Navigating Disease Centers in Atlanta: Where to Turn for Specialized Care

Finding the right disease center in Atlanta can feel overwhelming, especially if you or a loved one has just received a new diagnosis. Atlanta is a major medical hub for the Southeast, with nationally recognized hospitals, specialty clinics, and public health agencies that focus on specific diseases and chronic conditions.

This guide walks through how disease centers work in Atlanta, where they’re typically located, and how local residents and visitors can find the right fit for their needs.

What Is a “Disease Center” in Atlanta?

In Atlanta, a disease center usually means a specialized program, clinic, or department focused on a particular condition or group of related conditions. These centers often sit inside larger hospital systems or academic medical centers.

Common types of disease centers you’ll find in Atlanta include:

• Cancer centers
• Heart and vascular centers
• Diabetes and endocrine centers
• Infectious disease clinics
• Neurology and stroke centers
• Lung and respiratory centers
• HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics
• Children’s specialty disease centers

These centers often bring together:

• Physicians with focused expertise
• Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
• Pharmacists
• Dietitians
• Social workers and case managers
• Rehab and mental health professionals

For Atlanta residents, this means many complex conditions can be managed locally rather than traveling out of state.

Major Hospital-Based Disease Centers in Atlanta

Several large health systems anchor most of the specialty disease care in Atlanta. Below is a general overview of where many people start.

Emory Healthcare Specialty Centers

Emory is one of Atlanta’s best-known academic health systems. Many of its disease centers are tied to Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, and affiliated clinics across the metro area.

Examples of Emory-related disease center programs include:

• Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University (multiple locations in Atlanta)
• Emory Heart & Vascular Center
• Emory Transplant Center
• Emory Brain Health Center for neurology and related conditions
• Emory Infectious Diseases clinics

Emory clinics and hospitals in central Atlanta are commonly found around:

• 1364 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 (Druid Hills/Emory campus area)
• 550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 (Emory University Hospital Midtown)

Patients often reach Emory disease centers through referrals from primary care providers, but many programs also accept self-referrals depending on insurance and condition.

Grady Health System Disease Programs

Grady Memorial Hospital is a major safety-net hospital and Level I trauma center serving Atlanta and the region. It houses several specialty and disease-focused programs, particularly for people who rely on public insurance or have limited coverage.

Location:

• Grady Memorial Hospital
  80 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE
  Atlanta, GA 30303

Examples of disease-focused services at or through Grady include:

• Comprehensive infectious disease and HIV care
• Stroke and neurology programs
• Burn and trauma-related follow-up care
• Specialty clinics connected to chronic conditions managed in the community

Grady often works closely with community health centers and public health departments, which can help patients navigate long-term care.

Piedmont Healthcare Specialty Centers

Piedmont Atlanta Hospital is another large system with disease-specific programs, especially for heart disease and cancer.

Location (flagship hospital):

• Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
  1968 Peachtree Rd NW
  Atlanta, GA 30309

Piedmont’s disease centers often include:

• Heart and cardiovascular care
• Oncology (cancer) programs
• Orthopedic and spine centers
• Certain women’s health and urology specialties

Many Piedmont specialty clinics are scattered throughout metro Atlanta, so patients can sometimes choose a location closer to home while still accessing disease-focused expertise.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Disease Centers

For families, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the main pediatric system in the city, with disease-specific care for infants, children, and teens.

Key sites include:

• Children’s at Egleston (on/near Emory campus)
  1405 Clifton Rd NE
  Atlanta, GA 30322

• Children’s at Scottish Rite
  1001 Johnson Ferry Rd NE
  Atlanta, GA 30342

CHOA hosts pediatric disease centers for:

• Childhood cancers and blood disorders
• Congenital heart disease
• Diabetes and endocrine disorders
• Cystic fibrosis, asthma, and other chronic lung problems
• Neurology, epilepsy, and developmental conditions

Referrals often come from pediatricians, but parents can usually call directly for guidance on how to get started.

Public Health and Infectious Disease Resources in Atlanta

Atlanta is home to major public health institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While CDC is not a public clinic for individual patients, its presence has encouraged a strong local network of public health services.

