Promoting Quality Health Services For Decades

The Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority has served as a steward of access to quality prevention and care services for all residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties for decades, regardless of their circumstances.

Ending Inequality in Healthcare and Health Outcomes.

The FDHA takes its statutory responsibility to address the unmet health needs of residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties very seriously. The Hospital Authorities Law ensures that quality healthcare is not a right for some, but a privilege for all.

Joining Forces With Grady for a Healthier Community

Through our partnership with the Grady Health System and a cadre of community partners from various sectors, The FDHA is committed to closing the gaps in the health ecosystem and strengthening the continuum of prevention and care services available to residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties. Through innovative practices and systems level intervention strategies, the FDHA seeks to be a driver and a catalyst for better health outcomes in Fulton and DeKalb counties.

Our Mission

Through collaboration with Grady Health System and innovative strategies, we will improve health outcomes in Fulton and DeKalb counties.

Our Vision

The FDHA will be a resource for creative solutions that support the delivery of quality and innovative healthcare and preventive services to ensure health equity for all residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties.

The Evolution of the FDHA: A Journey Through Time

Since its establishment, the FDHA has played a crucial role in overseeing the operations of Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation. This history timeline outlines key milestones in the development of the FDHA, its role in improving healthcare outcomes in Fulton and DeKalb counties, and its ongoing efforts to address the evolving healthcare needs of the greater Atlanta community.

1941

The Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority is established.

1941

1946

The Authority assumed management of Grady Memorial Hospital.

1946

1949

The Clay Eye Clinic opened and included the Southeast’s first eye bank.

1949

1950

Nursery established for premature infants.

1950

1952

Dedication held for Hughes Spalding Pavilion

1952

1954

Ground broken for new 1,069-bed Grady Hospital.

1954

1957

The Authority purchased a city block bounded by Pratt, Gilmer, Butler and Decatur streets and contracted to sell Fulton County a parcel of land across from the new Grady for the construction of a public health building.

1957

1958

Asa Yancey, MD appointed chief of surgery at Hughes Spalding Pavilion to operate the first accredited training in Georgia for black surgeons.

1958

1959

An 18-bed Psychiatric Intensive Treatment Center at Grady was established in partnership with Emory Medical School and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

1959

1960

A $1 million home completed for 180 Georgia nursing students.

1960

1965

First Intensive Care Unit established.

1965

1966

Artificial Kidney Center established.

1966

1970

Drug Dependency Unit, Nephrology Center and Psychiatric Emergency Centers opened.

1970

1971

Diabetes Treatment Center established.

1971

1972

Asa Yancey, MD, appointed medical director.

1972

1973

Northwest Grady Clinic opened as health system’s first community-based health center.

1973

1974

Burn Center and Emergency Radiology Department open.

1974

1975

Grady Rape Crisis Center established and W.T. Brooks Health Center opened in South Fulton.

1975

1979

1954 bonds issued for 25 years to raise $20 million to construct the“new” Grady Hospital were retired.

1979

1981

Original Grady Hospital building placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1981

1982

Grady School of Nursing graduated last class of nurses.

1982

1984

A new 30-year contract approved with Fulton and DeKalb counties to provide medical care to their indigent sick and the Sickle Cell Center opened.

1984

1986

Infectious Disease Center opened.

1986

1991

The Authority acquired Crestview Nursing Facility, the largest nursing home in the state with 388 licensed beds, and finalized a major comprehensive contract with Morehouse School of Medicine.

1991

1992

Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital became a free-standing hospital.

1992

1993

Volunteer corporate and civic leaders G. Lemuel Hewes, Ann Cramer, Robert L. Brown and Veronica Biggins established the Henry W. Grady Foundation to raise additional funds for Grady Health System and Boatrock Woman’s Health Center, the first medical center to open inside a public housing complex.

1993

1994

Lindberg Women’s and Children’s and The North DeKalb Health Centers established.

1994

1996

The Authority celebrated 50 years of managing Grady, dedicating its clinic and diagnostic center in honor of Grace Hamilton Holmes, former Authority trustee and civic leader.

1996

2001

Gift from Jane Fonda and matching philanthropic funds raised by Grady Health Foundation renovates the Teen Services Program and the Grady Cancer Center was established with support from the Avon Foundation and the Georgia Tobacco Settlement Fund.

2001

2002

Grady Foundation accepted first online donation for Grady Health System.

2002

2004

The Brian Jordan & Steve Atwater Employee Wellness Center opened for employees.

2004

2006

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta assumed management of Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital.

2006

2008

Local classical architecture enthusiasts partner to restore the Goddard Memorial Chapel at Grady and the Authority leases Grady Health System to the newly formed Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation.

