Gwinnett Tech Receives Inaugural Healthcare Excellence Award
Gwinnett Chamber honors GTC's Life Sciences Center and Gwinnett Medical Center's Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Program for Advancements in Health
Gwinnett Technical College has received an inaugural Healthcare Excellence Award from the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, earning the Advancements in Health Award for its new Life Science Center, opened this fall.
Gwinnett Tech shared the award with Gwinnett Medical Center's Percutaneous Coronary Intervention program. In all, the Gwinnett Chamber named winners in nine categories who received "long-deserved recognition for outstanding effort and commitment to the healthcare industry" and honored more than 40 professionals and organizations for their contributions to the continued well-being of Gwinnett and Metro Atlanta citizens.
"It's certainly gratifying for Gwinnett Tech to be honored among these champions of healthcare. Our new Life Sciences Center – five years in the making – is a significant asset not just to Gwinnett, but to our region. We are now able to educate 3,000 future healthcare professionals a year – accepting more students, adding new programs, training students on the latest industry technology and equipment, and meeting the advancing needs of employers," said Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett Tech.
"True to our mission of workforce development, we're preparing our graduates for highly-skilled, well-paid positions in our area's fastest-growing job sector. All of this will benefit not just these graduates, but also their families, healthcare providers and employers, our residents and the overall economic development of our region," she added.
Gwinnett Tech's Life Sciences Center is dedicated to educating and training the life sciences and healthcare professionals needed in the area. Over the next four years, to serve residents, the region will need to add 27,000 healthcare jobs. The three-story, 78,000-square foot center has 12 classrooms and 17 health science labs, plus student study and gathering areas, computer labs, faculty offices, conference rooms and lounge areas. The center is a LEED-construction building and anticipates LEED Silver certification.
With more than a dozen health sciences programs, Gwinnett Tech serves the state's highest number of health science students. Combined with its existing facilities, GTC now has more than 140,000 square feet in two buildings dedicated to health science education.
The college has already doubled the size of its registered nursing class and added new programs in health information technology, diagnostic medical sonography, cardiovascular technology and for patient care assistant. Six existing health science programs are also being expanded.
Jim Maran, president of the Gwinnett Chamber, commented, "Healthcare is a vital component to our community's long-term sustainability and growth. Celebrating Gwinnett's solid reputation for quality healthcare enables the well-being of our citizens and provides further opportunity to attract new business, create jobs, and ultimately afford a strong and well-rounded quality of life in Gwinnett."
Through these awards, the Gwinnett Chamber saluted excellence, encouraged innovation, offered examples of best practices for others to emulate. The program was designed to raise awareness in the community, enhance the quality of healthcare and, of course, recognize deserving individuals and organizations within the healthcare community.
Also honored at this week's ceremony were: View Point Health for Healthcare Agency of the Year; Philip R. Wolfe, president & CEO of Gwinnett Medical Center, for Healthcare Executive of the Year; Katie Smith of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) for Healthcare Professional of the Year; Cindy Snyder with Gwinnett Medical Center – Oncology for Nurse Practitioner of the Year; Clyde and Sandra Strickland for Healthcare Philanthropists of the Year; Dr. Hisa Yamaguchi, MD of Eastside Medical Center for Physician of the Year; and Dr. William B. Williams, DMD of Suwanee Dental Care for Volunteer of the Year.
GTC offers almost 50 degree, diploma and certificate options that can be completed in two years or less. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu or call 770-962-7580.
Get the latest news about Gwinnett Tech: http://www.gwinnetttech.edu/news.
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