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Area Hospitals include Bay Medical Center, HCA Gulf Coast Hospital, and the 325th Medical Group at Tyndall Air Force Base. All three are accredited by the Joint Association on Accreditation of Hospitals. Bay Medical Center, the largest of the three, is a not-for-profit regional medical center. Bay Medical Center offers advanced medical procedures such as open heart surgery, kidney stone removal, and hyperbaric chamber treatments. HCA Gulf Coast Hospital, the newest of the three, is a privately owned. Gulf Coast Hospital has an advanced medical diagnostic X-ray imaging system and a dedicated maternity center. The 325th Medical Group serves active and retired military personnel and their dependents. Medical services for military personnel expanded in June, 1998, with the opening of the VA extension branch clinic at the Coastal Systems Station. There area has over 660 hospital beds, 250 hundred physicians, 65 dentists, 7 nursing homes, and numerous medical practitioners to serve the County's needs.
Bay County has earned a reputation for educational excellence. There are 22 elementary schools, seven middle schools, five high schools and ten private schools. Students consistently rank above state and national norms on SAT and ACT tests. There is also a vocational-technical center, an adult center, and a specialized program for exceptional children. Students have an excellent selection of higher educational institutions. Located on a 74-acre campus overlooking St. Andrews Bay, Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) offers associate of arts degrees in a variety of academic and occupational programs. Additionally, Florida State University (FSU) has a Panama City branch campus adjacent to GCCC. FSU offers four-year degrees, master's degrees, and PhD's in a variety of areas. Military personnel can also choose from programs offered through Troy State University and Embry-Riddle University.
The data about Bay County was compiled from the following sources: Bay County Chamber of Commerce; Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce; 1995 Florida County Comparisons; 2000 Florida Statistical Abstract; Tyndall Air Force Base Public Affairs Office; Coastal Systems Station Public Affairs Office; Money Magazine [Area Facts | Economy
& Demographics | Private Employment | |
