The Center for Rural Health is organized as a not-for-profit association exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes and to develop policies and positions to benefit rural health in the state of Georgia . The Center is organized through the Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation (GHAREF).

The purpose of the Center shall be to provide, serve and act as a central agency and forum for the study, discussion, resolution, collection and dissemination of ideas, information, data, conclusions and solutions with respect to, and common problems associated with small rural hospitals. More specifically the Center shall:

• Promote and enhance the practice of hospital administration in a small rural hospital setting;
• Provide education and other activities for its members that will help them to develop skills in administration, quality and safety improvement, community engagement and rural health network development;
• Represent members in their dealings with the GHAREF and GHA;
• Provide a forum on health care issues and explore and explain the impact of these issues on small rural hospitals and the communities they serve;
• Develop white papers stating the position of small rural hospitals on a variety of issues;
• Provide a communication vehicle for the dissemination of information on current best practices, new knowledge or technology to strengthen and improve rural hospitals and the local and statewide healthcare infrastructure;
• Provide to the GHAREF, GHA and other entities such as the Office of Rural Health Services (ORHS) and Department of Community Health (DCH) advice and counsel regarding ways to protect rural Georgian's access to patient-centered, quality care; and
• Seek external funding where appropriate to support activities of the Center and its participants.
• Identify, communicate and assist with grant opportunities for the Center and for members, including providing education on grant writing and other related services.

Members consist of those acute care and critical access hospital organizations which are members of GHA and meet the following criteria:

• Have an average daily hospital inpatient census of seventy-five (75) or fewer;
• Are located in a county with a population of seventy-five thousand (75,000) persons or fewer; or
• Are designated as a Critical Access Hospital (CAH).

Member organizations are represented by their respective CEO or designee.

Click here for a brochure about The Center for Rural Health.