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Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has earned another three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing personalized, high-quality cancer care close to home for patients in Georgia.

To achieve voluntary NAPRC accreditation, a rectal center must demonstrate compliance with the NAPRC standards addressing program management, clinical services and quality improvement for patients. Centers are required to establish a multidisciplinary rectal cancer team that includes clinical representatives from surgery, pathology, radiology, radiation oncology and medical oncology.

At Wellstar, rectal cancer patients have a multidisciplinary team on their side through every step of treatment. Each patient works with a nurse navigator to schedule appointments with specialists. Patients meet with a medical oncologist, as well as a surgical oncologist or colorectal surgeon. Imaging and lab tests are reviewed by a multidisciplinary board of rectal cancer physicians, efficiently providing patients with input from several experts in cancer care. During the course of treatment, that multidisciplinary board will continue to follow the patient and discuss the best next steps, tailoring care to fit each patient’s individual needs.

Additionally, the program at Wellstar Kennestone met standards addressing the clinical services that the rectal cancer program provides, including Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA testing), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT) imaging for cancer staging, which allow patients to start treatment within a defined timeframe. Rectal cancer programs accredited by the NAPRC undergo a site visit every three years and are also accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.  

“Our patients are surrounded by a team of experienced rectal cancer experts who provide the highest level of personalized care,” said Wellstar Surgical Oncologist Dr. Sahir Shroff, who serves as the rectal cancer program chair.  “We are proud to be the first medical center in metro Atlanta to receive this important accreditation. Our pioneering efforts to adhere to the most rigorous standards and combine the latest technologies and techniques help us achieve excellence in rectal cancer care for our patients.”

Accreditation by the NAPRC is granted only to those programs that are committed to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer. The NAPRC provides the structure and resources to develop and operate a high-quality rectal center. Accredited programs follow a model for organizing and managing a rectal center to ensure multidisciplinary, integrated, comprehensive rectal cancer services. Wellstar Kennestone earned its first accreditation in 2022.

There’s a reason the “widowmaker” heart attack got its nickname. According to the American Heart Association, the survival rate following this type of heart attack, which is caused by a blockage in the heart’s main artery, is only 12% when it occurs outside a hospital or advanced cardiac care center. But thanks to the swift response of his cardiac-nurse wife and the excellent care of his cardiovascular surgery team, Martin Hornberger is here to tell his story and offer hope to others.

The power of CPR

It was a Saturday morning in May. Martin started his day with breakfast and a cup of coffee—as he always did. He had no pain or unusual symptoms—merely some indigestion, which he managed by taking a few antacids, and fatigue that was a common symptom of his diabetes.

Aside from having diabetes, the Cartersville resident had always considered himself relatively healthy. When he wasn’t hard at work as an engineer, he spent much of his time outdoors and enjoyed staying active.

Everything changed later that day when he and his wife, Donna, left the house to see their granddaughter play tee ball. Halfway there, Martin collapsed while driving.

“I tried to tell my wife to take the steering wheel but never got the words out,” he said.

Donna, a cardiac nurse at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, jumped into action. Unable to move Martin’s foot off the gas pedal, she eventually got the truck under control by turning off the ignition. Then, using her nearly 50 years of emergency room and cardiac training, she began administering hands-only CPR. Another driver who stopped to help called 911.

While the EMTs were en route, Donna was able to revive Martin by delivering multiple rounds of chest compressions to mimic the heart’s pumping action.

“Knowing her, she didn’t even have to think about it. Her training kicked in and she just went to work,” Martin said of his wife. “She’s the hero of this whole thing.”

Determining a plan for treatment

The EMTs rushed Martin to a nearby hospital in Rome, where the cardiac team performed an emergency stent to restore blood flow in his main heart artery and get him stabilized. However, further tests revealed even more blockage that could not be treated with additional stents. Martin would need heart bypass surgery.

Donna immediately began advocating for him to be transferred to her unit at Wellstar Kennestone for surgery. She wanted the best possible care for her husband and knew the Marietta hospital was a Certified Comprehensive Cardiac Care Center—the first in Georgia and the fourth in the nation to receive this highest certification in cardiovascular care by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association.

“I knew the process; I knew the people,” she explained. “If anyone could save my husband, it was them.”

Patient-centered approach

On Wednesday evening Martin was moved to Wellstar Kennestone, where he was introduced to Dr. Richard Myung, the cardiothoracic surgeon who would be performing his coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Dr. Myung took the time to explain to Martin everything that would happen during the procedure. The surgeon’s personable demeanor and genuine empathy immediately put Martin at ease.

“He has a tremendous bedside manner—his presence in the room was comforting,” Martin said. “The smile on his face and the relaxed confidence [gave me] reassurance that things are going to work out.”

Dr. Myung works as part of a larger multidisciplinary team to provide the highest quality care to every patient, from diagnosis to surgery and through recovery. His commitment to excellence has helped Wellstar Kennestone’s cardiovascular program earn a distinguished three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its patient care and outcomes in isolated CABG. The award places the hospital among the most elite programs for heart bypass surgery in the U.S. and Canada.

Advanced techniques for improved outcomes

Martin’s case, unfortunately, was not unique for Dr. Myung. “Probably a third of our cases are bypass cases,” the surgeon explained.

CABG is regularly performed to treat people with multiple blocked coronary arteries. It involves a surgeon taking a healthy vein or artery from another part of the body (in Martin’s case, Dr. Myung used a vein from his leg and an artery from his chest wall) and attaching it to the aorta and the coronary artery above or below a blockage. This creates a new route for blood to flow around the blockage.

Although the most common approach is traditional open-heart CABG, where the heart is stopped and a heart-lung bypass machine is used, other less-invasive methods—including “off-pump” procedures, in which the heart does not have to be stopped—are sometimes an option. Dr. Myung determined that Martin could undergo an off-pump CABG, which reduces the risk of complications and often leads to a shorter hospital stay.

When the big day arrived, Martin’s procedure went smoothly, Dr. Myung reported. Thanks to his expert team and their advanced techniques, Martin was going to be okay.

Compassionate care at every step

Martin is grateful to the nursing team at Wellstar Kennestone for supporting him before, during and after his procedure.

“From beginning to end, they were attentive, encouraging [and] they coached me through each step,” he shared.

One nurse in particular made a lasting impact on Martin through his clear, comforting instructions that let him know exactly what to expect.

“Prior to the surgery, he was telling me, ‘Now, when you wake up, you’re going to have a tube in your throat. Don’t fight it. Just remember that this is part of the recovery.’ And you know, that stuck in my mind,” Martin recalled. “They had prepared me for everything I was going to face. There were no surprises, and I really appreciated that.”

Within 24 hours of his bypass surgery, Martin was out of bed and walking laps around the hospital floor with a walker. “I even heard a patient telling the nurses, ‘Tell that guy to slow down!’” he said with a laugh.

With the specialized care of his nursing team, he continued to improve daily and was discharged only four days after surgery.

“That whole place is full of heroes. They do it day in and day out,” Martin said. “They love what they do and they’re good at it. They take pride in that—and they should.”

Adjusting to a new normal

Thanks to Dr. Myung and his less-invasive techniques, Martin experienced a relatively painless recovery. Six weeks after his surgery, Martin felt well enough to return to his full-time job.

Determined to get back to life as normal as quickly as possible, Martin kept himself moving at home and also visited Wellstar Cardiac Rehabilitation in Woodstock to continue building his strength. Wellstar has one of the largest cardiac rehabilitation programs  in Georgia, which helps patients improve their long-term outcomes.

Martin will continue to monitor his cardiac wellness through regular check-ups with expert Wellstar cardiologists. The Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care ensures patients who recently had heart surgery can easily receive the follow-up care they need by offering more than 20 convenient locations across Georgia.

Martin recognizes that adjusting to life after a heart attack—and all the emotional challenges and physical limitations that come with it—will take time. For now, he is focused on making small strides every day.

“I do get tired but not as often, so I’m seeing progress in the length of time that I’m doing activities, that I’m able to sustain it longer,” Martin shared. “That’s encouraging.”

Staying the course

Without the first-rate care he received at Wellstar, Martin wouldn’t be where he is today—back to work, living an active lifestyle and surrounded by his children and grandchildren, who lovingly call him “Gramps.”

