The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals has named Tanner Health the 2025 Large Hospital of the Year, recognizing the health system’s ongoing commitment to improving lives and advancing the health of the communities it serves.
The award celebrates Tanner’s focus on expanding access to care, addressing community health needs and investing in programs that strengthen families and neighborhoods throughout west Georgia and east Alabama.
The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals honored Tanner during its 42nd Annual Conference hosted at the Ritz Carlton Lake Oconee in Greensboro, presenting the award to the health system’s President and CEO, Loy Howard.
“Since the founding of Tanner Memorial Hospital in 1949, Tanner Health has developed into a multi-state system with five hospitals, numerous urgent care facilities, specialty clinics, and home health, hospice and senior living facilities,” said Monty Veazey, president and CEO of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.
Tanner’s growth over the past seven decades has been guided by a commitment to care that reaches beyond hospital walls, ensuring that residents throughout the region have access to high-quality health services close to home.
“Tanner Health also plays a role in addressing Georgia’s healthcare workforce shortage, investing in Future of Healthcare Scholarships for medical students and Advanced Practitioners. The Tanner Teen Institute provides younger students with exposure to healthcare careers and a partnership with the University of West Georgia connects senior nursing students to local practices. In 2026, Tanner will welcome third- and fourth-year medical students to their partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine to prepare students for the challenges of rural health care,” said Veazey.
He added that Tanner’s leadership extends into community partnerships that address the region’s social factors influencing its residents’ health and well-being.
“Tanner also works to address the social determinants of health, developing outreach programs that include corporate wellness partnerships and support for law enforcement agencies. Their Fresh Food Farmacy brings
free nutrition and diabetes and social services to low-income patients, and additional nutrition programs — including ‘Food as Medicine’ cooking classes — serve thousands in their community.
“Tanner’s programs show how a health system can make a measurable difference in the lives of the people it serves,” he continued. “By focusing on prevention, access and education, Tanner continues to strengthen the health of communities across west Georgia and east Alabama,” said Veazey.
Tanner was previously named Large Hospital of the Year by GACH in 2014. Receiving this year’s award is as much about the people and communities that Tanner serves as it is about the team and facilities that provide their care. It reflects the health system’s long tradition of community impact and clinical leadership.
“This honor reflects the dedication of teams across our health system and the shared commitment that defines Tanner as a community-based health system,” said Howard. “Every person here plays a part in delivering the kind of care that our patients and communities depend on, and this is an outstanding recognition of the work we do together to continue serving communities throughout the region with exceptional health care.”
