DeKalb County: Where Innovation and Healthcare Go Hand in Hand

Apple and Emory Healthcare partnership at Emory Hillandale Hospital sets a new standard

DeKalb County is once again proving why it’s a magnet for forward-thinking partners and transformative investments. The recent collaboration between Apple and Emory Healthcare at Emory Hillandale Hospital in Lithonia is not just a milestone for the hospital but a clear signal that DeKalb is leading the way in healthcare innovation.

Emory Hillandale Hospital is an 84-bed hospital serving Lithonia and the surrounding Stonecrest community. The facility offers comprehensive care including emergency services, radiology, surgery, and features an 8-bed Intensive Care Unit with state-of-the-art equipment, including digital imaging machines for CTs, mammograms and MRIs. The hospital employs 600 people, many of whom reside in the surrounding Stonecrest community.

This groundbreaking partnership has made Emory Hillandale Hospital the first hospital in the U.S. fully powered by Apple products and integrated with Epic, the leading electronic health record system. Emory Healthcare is the first health system in the U.S. to use Epic electronic health record software on Macs, with Apple products now serving as the standard, marking a first-of-its-kind technology transformation for clinicians. The transformation has turned Emory Hillandale into what’s being called the “hospital of the future,” designed for streamlined clinical workflows and a seamless patient experience. And it’s all happening right here in DeKalb County, Georgia, where a strong foundation of infrastructure, talent, and strategic vision makes cutting-edge projects not only possible, but successful.

Technology in Service of People

Through this initiative, Apple’s full ecosystem of Mac computers, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, has been integrated across the hospital’s 100-bed facility. This transformation is about more than upgraded tools. It’s about a cultural shift toward technology that enhances human connection, not replaces it.

“We’re not just changing technology, we’re changing a culture,” said Dr. Ravi I. Thadhani, former executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University.

From iPads at the bedside that give patients easy access to their records and care plans, to Apple Watches that help physicians respond faster and more effectively, every detail of the rollout is designed to improve both the patient and provider experience. The partners say these tools are intuitive, inclusive, and focused on better outcomes.

Why DeKalb, Why Now?

The choice to launch this initiative at Emory Hillandale Hospital wasn’t incidental—it was strategic. The hospital was intentionally chosen; it’s not an ideal academic setting, but more closely mirrors patient population diversity and resources of community hospitals across the nation. As Dr. Ravi Thadhani, former executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University, explained, “Emory Hillandale hospital serves a rich, vibrant community and we wanted to create an inflection in a community that we care about deeply. This was the right place to do it.” 

Rather than Apple selecting DeKalb County through a national program, it all began with a question Emory Healthcare’s leadership team posed to Apple CEO Tim Cook: “Why aren’t Apple products used in hospitals?” Mr. Cook and Apple’s team decided to dig deeper and partner with Emory to test out new ideas. The partnership was further solidified when the CrowdStrike incident in July 2024 paralyzed more than 20,000 devices at Emory, but the Apple devices were fine, demonstrating the reliability and security advantages that made DeKalb County’s Emory Hillandale the perfect testing ground for this healthcare transformation.

DeKalb County’s diverse population, robust healthcare infrastructure, and Emory’s commitment to serving the community made it an ideal location to prove that this technology integration could work in real-world conditions—not just in academic medical centers, but in community hospitals that serve patients across the nation.

Building Momentum with the Right Partners

That’s exactly the type of environment that Decide DeKalb’s Technology Advisory Council and Healthcare Council work to cultivate.

• The Technology Advisory Council champions tech-forward initiatives that strengthen DeKalb’s innovation ecosystem, attract high-quality employers, and foster a digitally skilled workforce.

• The Healthcare Council focuses on attracting and supporting healthcare organizations that prioritize patient-centered care, accessibility, and community well-being.

Working in tandem, these councils make it possible for partnerships like Apple + Emory Healthcare to flourish—where cutting-edge tools and compassionate care meet to improve lives and strengthen the local economy.

Katrina Young, Business Retention & Expansion Manager at Decide DeKalb, collaborates with both councils and sees firsthand the impact these partnerships have on job creation, talent retention, and quality of life.

“The success we’re seeing at Emory Hillandale shows what’s possible when innovative companies partner with a community that’s ready to support them,” says Young. “It’s about building a tech ecosystem that doesn’t just bring in investment, but uplifts people.”

Building Momentum with the Right Partners

When global leaders like Apple choose DeKalb as a proving ground for innovation, it sends a powerful message: this is a place where big ideas are welcomed – and brought to life.

This initiative also highlights the kind of partners DeKalb continues to attract: organizations that share a vision for accessible, inclusive, and community-focused progress. Emory Healthcare’s commitment to patient-centered care combined with Apple’s intuitive, secure technology creates a partnership that delivers real value, not just for patients, but for the broader community.

What’s Next for Emory Hillandale and for DeKalb

The Apple partnership is only the beginning. Future applications of Apple technology, including tools like Apple Vision Pro for surgical planning and medical research, are already being explored. As those innovations unfold, DeKalb County is poised to remain a leader in healthcare transformation, fueled by strategic partnerships and a commitment to continuous improvement.

“At its core, this partnership is about what happens when vision, infrastructure, and talent converge,” Young says. “It’s about how a county known for its diversity and resilience continues to create the conditions that drive progress.”

What’s happening at Emory Hillandale Hospital is more than just a tech success story. It’s a blueprint for what thoughtful, well-executed partnerships can achieve. It’s a win for healthcare providers, for patients, for economic developers – and for the future of DeKalb County.

By welcoming projects that blend smart technology with real human impact, DeKalb isn’t just keeping up with the pace of change. We’re setting the pace. Learn more about our initiatives and how you can get involved.