Athens, Ga. (July 11, 2023) -- Representatives from Piedmont Athens Regional’s employee giving program, Count Me In | GIFT, recently voted to disburse $500,000 to support initiatives that impact patient care programs and improve the community’s access to resources such as health education and cancer support services.

"Through Piedmont Athens’ employee giving program, employee contributions have a significant impact on the lives of patients throughout our service area,” said Michael Burnett, chief executive officer of Piedmont Athens Regional. “These contributions stem from a genuine desire to make a positive difference in every life we touch."

The Count Me In | GIFT committee selected four programs at Piedmont Athens Regional to support with funds. The programs are:

• Piedmont Athens Regional Nurse Extern Program: Through its nurse extern program, Piedmont Athens has developed an education program that allows nurses who have completed their first year of nursing school to be accepted into a 10-week program. During the program, they work in PRN and Patient Care Tech+ positions in Med Surg, Critical Care, Cardiology, and the Emergency Department, gaining valuable experience and preparing for their nursing career. With the support of Count Me In | GIFT, Piedmont Athens can expand the program’s capacity to 18 nurse externs.
• Community Relations and Health Education: Piedmont Athens Regional’s Community Education Department leads activities and events in which they work closely with members of the public to improve health literacy and expand access to services. The department offers classes, hosts community events, and partners with organizations such as churches, civic groups, and the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support. Through Safe Kids Athens, instructors provide hands-on training and safety coaching on car seat safety, bike and helmet safety, water safety, and other trauma prevention education for infants to age 18.
• The Piedmont Athens Regional Ambulatory Treatment Center: The Ambulatory Treatment Center sees an average of 650 patients per month for infusion services, many of whom are oncology-related and receiving chemotherapy. In the calendar year 2022, Piedmont Athens provided nearly $1 million in charitable care for oncology-related infusion care. Count Me In | GIFT will provide direct support for patients who qualify for charitable care during treatment.
• The Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support: Count Me In | GIFT will provide resources to support programming offered through the center to patients in Athens and surrounding communities. These services include individual counseling and group support, nutrition education, nurse navigation, adapted exercise programs, oncology massage, and other complementary therapies.

Since 1985, Piedmont Athens Regional’s employee donors have given more than $5 million to benefit health and wellness in Athens. In addition to supporting programs such as those listed here, Count Me In | GIFT donations also provide Piedmont Athens Regional departmental grants, employee emergency disaster relief, and support major hospital projects.

Learn more about how you can support Piedmont Athens Regional programs and services.