Grady Memorial Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grady Memorial Hospital |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Coordinates | 33°45′08″N 84°22′57″W / 33.752221°N 84.382392°W |
| Organization | |
| Care system | Public |
| Hospital type | General |
| Affiliated university | Emory University School of Medicine Morehouse School of Medicine |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Level I trauma center |
| Beds | 989 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1892 |
Grady Memorial Hospital is a large public hospital located in Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the biggest public hospitals in the United States. Grady is also a Level I trauma center, which means it's ready to handle the most serious injuries.
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Grady Memorial Hospital: A Look Back
Grady Memorial Hospital first opened its doors in 1892. It grew out of a place called the Atlanta Benevolent Home. The hospital is named after Henry W. Grady. He was a journalist and newspaper owner. Henry Grady was important in Georgia politics. He believed that Atlanta needed a public hospital for everyone.
When it first opened, the hospital had 14 rooms. The very first building is now called Georgia Hall. It is a historic place and is still used today. Over the years, Grady Hospital moved to different buildings. The hospital you see today is its fourth location.
For many years, from 1945 to 2008, the hospital was managed by the Fulton/DeKalb Hospital Authority.
A Hospital's Structure Through Time
The current hospital building was designed with separate sections. One part served white patients, and another part served African American patients. Even though it was one building, people sometimes called it "The Gradys" because of these separate areas. These sections were connected by a hallway.
In 2007 and 2008, a journalist named Mike King wrote many articles. He wrote about how Grady Hospital was facing financial problems. His articles helped gather support to save the hospital from closing.
Improving Grady for the Future
In 2008, Grady Memorial Hospital became a non-profit organization. This change helped it get money from different groups. Many foundations promised to donate large amounts of money. This money was used to make the hospital better.
Michael Young became the new chief executive officer. He had experience running other large hospitals. By February 2013, Grady Hospital was doing much better financially. It had made a profit and added hundreds of new jobs.
The 2008 Tornado Event
On March 14, 2008, a tornado hit downtown Atlanta. Grady Hospital's buildings had some minor damage. The historic Georgia Hall was hit the hardest. Its windows broke, a chimney fell, and there was water damage. The main hospital building lost a few cafeteria windows. But it never lost power, which was important for patient care. This was the first tornado to hit downtown Atlanta since the 1880s. Nine people were brought to Grady for treatment after the storm.
How Grady Helps the Community
Grady Hospital helps many patients who have lower incomes. It gets most of its support from Fulton and DeKalb counties. Even though it serves the entire metro Atlanta region, it gets little help from other areas or the state.
The hospital relies heavily on doctors and medical students from Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine. Many of the doctors at Grady are also part of these universities.
Grady Hospital also runs an ambulance service called Grady EMS. This service helps with 9-1-1 calls in Fulton County, Georgia. There's even a part of the highway near the hospital called the "Grady Curve." This is because the Downtown Connector (Interstate 75/85) makes a big bend around the hospital.
Famous People Connected to Grady
Many well-known people have a connection to Grady Hospital:
- Kanye West - a famous rapper who was born at Grady.
- Brenda Lee - a popular singer who was born at Grady.
- McKinley Belcher III - an actor who was born at Grady.
- Sanjay Gupta - a neurosurgeon at Grady and a chief medical correspondent for CNN.
- Tom Price - a former US Secretary of Health and Human Services, who was a resident doctor at Grady Hospital.
- Elizabeth Sharp - a nurse and midwife who started the midwife service at Grady.
- Alberta Williams King - the mother of Martin Luther King Jr., who passed away at Grady.
