Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced a $130 million cash infusion for Atlanta's public Grady Health System Sept. 15, two weeks after an unexpected decision from Wellstar Health System to close the neighboring Atlanta Medical Center this fall.
The state drew from its remaining American Rescue Plan allotment for the $130 million infusion, which will add nearly 200 beds to 953-bed Grady. The hospital is already in the process of adding more than 40 beds by Nov. 1.
Grady will be the only level 1 trauma center in the Atlanta metro area when 460-bed Atlanta Medical Center closes Nov. 1. The two hospitals are less than 2 miles apart.
The governor said the additional 200 beds "will come online in a rolling fashion as Grady moves into its new surgical tower next year." The state is also reallocating a temporary 24-patient room medical unit used during the early surge of COVID-19 to Grady to use while the additional capacity opens.
"As you all are very well aware, the Atlanta Medical Center's closure has presented a very saddening and complicated challenge to the healthcare infrastructure of our capital city," the governor said. "While the decision to close was certainly no one's preference, our job is to now move forward, move forward together and find a viable solution to the needs of the impacted community."
The rescue package means Grady has now received upwards of $140 million in aid over the past two weeks. The Fulton County, Ga., Board of Commissioners approved a special one-time $11 million infusion of cash to Grady Memorial Hospital Sept. 7. Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis said the $11 million was already approved to cover unexpected labor costs at Grady and would be transferred immediately.