Wellstar Health System News

ATLANTA – Mary Chatman, PhD, RN, executive vice president (EVP) of Acute Care Operations for Wellstar Health System, was elected chair of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) earlier this month. Chatman, who has served on the GHA Board since February 2020, will lead the Board in developing strategies for GHA hospital members, advocating for the highest quality care for patients, and supporting adequate reimbursement for hospitals.

“Mary Chatman’s extensive leadership experience and skills make her well-equipped to lead our Board,” said GHA President and CEO Caylee Noggle. “She is a strong patient advocate, and her experience will serve our members well.”

Serving as a Wellstar EVP, Chatman oversees the operations of Wellstar’s 11 hospitals, post-acute services, and emergency departments. In 2020, she led the opening of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center’s new emergency department, the largest in the Southeast.

Prior to serving in her current role, Chatman was the chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital and its nursing operations. She also served as interim chief information officer for Memorial and completed the electronic health record conversion to EPIC.

In 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Chatman to the state’s Healthcare Workforce Commission, where she has helped address challenges in the hiring and retention of health care workers.

Chatman has been recognized locally and nationally as a prominent leader and strong patient advocate in health care. Atlanta Daily World recognized her among the 2018 Women of Excellence. Diversity MBA Magazine named her among the 2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive & Emerging Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her a 2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM award winner. Chatman was recognized by Atlanta Magazine among the 2021 Women Making A Mark honorees and by Becker’s as one of the 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. She was also named the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines for Cobb County, fighting COVID-19, and collaborating with local leaders.

Chatman is deeply involved in the community, serving as board member for United Community Bank and active in the fight to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

About GHA Founded in 1929, GHA serves nearly 150 hospitals in Georgia and promotes the health and welfare of the public through the development of better hospital care for all Georgia’s citizens. The mission of GHA is to advance the health of individuals and communities by serving as the leading advocate for all Georgia hospitals and health care systems. GHA represents its members before the General Assembly and Congress, as well as state and federal regulatory agencies, and is an allied member of the American Hospital Association. For more information, please call 770-249-4500 or visit gha.org.

The holidays can be challenging, especially for those struggling with mental health. Familial factors, unrealistic expectations, past trauma, and grief/loss can all play a role in why sometimes the holidays can be more stressful than joyful.

Physical and behavioral health outcomes are intertwined and provide a holistic view of our health. Physicians refer to assessing depression as “a vital sign” -- like checking blood pressure and heart rate. Considering the assessment of depression is essential for a person’s overall health status.

With nearly one in five Georgians struggling with mental illness yearly, treating mental health conditions and assessing suicide risk is a group effort between health professionals and state, local, and community partners. Wellstar’s director of adult & pediatric primary care behavioral health integration, Dr. Janna Williams-Pitts, helps us to understand why the holidays can be so stressful.

“When the stress response becomes activated due to something we are excited or concerned about, it can have a physiological and psychological impact. This occurs for those with and without a diagnosed mental health condition. The stress response, and more specifically chronic stress, can play a role in the onset of a depressive episode or the recurrence of heightened anxiety symptoms.”

Women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. In speaking with Dr. Williams-Pitts, we wanted to understand how specific risk factors like age and gender can make facing these holiday stressors more challenging.

“Research suggests that there are gender differences in the stress response due to biological factors, specifically hormonal differences. Women appear to be more likely to experience depression due to chronic stress, whereas men may be more likely to develop substance use disorders due to chronic stress. The APA completed a survey to assess for Stress in America in 2022. The results of this survey indicate that inflation, concerns about violence, and the racial climate in America are a few of the factors that contribute to differing experiences with stress for participants. Age differences emerged as well. Forty-six percent of adults under 35 reported feeling so stressed that it impacted their functioning whereas 42% of adults aged 35-44, 16% 45-64, and 4% of adults 65+ reported the same.”

People respond to stress in a variety of ways. Often, individuals can hide their symptoms from those closest to them. But we learned there are signs to look for in loved ones who might be experiencing stress blues during the holidays. Social withdrawal, increased substance use, change in hygiene/self-care, shifts in sleep, and experiencing feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and poor concentration can all be signs that chronic stress is starting to have an impact.

It's common for people to notice increased fatigue and feeling down due to less exposure to sunlight during the winter months. So, it’s only natural to wonder if environmental changes during winter months play a role in the onset of depression.

“Some people experience debilitating depressive episodes during the fall and winter months with significant improvement in the spring and summer months. When depressive episodes occur in a seasonal pattern, this is consistent with the diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder.”

Dr. Williams-Pitts added that it is “important to identify a range of meaningful, enjoyable activities to engage in during the winter months to help reduce the likelihood of worsening depressive symptoms.”

Rescheduling appointments with your behavioral health clinician before the holidays can be tempting. Still, keeping that appointment is helpful for those who experience stress during this season. It serves as an opportunity to review your stress management plan and identify meaningful coping mechanisms, which may help the holiday season go more smoothly.

If you are wondering where to turn if you need help during the holidays but don’t have a behavioral health clinician, scheduling an appointment with your primary care provider can be a great way to connect with a behavioral health clinician.

According to the American Hospital Association, “Shortages of health care workers in all roles will persist well beyond the pandemic given today’s highly competitive labor market.” To help meet this need, the Cobb County School District and Wellstar Health System are introducing high school students to healthcare careers through the healthcare pathway at the Cobb Innovation Technology Academy (CITA). CITA is an innovative Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program inside the Cobb County School District (CCSD).

Wellstar Health System and Wellstar Foundation recently awarded Cobb Schools Foundation a $2 million grant to expand the Cobb Innovation and Technical Academy (CITA) over the next five years. The CITA program is a beacon of opportunity for students seeking hands-on learning experiences and career prospects in healthcare through district, post-secondary and industry partnerships.

"This program seeks to inspire, educate, and nurture the next generation of healthcare professionals,” said David Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Wellstar. “We’re thrilled with the opportunity to help enhance the education of our community’s students and offer them rewarding career pathways."

Cobb students will have direct access to healthcare professionals from Wellstar who will make their classroom experience more practical and prepare them for their real-world jobs. All CCSD students can apply for the opportunity to enroll in CITA, which serves as one of the District’s seven magnet programs. Once enrolled, the Cobb students will be able to:

• Participate in the new Wellstar Healthcare Pathway Program
• Access cutting-edge equipment and technology
• Engage with Wellstar clinical team members and professionals before they graduate from high school
• Apply for two $2,500 college scholarships funded by Wellstar

"The Wellstar Healthcare Pathways Program will offer students exposure to training and potential job opportunities,” said Tiffany Barney, Director, CITA. “The Cobb Schools Foundation appreciates this investment in students who will go on to have careers in healthcare. It will further enhance the quality of education we provide our students in Cobb.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2022 results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Wellstar Clinical Partners (WCP) Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) helped CMS save over $16 million for the entire performance year. 
 
“These latest results from CMS clearly demonstrate how Wellstar is committed to providing world-class care for every person, every time. Our teams never waiver from that commitment – even during some of the most challenging times in healthcare,” said Dr. Alan Muster, senior vice president, Specialty Division for Wellstar Medical Group. Dr. Larry Hornsby, chairman of the board for WCP added, “At Wellstar, we all work together to keep our communities healthy. We provide the highest-quality care, at an appropriate cost, and ensure each patient has an exceptional experience while maintaining a laser focus on our caregiver well-being.”
 
Even after CMS revised its methodology for calculating the annual Quality score, Wellstar maintained a competitive rating compared to other Georgia systems that participate in the Medicare ACO. The System also saw an increase in patient satisfaction compared to 2021. The WCP Medicare ACO performed in the top 16 percent of ACOs for 2022 based on generated savings, out of more than 480 other ACOs.
 
“The health and well-being of every patient remain our top priority,” said Barbara Corey, president of the Wellstar Clinical Partners Medicare ACO. “The hard work and dedication of our WCP physicians is clearly reflected in our latest accomplishments, and we are proud of the compassionate care we consistently provide for the communities we serve.”
 
As one of the largest and most experienced ACOs in Georgia, the WCP Medicare ACO is consistently named one of the top ACOs in the country. Additionally, the ACO is the only one in Georgia to help Medicare bend the healthcare cost curve for nine of the last ten years. Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated high-quality care to their Medicare patients.
 
The WCP Medicare ACO leverages its internal resources, infrastructure, and partnerships with employed and affiliated physicians to deliver high quality, cost-effective healthcare to the communities it serves. Since 2012, the WCP Medicare ACO has been a consistent, high-quality, top performing ACO and it is among the top MSSP ACOs when measured by cumulative savings to Medicare of nearly $150 Million.

Halloween is right around the corner, and while many Georgians are planning to celebrate this year, many may have questions about how to do so safely.

Wellstar’s very own Dr. Branstetter recently shared his recommendations to minimize the risk from the triple-demic and to keep family and friends safe while celebrating holiday occasions such as Halloween by ensuring you are up to date with the latest vaccines that help prepare our immune systems to prevent illnesses. 

"Some of my patients have already elected to get both their COVID and influenza shots. I don't think there is a perfect way that we need to go through and get these vaccines. The important thing is, if they're indicated for you and you're due for a vaccine, go ahead and get those done." - Dr. Danny Branstetter, Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Wellstar Health System in the Marietta Daily Journal

Millions of people in the U.S. and around the globe, including children of all ages, look forward to the festivities of Halloween. But–lest we forget–it's virus season, and RSV, flu, and COVID-19 are still lurking in the shadows. How can we celebrate while keeping our families, friends, and neighbors safe from the community spread of these viruses, which is essential to everyone's health and well-being? Get creative and think about safety. Think "TREAT!"

Let's Trick-or-TREAT

Wellstar has created these tips for a healthy Halloween celebration while keeping in mind it's a holiday full of tricks and TREATS!

