Clinch Memorial Hospital Named Georgia Hospital of the Year
Georgia Hospital Association Recognizes Clinch Memorial Hospital for Outstanding Community Commitment and Continued Advancements in Patient Care
Homerville, GA – Clinch Memorial Hospital (CMH) was honored with the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) 2026 Hospital of the Year Award at the association’s Annual Summer Meeting on July 9. The award recognizes the hospital’s resilience and leadership following Hurricane Helene, as well as its innovative efforts to improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and enhance the overall well-being of the communities it serves.
The award specifically recognizes CMH’s commitment to serving the community beyond the walls of the hospital and extending care in ways that go far beyond traditional healthcare services. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, when Clinch County was without power for 10 days, CMH operated the only functioning kitchen within an 800-square-mile radius. During that time, hospital staff prepared and distributed more than 7,000 meals to residents and community organizations in need. These efforts became a vital lifeline for countless individuals and local partners, including the Bridges of Hope Recovery Center. In a video produced by the Georgia Hospital Association, Bridges of Hope Board Member, Dennis McCarthy, credited the hospital’s response with helping keep the organization “alive” during the crisis.
In 2025, Clinch Memorial took a proactive approach to addressing the opioid crisis by launching a community-wide NARCAN distribution initiative. Working in partnership with local businesses, the hospital established a network of distribution sites across Clinch County, ensuring that this life-saving overdose-reversal medication was readily accessible to those who needed it most. The initiative provided free NARCAN kits to individuals in recovery, people struggling with opioid use disorder, and family members seeking to protect their loved ones. By increasing access to NARCAN and eliminating concerns about cost, stigma, or judgment, Clinch Memorial Hospital empowered community members to act in emergency situations and helped create a safer, healthier community.
“First, I am grateful to the Georgia Hospital Association for recognizing the incredible work of our team at Clinch Memorial Hospital,” said Chief Executive Officer Angela Handley. “Our staff is deeply committed to the community we serve. There are many challenges facing healthcare today, and those challenges often disproportionately impact rural hospitals like ours. Yet despite those obstacles, there is no place I would rather be than Clinch Memorial Hospital. Every day, I have the privilege of working alongside dedicated professionals who are passionate about caring for our patients and supporting our community.”
Handley noted that being a hospital in a close-knit rural community provides a unique opportunity to understand and respond to local needs.
“In a community like Homerville, we are able to remain closely connected to the people we serve in a way that is often not possible in larger urban areas,” Handley said. “Whether it’s preparing thousands of meals for our neighbors in the aftermath of a hurricane or partnering with local businesses to make NARCAN readily available throughout our county, we are committed to investing in the health and well-being of our community. We are proud to serve our neighbors, friends, and loved ones who call Clinch County home.”
The award also recognized CMH’s significant investments in enhancing the quality of patient care. In 2025, the hospital strengthened its inpatient services through the expansion of its hospitalist program, bringing highly trained physicians to provide around-the-clock care for patients.
“Our hospitalists bring a depth of experience and expertise that is not always readily available in rural communities,” Handley said. “These physicians also practice in Level I Trauma Centers and large regional hospitals, where they manage some of the most complex medical cases and emergency situations. Bringing that knowledge and clinical expertise to Clinch Memorial Hospital significantly enhances the care our patients receive close to home.”
Through the hospitalist program, CMH provides 24-hour physician coverage for patients admitted to the hospital. Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in the care of hospitalized patients, allowing them to focus exclusively on inpatient medicine and respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition. Their expertise in managing complex medical issues and overseeing treatment plans helps ensure that patients receive timely, high-quality care throughout their hospital stay.
“Hospitalists play a vital role in ensuring patients receive high-quality care during their hospital stay,” Handley added. “By focusing exclusively on inpatient medicine, hospitalists provide continuous oversight, coordinate care among healthcare providers, respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition, and help patients transition safely from the hospital back to their homes. For rural hospitals like Clinch Memorial Hospital, a strong hospitalist program enhances access to care while improving patient outcomes and the overall patient experience.”
