The facility speaks for itself with soothing colors and prints showcasing the beauty of North Georgia—waterfalls, mountains, birds, and picturesque sunsets all serve as reminders of the serenity found in nature. The design of the space creates a calming atmosphere, where every corner has been thoughtfully curated to promote a sense of peace.
As you walk through the corridors, the openness of the glass walls brings the outside world in, offering panoramic views and a sense of freedom. The architecture and design invite the feeling of being outdoors, breathing in the fresh air, all while being enveloped in the comfort of the indoors. It’s a place that doesn’t feel like a traditional hospital—it feels like a sanctuary. Instead of the usual clinical atmosphere, it radiates healing, offering a warm and welcoming space for patients and visitors.
Peaceful environment
This innovative and peaceful environment is embodied in Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s latest addition: The Green Tower. This new facility, part of the center’s ongoing efforts to enhance patient care, blends modern design with functionality to create an atmosphere of restoration and rejuvenation. The Green Tower opens officially on February 8, 2025.
Saturday, February 1, the public was invited to enjoy the space and talk with staff members about the outlook for the future at The Green Tower. Visitors were allowed to experience the robotic arms in cardiovascular surgery, observe the heart cath lab, and view the new trauma rooms.
The helipad is now on the roof of The Green Tower, giving life-saving time with the close proximity to the trauma center. The Emergency Department will be on the ground floor of The Green Tower beginning February 8. Every change has been made with the patient in mind.
The new Emergency Department
In the new Emergency Department, there will be Trauma Bays, which will have significantly larger rooms to minister aid to trauma patients.
“The significance of having a Trauma Bay is that it is big enough for everyone to do their job because there is a whole team that takes care of the patient plus have everything that we need to provide for the patient,” Trauma surgeon Dr. Matthew Vassy described the tremendous advantage of the new building.
The heart and vascular services that NGMC has become a leader in providing for those in need in the North Georgia area have come together in one building, including diagnostic testing, cardiac cath lab, and open-heart surgery so patients and their families will experience more seamless care.
Dr. Glen Henry, who did his residency and fellowship at Yale University, demonstrated how the heart cath lab functions and the state-of-the-art care given to those who come to NGMC. “From the ER up here will be a little bit faster – the helipad being right on top of the building with the helicopter elevator coming right down to us – is life-saving.”
The fusion of heart care
Not far from the heart cath lab to heart surgery where patient rooms and recovery surround the operating room. Dr. Clifton Hastings, who has seen a lot over the past 40 years that he has been helping patients as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon, said, “When I look at all that can be done now with robotic arms and the OR, it is pretty amazing compared to when I started.” He talked about patients who can go home the next day only a few years ago would have been in the hospital for a week or more.
The Green Tower is only a part of the many avenues the Northeast Georgia Health System has been improving the health of the people of Northeast Georgia since 1951, caring for over one million people with five hospitals across the region. NGHS has campuses in Gainesville, Braselton, Barrow, Habersham, and Lumpkin, with a total of more than 950 beds and more than 1,400 medical staff representing more than 60 specialties.
RELATED: Join the celebration of NGMC Gainesville’s Green Tower Open House Event