• T – TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT - Take safety precautions during the holidays, like washing your hands, spending time outdoors to help minimize close contact with others, and staying home if anyone in your family has flu-like symptoms. Making good and healthy decisions is the key to reducing exposure to viruses. 
• R – ROADWAYS - Remember to watch the roadways on Halloween! Lack of visibility from dusk into the evening while children and families are trick-or-treating can be dangerous. Watch for children in dark clothing on roadways, medians, curbs, driveways, and alleys. Consider adding reflective tape to children's costumes and never assume the right of way; just because you can see a car doesn't mean they can see you. Let's keep everyone safe this spooky season!
• E – EAT- Halloween is an opportunity to avoid being tricked by treats. Make sure children wait to return home before consuming candy, helping prevent any reactions to food allergens. Allow time for inspecting potentially tampered-with goodies, only consume factory-wrapped treats, and toss any spoiled or suspicious items. Examine treats like stickers and candy wrappers for choking hazards and monitor the amount of sugar consumed. 
• A – AVOID - Trick-or-treating alone can be a hazard; ensure a trusted, responsible adult accompanies children on their adventure. You can walk in groups or implement the buddy system in the neighborhood. Steer clear of distracted walking by staying off our phones while trick-or-treating. Avoid spooky situations and only approach homes with the porch light on!
• T – TECHNOLOGY - Whether you are looking to plan the best trick-or-treating route, watching movies, or connecting with family and friends across the miles, technology can help unite us this holiday season. If you have a household with immunocompromised members, think about hosting a virtual pumpkin-carving contest or FaceTime a kid's costume fashion show to help families have holiday fun while staying safe.

Wellstar is committed to providing high-quality, tailored and compassionate care. For more information and the latest updates on COVID-19, visit wellstar.org/COVID-19.

Wellstar Health System and Augusta University Health System (AUHS) are pleased to announce that today is our first day as a unified system. AUHS will now be known locally as Wellstar MCG Health. Together, Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health will revolutionize healthcare and enhance the well-being of communities across Georgia. This transformative partnership is set to make a significant impact on the lives of people throughout the state.

Through this partnership, we are committed to investing in cutting-edge medical facilities and infrastructure, strengthening collaborations with rural hospitals, and providing greater access to digital health services and top-notch clinical care, such as the exceptional pediatric care offered by Wellstar and Children’s Hospital of Georgia. Most importantly, we’re focused on addressing the unique needs of each person and community we serve as effectively and compassionately as possible.

Our vision doesn’t stop there. This partnership also represents a powerful alliance between Wellstar Health System, the University System of Georgia, Wellstar MCG Health and one of the nation’s best public medical schools, Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG), to propel medical education and research forward. By continuing to build on the rich legacy of MCG and creating new opportunities for more physicians to be trained in a modern clinical environment, we are addressing physician shortages in our local communities and contributing to solving this challenge nationwide.

The possibilities that lie ahead are extraordinary, and we can’t wait to expand our shared commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of the people we serve across our great state. We are forging a path toward a brighter, healthier future for Georgia and beyond.

This statement is issued jointly by:

Sonny Perdue, chancellor, the University System of Georgia

Candice L. Saunders, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Wellstar Health System

Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D., acting chief executive officer of Augusta University Health System and president of Augusta University

“This community is where we live, and when we care for our patients, we’re caring for our neighbors and friends—that’s why pursuing excellence is such a high priority,” said Steve Cermak, executive director of Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care & Hospital Operations at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “We feel it’s our duty to provide the highest level of care possible.”

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center recently earned Primary Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission.

Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, achieving Primary Stroke Center (PSC) Certification means the hospital is making exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes. It’s a signal to the community that quality of care provided meets the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.

Joint Commission-certified PSCs adhere to a set of standardized performance measures. Organizations collect monthly data for each measure in the set, and the data is then submitted quarterly to The Joint Commission.

“This important certification as a primary stroke center demonstrates our team’s commitment to a higher standard of clinical service,” says Coleman Foss, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center President. “Stroke patients can be confident in the quality and safety of care, treatment and services delivered at West Georgia Medical Center.”

West Georgia Medical Center joins Wellstar's network of other stroke-certified hospitals, including Comprehensive Stroke Centers Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar North Fulton, other Primary Stroke Centers Wellstar Cobb and Wellstar Spalding, and Remote Stroke Treatment Centers Wellstar Douglas and Wellstar Paulding.

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center is the first hospital in North America to join the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network. Adopted by the hospital’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Council, the initiative aims to help people who have disabilities that are not immediately obvious, such as visual or hearing impairments, autism, chronic pain, dementia or anxiety.

“We want to foster a sense of belonging and respect for every patient, family member and team member,” said Rev. Dr. Rhonda James-Jones, manager of Spiritual Health at Wellstar Paulding Medial Center & Nursing Rehabilitation Center. “Paired with education and other care initiatives, the Sunflower will enable every member of our team to provide the highest quality, most personal care for patients with invisible disabilities.

At the hospital, the official Hidden Disabilities Sunflower logo — a yellow sunflower on a green background — is placed on the door of a patient with a disability. The Sunflower symbol discreetly indicates to patient-facing team members that the wearer needs additional support or a little more time when a diagnosis or procedure is explained. 
“The Sunflower will help us in our efforts to honor every voice at Wellstar,” said Tricia Everitte, a Wellstar registered respiratory therapist and Sunflower program initiative lead.

Everitt introduced the effort to the hospital because she cares for people with hidden disabilities both professionally and personally.

She added, “Several nurses and other team members have shared that they have people with hidden disabilities in their lives and are proud to work at a hospital that will go the extra mile to meet their needs.”

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower has been adopted globally across all public sectors including major airports, supermarkets, entertainment and sports venues, government programs, public safety services and an increasing number of businesses, large and small.

“Our aim is to help make the invisible, visible,” said Paul White, CEO, The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. “We’re thrilled to welcome Wellstar Paulding Medical Center to the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network. As the first hospital in North America to join the Sunflower, we champion and share their drive to support people with non-visible disabilities within the healthcare sector.”

The Sunflower is another layer of support as the team at Wellstar Paulding seeks to provide high-quality healthcare to every person, every time. Patients at Wellstar Paulding also have access to whole person-centered care provided by clinically trained chaplains and pet therapists, as well as through technology such as adaptive phones and interpretation services.

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

On May 23, Wellstar Health System hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a major renovation to bring advanced cancer treatments to people in Paulding County and surrounding communities. The event was hosted at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram, Georgia, and attended by patients, physicians, healthcare leaders, team members, government officials and community partners.

“We strive to bring world-class healthcare to our neighbors every day,” said Ralph Turner, Wellstar senior vice president and president of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center. “We opened this new hospital almost 10 years ago, but that was not the finish line — just a stop on our journey. We continue to find new ways to keep pace with this community’s growth and provide the most comprehensive cancer care to this community.

Expanded capacity & new cutting-edge technology

The expansion enhances the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a TrueBeam linear accelerator — an advanced system that delivers radiation therapy. While the capacity to treat people with cancer doubled, new technology brings more cutting-edge treatments to Paulding, alongside a modernized dressing room area offering patients more space and comfort. 

“This is a dream come true after seeing the growing need for cancer treatment in this area,” said Dr. William Thoms, Radiation Oncology medical director. “The new TrueBeam allows people to stay closer to home rather than driving outside our own community for radiation therapy."

The expansion enhances the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a TrueBeam linear accelerator — an advanced system that delivers radiation therapy. While the capacity to treat people with cancer doubled, new technology brings more cutting-edge treatments to Paulding, alongside a modernized dressing room area offering patients more space and comfort.

New, advanced treatments in Paulding

Wellstar Paulding’s new linear accelerator also brings a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time.

“SBRT will transform cancer care in our community,” said Dr. Rakendu Shukla, Wellstar radiation oncologist. “In the coming months, we will roll out new treatments previously unavailable in Paulding.”

SBRT is different from conventional radiation therapy because it delivers very high, precise doses of radiation directly to tumors that are traditionally difficult to treat. It is more powerful at killing tumors, and it decreases the amount of radiation that healthy tissue is exposed to, which decreases side effects. And the treatment can be delivered over a short course of time — around 1-5 days rather than weeks or months.

The renovated space is located at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s Outpatient Pavilion at 148 Bill Carruth Parkway in Hiram, Georgia.

Pictured l-r: Don Zarkou, VP, Oncology Service Line, Wellstar Health System; Ralph Turner, SVP, Wellstar Health System, President, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer, Wellstar Health System; Dr. William Thoms, Radiation Oncology Medical Director, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Sandy Kaecher, Post II Paulding Commissioner; Nichole Rydahl, AVP, Operations, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Shawn Jackson, Manager, Radiation Oncology, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Dr. Rakendu Shukla, Radiation Oncologist, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

Physicians and team members from the Wellstar Paulding Medical Center oncology team gathered for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a major expansion to cancer services. 

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s new TrueBeam linear accelerator helps make cancer treatment more accessible to patients and brings a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time. 

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, is collaborating with CLEAR, the secure identity company, focused on optimizing Wellstar consumers’ digital and physical healthcare experiences. Wellstar will embed secure identity verification Powered by CLEAR technology to provide patients with secure and easy access to their personal health information.

Using the Powered by CLEAR platform will provide a seamless and secure experience by eliminating the need for patients to manually re-enter biographic data with each interaction. Wellstar expects the partnership with CLEAR will save patients time, reduce help desk calls and operational costs, improve security, lower fraud risk, and drive consumer adoption and engagement across the health system’s digital ecosystem.

“This exclusive partnership will open the door to new innovations that make accessing care easier and experiences curated in the moments people need them most,” said Hank Capps, M.D., FAAFP, Wellstar’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer. “As we continue to build future care models that blur digital to brick and mortar experiences, we need advanced capabilities and constant innovation. We are excited to roll-up our sleeves with CLEAR and design that future together.”

