by 68 percent over the past five years. In fiscal year 2006 there were 2,873 admissions, which increased to 4,819 admissions in FY2011.
  • Outpatient surgery cases went up by 31 percent over the past five years. In FY2006 case volumes were 5,245 compared to 6,856 cases in FY2011.
  • Imaging procedure volume rose by 23 percent over five years. In FY2006 case volumes were 87,448 increasing to 107,709 procedures in FY2011.
  • Emergency visits increased by 54 percent over the past five years from 23,149 in FY2006 to 35,613 in FY2011.

Accommodating the different cultures in Duluth has been a priority for GMC-Duluth, according to the announcement. These efforts have led to expanded menus for patients and their families, international television programming, and the addition of patient representatives and physicians who are fluent in Korean and Spanish, among other languages. 

Find out what's happening in Duluthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Glancy Rehabilitation Center, which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Center (CARF), complements GMC’s medical services in Duluth. The rehabilitation center is located on the Glancy Campus, which also houses a Diabetes & Nutritional Education Center and a Sleep Lab.

Gwinnett Medical Center, a not-for-profit healthcare network, also operates an acute-care hospital in Lawrenceville.


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