ABOUT THE REGION A COALITION

Bringing together healthcare organizations to support the local healthcare community and other response agencies to jointly plan for and respond to man-made or natural emergencies, by promoting intra-regional cooperation and sharing of resources.

In the past, organizations and counties have been planning individually and in groups with the goal of becoming better prepared to respond to disasters. Organizations within counties have developed strong relationships and have plans to support each other during emergencies. County, community, or organization plans alone may not be sufficient to take care of the health care needs during and after a disaster. A regional approach is needed to improve the continuity of healthcare; therefore, the North Georgia Healthcare Coalition has been formed to help bridge gaps and improve healthcare preparedness using a regional approach.

Organizations encouraged to participate include but not limited to:

Why joining a Healthcare Coalition is important?

When a disaster hits a community or a region, the entire health care system will be impacted and will have to respond. All health care organizations will need to work together in a coordinated fashion to effectively respond to the disaster and work towards recovery. During healthcare emergencies, decisions made by one healthcare organization will impact others. Healthcare organizations planning together will create a more prepared and resilient healthcare system. Planning together saves lives!

What are the benefits of membership in a Healthcare Coalition?

As a member, your organization will build new and stronger relationships with other healthcare organizations, learn about available resources in the community, have your concerns heard and addressed in the planning process, and have access to training and grant funding.

The main objective of the North Georgia Healthcare Coalition is the development of a regional coordinated emergency response plan. By planning collaboratively, all members of the coalition will be strengthened, better prepared, and will learn from the experiences of others. By participating in the coalition, your organization may be able to meet some of the requirements related to emergency plans and exercises.

You are needed in Georgia’s regional planning efforts!

All healthcare organizations are needed and invited to become members and support their region’s Healthcare Coalition. Members regularly attend meetings, participate in the planning process, and agree to work with and support other members during disaster response and recovery. Please contact the Region A Hospital Coordinator Jerry Tatum at Hamilton Medical Center 706-272-6081 or Sandy Hullander, Healthcare Facilitator at North Georgia Health District 706-529-5757 Ext. 1100 for more information.