Open heart services are essential for a community’s well-being.  But Gwinnett County has a dubious distinction: ours is the most populous county in the U.S. without an open heart program. The nearest open heart facility to Gwinnett Medical Center is over 20 miles away, requiring at least 30 minutes on the road even in the best of conditions.

In 2005, more than 440 Gwinnett residents required open heart surgery.  As our county’s population continues to rapidly increase, the need for open heart services in Gwinnett is greater than ever.

State law requires that any hospital seeking to provide open heart services must file an application for a Certificate of Need.  That application must prove that our community desires - even demands – access to open heart services. 

Your support, and the help of your friends, family and associates, is critical.  It can be as simple as writing a letter sharing your heart-related experiences, signing an online petition, helping to spread the word in our community or making a contribution to assure that Gwinnett Medical Center’s open heart program is among the best in the nation.