“CLEAR’s partnership with Wellstar marks another important step as we work to replace the clipboard and improve the patient experience,” said Caryn Seidman-Becker, CEO of CLEAR. ”We’re excited to power safer, easier experiences - physically and digitally - for Wellstar patients across their healthcare journey.”

Catalyst by Wellstar, a first-of-its-kind innovation company and venture firm, will support the partnership with CLEAR to accelerate innovation.

Powered by CLEAR enables frictionless confirmation of your identity and credentials to make everyday experiences safer and easier – transforming the way people live, work, and travel. Whether CLEAR’s 15 million members are networking online, visiting a doctor, checking into a hotel, renting a car, or cheering on their favorite sports team, they can frictionlessly affirm their identity with CLEAR — for free — wherever life takes them. New users can simply enroll once to verify anywhere in our Powered by CLEAR network.

In Georgia, CLEAR operates its signature expedited identity verification lane at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). CLEAR also operates a free, dedicated entry lane at State Farm Arena to help fans get into games and events faster.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, announced the grand opening of the Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center on the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center campus in Roswell, Georgia on March 27. The Center will serve as one of only two locations in metro Atlanta featuring state-of-the-art CyberKnife® technology for radiation therapy, a noninvasive treatment for cancerous and non-cancerous tumors and other conditions where radiation therapy is needed.

The Cancer Center will now offer comprehensive cancer services, including medical oncology; radiation oncology; imaging and many medical specialties from nationally recognized, expert and experienced physicians all in one convenient location.

“With this beautiful new $12 million state-of-the-art Comprehensive Cancer Center, we can offer people in our community some of the most advanced cancer treatments close to home,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president of Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. “People will be able to come to the 12,000-square-foot Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center for almost all aspects of diagnosis, staging and treatment, with surgery across the way at the hospital.”

Wellstar team members and the Roswell community celebrated the official opening of the Cancer Center last week with a ribbon cutting ceremony following ten months of construction. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the facility and Wellstar’s second CyberKnife system, newly housed at the Cancer Center.

Wellstar first began using the CyberKnife System at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in 2006 to treat conditions throughout the body and can be an alternative to surgery or for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors. CyberKnife can reduce radiotherapy timelines from the traditional eight weeks to as little as one to five days.

“We are committed to providing the best treatment options for our patients and are proud to bring the CyberKnife system to this community,” said Dr. Mark McLaughlin, radiation oncology medical director for Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. “With the state-of-the-art CyberKnife technology, we can deliver high precision radiation in fewer radiotherapy sessions with the goal of making treatment easier and improving outcomes for patients. We look forward to continuing to help patients beat cancer and celebrate their futures.”

The multidisciplinary team of cancer experts onsite will offer patients a high level of knowledge and expertise, along with compassion and hope. The multi-disciplinary physician experts at Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center include:

• Dr. Mark McLaughlin, Radiation Oncologist
• Dr. Jay Singh, Colorectal Surgeon
• Dr. Faisal Bhutta, Pulmonologist
• Dr. Greg Coffman, General Surgeon
• Dr. Arthur Grigorian, Neurosurgeon
• Dr. Sachin Lavania, Pulmonologist
• Dr. Nagender Mankan, Medical Oncologist
• Dr. Satyen Mehta, Medical Oncologist
• Dr. Scott Miller, Surgical Urologist
• Dr. Laura Pearson, Breast Surgeon 
• Dr. Theolyn Price, Thoracic Surgeon
• Dr. Fiyin Sokoya, Otolaryngologist

Learn more about Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Services.

To learn more about the CyberKnife System, please visit cyberknife.com.

CyberKnife technology

On March 8, Wellstar’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hosted a fireside chat with leaders,  Beth Kost, Kem Mullins and Julie Teer, who also serve as Executive Sponsors to our Women’s Business Resource Group.  They engaged inn an important conversation about celebrating women in the workplace.  Focusing on the national theme for Women's History Month, "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," they discussed women who have positively impacted their careers, the importance of mentorship and sponsorship, and advice they would give to female leaders of the next generation.

Kost is senior vice president and chief compliance officer of Wellstar, Mullins is executive president of ambulatory and business development, and Teer is senior vice president and president of the Wellstar Foundation. 

Women's History Month celebrates the contributions of women, past and present. President Jimmy Carter instituted the first National Women's History Week in March 1980. He said, "From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often, the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well." On March 8, we joined the world in celebrating International Women's Day and incorporate it into our month-long celebration of women's history.

Learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at Wellstar.

Watch the virtual event below.

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, Wellstar’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion partnered with the African American/Black Business Resource Group, B.R.A.V.E., to host an engaging conversation between Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, the Ford Foundation Professor of History, Race and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Dr. Hank Capps, Wellstar executive vice president and chief information and digital officer and B.R.A.V.E. Executive Sponsor. Focusing on “Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Inspiring the Future,” they discussed wrestling with the fundamental contradictions of our country’s past, addressing bias and holding unflinchingly to science and facts.

"Black History Month allows all individuals to reflect on the power of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in every facet of American culture. It is a time to understand and reflect upon Black stories of joy, pain and triumph. It is a time to come together to honor the great achievements of Black individuals, acknowledge and appreciate their many contributions to our society, both past and present, and to celebrate Black excellence," said Wellstar’s SVP and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Le Joyce Naylor.

Watch a portion of the program below.

Wellstar Health System is proud to announce that Goodr, a sustainable food waste management and hunger relief company, just unveiled Goodr Mobile Grocery Store on March 8 at Atlanta City Hall. Wellstar is proud to sponsor this 26-foot truck stocked with grocery items, including fresh produce, milk, eggs, and shelf-stable items – all for free. The truck aims to bring Goodr's signature free grocery shopping experience to food-insecure communities.

Fully kitted with refrigerators, freezers, and shelving, families will enjoy an experience much like shopping for goods at a local grocery store. Beyond that, every aspect of the Mobile Grocery Store is about access – from the wheelchair ramp to the resource room for private health screenings or social services consultation.

Wellstar’s Community Health Needs Assessments identified food insecurity as a key social determinant of health impacting the well-being of the communities we serve across the state in both 2019 and 2022. In late 2020, Wellstar joined the Goodr partner network and launched the Wellstar Mobile Markets, a uniquely branded variation of the pop-up grocery markets. The Mobile Markets have reached communities in metro Atlanta and beyond.

“I’m honored to represent Wellstar Health System, the Wellstar Foundation, and our generous donors who have helped make this vision, the Goodr Mobile Grocery Store, a reality,” said Julie Teer, SVP, Wellstar Health System, and president, Wellstar Foundation. “At Wellstar, we truly believe each and every person deserves to live their healthiest life, regardless of their circumstances. And, for a person to live their healthiest life, they need sustainable access to fresh, nutritious food.”

Wellstar is incredibly excited for this next chapter in our partnership with Goodr, and we are honored to be the exclusive healthcare partner and sponsor for this new and innovative way to serve communities.

To truly improve the overall health of our communities, it will take all of us working together to address the social determinants of health. The Goodr Mobile Grocery Store is a perfect example of what we can achieve when we work together.

Wellstar has been dedicated for the past 30 years to making Georgia a healthier place for everyone, and it is because of philanthropy that we are able to reinvest in the communities we serve. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Goodr to offer these critical resources to more people through the Goodr Mobile Grocery Store, and we are excited to see how our organizations can continue to work together to further improve the health of our communities.

This month Wellstar Health System announced it is extending its partnership with Moth+Flame to further utilize its virtual reality (VR) training technology throughout the enterprise.

Moth+Flame is an award-winning VR communication technology developer and premier enterprise-grade immersive learning provider offering innovative and adaptive learning programs for mastering technical and cognitive skills. Their platform includes content focused on emotional intelligence. When learners put on their headsets, they inhabit and interact with immersive simulated environments. They decide in the moment how to respond and see for themselves the impact their words and decisions have on others — and reflect on how to improve. Trainees receive an empathy rating score at the end of their session.

Last May, Catalyst by Wellstar led Wellstar’s first-ever VR-based leadership development training in collaboration with Moth+Flame. This was Moth+Flame’s first healthcare partnership, and the use of this technology continues to expand within Wellstar’s enterprise.

Following the training, 97% of participants recommended the virtual learning experience to others. They also reported that the training reduced their anxiety around difficult conversations by 57%. As a result of the successful pilot, Wellstar decided to offer VR emotional intelligence training regularly.

“We believe strongly that immersive learning is the future of learning and builds more confidence through practice,” said Kevin Cornish, CEO and founder at Moth+Flame. “Using virtual reality puts you inside of a difficult conversation and gives you a chance to learn in a safe simulated environment.”

The VR emotional intelligence training encourages Wellstar’s employees to build composure and gain practical experience in a highly realistic scenario by navigating difficult conversations and testing resiliency in an emotionally charged environment. This experience helps Wellstar’s workforce develop strategies to build situational awareness and prioritize composure, critical thinking and conscious emotional responses when engaging in triggering conversations.

By gaining conversational expertise and knowledge, Wellstar’s team will know how to respond in real scenarios with the confidence to interact appropriately and strategically.

“The realism within Moth+Flame's VR experiences, from using real-life actors, dramatically increases the emotional connection to the content and helps learners retain the information they learn. We are grateful for Moth+Flame's partnership in helping introduce VR to our leaders,” said Steven LeClercq, executive director of learning and onboarding at Wellstar Health System.

This use of innovation keeps Wellstar on the leading edge of training and team development, and the organization will continue to explore use cases for this technology within a clinical setting.

Wellstar Health System announced today that The Joint Commission recognized Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the most demanding stroke certification recognizing hospitals that have specific abilities to receive and treat the most complex stroke cases. With two of the eight Comprehensive Stroke Centers in Georgia, Wellstar Health System now offers stroke patients greater access to the highest level of stroke and aneurysm care. Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is also Joint Commission certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.

“For years, we have provided world-class stroke care for each and every patient when they need it most. This designation represents how hard we have worked to provide the very best quality care for patients in North Fulton County and across Georgia. We’re proud that our work and subsequent positive patient outcomes are being recognized,” said Dr. Michael Mendoza, medical director of the Stroke Program at Wellstar North Fulton.