Fulton County and DeKalb County Health Departments

For many residents—especially those without regular medical homes—the county health departments serve as practical entry points for screening, vaccinations, and certain disease-related services.

Examples:

• Fulton County Board of Health – College Park Regional Health Center
  1920 John Wesley Ave
  College Park, GA 30337

• Fulton County Health Center – 10 Park Place (downtown Atlanta area)
  10 Park Pl S SE
  Atlanta, GA 30303

• DeKalb County Board of Health – T.O. Vinson Health Center
  440 Winn Way
  Decatur, GA 30030

Services at these sites may include:

• STD/HIV testing and treatment
• Tuberculosis (TB) screening and follow-up
• Immunizations (including travel vaccines in some locations)
• Some chronic disease screenings (like blood pressure or diabetes checks)

These are not full disease centers in the hospital sense, but they can diagnose, stabilize, and refer patients to larger Atlanta disease programs when more specialized care is needed.

Common Types of Disease Centers You’ll Find in Atlanta

Different hospitals and clinics may use slightly different names, but most disease centers in Atlanta fit into a few broad categories.

1. Cancer Centers

Atlanta has several comprehensive cancer centers and oncology programs. These typically provide:

• Diagnosis and staging
• Chemotherapy and infusion services
• Radiation therapy
• Surgical oncology
• Survivorship and support services

Many patients in Atlanta receive care at hospital-based cancer centers associated with Emory, Piedmont, or other large systems, as well as community oncology clinics located throughout the metro area.

2. Heart and Vascular Centers

Heart disease is a leading concern nationally, and Atlanta heart centers are structured to manage:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• Rhythm problems
• Valve disease
• Preventive cardiology and rehabilitation

These centers typically include cardiology clinics, imaging, catheterization labs, and surgery services in one network, making it easier for patients and families to coordinate care.

3. Diabetes and Endocrine Centers

With type 1 and type 2 diabetes common across Georgia, Atlanta hosts multiple diabetes centers and endocrinology clinics. These often offer:

• Blood sugar management
• Medication and insulin education
• Nutrition counseling
• Foot, eye, and kidney monitoring referrals

Some are embedded in hospital systems; others are independent practices clustered in medical office buildings around Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, and the northern suburbs.

4. Infectious Disease and HIV Clinics

Atlanta has long-standing infectious disease specialists and HIV treatment centers, frequently associated with hospital systems and public health clinics.

Services may include:

• HIV diagnosis and ongoing treatment
• Management of long-term viral infections
• Care for complex bacterial, fungal, or travel-related infections
• Support in connecting to assistance programs for medications

Clinics are spread through downtown, Midtown, East Atlanta, and nearby suburbs, making it easier to find a location accessible by MARTA or major highways.

5. Neurology, Stroke, and Brain Health Centers

Major hospitals in Atlanta host stroke centers, epilepsy programs, and broader brain health clinics. Many of these are certified stroke centers, designed to respond rapidly to emergencies and support recovery.

Services commonly include:

• Acute stroke care and follow-up
• Seizure and epilepsy management
• Movement disorder clinics (e.g., Parkinson’s)
• Memory and cognitive assessment programs

Atlanta’s layout—dense hospital clusters near downtown and the Emory area—helps ensure that advanced neurological care is relatively centralized.

How to Find the Right Disease Center in Atlanta

Choosing a disease center in Atlanta often depends on a mix of factors: your condition, insurance, transportation, and personal preferences. Here’s a practical approach.

Step 1: Start With Your Primary Provider (If You Have One)

Most Atlanta specialists prefer or require a referral from:

• A primary care physician
• A pediatrician (for children)
• A previous specialist in another city or state

This referral helps the disease center understand your history and ensures records can be transferred efficiently.

Step 2: Check Your Insurance Network

Before you book:

1. Look up your insurer’s “find a doctor” or “find a facility” tool.
2. Filter by:
   • Specialty (e.g., oncology, cardiology, infectious disease)
   • Location near your home, office, or MARTA line
3. Confirm whether the hospital system (Emory, Grady, Piedmont, etc.) is in-network.

