Emory Hillandale Hospital commemorated 20 years of serving the community of Stonecrest and south DeKalb County with a series of events for community leaders and its employees.

Nearly 100 people attended a rededication and ribbon cutting event on July 17, including current Emory Healthcare and former DeKalb Medical executives, community leaders and local elected officials. The event celebrated Emory Hillandale Hospital’s impacts to DeKalb County and the surrounding communities and accomplishments throughout two decades, and honored those who paved the way for its approval in 2002 and subsequent grand opening in 2005 as DeKalb Medical at Hillandale.

“The 20th anniversary of Emory Hillandale Hospital is a tremendous milestone and underscores our ongoing commitment to providing Stonecrest and DeKalb County residents with unparalleled patient care and comprehensive services,” says Joon S. Lee, MD, executive vice president of health affairs for Emory University and CEO of Emory Healthcare. “From inpatient and outpatient care to community health education, we pride ourselves on keeping the needs of our patients and concerns of the community at the forefront of everything we do. The first 20 years have been amazing and the sky’s the limit for the impact Emory Hillandale Hospital will continue to have on the future of health care.”

On July 18, Emory Hillandale Hospital employees were treated to a full-day celebration with complimentary meals and massages, food trucks and arcade games. Today, the 100-bed hospital employs 600, many of whom reside in the surrounding Stonecrest community.

“Emory Hillandale Hospital has been intentional over the last two decades about building lasting relationships and trust, not only with our employees but with residents of Lithonia, Stonecrest and DeKalb County,” says Jen Schuck, CEO of Emory Hillandale, Emory Decatur and Emory Long-Term Acute Care hospitals. “What Emory Hillandale does well is listening to the needs of the community and providing the services and resources that help support overall well-being. It is an honor to be a community health collaborator inside and outside of our hospital walls.”

Since its opening, Emory Hillandale Hospital has cemented itself as a leader in health care delivery, earning multiple awards recognizing its excellence. Most recently, the hospital earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Primary Stroke Center Certification for its excellence and high-quality care in diagnosing and treating stroke patients and following the best practices for stroke care.

Emory Hillandale Hospital offers a wide range of treatments and services including surgery, orthopaedics, emergency care, heart and vascular services, outpatient rehabilitation and radiology services, including a breast center.

In May 2025, Emory Healthcare announced the transformation of Emory Hillandale Hospital as the first hospital in the U.S. fully powered by Apple products and integrated with Epic, the leading electronic health record system. This ambitious digital transformation of the “hospital of the future” reimagines the inpatient experience — enhancing care delivery, streamlining clinician workflows and empowering patients with seamless access to secure information about their health.

“Our 20-year milestone is about so much more than our physical buildings. It is about building family,” says Edna Brisco, RN, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services at Emory Hillandale Hospital. “The dedicated doctors, nurses, volunteers, community health workers and other health care professionals who chose to serve at Emory Hillandale Hospital are the real heroes in our story. I am honored to be a part of this family and am in awe of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the past 20 years for the patients who entrust us with their care.”

About Emory Hillandale Hospital

Emory Hillandale Hospital serves the Lithonia/Stonecrest community and surrounding areas. The hospital was renovated in 2023 to include new intensive care unit (ICU) rooms and emergency department enhancements, additional treatment rooms and redesigned spaces for efficiency in patient care and transfers. The hospital provides surgery, orthopaedics, emergency care, heart and vascular services, outpatient rehabilitation, and radiology services, including a breast center. In 2025, Emory Hillandale received The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Primary Stroke Center Certification.