(March 4, 2025) Douglas, Ga. – Coffee Regional Medical Center was honored to welcome Donna Hyland, President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Dr. Jean Sumner, Dean of Mercer University School of Medicine, as part of the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) Initiative. In 2023, Coffee Regional Medical Center was selected as part of the first cohort of hospitals to participate in this effort to keep pediatric patients close to home. The program connects rural hospitals, pediatric offices, and schools to improve access to pediatric care. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) has helped launch and support KidsABC, in conjunction with Mercer University and Mercer’s Rural Health Innovation Center.
Specifically, the program provides training and support to rural hospitals to build regional pediatric networks, helps rural hospitals care for pediatric patients in their emergency departments, helps families access subspecialty care, mental health care, and emergency medical care in their hometowns and emphasizes the importance of early intervention in achieving positive outcomes
During their visit, Ms. Hyland, Dean Sumner, and others toured Coffee Regional. They saw, firsthand, how the KidsABC initiative is improving access to quality pediatric care in the region. On behalf of Coffee Regional, President and CEO Vicki Lewis, thanked both leaders for the opportunity to provide exceptional care and wellness close to home. “The ability to provide needed Pediatric Care in our community is a gift to our patients and assures our young patients and their families can recover near their home with both the support of their family and Coffee Regional’s outstanding care team. We are grateful to be a part of this meaningful project.”
Coffee Regional Medical Center remains committed to advancing pediatric healthcare in rural Georgia and is proud to be part of initiatives like KidsABC, which continue to improve access and outcomes for children across the region.
For more information about Coffee Regional Medical Center and its commitment to pediatric healthcare visit: