Patrick Hammond attended Athens City Schools from 1973 to 1982 at City Park and Athens Junior High School. He was involved in intramural sports at City Park, serving as AV assistant for Prof Powers in 6th grade with Mrs. Allen and Rowden. As a student attending Athens Junior High, he played on the basketball team under Coach Martin, the tennis team with Mrs. Wilson, and lab assistant for Mr. Wall, to name just a few. He then graduated from McMinn County High School in Athens, TN.
Mr. Hammond has had the privilege of having his entire 34-year professional career to date with Emory Healthcare. Mr. Hammond graduated from Emory University in 1989, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1991, he received a Master of Health Administration from Duke University. He joined Emory Healthcare in 1991 as an Administrative Resident and has taken on increasing areas of responsibility throughout his career at Emory. These include starting the first managed care office for the system in 1992 and forming the Emory Healthcare Network in 2011.
In his current roles, he has executive leadership responsibility for the following areas: the Emory Healthcare Network and the Emory Healthcare Population Health Collaborative, which includes Emory’s aligned primary care physician network of over 550 primary care physicians, including more than 50 Emory-owned primary care offices throughout Metro Atlanta. As Chief Market Services officer, he has accountability for the system’s managed care payer contracting, including medical economics and reporting. The contracts negotiated by this department account for over 80% of the system’s net revenue. He also has accountability in this role for medical staff services that encompass credentialing, payer enrollment, medical staff support, and physician outreach strategies.
Patrick would like to share the following advice to current students at Athens City Schools. Pay attention to what your teachers are trying to teach you, not only about schoolwork, but also how to treat other people. It has been over 40 years since I was at Athens City Schools, but today I still use some of the things I learned in the classrooms during these years, and more importantly, what I learned about the importance of how you treat other people. Also, don't compare yourself to others, but be willing to work hard to reach your goals. There will always be someone who may be smarter, faster, stronger, however many are not willing to put the work in to reach their full potential, don't let that be you. One of the most impactful moments he recalls is the influence of the teachers who played a part in shaping who he is today, along with family and many others, including friends growing up in the small Athens community.
Patrick has been married to his wife Paige for 30 years and is a proud father of two wonderful kids, Ben, 27, and Jenna, 21. He serves as Sunday School Teacher and Treasurer at his church. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia.