A year ago the Atlanta Medical Center, a safety-net hospital, closed its doors, overwhelmed by financial problems.
In the year that followed, the burden on Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta’s only public hospital, grew considerably – especially for emergency behavioral care.
A nearby outpatient facility that primarily serves the homeless saw demand for its services rise.
A large number of the primary care doctors who served the hospitals community disappeared, relocating their practices outside the area or retiring.
Patients with chronic medical conditions fell behind in addressing their routine medical needs.
The facilities that remained were forced to invest in new facilities and hire more staff. Local governments helped with the funding.
Learn more about what happened after the Atlanta Medical Center closed from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article “After a year, questions remain on Atlanta Medical Center’s closure.”