Tom Golisano, the founder of Paychex and a prominent health care philanthropist, has announced a $50 million investment in Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia. The hospital is affiliated with Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia. This donation marks the largest in the history of both Wellstar and the children’s hospital.
In recognition of this contribution, the hospital will be renamed the Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia. As part of this development, the hospital will also join the Golisano Children’s Alliance, which is a national consortium that includes twelve leading children’s hospitals across the country. Each member remains independently operated by its own health system, and Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital will be the only alliance member in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, or North Carolina.
Ketul J. Patel, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System, stated: “We are deeply grateful to Mr. Golisano for his extraordinary gift to improve the health and well-being of children in Georgia and across the country. We are honored to be among the handful of hospitals nationwide that have earned his transformative support. Thanks to the power of philanthropy, we can expand the lasting impact of compassionate, innovative care to more children and families across Georgia and far beyond, today and for generations to come.”
Golisano said: “Children’s hospitals are essential to the health and future of our communities, and each one serves families with unique needs and challenges. The team at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia has a deep commitment to advancing pediatric care, expanding access and investing in innovation. I’m proud to support their work and to welcome them into the Golisano Children’s Alliance as we continue building a collaborative network focused on improving outcomes for children nationwide.”
Augusta University President Russell T. Keen commented: “Today marks an extraordinary milestone for children’s health care in our state and for the partnership between Augusta University and Wellstar Health System. The impact of this gift and the depth of our gratitude to Mr. Golisano can’t be overstated. The Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia is more than a place where patients and families receive compassionate care backed by groundbreaking research and innovation. It is where the next generation of health care professionals learn from many of the best faculty clinicians in the country. It’s a place of healing, learning and hope. On behalf of the students, faculty, staff and stakeholders of Augusta University and all of the children and families we serve, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Tom Golisano. He epitomizes the life-changing, life-saving spirit that drives the mission of Augusta University and Wellstar MCG Health.”
Karen B. Keen, chair of the Children’s Hospital Philanthropy Committee at Augusta University (AU) as well as First Lady at AU said: “Like many families in our state, The Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia played a significant role in helping our family long before we moved back to Augusta and we have been advocates for its work ever since. This is a transformative gift that gives national attention to the amazing care delivered every day at our children’s hospital right here in Augusta.”
The hospital serves as Wellstar’s main center for pediatric excellence by providing advanced surgical specialties as well as intensive care units such as NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). It is recognized nationally for outcomes involving high-acuity cases.
The new funding will support projects including establishing a state-of-the-art Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
Other hospitals already partaking in or newly joining this alliance include Arkansas Children’s in Little Rock; previously added institutions include children’s hospitals based in Buffalo (NY), Fort Myers (FL), Hershey (PA), Lexington (KY), Baltimore (MD), among others.
Wellstar Health System operates with over 34,000 employees throughout its facilities while offering charity care valued at over $1 billion annually within community programs statewide.
Tom Golisano founded Paychex Inc., one of America’s largest HR companies serving small- to medium-sized businesses; his philanthropic contributions total over $1 billion across education initiatives along with several medical organizations bearing his name.
Augusta University features 11 colleges/schools—including its Medical College—and manages annual research expenditures above $125 million on average.
The university maintains partnerships like that with Wellstar Health System, resulting in expanded clinical reach through Georgia’s only public academic medical center.