Wellstar North Fulton’s certification allows more Georgians to have access to the most advance diagnostics and treatments for cerebrovascular disease such as stroke. This is important because Georgia is located in the Stroke Belt, which is comprised of 11 states in the Southeast where the associated mortality rate for stroke patients is 10 percent above the national average.

At Wellstar North Fulton and Wellstar Kennestone, patients have access to advanced diagnostics and therapies to care for even the most complicated strokes faster and more effectively. These include:

• Neuro Intensive Care Units –  A multidisciplinary team of physicians and nurses who specialize in neurocritical care.
• Minimally-invasive treatment – Wellstar is one of only four programs in the state that offer neuroendovascular treatment, such as minimally-invasive clot retrieval, patients can be provided with a much less invasive treatment technique.
• Cutting-edge imaging – Neurointerventional biplane imaging shows detailed, 3D views of blood vessels in the brain. This allows neurosurgeons to flip neuroendovascular cases to an open neurosurgical case when needed.
• Pioneering technology – Wellstar North Fulton was among the first hospitals in the country to use the groundbreaking Artemis Neuro Evacuation device to treat brain bleeds, a condition that was nearly impossible to treat in the past.
• Around-the-clock care – Artificial intelligence such as VizAi allows quicker identification of patients who are candidates for thrombectomy and organizes care in a connected system by quicker response to identify and provide care as quickly as possible.

“Our team of neurosurgeons, neurocritical care physicians, neuroradiologists, advanced practice practitioners and nurses work together to perform world-class thrombectomies, aneurysm treatments, carotid surgeries and cerebral bypass procedures so that patients can regain their best quality of life. Additionally, our dedicated hybrid neurovascular suite is equipped with innovative bi-plane technology. This allows neurosurgeons to view highly detailed images of brain vessels, so we as a team can customize treatments in real time,” said Dr. Arthur Grigorian, neurosurgeon, Wellstar North Fulton.

“When you have a stroke, every second counts. Getting fast, expert stroke care can mean the difference between life, death, or lasting brain damage. We are proud to receive this prestigious certification at Wellstar North Fulton, informing the surrounding community that they don’t have to go far to receive the best treatment possible. We will continue to work hard to provide an interdisciplinary, innovative, and compassionate approach to safe and quality comprehensive stroke care to all the communities we serve,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president, Wellstar North Fulton and senior vice president, Wellstar Health System.

Wellstar is a leading provider of stroke and aneurysm services in Georgia and performs one of the highest numbers of thrombectomy and aneurysm treatments in the country. The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit organization that accredits more than 22,000 healthcare organizations and programs.

Healthcare professionals are trained to work with science, data and facts. But when the pandemic hit, leaders had to grapple with working through the unknown. According to Jill Case-Wirth, senior vice president and chief nurse executive of Wellstar Health System, core tenets of leadership, such as communication, courage, and the ability to establish trust, remained constant, while other characteristics moved more clearly into focus in 2020.

“Humility rose to the forefront,” Case-Wirth said. “You had to be comfortable being able to say, ‘I don’t know, but together we’re going to figure this out … and we’re going to do the best that we can with the information we have available.’”

“We learned a lot of things during COVID about leading differently that we shouldn’t let go of now,” she said.

Case-Wirth shared that data analytics is one of those growth areas for today’s healthcare leaders. Having the ability to review data, gain consensus on the insights, and then quickly develop a plan for an actionable change management strategy is essential for future successful leaders. As a registered nurse, Case-Wirth also places an imperative on planning for the future of nursing, pioneering a career pathway program that starts as young as middle school. In addition to partnering with local universities and technical colleges, she emphasized the importance of being “thoughtful that we have these programs in diverse communities” to reach a wide student population and grow a diverse workforce for the future.

Listen to more insights on Healthcare Executive Podcast.

Case-Wirth was also featured among other healthcare leaders in the article “Leadership for Intense Times” in the November/December issue of Healthcare Executive Magazine.

Mary Chatman, PhD, RN, executive vice president (EVP) of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) on Nov. 10. Chatman, who has served on the GHA Board since February 2020, will lead the Board in developing strategies for GHA hospital members, advocating for the highest quality care for patients and supporting adequate reimbursement for hospitals. 

“Mary Chatman is a visionary leader whose vast leadership skills have benefited Wellstar hospitals and the communities they serve,” said GHA President and CEO Earl Rogers. “She is a strong patient advocate and we look forward to her expertise and leadership of our Board.”  

In addition to serving as a Wellstar EVP and president of two of the system’s hospitals, Chatman oversees the operations of the seven other Wellstar hospitals. In 2020, she led the opening of Wellstar Kennestone’s new emergency department, the largest in the Southeast.  

Prior to serving in her current role, Chatman was the chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital and its nursing operations. She also served as interim chief information officer for Memorial and completed the electronic health record conversion to EPIC.  

This year, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Chatman to the state’s Healthcare Workforce Commission, where she has helped address challenges in the hiring and retention of healthcare workers.  

Chatman has been recognized locally and nationally as a prominent leader and strong patient advocate in health care. Atlanta Daily World recognized her among the 2018 Women of Excellence. Diversity MBA Magazine named her among the 2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive & Emerging Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her a 2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM award winner. Chatman was recognized by Atlanta Magazine among the 2021 Women Making A Mark honorees and by Becker’s as one of the 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. She was also named the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines for Cobb County, fighting COVID-19 and collaborating with local leaders.   

Chatman is deeply involved in the community, serving as board member for United Community Bank and active in the fight to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

This recognition is a testament to the nearly 1,000 digital, technology, data, and innovation team members who help deliver on Wellstar’s mission of improving the health and well-being of every person served.

Wellstar Health System announced a multimillion-dollar investment to bring cutting-edge radiation therapy to Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram, Georgia on November 2, 2022.

“Our motto is ‘Neighbors Caring for Neighbors’ and these new technologies will enhance access to medical care for every neighbor in Paulding County,” said Ralph Turner, Wellstar senior vice president and president of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center. “Our team is focused on providing a patient-centric experience. Having a short drive and the comforts of home and family nearby helps the healing process.”

Breaking ground for groundbreaking radiation technology

The expansion will enhance the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a second linear accelerator — the technology that delivers radiation therapy — and is slated for completion in early 2023.

In the last year, patients received nearly 8,000 radiation treatments. The radiation oncology team often extended hours from 7 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. to accommodate patients.

During a recent press conference, a group of patients, physicians, healthcare leaders, team members, government leaders and community partners ceremonially broke ground on the major expansion of Wellstar Radiation Oncology. The facility is located on the ground floor of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s Outpatient Pavilion at 148 Bill Carruth Parkway in Hiram, Georgia.

The new machine will also bring a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time. This radiation technology uses multiple X-ray beams to treat tumors with highly precise, high-dose radiation to any location in the body, preserving surrounding tissue, organs and nerves. The technology allows patients to have significantly fewer treatment sessions.

“This is a huge step forward for cancer care for the people of Paulding County,” said Dr. William Thoms, who has served as the radiation oncology medical director for Wellstar Paulding Medical Center since 2017. “This expansion will allow people to stay in our community for more advanced treatments with shorter wait times.”

The renovation will also modernize the dressing rooms and add more space to increase patient comfort.

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

Atlanta Medical Center (AMC) has proudly served the community with compassionate healthcare for more than 100 years. It’s a legacy of service and success spanning its years as Tabernacle Baptist Infirmary, Georgia Baptist Hospital and AMC, and at Wellstar, we are honored to have been part of this story. 

We understand and share the community’s disappointment that the hospital has closed as of November 1. While the decision may have felt abrupt, it came after an exhaustive search where a national consulting firm identified a number of potential partners. However, after learning more about AMC’s infrastructure and finances, none were willing to move forward. Discussions with state, local and community officials also offered no alternate paths forward. 

Throughout the transition, we have remained focused on supporting our AMC patients and team members. Because our top priority is ensuring patient safety, we worked to thoughtfully wind down services in advance of the closure, including safely transferring the few remaining patients to other appropriate Wellstar hospitals and connecting with partners to ensure people receive the care they need. 

We are deeply grateful to the hundreds of AMC team members and clinicians who have worked hard to ensure a successful transition and for their many years of service at AMC. We are honored that nearly 75% of our more than 1,780 offers to AMC team members for new positions have been accepted, and we are grateful they will continue in their shared pursuit of Wellstar’s mission and vision. Now that the hospital has been safely closed, Wellstar will continue to secure and maintain the facility and begin a thoughtful process to determine what is next for the site.

The challenges we faced at AMC were multi-faceted and included the age of AMC’s buildings, patients using less than half of the bed capacity, lack of public support while caring for communities most in need of whole-person wellness offerings such as primary and preventive care. Compounding these issues were the intense financial pressures facing hospital systems across the country. Like many of our peers, we felt the pain of the end of government pandemic aid and the skyrocketing costs of supplies and labor. The needed investment to address these challenges was simply too great for Wellstar alone.  

As we look ahead, Wellstar will continue to build lasting partnerships that will provide people with increased access to the care they need. As the largest provider of uncompensated care in Georgia, we are proud to serve 1 in 6 Georgians in diverse communities across the region. We will continue to be there for those who need us for primary and specialized care and through our critical role in the statewide collaborative trauma network. 

Through our recently announced partnership with Southside Medical Center, Wellstar will invest $5 million in Southside’s East Point clinic to expand their size and capacity and provide greater access to much-needed primary and preventive care, among other services. This is the latest example of our long-standing commitment to partner with others to provide ongoing care to the AMC community. 

Our vision for the future requires collaboration with mission-aligned partners and with our friends and neighbors in our communities. That includes partners within and beyond the healthcare industry who can bring unique ideas and perspectives to support the health of the whole person, address the social determinants of health and expand access to world-class care when, where and how people need it. Together, we can transform healthcare to support the people we serve throughout their health and wellness journeys — not just when they are sick or injured. We can build the bold future of care Georgians need and deserve. 

