DALTON, Ga. (January 19, 2026) – Hamilton Medical Center (HMC), part of Vitruvian Health, has been designated a Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPG).
The designation was awarded on Dec. 16, 2025, recognizing HMC as having the state’s highest level of emergency cardiac care.
“This achievement reflects the dedication of our cardiac and emergency care teams — and our ongoing commitment to providing the highest level of care for our community,” said Ateet Patel, MD, chief of the Heart & Vascular program for Vitruvian Health. “When it comes to heart care, time and expertise matter.”
HMC earned the designation through its ability to deliver rapid, advanced and lifesaving care for patients experiencing heart attacks or other cardiac emergencies. The designation is part of a system established in 2017 to reduce the number of people who die from cardiac disease — more than 800,000 annually in the United States alone.
DPH’s Office of Cardiac Care emphasizes improved survival rates from cardiac events that occur outside the hospital by setting standards for quality improvement, benchmarking and evidence-based guidelines.
The Office also assigns designated levels to Emergency Cardiac Care Centers — Level I, II or III, based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes an on-site inspection and a thorough assessment. Level I designation means the hospital provides the highest and most comprehensive level of care around the clock, including open heart surgery, interventional cardiac catheterizations and other cardiac procedures.
“Our emergency and cardiac care teams have received advanced training to deliver proven protocols for diagnoses and treatments that save lives,” said Patel. “Hamilton Medical Center has been a leader in cardiac care for decades. This designation is one more way we’re demonstrating our commitment to providing the high-quality heart care that patients need.”