Walking through the doors of Dorminy Medical Center, you'll immediately sense something different from the institutional atmosphere that often characterizes hospital medicine. This isn’t a facility where physicians become anonymous providers processing high volumes in pursuit of productivity metrics. Instead, you'll find an environment where community connection, clinical excellence, and patient-centered care define the daily reality of medicine in a 75-bed acute care hospital that has served South Central Georgia since 1974.
Dorminy operates as a not-for-profit institution governed by the Hospital Authority of Ben Hill County, ensuring local accountability and responsiveness to community health needs. The hospital employs over 250 dedicated individuals united by a mission to be the community’s preferred healthcare choice, guided by integrity, teamwork, quality, and patient commitment. Physicians here practice without pressure to compromise clinical judgment for financial optimization.
Dorminy serves Ben Hill County and neighboring communities, addressing a vital need in a region where access to healthcare directly impacts quality of life. Approximately 82% of patients originate from Fitzgerald, with others from Ocilla, Abbeville, and surrounding rural areas. You’ll build genuine, long-term relationships with patients and families rather than providing episodic care.
Dorminy Medical Center has earned recognition that distinguishes it among rural hospitals, demonstrating that community-based facilities can achieve clinical outcomes and operational excellence comparable to urban centers. These recognitions validate the hospital’s commitment to quality and patient safety.
Dorminy’s active pursuit of Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation represents a crucial step in its sustainability strategy. This transition provides cost-based Medicare reimbursement, improving financial stability, recruitment, and long-term viability. Leadership—CEO Paige Wynn and CFO Nate Wilson—have laid the groundwork to make this vision a reality, ensuring a stable environment for physicians for decades to come.
Dorminy’s 75-bed license supports a comfortable balance of scope and personal care. Typical census is 14–16 patients, allowing for excellent nurse-to-patient ratios. The facility underwent a significant expansion roughly 20 years ago, adding modern surgical suites and updated clinical spaces. Your clinic, located directly across from the hospital campus, ensures easy coordination and patient access.
Medical/Surgical Unit: Provides care for common conditions such as pneumonia, CHF, COPD, and diabetic management. Nurses are long-tenured, compassionate, and deeply connected to the community.
Intensive Care Unit: A 5-bed ICU, typically staffed for 2 patients, with full 24/7 telemedicine support offering intensivist consultations. Patients requiring tertiary care are transferred seamlessly to Macon.
Geriatric Psychiatry Unit: A 12-bed unit serving elderly patients requiring psychiatric stabilization. Reflects Dorminy’s commitment to comprehensive rural mental health.
Swing Beds: Transitional care units providing skilled nursing–level recovery for patients requiring rehabilitation after acute illness. Designed with homelike features for dignity and comfort.
Dorminy continues to invest in diagnostic technology:
Dorminy’s outpatient surgery center performs general surgeries, endoscopies, and minor procedures. The dedicated endoscopy suite and infusion center support a broad procedural scope for local physicians.
Physical Therapy: Comprehensive rehabilitation, including post-surgical and chronic pain management, led by an experienced therapy team.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Specialized program supporting the region’s significant COPD population with individualized therapy and education.
24/7 Emergency Department: Front-line acute care with robust telemedicine integration.
CEO Paige Wynn exemplifies hands-on, compassionate leadership, engaging directly with staff and physicians. CFO Nate Wilson ensures financial sustainability through data-driven strategy. Medical Director Dr. Mann provides mentorship and physician representation in decision-making, and Outpatient Director Katherine oversees clinic operations with thoughtful, flexible leadership. This team values transparency, collaboration, and physician autonomy.
Since its founding in 1974, Dorminy Medical Center has evolved while maintaining local control. A previous partnership with Phoebe Health System in Albany ended amicably, returning governance to the local Hospital Authority—a move that reinforced Fitzgerald’s independence and community-first focus. During that time, Dr. Ludwick’s clinic was recognized as the busiest in the Phoebe network, highlighting both physician excellence and patient demand.
Your clinic sits across the street from the hospital, offering unmatched convenience for patient coordination. The space includes modern exam rooms, procedure areas, and provider offices designed for efficiency. With Monday–Friday hours (8:00 AM–5:00 PM) and four clinical days plus administrative time, the schedule prioritizes work-life balance while meeting community needs.
Dorminy Medical Center isn’t trying to be a tertiary hub—it’s focused on excellence in community-based medicine. Physicians here enjoy modern resources, collegial support, and professional autonomy in a system that values their voice. This is a hospital where leadership knows your name, where your expertise is respected, and where your work directly strengthens the health and spirit of the community.
Joining Dorminy means joining a legacy—one built on five decades of trusted community care, positioned for five more of growth and service.