Award-Winning PeopleCare

Caring for You Is Our Highest Honor

At Wellstar Health System, our patients are — and always will be — our number one focus. For our dedicated team, the greatest reward is caring for you each and every day. Because we put your health and well-being above all else, our care has also placed first, earning some of the highest honors in the healthcare industry.

Decades of Distinction

Wellstar consistently receives attention and accolades from national organizations that set standards for world-class care. We strive to take the best care of you, and we have stayed committed to practices that prioritize your health and well-being. Providing you safe, exceptional care is what motivates us, year after year.

Wellstar has been recognized with awards from such organizations as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Georgia Hospital Association (GHA), and has been named to the Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) Quality Honor Roll. In fact, Wellstar Health System has participated in the PHA Safety Program since its inception, and we have received prestigious Quality and Patient Safety Awards from this organization.

Our hospitals have also garnered recognition for exceptional expertise in clinical areas such as heart, cancer and neurological care. We have received the Beacon Award from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) for Critical Care Excellence. The American Association for Respiratory Care (QRCR) named Wellstar a Quality Respiratory Care Institution, and only 700 of 5,000 U.S. hospitals achieve this distinction.

As we serve our community with much-needed healthcare and support, we’re proud that professional medical organizations continue to reward our success. To keep up with the latest news about our awards and distinctions, please visit Wellstar Health News.

Our awards include:

Wellstar Cobb Medical Center

• Advanced Certification as a Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center
• Level II Emergency Cardiac Care Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD PLUS by the American Heart Association
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Target Heart Failure Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Bronze Plus
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Recognized by the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative as a Carotid Care Quality Champion
• Designated a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke Gold Plus TS Elite Quality Achievement Award by the American Heart Association
• First to be recognized in Georgia as a Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• Certification in Spine Surgery from The Joint Commission
• Certification in Total Hip, Total Knee and Spine surgeries from The Joint Commission
• First Hospital in Georgia to receive the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network's Excellence in Spiritual Care Award

Wellstar Douglas Medical Center

• Georgia Oglethorpe Award for Performance Excellence (2025)
• Advanced certification as a Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center
• Emergency Cardiac Care Center Level II by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD Award by the American Heart Association
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Target Heart Failure Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Silver Plus Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Designated a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Level II designation by The Joint Commission for Maternal Levels of Care
• First to be recognized in Georgia as a Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• U.S. News and World Report Magazine, 5th Top Regional Hospital
• Eight AJC Celebrate Nursing Honorees, 2020
• AHA Mission Lifeline Silver 2019, NSTEMI
• Baby Friendly Designation, 2019

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center

• Level I Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons and designation from the Georgia Department of Public Health State Office of EMS and Trauma
• Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification by The Joint Commission
• The Joint Commission's Gold Seal Certification for coronary artery bypass, heart valve repair and replacement and heart failure
• The Joint Commission certification for CAB and Valve Replacement and Repairs programs
• Three stars (highest possible rating) in four categories evaluated by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS): isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, or open-heart surgery), aortic valve replacement (AVR), AVR + CABG, and multiprocedural cardiothoracic surgeries
• Level I ECCC Emergency Cardiac Care Center Designation by Georgia Department of Public Health
• Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD by the American Heart Association
• Mission: Lifeline - NSTEMI - GOLD by the American Heart Association
• #6 Ranking for Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery in Georgia by by U.S. News and World Report
• Walter F. Johnson IV Chest Pain Observation Unit, low-risk chest pain patients receive rapid triage and treatment
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Target Heart Failure Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Bronze
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll
• Recognized by the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative as a Carotid Care Quality Champion
• Designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll - Elite Plus
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy
• Get With The Guidelines: Gold Plus Achievement
• AMSN PRISM Award
• GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
• Care Continuum Center of Excellence
• Certification in Spine Surgery from The Joint Commission
• Joint Replacement Excellence Award
• Vascular Surgery Excellence Award
• ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support – Gold Level
• U.S. News & World Report, Nationally Ranked in Adult Specialty, Rehabilitation 2022
• U.S. News & World Report, Best Hospitals in Georgia 2020

Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center

• Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of EMS and Trauma
• Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
• AHA/ASA Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Heart Failure and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (2025)
• AHA/ASA Get With The Guidelines – Stroke GOLD PLUS with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (2025)
• Level I Trauma Center by American College of Surgeons
• Commission on Cancer (CoC) accredited cancer program by the American College of Surgeons
• U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in Georgia
• Newsweek’s Top 100 Maternity Hospitals (2023, 2024, 2025)
• Level 4 Maternal Level of Care Facility, triannual certification from The Joint Commission (2023)
• College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)’s Certified Level 7 Digital Health Most Wired (Acute Care), Certified Level 7 Digital Health Most Wired (Ambulatory Care)
• Blue Distinction Centers (Blue Cross Blue Shield): Bariatric weight loss surgery and Kidney Transplant
• Blue Distinction Center+ (Blue Cross Blue Shield): Transplant – Adult Bone Marrow/Stem Cell
• Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)
• Medicare Certified Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program
• Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) 20-year Echocardiography Bronze Accreditation in all three: adult transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, stress echocardiography
• NCDR – 2025 Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Award – Silver
• American College of Cardiology – Chest Pain Center/Primary PCI
• Electrophysiology accredited (American College of Cardiology)
• Accredited Cardiac Cath Lab/PCI (American College of Cardiology)
• Certified American Assoc. of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) Program
• DNV Credentialed Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program
• International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS) Center of Excellence
• Breast Imaging Center of Excellence (American College of Radiology)
• Accredited Center for Comprehensive MS Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Accredited Level 4 adult/pediatric Comprehensive Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC)
• ALS Center named Center of Excellence by the ALS Association
• National Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, held since 2002 and was the first hospital in Georgia to earn this
• Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer (2024)
• National Press Ganey Human Experience (HX) Award – Wellstar Dermatology-Aiken
• Shepeard Community Blood Center – Leading Partner - #2 in Blood Collection (Shepeard Top 20)
• Platinum level recognition for Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) DoNation Campaign for Organ Donation (2024)
• Certified 24/7 Obstetrics Emergency Department
• Antibiotic Stewardship Honor Roll (Dept. of Public Health 2024)
• Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Pharmacy Residency Program
• ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support – Gold Level (Adult ECMO program)

Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

• Georgia Oglethorpe Award for Performance Excellence
• Aetna Elective Delivery Infant Safety Recognition
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD by the American Heart Association
• Mission: Lifeline - NSTEMI Receiving Center - SILVER by the American Heart Association
• Level II Emergency Cardiac Care Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association
• Get With The Guidelines - Gold Plus Achievement with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy and with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll by the American Heart Association
• Level II Trauma Center
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Silver Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Target Heart Failure Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll
• Recognized by the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative as a Carotid Care Quality Champion
• First to be recognized in Georgia as a Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• Awarded reaccreditation "With Distinction" by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS)

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center

• Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Paulding Hospital
• The Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award
• Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence
• Lown Institute Hospital Index Grades: Top 100 Lown Composite
• The Washington Monthly - Honor Roll: The 20 Best Hospitals for America
• Leapfrog Grade A Paulding Hospital
• Governor's Sterling Award Recipients Performance Excellence Role Models
• Advanced certification as a Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center
• Emergency Cardiac Care Center Level II by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD Award by the American Heart Association
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, Target Heart Failure Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Silver with Target: Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Designated a Remote Treatment Stroke Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• First to be recognized in Georgia as a Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• National Hospital Organ Donation Campaign, Workplace Partnership for Life, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services - 2019 Platinum Recognition
• American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living: Silver
• Achievement in Quality Award Paulding Nursing Center

Wellstar Spalding Medical Center

• Designated as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Level II designation by The Joint Commission for Maternal Levels of Care
• Mission: Lifeline - NSTEMI - BRONZE by the American Heart Association
• Lown Institute Hospital Index Grades: Top 100 Civic Leadership
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center

• Georgia Oglethorpe Award (2024)
• Get With the Guidelines Rural Stroke Bronze

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center

• Georgia Oglethorpe/Florida Sterling Award
• Leapfrog A
• IAHSS Program of Distinction
• IBM Watson Health's "100 Top Hospitals"
• GHA Patient Safety & Quality Summit Awards
• Georgia Trend's List of "Top Large Hospitals"
• Emergency Cardiac Care Center Level II by the Georgia Department of Public Health
• Advanced certification as a Joint Commission Primary Heart Attack Center
• American Heart Association- Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• NSTEMI - Gold
• STEMI - Silver
• Heart Failure - Silver Plus
• Stroke - Gold Plus
• Rural Coronary Artery Disease NSTE-ACS - Silver
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Facility - GOLD
• Mission: Lifeline - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD by the American Heart Association
• Mission: Lifeline - NSTEMI - BRONZE by the American Heart Association
• Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure Silver Plus, Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• Get With the Guidelines Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Gold with Target Type 2 Diabetes
• Get With the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
• First to be recognized in Georgia as a Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• Primary Stroke Center
• Center of Excellence: Bariatric, Minimally Invasive, Robotic Surgery
• Level II designation by The Joint Commission for Maternal Levels of Care
• ANCC: Pathway to Excellence Designation
• ICU Beacon Award - Gold
• Georgia Antibiotic Stewardship - Platinum Status
• CMS: 3 stars
• CNOR Strong 2024 - 3rd Designation
• Department of Public Health - Honor Roll

Wellstar Windy Hill

• The Joint Commission National Quality Approval Advanced Total Joint Program and Respiratory Failure Program
• Georgia Oglethorpe Award for Performance Excellence
• American Nurses Credentialing Center Pathway to Excellence