Candice L. Saunders, FACHE, is the president and CEO of Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated health systems in Georgia. A former critical care nurse, she leads nearly 25,000 team members and physicians overseeing the health and well-being of communities throughout the state.

O. Scott Swayze, MD, is the chair of the Board of Trustees for Wellstar Health System. He is an accomplished orthopaedic surgeon, practicing at Pinnacle Orthopaedics and belonging to local, state and national orthopaedic associations.

 

Wellstar Health System and Southside Medical Center are announcing a new partnership to improve primary and preventive care throughout Atlanta communities. Together, the organizations will focus on expanding access to preventive, whole-person care and chronic disease support, rather than treating patients episodically when they are acutely sick or injured without guaranteed follow up.

As the first step in this collaboration, Wellstar will invest nearly $5 million toward expanding primary care services for thousands of East Point residents at Southside Medical Center’s East Point clinic located at 1100 Cleveland Ave. Through Wellstar’s investment, the Southside Medical Center clinic in East Point will expand its size, capacity and hours.

“This important partnership will create a much-needed medical home that will meet the primary and preventive care needs of the South Fulton County community,” said David M. Williams, MD, President and CEO of Southside Medical Center. “Wellstar and Southside share a vision to promote a culture of health and well-being. Building upon the initial expansion in East Point, our plan is to promote change in health status, lifestyles and health outcomes in the patients we serve through a new model of care throughout Metro Atlanta.”

The Southside Medical Center clinic is adjacent to Wellstar’s East Point Health Center (EPHC), which offers urgent care, care coordination and behavioral health services. Through this partnership, care coordinators at EPHC will support urgent care patients in developing a relationship with primary care clinicians at Southside Medical Center to support their long-term health and well-being.

“At Wellstar, we know from our experience, and we have heard from our patients and consumers that our communities have a critical need for preventive primary care health services, especially those focused on chronic illnesses,” said Candice L. Saunders, President and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “We are proud to partner with Southside Medical Center to grow access to the kind of care that matches the needs of the community and promotes the long-term health and well-being of the people we serve. This partnership represents Wellstar’s broader vision for the future of healthcare, which is focused on transformative care models that support overall community health and wellness through personalized preventive care.”

In April 2022, Wellstar transitioned the Atlanta Medical Center South hospital campus to an urgent care clinic to better match the care needs of the community. The partnership with Southside Medical Center represents the next step on this journey to create a sustainable care solution that will best serve the South Fulton County community long-term.

By expanding and enhancing the care offered through Southside Medical Center, patients will have access to family medicine, general dentistry, behavioral health services and substance abuse disorders management. Patients will also have access to Southside’s Behavioral Lifestyle Enrichment Center, which provides mental health and addiction treatment through their comprehensive Lifestyle Enrichment Treatment program to address addiction, depression, anxiety and other disorders.

Southside Medical Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that has provided care to East Point and Atlanta communities for over 55 years. As an FQHC, Southside Medical Center provides primary care access to all patients of the communities it serves, especially underserved communities. Southside Medical Center has strong ties to the community, and expanding their clinic is the right next step toward a sustainable care solution for a population that needs access to primary care, preventive and mental health services. As an FQHC, Southside Medical Center intends to provide greater access to primary and preventive health care services in addition to addressing the chronic care needs of the community through the patient-centered medical home model, which is designed to address both the clinical and social determinants of health issues which impact the healthcare and well-being of our community.

An important member of the East Point and Atlanta communities, Southside Medical Center has been nationally recognized by the National Association of Community Health Centers for having one of the best primary care delivery systems for the medically underserved.

“I look forward to the incredible impact this clinic will have on the lives of the patients and families we serve,” Dr. Williams said. “The expansion in East Point is just the beginning of an impactful partnership with Wellstar that I’m confident will meaningfully improve the health of our friends and neighbors throughout our region.”

As these groups move forward with this exciting partnership, Wellstar and Southside Medical Center will continue to work in collaboration with East Point Mayor Deana Ingraham, and we look forward to sharing more about this exciting next step.

Wellstar is dedicated to serving our communities with high-quality care that’s conveniently located and accessible when it is needed most. 

Several Wellstar facilities have been recognized in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings for providing world-class care in a variety of specialties, including cardiology, neurology and cancer care. Hospitals ranked as high-performing in an area of care are in the top 10 percent in the country.

Our team is grateful to be recognized for our care and looks forward to continuing our mission to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. To learn more about care at Wellstar, call (770) 956-STAR (7827). 

Wellstar Cobb Medical Center was recognized as high-performing in treating:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Heart attacks
• Kidney failure
• Strokes

Wellstar Douglas Medical Center was named high-performing in treating:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Kidney failure
• Pneumonia
• Strokes

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center was ranked 32nd in the nation for rehabilitation services and the hospital ranked ninth in the state overall. It was also named a Best Regional Hospital and was recognized as high-performing in the following procedures and treatments:

• Heart bypass surgery
• Congestive heart failure
• Colon cancer surgery
• COPD
• Diabetes 
• Heart attacks
• Hip replacement
• Kidney failure
• Knee replacement
• Lung cancer surgery
• Prostate cancer surgery
• Strokes

Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center was recognized as high-performing in treating:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Strokes 

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center was named high-performing in care for:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Hip fractures
• Kidney failure
• Pneumonia

Wellstar Spalding Medical Center was recognized as high-performing in treating:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Strokes

Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center was named high-performing in treating:

• Congestive heart failure
• COPD
• Kidney failure
• Pneumonia

Wellstar Douglas Hospital recently attained advanced certification as a Primary Heart Attack Center (PHAC) by The Joint Commission and The American Heart Association. This means the hospital offers patients the next generation of cardiac care.

“Our cardiac experts in Douglas County are dedicated to doing what is best for the patient,” said Dr. Joshua M. Willis, Medical Director of Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Wellstar Douglas Hospital. “The Joint Commission certification shows that our cardiac program is designed to help people having heart attacks receive the fastest, most evidence-based care.” 

Wellstar Douglas Hospital has 24-hour-a-day coverage to treat heart attacks. The hospital’s team communicates with first responders, so patients can get diagnosed and treated as fast as possible upon arrival at the hospital by ambulance. 

“Everything we do is centered around giving each person the best chance for positive outcomes,” Dr. Willis said.

The hospital’s team aims to get patients diagnosed fast by performing cardiac tests within 10 minutes of arrival at the hospital. For patients who need surgical intervention, Wellstar Douglas Hospital’s interventional cardiologists perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) — a minimally-invasive procedure that restores blood flow to the heart — within a 90-minute-window. 

According to Gene Morris, Director of Cardiac and Vascular Services, the cardiac team has performed 2,500 PCIs since the program launched in 2012.

Wellstar Douglas Hospital is also designated as an Emergency Cardiac Care Center (ECCC) Level II by the Georgia Department of Public Health. 

To learn more about Wellstar Douglas Hospital, please visit the hospital webpage.  

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, has hired Susan Grant as executive vice president and chief experience officer. Grant will begin her role on July 1 and will be focused on creating holistic, curated experiences that power the continued development and growth of Wellstar’s system of care. She will work closely with Dr. Hank Capps, Wellstar’s Chief Information and Digital Officer, as well as operations leaders across the system to advance digital experience and integration to enhance care model innovation.

"Wellstar Health System has made significant drives to remain on the cutting edge of medical service through our care and dedication to patient experience. Initiatives and programs that define our care often involve addressing the unique needs of each patient and community to be both as effective and compassionate as possible," said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. "The more advances we make in the field of medical technology, the more effort we must give to unify these innovations into a holistic experience that benefits not only our patients, but our doctors, nurses, and practitioners as well. Grant’s highly knowledgeable background will help us define and develop that experience across our system."

Grant has operated in healthcare for over 30 years. Her wealth of experience in various roles such as Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Beaumont Health in Detroit, Michigan, has led to incredible achievements, including leading the nursing practice of over 10,000 nurses across all care settings and overseeing successful Magnet redesignation of two hospitals. In addition, she helped secure the initial designation of four of eight hospitals in the system at that time. 

Grant received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University, a Masters in Psychiatric/Community Mental Health Nursing from the University of South Carolina and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Georgia. She is currently the chair-elect of the Building Health Systems Excellence expert panel with the American Academy of Nursing, is a member of the Nurse Executive Council for The Beryl Institute and serves on the Board of Directors for the Daisy Foundation Board.

Existing Wellstar Health System programs such as Catalyst by Wellstar, the Wellstar Clinical Partners Program, and the Hospital Quality & Efficiency Program are key components of Wellstar’s dedication to Patient Experience. By increasing the systems, programs, and access to critical care needs, world class technology and care, and highly skilled staff and care practitioners, Wellstar continues to grow its ability to provide both meaningful care outcomes as well as world class care that matters – PeopleCare. 

These programs and partnerships have revolutionized the way our patients and our staff engage with medical treatment, from enhanced training techniques, to employee wellness centers dedicated to mental health, to additional family support for hard-working professionals within the system.

UnitedHealthcare and Wellstar Health System have reached a multi-year agreement that restores network access to Wellstar’s clinicians, hospitals, health parks and clinics for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare Advantage plans, effective July 1, 2022. The agreement also expands access to Wellstar Clinical Partners, skilled nursing facilities, home health and hospice care.

UnitedHealthcare members can begin scheduling appointments with Wellstar today through MyChart or by calling their clinician’s office. For more information, call 770-956-STAR (7827).

“We know how important it is for patients to have local access to high-quality care from the doctors and hospitals they know and trust,” said Candice L. Saunders, President and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “This agreement will offer expanded access and more convenient options for patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance.”

