Atlanta Medical Center Closure Strains Hospitals, Doctors Warn

The closure of Atlanta Medical Center in 2022 has strained Atlanta's health care system, leading to overcrowding and longer wait times at Grady Memorial Hospital, the city's only remaining Level 1 trauma center for adults. The closure has also limited access to primary care and specialists, particularly affecting low-income and Black communities. Doctors and advocates fear a rise in preventable deaths due to the lack of routine preventive care, while the state's rejection of a full Medicaid expansion has left many uninsured residents with limited access to healthcare. The closures have been criticized as a form of "health care redlining," pushing people out of their communities due to lack of accessible and affordable services.