2008

2009

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Fulton County commissioners to clarify their 1984 contract to provide medical care to the indigent sick.

2009

2010

The Authority donated one half million dollars in new furniture to the Auburn Avenue Recovery Center and equipment to the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence.

2010

2011

The Authority celebrated its 70th anniversary of existence at the annual retreat of the board of trustees.

2011

2012

The Authority hosts its first annual Health Summit to shed a light on and provide solutions and dialog about timely and important health issues impacting residents in Fulton and DeKalb counties.

2012

2013

The Authority implemented a Community Health Awareness & Prevention Department to take preventative approach to improve community health and reduce visits to Grady’s E.R. Also, the Michael R. Hollis undergraduate Internship Program was launched to give students practical experience and scholarship opportunities.

2013

2014

The Authority introduces the Network of Care for Public Health, a groundbreaking tool that surveys all population health statistics in order to present a comprehensive and continuously maintained dashboard of all local health indicators.

2014

2015

The Authority launched its Frank Monteith Fellowship program to provide practical, research, and scholarship opportunities to graduate students.

2015

2016

The Authority celebrates its 75th anniversary of existence as it hosts its 5th Annual Health Summit – “Building Healthy Communities: One Step at a Time”

2016

2021

Appointment of Jevon Gibson as the new CEO of the FDHA.

2021

2022

FDHA Launches a three-year “Beyond Our Walls” Strategic Plan.

2022

2023

Grand opening of The Correll Pavilion (Grady Surgical Center).

2023

Asset Management

The Lease Transfer Agreement clearly states The FDHA’s responsibility for ensuring that all facilities currently operated by Grady are properly maintained and operated. This mandate goes beyond functioning as a landlord, but rather speaks to an expected standard of care for all. The FDHA and Grady must work collaboratively to ensure that all Grady facilities go beyond the minimum standard of “fit for use” so that the quality of Grady facilities is consistent with that of any other high-functioning hospitals.

Innovative Strategies and Initiatives

The most recent pandemic brought gaping healthcare disparities to light. As Georgia’s larg- est safety net hospital (and only safety net hospital in Metro Atlanta due to the closure of Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center), Grady continues to see increased service demands. Often, the medically indigent and underserved use the emergency room for primary care services. Issues like housing insecurity and poverty place additional strain on the Grady Health System, particularly when other factors (outside of the hospital walls) inform one’s overall wellbeing. As Grady continues to seek ways to improve health outcomes in the community, The FDHA is tasked with identifying innovative ways to support Grady’s efforts and broaden its reach into targeted sectors of the community. This pillar also speaks to The FDHA’s efforts to work collaboratively through grantmaking with organizations whose mission, vision, and work align with The FDHA’s priorities and goals. Through structured strategic partnerships, focused and aligned grant making, and ongoing community engagement, The FDHA will assume a leadership role in the health ecosystem.

Stakeholder Engagement

There are many stakeholders within the Fulton/DeKalb health ecosystem. Stakeholders can be characterizedas individuals, groups, or organizations whose efforts either inform healthcare outcomes or are impacted by healthcare outcomes. Grady remains The FDHA’s most important partner in this effort and a key stakeholder in the health ecosystem. As the daily operators of all of Grady’s health facilities, hundreds of thousands of patients per year (more than 700,000) are impacted. Maintaining consistent communication and collaboration with Grady’s Executive Leadership Team and staff is central to the success of The FDHA.

 

Similarly, The FDHA’s alignment and support of Grady’s population health and community engagement efforts are invaluable. As a grantor, The FDHA has an extensive network of community-based partners that work daily to provide direct services and/or support various health priorities. Many of these organizations provide services directly related to social determinants of health (i.e., housing, education, transportation, etc.) thereby adding value to the continuum of care. As The FDHA seeks to embrace a more prominent role as a convener, organizer, and facilitator in the health ecosystem, engaging stakeholders with purpose and intentionality becomes increasingly important.

Organizational Capacity & Accountability

The FDHA’s obligations, relative to its role as owners of the facilities operated by Grady and stewards of county resources entrusted to Grady, require the requisite skills of staff to execute key administrative and regulatory functions. Establishing and maintaining a staffing model that adequately responds to the needs of the agency is vital. Of equal importance is the establishment and maintenance of high-functioning financial management systems and general operations controls. Critical front and back-office functions should be insulated from staff turnover or shifts in organizational priorities. The provision of ongoing staff development opportunities will ensure that team members stay abreast of industry standards, best practices, and leading-edge opportunities. In addition, the curation and maintenance of financial management best practices ensure organizational accountability and responsiveness.

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