He also wouldn’t have had the chance to make a memory he would cherish forever. On a Sunday afternoon in August, Martin was selected by Wellstar to throw the opening pitch at the Atlanta Braves vs. Miami Marlins baseball game. He was joined by Donna and their family on the field at Truist Park and later enjoyed cheering on the home team alongside Dr. Myung.

“That was a huge experience in my life,” Martin said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would ever do that in my lifetime.”

Today, Martin is sharing his story to encourage others who may be recovering from a heart condition. “It does get better,” he offered. “It doesn’t happen as quickly as you want it to, but I can see it progressing.”

By recounting her husband’s experience, Donna has inspired several of her patients to consider cardiovascular procedures that could detect potential blockages. She also hopes it will influence more people to learn CPR.

“If our story can even save one life, that would mean the world to us,” she said, humbly adding, “I’m not a hero; I’m a wife that loves her husband that just so happens to be a cardiac nurse.”

Martin is all too aware that his wife’s combination of critical thinking skills, composure under pressure and cardiac training is why he is still here today. “I was lucky to have a cardiac nurse as my passenger that day,” he shared. “I am very blessed to be alive.”

Learn more about Cardiovascular Surgery at Wellstar.

Wellstar’s Comprehensive Aortic Program has identified thousands of hidden aneurysms in the past two years. The goal of the program is to help people before their conditions become life-threatening.

Aortic aneurysms are bulges in the body’s largest blood vessel. They can burst and cause severe damage or death if they become too big. Unfortunately, most people never know they have one because they are typically asymptomatic until they rupture.

However, the aortic experts at Wellstar found a way to help people before they have an emergency.

“When patients have CT scans at Wellstar for other reasons, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through them and find images of someone who may have aneurysm,” said Wellstar Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. James Ryan Burke. “That allows us to proactively contact them and bring them in if appropriate for evaluation to discuss that diagnosis.”

Since the program launch in July 2022, more than 4,700 people with aneurysms have been placed under surveillance—a protocol to monitor people who have a risk. Surveillance allows people to avoid undergoing unnecessary surgery but to know when the aneurysm grows larger and becomes a greater concern.

For people who had large, potentially life-threatening aneurysms, cardiovascular surgeons and vascular surgeons performed more than 700 advanced procedures at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center since the program began.

“These are major cardiac operations only performed in centers that offer complex aortic surgery,” Dr. Burke said. “The outcomes are best when done in experienced centers that do a high volume of procedures, like Wellstar Kennestone.”

Patient-centered aortic care

“This program is very patient-oriented. We have an excellent team of dedicated physicians at Wellstar to accomplish our mission and I think it’s very beneficial for both patients and physicians,” said Dr. Michael Corey of Vascular Surgical Associates.

The aortic program at Wellstar provides a higher level of aortic care than a patient would typically find in a local hospital. What makes the program unique is:

• The multispecialty team of aortic experts working together
• The cutting-edge AI technology used to identify patients who are unaware they have an aneurysm
• A high-tech hybrid operating room (OR) for open or minimally invasive procedures
• The latest surgical techniques and technology
• A high volume of procedures performed

“The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It runs from the heart, through the chest and abdomen and down to the legs,” said Dr. Burke. “When you have a disease process involving the aorta, it requires multiple specialties.”

Wellstar’s specialized aortic team includes cardiovascular surgeons, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

There is also a cardiac hybrid OR that brings a catheterization lab and surgery suite together in one space, making aortic aneurysm treatment more efficient and encouraging collaboration between our expert providers.

“The hybrid OR is a state-of-the-art, innovative, open operating room where patients can receive complex aortic reconstructions—procedures that have open surgery components to them—as well as endovascular (or minimally invasive) aortic reconstructions. This all can take place in one nice operating room,” Dr. Corey said.

The aortic program is part of a larger heart care program at Wellstar, based at Wellstar Kennestone, the first in Georgia and the fourth in the nation to receive Comprehensive Cardiac Care Center Certification by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association. This is the highest certification in cardiovascular care.

Learn more or schedule an appointment with an aortic disease specialist.