Southeast Health is continually working to expand access to care through physician recruitment, service line expansion, growth of medical education programs, and new partnerships in an effort to meet community need. This listing highlights service line expansion projects, recruitment success and other development projects that are underway or have been completed in the last seven years.

While this list is significant, we recognize that our work is not finished there are still unmet needs. We are committed to continuing to work to make health and health care better, more accessible, and more of what it needs to be for everyone.

Patient Care & Service Expansion

• Oncology Services expanded to increase access and to provide a better patient experience where all services are co-located.
  • Chemotherapy suite relocated and expanded.
  • Hematology/Oncology physicians recruited (3 total)
  • Full time PET scanner added.
  • 3-D Mammography added (2 total)
  • Added a third linear accelerator in 2023.
• Stroke and Neuroscience services expanded to meet community need.
  • Opened region’s only Neurocritical Care Unit (10-beds)
  • Interventional stroke program launched.
  • Certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2019, one of three in Alabama.
• Women’s & Children’s Services
  • Only hospital in Dothan area providing inpatient pediatric hospital services.
  • Pediatric unit re-located and renovated in 2023 to enhance the patient experience and provide a more secure environment.
  • Certified as a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the only hospital in the region providing this level of care.
  • NICU patient transport service launched to aid in transferring babies from outlying areas to Southeast Health.
• Cardiology services expansion:
  • Structural Heart Cardiology program launched.
  • EP Cardiologist recruited and program launched.
  • HeartSafe program launched through Southeast Health Foundation, to expand hands-only CPR training and AED availability in the community.
• Diagnostic imaging and laboratory investments made:
  • Additional MRI and CT scanner added.
  • Bone densitometry services added.
  • Interventional Radiology Suite replaced.
  • Installed a new total laboratory robotic automation system.
• Primary Care clinic network expansion:
  • Added three new clinics, ACOM Ashford Clinic, Medical Center Clinic, and ACOM Taylor Clinic
• Medical Park Developed for outpatient service growth.
  • Center for Digestive Health opened (Partnership with Digestive Health Specialists)
  • Digestive Health Specialists expanded to the east side building in the Medical Park.
  • Further development planned.
• COVID-19 Emergency Response
  • Administered the first COVID-19 vaccine in the state.
  • One of five hospitals in the state initially asked by ADPH to develop a drive-thru clinic. Resulting in more than 58,000 COVID vaccines delivered since 2020.
• Innovated care delivery model and expanded units to aid in Emergency Department (ED) throughput, which is an ongoing challenge.
  • Added ED providers and implemented a zone system of care to increase provider efficiency and enhance teamwork.
  • New Critical Care Unit opened in 2023. (14-bed) Expansion increased CCU beds to 56 total.
  • Clinical Decision Unit bed utilization increased for outpatients.
  • Current Emergency Department wait times are no different from the national average for high volume EDs seeing 40,000-59,000 patients annually.¹ However, this remains a focus area for continued improvement.
• Other notable accomplishments improving patient care or service:
  • Adopted Epic, the world-class electronic health record used by the nation’s top health systems. One of four hospitals in Alabama utilizing this system.
  • Provided patients access to MyChart, Epic’s patient portal, which allows immediate access to test results, messaging to providers and online scheduling.
  • Renovated patient rooms on three inpatient care units to modernize facilities and provide a better patient experience. Fourth unit in progress.
  • Infusion Center relocated and expanded.
  • Retail pharmacy, Southeast Medicine Shop, developed which allows for bedside medication delivery and expanded hours.
  • Spiritual care program expanded, and a chapel was built in the heart of the hospital.
  • Cafeteria renovated to enhance patient experience and avoid catastrophic failure due to age of plumbing and electrical infrastructure.
  • Starbucks, Chicken Salad Chick, and Chick-fil-A locations added to enhance the work environment and guest experience.

Quality Accolades & Other Awards 

• Named to U.S. News and World Report 2024-2025 Best Hospitals for high performance in stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and pneumonia for 2024-2025
• Received Stoke Honor Roll Elite Plus Silver Quality Achievement Award and Advanced Therapy, as well as Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.
• Achieved the Gold Star Level 10 designation from Epic in 2024
• Ranked #1 in Alabama for Clinical Outcomes and Social Responsibility by the Lown Institute. Received “A” grades in Social Responsibility, Patient Outcomes, Clinical Outcomes, Patient Safety and Cost Efficiency in 2023.
• 2022, 2023, and Forbes Best-in-State Employer
• 2023 Awarded Workforce Development Champion by Southeast Alabama Works and the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.
• Awarded nine gold stars three years in a row by Epic, placing the organization among the top 16% within Epic’s user community alongside some of the most prestigious health systems in the nation.
• Earned a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of A in spring of 2022.
• Recognized with Gold Plus Award for Stroke Care by the American Heart Association in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
• Maintained certification as the region’s only Level II Trauma Center.
• Continued accreditation as a Chest Pain Center.

Growth of Medical Education 

• ACOM class size expanded from 150 to 210 students per year, which has a positive economic impact to the Dothan area and helps further the mission to expand the number of primary care physicians practicing in Alabama and the southeast.
• Nine ACOM graduates have completed residency training and returned to work at Southeast Health. Specialties include primary care, Ob/Gyn, Orthopedics and General Surgery.
• ACOM Simulation Center and study spaces expanded, to enhance learning and accommodate larger class size.
• ACOM Students competed against other medical school students and since 2017 they have won four national and two international championships.
• ACOM Research Center opened to increase scholarly activity in research and pursue grants.
• ACOM awarded National Institute of Health research grant related to pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• ACOM awarded American Medical Association (AMA) grant to enhance medical student blood pressure measurement essentials.
• ACOM Pavilion and Community Garden expansion underway in 2023.
• Graduate Medical Education Program received initial accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). GME programs have a positive economic impact to the community and expand access to care.
• Internal Medicine Residency launched and later expanded. Three-year program with 48 residents.
• Transitional Year Residency launched which is a one-year program with 12 residents.

Last updated on September 9, 2024.