Please pardon our progress as we continue to add new content to the website.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to support development of Southwest Georgia’s healthcare-related workforce, resources, and infrastructure through collaboration amongst healthcare providers, institutions of higher education, and community advocates.

WHO WE ARE

We are a partnership creating a network of communication and collaboration among all things related to healthcare.

OUR PURPOSE

Our purpose is to create a strong healthcare workforce pipeline and fix the current leaks in order to increase the healthcare workforce in Southwest Georgia and keep the jobs and people in Southwest Georgia.

OUR GOALS

Our goals are to understand healthcare workforce needs and bring together healthcare employers from across the region to learn about their current workforce needs, future needs, desired skills, and how education/workforce development can support their needs.

Learn More

News and Events

5th Annual Healthcare Summit Recap February 27, 2025 Rural Revitalization: Charting the Future of Healthcare

5th Annual Healthcare Summit

Summit Video: https://youtu.be/DXXWC0AJsyI?si=D6nSwe-_loLrvlGq&t=1

The South Georgia Healthcare Summit was held on February 27th, 2025, at the UGA Conference Center in Tifton. This was a joint venture with Southwest Georgia Healthcare Sector Partnership (Region 10) and South Georgia Healthcare Group (Region 11). Theme of the Summit was “Rural Revitalization: Charting the Future of Healthcare” and was attended by participants from K-12, Post-Secondary, Employers and Community Partners.

The welcome and introduction was given by Melody Pierce, Executive Director, WorkSource Southwest Georgia.

Scholarship Announcements were given by Amy Jones and Jerry Chapman for their respective areas. This was the first year for our Scholarship Programs. The Summit is funded through grants from TCSG Office of Workforce Development with restrictions that the funds cannot pay for food and refreshments. For last year’s Summit, we reached out for sponsorships to just pay for food and refreshments. Any remaining money would be used to start scholarship programs; one for high school students entering a healthcare-related pathway and one for post-secondary students enrolled in a healthcare related pathway. We had $11,600 for our scholarship programs and received nearly 100 applications. 20 students received scholarships. Large presentation checks were presented to the students at the Summit. School representatives accepted for those unable to attend.

Amy Jones, Project Manager, South Georgia Healthcare Group, gave the Summit Focus and introduced Opening Speaker, Vicky Davis, Cool Cat Teacher Blog, AI Educator.

Attendees then participated in Breakout Room rotations with everyone attending all 3 sessions, consisting of:

  • Vicki Davis, Cool Cat Teacher Blog –  Q&A from Opening Session (Moderated by Sandra Martin, GDOE)
  • Read Blumberg, PCS AI – Equipment and Technology using AI (Moderated by Deidre Martin, PCOM)
  • Katrena Felder – Adult Education; Gabe Lord – Veteran Services; Elton Dixon –  Foster Youth  (Moderated by Bruce Mattos, Phoebe Putney)

Sponsor and Vendor Highlights were featured on stage followed by a Gift Basket Raffle.

Brandon Ona, Director of Business Services, TCSG, Office of Workforce Development, gave our closing to the Summit.

The Summit is viewed as a huge success with over 300 registered for the event with 30 vendors and great feedback collected that will benefit the Healthcare Industry in South Georgia. Plans are already underway for next year’s Summit.