“The care that Wellstar provides to our members is important and personal to them,” said Junior Harewood, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Georgia. “Our top priority throughout this negotiation has been ensuring the people and employers we’re honored to serve in Georgia have access to quality, more affordable health care, and this new agreement helps accomplish that goal.”

Wellstar’s mission is to enhance the health and well-being of every person they serve and provides access to compassionate, high-quality care to 1 in 6 Georgians through 10 hospitals, 300+ medical office locations, 9 cancer centers, 74 rehabilitation centers, 3 hospice facilities, 1 retirement village, 34 imaging centers, 18 urgent care locations and 5 health parks.

In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare serves nearly 1.2 million people through a network of more than 150 hospitals and nearly 35,000 physicians and other care providers.

As Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center celebrates our 72nd birthday, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve our growing community. We also are very grateful for the ongoing partnership and support our community affords us as we continue to evolve and grow to meet the changing healthcare needs of patients and families. This year has been a true testament of excellence in the quality of care we provide at Kennestone. Even through the challenges that the past several years imposed upon us, we have led by taking care of each other, our patients and our communities. 

We are honored to continue to be recognized alongside Wellstar and its network of award-winning hospitals as we worked hard, together, to exceed the national standards of care. Among the awards and distinctions bestowed to Kennestone were the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer, a first for Wellstar; Stroke Gold Plus award from the American Heart and American Stroke Associations; the very coveted Georgia Oglethorpe award; and several disease specific re-designations through The Joint Commission.     

Our Vision: To deliver world-class healthcare to every person, every time.

This year also brought a meaningful opportunity to continue to support our commitment to growth by preparing for the enabling work of a new, state-of-the-art bed tower. This new tower replaces the Baird building on campus and allows us to expand our patient care capabilities. The new tower is expected to be complete by late 2025 and open in 2026. In the meantime, we are engaging with our front line team members, providers, patients and a neighborhood advisory council and listening to their specific needs and desires as we consider this building’s amenities. Among such sought-after features will be private patient rooms. 

Additionally, the tower will offer:

• Expanded and state-of-the-art Neonatal ICU
• Expanded, all-private cardiovascular and neuro care services 
• Rooms designed specifically for patient, family and healthcare provider comfort and functionality 
• New kitchen, cafeteria and in-room dining services 
• And much more

All of this will be enabled by technology to ensure the expertise housed within the tower is accessible to everyone. Sustainability is also a key factor as we finalize the tower’s design and materials.

Innovation

Technology continues to be a priority area for innovation in the healthcare industry and at Kennestone Medical Center. For example, in 2021, we opened a new Hybrid CVOR which enables us to offer advanced cardiovascular operations and procedures with the most up-to-date technology available.  Additionally, we have a Neuro Robot in the Vascular Institute and a a Cardiac Robot in the Cath Lab. These robots offer more precise tools for delicate procedures and assist surgeons with life-saving techniques, while also offering additional safety to physicians by reducing their exposure to radiation. This very exciting robotic technology also presents a tremendous opportunity for impact in the future. Robotics will enable our world-class physicians to leverage their expertise and expand our care to rural areas by assisting with operations remotely.

As we advance our mission through deploying a refreshed strategic plan, we look forward to innovating new care models to serve our patients, leveraging digital innovation and heavily investing in ambulatory spaces in order to increase our primary care footprint for easy access to care.  

Our Mission: To enhance the health and wellbeing of every person we serve.

We learned a tremendous amount about disease crises as we watched how this hospital and the entire U.S. healthcare system pivoted to the dedicated care of Covid. In spite of the profound toll the pandemic had on employees everywhere, we remarked at the resiliency of our workers and clinical excellence of our providers and caregivers. We cannot thank you enough for the overwhelming show of support you gave our teams during that time. You nourished their minds and hearts and helped them thrive through incredibly challenging times. 

Kennestone’s birthday and our new fiscal year represents a renewed hope in our journey, together, as our country continues to heal, grow and move past the devastating effects of Covid. It is more important than ever to stand in support of one another and continue to invest in resources for our staff. As the health and wellness of our teams continues to be of utmost importance, we continue to work with our staff to implement new and expanded employee programs, including wellness rooms and relief perks as a way to renew and refresh. Health equity also remains a priority. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team is dedicated to providing each team member with resources including book study groups, dialogue forums, videos and other tools which optimize technology resources for learning aimed at honoring every voice and ensuring equitable care to our patients and their families. This is a theme we carry through our community involvement, as well. 

We remain excited to welcome new hires to Kennestone and Wellstar, especially new graduates who have chosen our medical center as their first clinical site. You are the reason we do what we do. We pledge to never stop striving to improve your health and wellness and remain committed to advancing care. Thank you for the trust you place in us to serve you and your loved ones. We are grateful to be your care provider of choice. 

Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated health systems in Georgia, has selected Workday as their technology partner for finance, human resources and supply chain. Workday’s online platform will expand Wellstar’s ability to efficiently engage team members through improving how they gather information, distribute information throughout the system and improve existing operations. Wellstar’s continued investment in advanced tools is a part of its broader enterprise strategy that will power our transformation to a more digitally empowered workforce.

“As we look toward our health system's future, how we invest in our people is going to become more important than ever. With the integration of Workday, we will enable our staff to work more efficiently so that they can focus on what matters most – their patients,” says David A. Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Wellstar. “Our people are at the center of everything we do. We must care for them so that the best people choose to work and stay here.” 

Nationally recognized for quality care and as a top employer of choice, Wellstar is committed to continuing to improve patient outcomes and the caregiver experience led them to evaluate new solutions for core administrative functions. Wellstar strives to make the workplace better for everyone who serves, and in doing so they continue to build upon the momentum of their digital transformation, helping to secure recent recognitions such as being honored with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's (HIMSS) Stage 7 validation for its continuous efforts to improve patient outcomes through technological advancements. Stage 7 is the highest ranking an organization can receive, with less than 10% of hospitals nationwide recognized at this level. Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia to achieve this systemwide designation. This expanded capability will increase the communication and performance of team members as the organization continues its digital transformation across all facets of care. By designing the system with best practices and the caregiver in mind, Wellstar will continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of employees and patients. 

“We are thrilled Wellstar has joined our growing Workday healthcare customer community. We look forward to helping Wellstar achieve their goals, learning from their extraordinary team and welcoming them into our customer forums as we partner together to help advance the future of healthcare," said Deana Kraft, Global Head, Healthcare at Workday.

With over 25,000 team members, 10 hospitals and more than 300 medical practice offices, Wellstar serves more than 1.7 million patients annually. Workday will provide Wellstar team members with an enhanced experience through greater accessibility and self-service capabilities ultimately reducing team member administration time so the team can focus on what matters – patient care. 

Wellstar Health System is shaping the future of leadership training and development through an initial training program with Moth+Flame, an award-winning virtual reality (VR) provider and technology studio. 

On May 18-19, 2022, Catalyst by Wellstar, the health system's global digital health and innovation center, along with Wellstar Leadership Development and Moth+Flame hosted the health system's first-ever VR-based leadership development training, focused on emotional intelligence. Across the two days, more than 100 Wellstar leaders participated in an immersive, VR-powered learning experience to prepare them to lead their teams through ongoing change in the healthcare industry. 

"Partnering with Moth+Flame is an opportunity for us to gain a deeper understanding of how virtual reality can impact the way we care for and engage with our patients, consumers and each other," said Hank Capps, M.D., FAAFP, Wellstar's executive vice president and chief information and digital officer. "Our team members are essential in creating curated healthcare experiences, and we hope this initial training will showcase how VR technology can help our team be even more effective, compassionate and culturally competent leaders."

Studies show virtual reality learners learn four times faster than traditional methods and are 275 percent more confident to act on their training. This initial training aims to validate these numbers with a select group of Wellstar's clinical and leadership teams to elevate the organization's leadership development programming. At the end of the two-day training, Wellstar measured an increase in levels of confidence in the material learned and 97 percent of participants reported they would recommend this training.

"We've seen that investment in high quality training can improve retention across all industries," said Kevin Cornish, Founder and CEO of Moth+Flame. "By training in a simulated life-like environment, our product offers employees immersive training that helps them feel more confident. The metrics in Wellstar's launch show a continued trend that virtual reality is proving to be one of the most effective tools for professional development." 

"Virtual reality and other technologies can open the door for us to take our leadership and team development to the next level," said Laura Dannels, Wellstar's chief talent officer. "These outcomes show us what's possible when we think outside of the box and embrace solutions from across industries. Our goal is to support our leaders as they guide their teams in creating exceptional consumer and team member experiences."

Unlike most typical VR experiences, Moth+Flame leverages real people instead of virtual avatars, which helps provide a more profound, meaningful experience for the end users. During the session, Wellstar leaders used headsets and iPads to immerse themselves in scenarios designed to prepare them to guide their teams through moments of change. This video describes more about the training.

"This 30-minute VR training on emotional intelligence was more effective and comprehensible than two full days of in-person training," said Michael Collins, Wellstar team member and participant.

Catalyst by Wellstar and Moth+Flame were connected through Engage, a first-of-its-kind collaborative innovation and corporate venture platform. Engage brings together industry-leading corporations, enterprise startups and universities with the shared mission of elevating Atlanta and the Southeast as a leading technology and innovation hub. Wellstar is proud to be the only healthcare organization to partner with Engage as the health system works to create new solutions to transform health and well-being.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, announced yesterday it will open the Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center in early 2023 on the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center campus in Roswell, Georgia. The Center will also serve as one of only two locations in metro Atlanta featuring state-of-the-art CyberKnife® technology for radiation therapy.

Located at 4500 Hospital Blvd., the Cancer Center will offer comprehensive cancer services, including nationally-recognized, expert and experienced physicians; medical oncology; radiation oncology; imaging and many medical specialties all in one convenient location. Oncology surgery will continue to be performed at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital, on the same campus. 

“Wellstar North Fulton has been delivering expert, compassionate cancer care and support to North Metro Atlanta residents for many years,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president of Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. “Our expansion of cancer services enables patients to receive the most advanced and robust offering of treatments available to beat cancer – close to home.”

