Atlanta (Feb. 21, 2023) – Piedmont and the University of Georgia Athletic Association have signed a 10-year sports medicine and marketing partnership agreement, extending the relationship which began in 2016. As part of the partnership, Piedmont will provide University of Georgia student-athletes with specialized sports medicine care and seamless access to comprehensive health care services.
The agreement unites Piedmont, Georgia’s largest health-care organization, with 1,600 locations, serving communities that comprise 80 percent of Georgia’s population, with one of the state’s best-known and most popular brands. The University of Georgia athletic program has won 48 team and more than 225 individual national championships.
“Our relationship with University of Georgia athletics has great local meaning for us,” Piedmont Athens Regional CEO Michael Burnett said. “Community is very important to us and our relationship with the Georgia Bulldogs carries significance to our employees, who take great pride in it. From a clinical perspective, we are proud to have the responsibility to provide high-quality, patient-centered care to the hard-working student athletes who represent the university.”
“Piedmont has played an important role in the success of each of our 21 sports, and we are thrilled this partnership will continue,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said. “As the official healthcare provider for our Athletic Association, Piedmont makes a positive impact in providing the very best care for our student-athletes. We look forward to the benefits of this partnership for many years to come.”
Piedmont provides medical care for student-athletes from all 21 University of Georgia athletic programs. Piedmont places highly trained and experienced physicians and other clinical staff on the sidelines, ready to immediately assess and treat any in-game injury or illness. Piedmont staff also work with student-athletes in the new on-campus sports medicine facilities, which they helped equip with state-of-the-art imaging and testing equipment.
“We are thrilled to announce this extension of our partnership with the University of Georgia Athletic Association and to associate the state’s top health-care brand with the state’s top college athletics brand – which also is one of the best in the country,” said Piedmont Chief Marketing Officer Douwe Bergsma. “We take very seriously the responsibility of providing our expertise to student athletes, not only in orthopedic care, but in all areas of surgical and medical care.”
"The staff at Piedmont Orthopedic Sports Medicine is committed to providing the highest quality of health care to University of Georgia student-athletes," said Robert Hancock, M.D., long-time lead orthopedic surgeon with UGA Athletics. "By extending our partnership another 10 years, we can continue to make a positive difference in the lives of each athlete we care for."
“We are pleased to extend the existing contract with Piedmont as the official health care provider for the University of Georgia Athletic Association,” said Ron Courson, UGA Athletics’ Executive Associate Athletic Director - Sports Medicine. “Our goal in sports medicine is to make a positive impact on health care, sports, performance and life. The health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes is paramount. Piedmont has provided outstanding medical care in a caring and timely manner to our student-athletes and staff for a number of years. They play a critical role in the success of our athletic teams. Piedmont and Georgia share the same values and goals: to be a national leader in sports medicine by cultivating a culture of care.”
One year ago, Piedmont launched its first brand campaign, “Real Change Lives Here,” in more than a decade. Piedmont is passionate about Georgia and the new campaign is focused on empowering Georgians by changing healthcare. This makes the continuation of the strong partnership with University of Georgia athletics even more important.