James September-October 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 38
Noggle also said the Georgia Hospital Association has several strategic
health initiatives it is focusing on-- including tort reform, access to quality
care, behavioral health, workforce and
rural health.
“Tort reform, in particular, provides a real opportunity to improve
the healthcare landscape in Georgia,
including access to care for patients,”
Noggle emphasizes. “The state’s
current legal environment imposes a
barrier to offering and adding services
and that discourages physicians from
practicing here. For Georgia to become
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a leader in healthcare, providers must
first feel safe to practice, and our legal
system must be fair to all parties.
Several priorities in this space include
eliminating phantom damages, anchoring and venue shopping— not attempting to limit cases from going to trial
but making it fair to all when they do.”
the healthcare future
“The late Georgia House Speaker
David Ralston’s law on mental health
demonstrates the state’s commitment
to improving access to behavioral
health, which is so important to our
SEPTE M B E R/O C TO BE R 2 0 2 4
citizens, but also to our business community,” notes CEO Kevin Brown of
Piedmont Healthcare. “It seems like a
lifetime ago, but we would be remiss if
we didn’t once again thank the governor and the state for their leadership
in navigating the pandemic. It was a
tough several years, but Georgia fared
better than most and set up healthcare
to exit the pandemic in a better position than other parts of the country.”
To sum up, there are strong bipartisan efforts and commitments by the
state’s leaders to enhance healthcare
access and address disparities. The
combination of legislative measures,
budget increases and strategic use of
federal funds demonstrates a multifaceted approach toward improvements. By further addressing these
issues Georgia hopes to pave the way
for a more inclusive and robust healthcare landscape.
Cindy Morley is a staff writer for James and James
Magazine Online.