Wellstar Health System supports people with cancer throughout their journeys, from early screening to diagnosis to treatment. However, our encouragement and dedication to delivering world-class, compassionate care doesn’t end in remission.

Across our system, Wellstar honors the bravery and strength of survivors every day, rejoicing in each milestone. This National Cancer Survivors Day, we are proud to pay tribute to people who have conquered cancer while offering hope to those still fighting.

This year’s Cancer Survivors Day theme, “There’s No Place Like Hope,” exemplifies Wellstar’s commitment to being a steadfast source of encouragement for cancer survivors and fighters across Georgia.

“Cancer Survivors Day is a true celebration of life, healing and hope for the future. The special moment allows us to pause, reflect and cherish victories over cancer. It also gives an outpouring of support to people currently diagnosed with the disease — that way, they know they are never fighting alone,” shared Nicole Centers, executive director of the oncology service line & nurse leader at Wellstar Health System.

Several Wellstar facilities will host Survivors Day events — and you can be a part of the celebration.

• Wellstar Kennestone Hospital – Hosted at Wellstar Acworth Health Park on Saturday, June 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. To RSVP, call (877) 366-6032 and select option 0.


• Wellstar Douglas Hospital – This is a drive-through event hosted at 6002 Professional Pkwy in the medical office building behind Wellstar Douglas Hospital on Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.


• Wellstar Cobb Hospital – Hosted at the Wellstar Cobb Hospital Cancer Center parking lot on Monday, June 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To RSVP, send an email to [email protected].


• Wellstar Paulding Hospital – Hosted at Veterans Memorial Park located at 240 Constitution Boulevard in Dallas, GA on Sunday, June 5 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.


• Wellstar North Fulton Hospital – Hosted at the Wellstar North Fulton Hospital campus on Sunday, June 5 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. To RSVP, send an email to [email protected].


• Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center – Hosted at the Wellstar Enoch Callaway Cancer Center parking lot on Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. To RSVP, send an email to [email protected].

Learn more about how Wellstar is fighting cancer in Georgia.

The Wellstar Foundation has joined the Literacy and Justice for All initiative, a coalition of leading organizations such as the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, United Way, Atlanta Speech School Rollins Center and Marietta City Schools — all committed to ensuring youth have the literacy skills needed to succeed in life. The goal of the program is ensuring that every child can read by third grade and has a foundation for growth in literacy.

Georgia ranks 41 out of 50 states for literacy*. According to the COX Campus, literacy is strongly correlated to zip code, race and ethnicity. The disruption in education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened the need for childhood literacy programs to ensure no child is left behind. 

“We are honored to join this effort in creating a connected ecosystem with schools and early childhood educators to enhance literacy and create a national model that can be expanded to serve and support our country’s youth,” said Julie Teer, senior vice president of Wellstar and president of the Wellstar Foundation. 

Through a grant from the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and its affiliated OB/GYN and pediatrics offices will implement the Talk With Me Baby program and be part of a literacy ecosystem dedicated to healthy brain development for children. 

The team at Kennestone will collaborate with families of babies born there to teach about the importance of building language from an early age. Families will be prepared with the resources needed to improve their child’s “language nutrition.”

According to the Talk With Me Baby program, families can teach their child basic language skills by using loving words, eye contact and facial expressions, as well as repeating words and phrases. Families can partner with their child’s Wellstar care team to learn more about how to engage with their children, and Wellstar clinical and nursing teams will be trained as Talk With Me Baby coaches.

This support will continue at pediatric patient visits as Wellstar partners with families of children from birth through the age of five to promote literacy. Talking, reading, playing and singing together help even the youngest children establish these skills.

Through philanthropy and community partnerships, the Wellstar Foundation fuels innovation and action to address the vital needs of diverse communities in Georgia. Philanthropic contributions are transforming healthcare and improving access for all within four focus areas: health equity, behavioral health, innovation and workforce. The Foundation’s participation in the Literacy and Justice for All initiative combines innovative techniques for early childhood development with health equity endeavors to ensure all parents are equipped with the knowledge to raise thriving children and improve their quality of life.

Teer says, “As a not-for-profit health system, our passion for people extends beyond the walls of our care sites and into the diverse communities we serve. Through collaboration with our partners, we are creating pathways for success to improve the health and well-being of all Georgians with the aim of creating a healthier state for everyone now and in the future.”

To learn more or make a tax-deductible donation, visit wellstar.org/give. If you’re preparing for the arrival of a new family member, learn more about prenatal care at wellstar.org/womenshealth. To find a pediatrician to keep your child healthy, visit wellstar.org/kidcare.  

*Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

The Wellstar Foundation raised more than $900,000 toward combating the behavioral health crisis facing Georgia during its 23rd annual Starlight Grand Gala on April 23 at The St. Regis Atlanta. 

Sponsored by ApolloMD and Bank of America, the black-tie event was emceed by Condace Pressley, Director of Community and Public Affairs at WSB-TV, and included a cameo video from Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, both of whom were born at Wellstar’s flagship hospital in Marietta, Georgia, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center.

Atlanta Hawks Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins also energized the sold-out crowd by hopping on stage to add two tickets to the auction for NBA playoff game four between the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. Wilkins, who partners with Wellstar as a health ambassador, also shared impassioned words on destigmatizing mental health and how it has impacted his own family. 

This message was echoed by Wellstar physician leaders Dr. Ryan Breshears, Chief Behavioral Health Officer, and Dr. Avril Beckford, Chief Pediatric Officer, who have witnessed firsthand the concerning rates of substance use, anxiety, depression and suicide among adults and youth rapidly increase throughout the pandemic. 

Julie Teer, Wellstar Foundation President, said, “The Gala was a monumental step in helping our Wellstar Foundation bolster collaboration among healthcare workers, community providers, and private and public sectors to enhance the well-being of every community we serve; this includes a pivotal philanthropic focus on behavioral health which is needed now more than ever. Caring for one-in-six Georgians, Wellstar is not only uniquely positioned but committed to transforming healthcare for everyone in Georgia through corporate and community partnership.” 

Kim Gresh, Owner and President of S.A. White Oil Company, Inc., was celebrated as Philanthropist of the Year and David Bottoms, President at The Bottoms Group and Chair of the Wellstar Foundation Board of Trustees, was presented with the Exemplary Service Award.

As one of the largest and most integrated not-for-profit health systems in Georgia, Wellstar is the state’s largest safety net health system and was recently ranked among Modern Healthcare’s top 10 providers for charity care in the nation. 100% of Gala proceeds support Wellstar’s commitment to expand behavioral health services across its 11 hospitals and every community it serves. To make a tax-deductible donation or for information on future Foundation events and corporate partnerships, visit wellstar.org/foundation.  

Access to care close to home is something many take for granted until that care is no longer available. Georgia’s rural hospitals provide critical care to residents when and where they need it. However, industry shifts and economic challenges have forced many rural hospitals to close their doors, forcing millions of people to commute — some for hours — to receive the care they need. 

Recognizing this strain on rural hospitals and the communities they serve, the Georgia legislature launched the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit program. Through this program, Georgia taxpayers receive a 100% state income tax credit on contributions made to qualifying rural hospitals such as Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital. 

Dollars making a difference

As in past years, contribution limits will be removed on July 1, 2022. Given recent enhancements and increased interest, the program is anticipated to reach its $60 million cap soon after the contribution limits are removed, making now a pivotal time for Sylvan Grove donors to pre-register for unlimited contributions. By registering your contribution early, you help ensure facilities like Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital receive the assistance they need.

Starting May 16, 2022 at 9 a.m., our administrative partner — Georgia HEART— will accept pre-registrations to be loaded on a first-come-first-serve basis once the limits are removed. The Wellstar Foundation is offering to assist Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital contributors with this pre-registration process. Contact the Foundation at [email protected] for assistance or click here to pre-register directly with Georgia HEART on May 16, 2022.

Since 2016, Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital has received a total of $10 million through this program. As facilitated through the Wellstar Foundation, every dollar has accelerated critical upgrades, including a full renovation of the hospital’s emergency department, radiology department expansion and leading-edge innovation, such as advanced CT scanning technology, that enhances physicians’ abilities to make better-informed medical decisions.

Providing PeopleCare

Advancements in treatments and technology benefit the residents of Butts County — patients like Mary “Lee” Nelson, a retired Butts County teacher who turned to Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation center for post-surgical physical therapy. The outpatient center was recently renovated with state-of-the-art equipment made possible through tax credit program contributions.

The former elementary grade teacher spends her retirement days traveling with her husband Bill, tending to her flower gardens and caring for her chickens. With such an active lifestyle, when Lee learned that she needed a knee replacement in 2021, she knew her local hospital would be able to provide the high-quality, compassionate care needed to get her back on her feet safely and quickly. Now, a few months after completing her physical therapy, Lee shares that she “feels normal again” and able to enjoy all the things that once brought her life so much joy.

How you can help

Through corporate and community partnership, the Wellstar Foundation is fueling innovation and action to address the vital needs of diverse communities in Georgia, including urban, suburban and rural communities. Wellstar is committed to delivering world-class healthcare to everyone close to home. Philanthropic support of the Wellstar Foundation is advancing innovation and expanding resources to create a healthier Georgia for all. To learn more, visit wellstar.org/foundation or contact the Wellstar Foundation at (770) 956-GIVE (4483).

As technology and healthcare are both rapidly evolving, Wellstar is leading the way in forging partnerships and fostering collaboration to find creative solutions. 

The Wellstar Foundation’s Healthcare Innovation Series brings together thought leaders, community partners and industry experts to discuss the future of healthcare and how to better serve Georgians. The most recent virtual event focused on workforce development, a long-standing challenge for many industries, including healthcare.

The event, titled “Building a Healthy Healthcare Workforce,” was hosted by Wellstar President and CEO Candice Saunders, Julie Teer, senior vice president of Wellstar and president of the Wellstar Foundation, and David Jones, Wellstar’s executive vice president and chief human resources officer.