In addition to launching the Hospitalist program CMH recently achieved a significant milestone in patient care by earning a Level III Pediatric Readiness Center designation from the Georgia Department of Public Health. This accomplishment makes Clinch Memorial the first Critical Access Hospital in Georgia, the first hospital south of Macon, and the first hospital participating in the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) Rural Emergency Department Collaborative to receive the designation.
The achievement reflects years of investment in pediatric emergency preparedness, specialized equipment, staff education, and continuous quality improvement initiatives. Chief Clinical Officer Kellie Register and her team completed extensive training and implemented numerous enhancements while participating in the KidsABC Rural Emergency Department Collaborative, a partnership involving Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Mercer University School of Medicine, and the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center.
“Achieving Level III Pediatric Readiness status is a tremendous accomplishment for our hospital and our community,” said Register. “When a child arrives in our emergency department, families can have confidence that our team is prepared with the training, equipment, and protocols necessary to provide immediate, evidence-based care during some of the most critical moments of that child’s life. I am incredibly proud of this achievement as a member of our leadership team, but even more so as a mother raising children in this community.”
The Georgia Hospital Association also recognized Clinch Memorial Hospital’s commitment to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care while continually investing in programs and initiatives that enhance the patient experience. Chief Clinical Officer Kellie Register often reminds staff that every patient should be treated as if they were a member of their own family. “Everything we do at Clinch Memorial should be done as if we are caring for our own families,” Register said.
That philosophy was highlighted in the Georgia Hospital Association’s recognition video through a patient story that exemplified the hospital’s dedication to meeting the emotional and medical needs of its patients. The story featured a wedding organized by Clinch Memorial Hospital’s social services team for a critically ill patient living with a ventilator and tracheostomy, ensuring he could witness one of the most important moments in his daughter’s life. Handley recalled the experience as one that perfectly illustrates the heart of the Clinch Memorial team.
“We had a patient facing a very difficult prognosis, and his family knew it was unlikely he would be able to attend his daughter’s wedding,” Handley said. “Our social services team understood how important it was for this young woman to have her father present on her wedding day. They came to me with the idea of having the wedding at the hospital, and within just a matter of days they made it happen. That patient is no longer with us but knowing that we were able to help make his daughter’s dream come true and give that family a precious memory together is something that will stay with me and our team forever.”
Handley added that moments like these reflect Clinch Memorial Hospital’s mission to care for the whole person and demonstrate that exceptional healthcare extends beyond clinical treatment to include compassion, dignity, and support for patients and their families during life’s most meaningful moments.
The hospital’s services for ventilator and tracheostomy patients are known throughout the Southeast. Handley shared, “Clinch Memorial is a trusted referral partner for major health systems in Georgia and Florida. We have had patients come from as far away as Texas to receive care in Homerville, Georgia. Our team does an excellent job providing clinical care for patients with complex medical needs, and the quality of care we provide often exceeds the standards found at other facilities working with ventilator and tracheostomy patients.”
Handley expressed she was “humbled and honored” by the award but emphasised that there is still work to be done. “I am proud of my team. They deserve this recognition. While it is rewarding to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments and the strides we have made, I can assure you that we will not be resting on our laurels. Rural healthcare is not for the faint of heart. Our country’s healthcare system faces tremendous challenges and inequities, and rural hospitals often face those challenges most directly. We are committed to overcoming those obstacles and continuing to thrive in our rural community. We want to be the hospital and the team that are worthy of this recognition every year.”
The Georgia Hospital Association’s 2026 Hospital of the Year Award is the latest recognition of Clinch Memorial Hospital’s continued commitment to excellence. The hospital and its leadership team have been repeatedly recognized by healthcare leaders across Georgia for their work in strengthening rural healthcare and improving patient outcomes.
Clinch Memorial Hospital was named Hospital of the Year by Hometown Health in 2019. Chief Executive Officer, Angela Handley, was honored as Chief Executive Officer of the Year in 2018, and Chief Clinical Officer, Kellie Register, was recognized as Nursing Executive of the Year in 2024. Together, these honors reflect a culture of excellence, innovation, and community service that continues to drive Clinch Memorial Hospital forward.