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County’s hospital has provided care for nearly 70 years
HEALTH
Gov. Herman Talmadge speaks during the dedication ceremony for Newton County Hospital after its construction in 1954. Archives | The Covington News
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County hospital has provided health care for nearly 70 years
By TAYLOR BECK
tbeck@covnews.com
On Sunday, Oct. 17, 1954, a crowd of approximately 4,000, including then Gov. Herman Talmadge, gathered in Covington to celebrate the opening of Newton County Hospital.
“The dream of the people of this county is at last a reality,” reporter Lucile Skinner wrote in the Thursday, Oct. 21, 1954, edition of The Covington News.
But much more than a dream, it was a more than two-year effort by then-newly established Newton County Hospital Authority. Created in 1952, the authority’s members included L.J. Moore, Leon Cohen, B.B. Snow, Mrs. Aubrey Sherwood and S.A. Ginn.
During his address, Talmadge said it was his aim to bring hospital care within the reach of every one of the 3.5 million residents living in Georgia at the time. He also said Newton County’s facility was not quite large, but there was “none more modern” at that time.
The Covington News reported the hospital was readily equipped with a “X-Ray room, emergency room,” “central supply and sterilization rooms, large operating room with all the newest equipment” and a recovery room. The hospital began with a 36-bed capacity.
When Newton County Hospital opened its doors, there were just 22 full- and part-time employees with seven members on the medical staff.
In June 1983, the hospital authority changed the name to Newton General Hospital. The change was part of an overall renovation and construction program. Further into the 1980s, the staff grew to roughly 300 employees with more than 75 physicians, who covered nearly every medical specialty, on staff. The capacity also rose to 90 beds.
The hospital’s name was later changed a third time to Newton Medical Center.
Members of the Hospital Authority and various county officials, including L.J. Moore, S.A. Ginn, M.W. Barnett, R.C. Williams, Aubra Sherwood, Tom M. Bates, Richard Aeck, Jack L. Elliott, James Samford, B.B. Snow and Leon Cohen, break ground on the Newton County Hospital in August 1953.
Archives | The Covington News
Fast forward to May 2015, Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare announced its plans to bring Newton Medical Center into its group of hospitals.
As part of an equity partnership, Piedmont Healthcare agreed to lease the hospital for 40 years and begin construction on an emergency department expansion.
Once the deal was finalized, the hospital became a subsidiary of Piedmont and was, again, renamed Piedmont Newton Hospital.
“This is a great day for Piedmont and Newton Medical Center,” said Greg Hurst, then-Piedmont Healthcare Chief Operating Officer, during an October 2015 celebration event. “We’re here celebrating partnership that brings together two great organizations that serves the local communities to enhance the healthcare in these communities.
“Piedmont Hospital has continued to provide the residents with access to the medical staff and services they provide. But beyond them they will now find the resources and expertise of Piedmont Healthcare.”
Today, Piedmont Newton Hospital has grown to a 97-bed, acute-care, community hospital staffed by more than 600 employees and a medical staff of 250-plus physicians.
It provides 24-hour emergency services plus all major medical, surgical and diagnostic care, including: • Cardiac Services • Diagnostic Imaging Services • Heart & Lung Care: Cardiac Rehabilitation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation • Women’s Services: 6-bed Special Care Nursery • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine • Sleep Center • Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center: Ostomy Management • Diabetes Management • Outpatient Services • Surgical Services • Rehabilitation Services
As a certified quality breast center, Piedmont Newton Hospital is on the leading edge with a Nurse Navigation Program.
Bobby Lynn Reynolds was the first baby born in the Newton County Hospital. In this file photo from 1954, Mrs. George W. Reynolds is seen holding little Bobby, who weighed in at 7
pounds, 4 ounces. Archives | The Covington News
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