James_Jan-Feb_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 49
Expansion from 5 to 27 hospitals
Creation of 2,000+ clinics and care locations
Launch of top-ranked national transplant programs
Growth of 3,600 clinic physicians and mid-level providers
Lower overhead costs per patient than a decade ago
Research leadership with 350 clinical trials
KEVIN BROWN, RIGHT, PRESENTS A CHECK TO PRESIDENT AWARD
WINNER, PIEDMONT CARTERSVILLE NURSE EMILEE McARTHUR
(CENTER), ALONG WITH THE ORGANIZATION’S CHIEF HUMAN
RESOURCES OFFICER ALISON SMITH.
across all regions and has already begun to outperform national benchmarks.
The financial commitment is significant, too. As a
nonprofit, Piedmont provided more than $600 million
in charity care, subsidized care, and community support last year. It delivered more than $2 in community
benefit for every $1 in tax exemption.
Yet Brown refuses to measure Piedmont’s success
solely by scale or revenue. He hopes his legacy is something more fundamental.
“I would like it to be the high-quality, integrated
care we provide to ordinary Georgians— meeting them
where they are, when they need care and at a cost they
can afford,” he said.
From bustling medical centers to small-town clinics, from pioneering transplant technology to statewide hypertension management, Piedmont’s transformation under Brown embodies a simple belief: great
healthcare should belong to everyone, not just to those
who live near it.
Cindy Morley is a staff writer for James and James Magazine Online.
The Road Ahead
Brown sees an industry that will continue to
consolidate, especially as supply and labor costs rise
and as federal healthcare reimbursements evolve.
Piedmont’s early focus on reducing cost and standardizing integrated care has positioned it to weather
change while expanding access, Brown says.
He credits Georgia’s lawmakers with taking steps
to stabilize the state’s healthcare landscape. “Gov.
Brian Kemp has done an incredible job of supporting healthcare systems before, during and after the
COVID-19 crisis,” he said. Tort reform, Brown believes,
will help recruit and retain physicians, improving access statewide.
But the greatest long-term need remains workforce development. He sees the state’s new medical
school investments— including the forthcoming University of Georgia medical school— as part of a necessary statewide strategy. “As we expand the number
of medical students, we must also expand Graduate
Medical Education to keep them in Georgia,” he said.
A Legacy of Outcomes
Consider that over 12 years, Brown has overseen:
Revenue growth from $1.6 billion to more than
$9 billion
JA N UA RY /F E B RUARY 2026
49
