Oakhurst Medical Center provides affordable, accessible, quality primary care services to ethnically diverse patients and their families. As a grassroots medical option for the underserved and uninsured, Oakhurst saves the county and state money by providing primary care to those who would typically seek help in an emergency room setting for non-emergency problems. It continues to be the healthcare safety net for Dekalb County.
It was founded by Oakhurst resident and Decatur Mayor Emeritus Elizabeth Wilson out of her advocacy for the elderly and poor residents in her community and the disparity in healthcare services. The medical center grew quickly from virtually no funding and one or two staff volunteers to several sites and a multi-disciplined staff including doctors, nurses, social workers, a nutritionist, a contract dentist, and an ophthalmologist. Its impact on the community was significant, providing preventive care to hundreds of medically underserved area residents.
The Oakhurst community then underwent revitalization and many patients moved to the Stone Mountain area. As a result, in 1998, Oakhurst Medical Centers relocated to the City of Stone Mountain where it is today. Its expanded facility and services enabled the center to serve even more residents in need while continuing care for many existing patients. Demand continued to grow and the center was renovated in 2010 to a total of 13,500 square feet. The new space accommodated advanced diagnostic equipment such a state of the art ultrasound machine producing 4D images – and space was added to its OB/GYN and other areas, all much needed.
Four locations were added and new services and programs were developed over the years to meet the growing demands and needs of DeKalb and Rockdale communities. In fact, Oakhurst experienced a 20% growth in patients in 2011 over 2010. As a result of seemingly endless demand, Oakhurst recently built a new main facility with 24,000 square feet that was completed December 2013. Today, Oakhurst continues to thrive and live its mission by offering the scope and quality of healthcare services it has come to be known for, for those who need help most.