Atlanta’s large systems may each have separate contracts with insurers, so it’s common for one hospital to be in-network while another is not under the same plan.

Step 3: Consider Transportation and Location

Traffic and parking can strongly influence where Atlanta residents seek care.

Key considerations:

• MARTA access:
  • Emory Midtown and some downtown clinics are near MARTA rail stations or bus routes.
  • Grady and the Fulton County facilities around Park Place have relatively good transit connections.
• Parking costs: Hospital garages may charge fees; some public health clinics offer free or low-cost parking.
• Rush hour patterns: Morning and late afternoon traffic in central Atlanta, Buckhead, and along major interstates (I‑75/85, I‑285, GA‑400) can significantly lengthen travel time for appointments.

For people living in outlying neighborhoods (South Atlanta, East Point, Stone Mountain, etc.), it may be worth asking whether satellite clinics offer some of the same disease services closer to home.

Step 4: Ask About Support Services

Disease centers that offer extra support can be easier to navigate over time. When you call, consider asking:

• “Do you have nurse navigators or case managers for this condition?”
• “Is there social work support to help with transportation, financial assistance, or housing challenges?”
• “Are there virtual or telehealth options for follow-up visits?”
• “How do you handle after-hours questions or urgent issues?”

Many Atlanta centers have learned to integrate telehealth and remote monitoring, which can help reduce the number of in-person trips.

Quick Reference: Types of Disease Centers and Where to Start in Atlanta

Below is a simple overview to help orient your search. This is not a complete directory, but a starting framework.

Use this table as a roadmap, then confirm specific locations and details with each organization directly.

What If You’re New to Atlanta or Just Visiting?

People traveling to Atlanta—whether for work, school, or tourism—sometimes need disease-specific care on short notice.

Practical steps:

• For urgent but non-emergency issues (like a medication refill or flare-up of a chronic condition), consider:
  • Urgent care centers connected to major hospital systems
  • Contacting your home specialist to help coordinate a temporary referral in Atlanta
• For emergencies (chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathing difficulty, major injury), call 911. Emergency medical services can transport you to the nearest appropriate hospital, many of which have advanced disease specialties on-site.
• If you expect to stay in Atlanta longer (for relocation, school, or extended work assignments), establish care with:
  • A local primary care provider (adult medicine or pediatrics)
  • A specialty disease center if you have pre-existing complex conditions

Bringing printed or electronic medical records, medication lists, and your insurance card can make transfers to Atlanta disease centers smoother.

Using Atlanta’s Public and Community Resources

Beyond hospital systems, Atlanta offers community-based support for people dealing with long-term conditions, especially those facing financial or housing challenges.

Some common local resources include:

• Community health centers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) across neighborhoods like West End, Old Fourth Ward, Clarkston, and others. Many provide sliding-scale primary care and link patients to hospital-based disease centers.
• Nonprofit organizations focused on conditions such as cancer, HIV, mental health, or chronic disease support. These organizations may:
  • Help with transportation vouchers
  • Offer support groups
  • Assist with applying for medication assistance programs

When contacting a disease center, you can ask:
“Do you partner with any community organizations or clinics that can help with support services or lower-cost options?”

Key Takeaways for Finding a Disease Center in Atlanta

• Atlanta is a regional hub for specialized disease care, anchored by major hospital systems (Emory, Grady, Piedmont, CHOA) and public health providers.
• Most disease centers operate within larger hospital networks or academic medical centers, not as stand-alone walk-in clinics.
• For residents, the best starting point is usually:
  • Your primary care provider or pediatrician, plus
  • Your insurance network’s directory to confirm covered hospital systems.
• Public and county health departments in and around Atlanta offer screening, vaccination, and limited disease-specific services, often serving as gateways to larger centers.
• Transportation, parking, and insurance coverage are practical realities in Atlanta; factor them in when choosing a center, especially if you’ll need frequent follow-up visits.

By understanding how disease centers are organized in Atlanta and where they’re located, you can more confidently navigate your options and connect with the right type of specialty care for your situation.