Founded in 1906 by two local physicians, St. Mary’s became a Catholic hospital in 1938 operated by the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and later sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. Today, St. Mary’s Health Care System is a regional not-for-profit Catholic teaching healthcare system inclusive of three hospitals, St. Mary’s Medical Group, Graduate Medical Education, Home Health, Hospice Services, Senior Living, extensive outpatient services, auxiliary/volunteer services and clinical affiliations with the University of Georgia/Augusta University. A member of Trinity Health, the third largest non-for-profit health system in the U.S., our Mission is to serve in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within our communities while our Vision is to become the national leader in improving the health of our communities and each person we serve, to be the most trusted health partner for life. St. Mary’s facilities include St. Mary’s Hospital (Athens), St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital (Greensboro), St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital (Lavonia), Georgia Neurological Surgery & Comprehensive Spine, Highland Hills Village, St. Mary’s Mercy Guest Cottage, St. Mary’s Outpatient & Wellness Center and St. Mary’s Infusion and Wound Care Center. St. Mary’s has maintained continuous accreditation by The Joint Commission since 1954; an Advanced Primary Stroke Center since 2004, Spine Surgery certification since 2011 and Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center since 2022. St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital and St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital received the American Heart Association’s 2024 GWTG® - Stroke Gold Plus recognition, St. Mary’s Hospital is accredited as a Chest Pain Center by the American College of Cardiology, St. Mary's Athens was named Georgia’s Large Hospital of the Year (2018) and St. Mary’s Good Samaritan was one of only nine hospitals in Georgia to receive the CMS 5-Star designation in 2023.