Gwinnett Daily Post

LAWRENCEVILLE - Gwinnett Medical Center was chosen as runner-up large hospital of the year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

The Lawrenceville hospital finished just behind Floyd Medical Center in Rome in the category, which includes hospitals with more than 150 beds, at the organization's annual meeting at Callaway Gardens.

According to a press release, the award recognized Gwinnett Medical Center's "drive to provide outstanding benefits and expand critical health care services."

The efforts recognized include the construction of an eight-story tower to add 129 beds and a campaign to open an open-heart service in the county, along with the Miles and Lib Mason Children's Clinic, which treated more than 33,000 uninsured and underinsured patients and the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing program for youth and high school athletes.

The Rome hospital's chief executive officer Kurt Stuenkel was named CEO of the year, and Rep. Mark Burkhalter, R-Johns Creek, was named legislator of the year.