By the year 2030, Georgia could face a shortage of 50,000 nurses. The demand for providers is increasing faster than the pipeline of new healthcare professionals, and the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new complications and challenges. To ensure that future generations of Georgians have access to high-quality care from expert providers, Wellstar and its community partners are dedicated to making progress in workforce development.

“Confronting these challenges and creating equitable access to care requires a healthy, strong and long-term pipeline of healthcare professionals,” Teer said during the event. “Bolstering our pipeline is critical for the economic prosperity of our local economies and to addressing deep-seated inequities in health.”

Keynote panelists and breakout session leaders included:

• Sharon Mason, president and CEO of Cobb Chamber of Commerce
• Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
• Chris Pumphrey, president of Elevate Douglas Economic Partnership
• Nancy Flake Johnson, CEO of Urban League of Greater Atlanta
• Jill Case-Wirth, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Wellstar
• Brandi Allen, assistant vice president of graduate and undergraduate medical education at Wellstar
• Natalie Jones, executive director of workforce development at Wellstar
• Laura Dannels, chief talent officer at Wellstar

Attendees heard about workforce development challenges and how Wellstar and its partners are working to address them — through solutions like engaging youth in career exploration opportunities, forging partnerships with postsecondary academic institutions, and creating a positive, inclusive environment for team members.

Learn more about the Wellstar Foundation and how its strategic initiatives, which include workforce development, can transform healthcare.

As Wellstar continues to invest in providing quality health care in our communities, primary care patients can now receive care at the new Wellstar GME Internal Medicine Clinic – which also serves as a residency clinic for physicians in Training. Located at 747 South 8th Street, Suite B in Griffin, the clinic, along with the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a ribbon-cutting event on April 26 at 12 pm.

The GME Internal Medicine Clinic is dedicated to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care to people in the community. “We are your partners in providing whole-person care offering prevention strategies to help you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr. Ashok Kumar Kanugula. “This may include routine checkups, managing chronic diseases, immunizations (influenza, tetanus) and age-appropriate screenings (bone density, blood panels), as well as treatment for acute issues, such as abdominal pain and respiratory infections. We can also provide information about nutrition, exercise and mental health.”

The clinic accepts a range of payment options and has established relationships with a variety of health insurance carriers. And to better serve the community, the clinic delivers services to those in need through Wellstar’s Financial Assistance Program.

In addition to providing care for patients, the clinic serves as a graduate medical education (GME) facility, training resident physicians. Residents will begin training at the clinic in July.

Wellstar Health System is proud to announce it's been honored with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's (HIMSS) Stage 7 validation for its continuous efforts to improve patient outcomes via technological advancements. Stage 7 is the highest ranking an organization can receive. With less than 10% of hospitals nationwide recognized at this level, Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia to achieve this systemwide designation, covering all of its 10 hospitals and nearly quadrupling the number of facilities with this designation across the state. Wellstar's five health parks and more than 300 outpatient facilities also received this distinction.

Wellstar was recognized as Stage 7 in both the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) and the Outpatient Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (O-EMRAM) categories. HIMSS, the world's leading non-profit advocacy and accrediting organization in the healthcare IT industry, conducted a comprehensive review of Wellstar's technology advancements in information governance and compliance, IT security tools and controls, and identity access and management. National rankings are evaluated based on healthcare technology adoption within the organization on a scale from zero-to-seven, with zero being completely paper-based and seven being a fully electronic implementation across all health records and associated tools within the organization.

"Receiving this Stage 7 designation from HIMSS is validation of our fierce commitment to digital technology that benefits our patients. We are honored to be recognized for our dedication to implementing technology solutions that provide better outcomes for patients and improve overall effectiveness in quality of care," said Sandra Lucius, RN, MSN, vice president, Head of Care Platforms, Wellstar Health System. "As technology continues to advance, innovation to solve problems and seize opportunities will evolve and impact how healthcare is delivered and used. Wellstar will continue to transform healthcare through mission-driven technology innovation."

One example of technology innovation that contributed to Wellstar's receipt of the HIMSS validation is its clinical quality improvement ERAS program (enhanced recovery after surgery) proven to help post-surgery colorectal cancer patients. The combined efforts of Wellstar's care teams and patients as part of the ERAS program proved a significant 24% reduction in 30-day readmissions, a 61% reduction in pain medications used, and a patient satisfaction rate of 99%.

The organization will be recognized at the 2023 HIMSS Annual Conference & Exhibition April 17-21, 2023, at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

Each year a diverse group of artists, entrepreneurs and technologists join policy and business thought leaders from around the globe in Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest conference and festival. This broad intersection of perspectives and personalities has proven to be fertile ground for big ideas to take root and thrive.

It is within this context that Wellstar Health System participated in the Health & Med Tech track to share how using immersive sound technology in a series of wellness rooms is helping frontline healthcare workers reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. This initiative is the result of a partnership between award-winning immersive audio company and software service Spatial, and Catalyst by Wellstar, Wellstar’s global digital health and innovation center.

During the panel, "Redefining Healing Experiences with Sound," Dr. Hank Capps, executive vice president and chief information and digital officer at Wellstar, shared how impactful the wellness rooms have been to frontline healthcare team members.

"The idea of bringing immersive sound into the wellness rooms and inviting team members who were in the midst of stress, in the midst of a battle, was one of the ways we believed we could make a difference. We went live with the wellness rooms earlier this year to unexpected success and utilization, beyond what we could have pictured," said Dr. Capps.

To help make this impact, the team was challenged to find ways to foster a calming environment without the use of screens, such as TVs. During a 12-hour shift of the near-constant monitoring of vital signs and patient records on computers and mobile devices, screens were something the team was looking to subtract, not add. This insight led to the innovative use of immersive sound technology invisibly imbedded within the walls of the wellness rooms. Team members can choose from a variety of soundscapes and transport themselves virtually to a calm beach, a rainforest with birds gently chirping, or to the bottom of the ocean.

The evidence-based use of sound/music to reduce stress and anxiety is well-documented but patients and consumers are largely unaware of it. In fact, a recent nationwide survey revealed that while only 28% of respondents were aware that sound/music is being used in targeted ways to improve physical and mental well-being, 73% were open to incorporating it as a therapy.

Increasing awareness could help this technology achieve wider adoption. With this pilot project, Wellstar became the first health system to incorporate immersive audio technology with Spatial in a clinical setting.

The response from team members has exceeded expectations.

The four wellness rooms equipped with Spatial technology have been used thousands of times in just over one month of operation. Initial data and anecdotal evidence suggest this component of the wellness rooms is particularly useful in helping Wellstar team members reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. As more is learned from this pilot, the team hopes to expand the use of this technology in patient-facing settings such as labor and delivery rooms or emergency department waiting areas.

Catalyst by Wellstar defines leading-edge, transformative solutions that enhance the health and well-being of people and communities with world-class results and impact. It is particularly meaningful that one of Catalyst’s first pilot projects is enhancing the well-being of people who have given so much of themselves in the service of their communities throughout the pandemic—Wellstar team members.

Frontline team members now have a place to reflect, refuel and recharge at work, funded by the Wellstar Foundation, with innovative technology provided by Catalyst by Wellstar and strategic design implemented by our Employee Wellness group.

Tucked away at nearly every Wellstar facility is a haven for team members to unwind from a challenging shift or stressful day. These Wellness Rooms, which opened in 2022, were designed to transport team members beyond the walls of their facility.

In the Wellness Rooms, lights are dimmed, soundscapes play lightly in the background and the air is filled with fresh, calming scents. Team members flow in and out of the room at their leisure with a tap of their badge, grabbing a healthy snack, a spritz of an essential oil, or a moment of stillness while enjoying the massage chair.

The rooms vary by size at each location, but every room is equipped with tools to provide a serene and safe environment for team members who find themselves in search of calm amidst what can sometimes feel like chaos.

Since opening, thousands of team members have benefited from the Wellness Room, utilizing the space as an outlet for stress management and as a resource for workplace self-care.

Brianna Arrington, an emergency department technician at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, recently found herself needing a safe place to process the tragic loss of a pediatric patient. Brianna was led to a Wellness Room by her leader and encouraged to take a moment to breathe.

“This quiet and relaxing space gave me the time to decompress from the anxiety I was feeling and helped me to calm down away from the situation. The Wellness Room was a tremendous help.” Brianna was able to return to her shift and continue serving patients the rest of the day.

Studies show that physically moving away from a hectic environment, even for just a few minutes, helps to regulate our emotional wellness. Thanks to Catalyst by Wellstar and through a partnership with Spatial technologies, some Wellness Rooms are piloting immersive sound technology which is proven to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Wellstar is the first health system to use such immersive AI-driven audio technology in a clinical setting. Spatial technology may even be utilized in patient-facing settings in the future, based on positive feedback from team members.

The Wellness Rooms were introduced as part of MyCare Rewards, an Employee Wellness benefit geared toward helping team members prioritize their mental, physical and emotional health. In total, the 16 Wellstar Wellness Rooms across our hospitals and health parks were a $1.5 million investment in the well-being of our team members. Thank you to the Wellstar Foundation for helping to make these rooms possible. The Wellness Rooms will continue to be a resource in times of need and moments of stress, providing a place of solitude to our team members who serve Wellstar patients and communities.

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital has earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation demonstrates Wellstar’s 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 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 Health System is proud to announce that two extraordinary women have been inducted into the Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame™, produced by Georgia Nurses Foundation (GNF). Candice L. Saunders, FACHE, president and CEO of Wellstar, and Joyce McMurrain, MSN, RN, a nurse manager and coordinator of the Student Nurse Extern Program at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, were honored along with eight additional nurses at a recent inaugural inductee ceremony. The 10 inductees are exemplary registered nurses who made or are making improvements to advance the nursing profession locally, nationally, and internationally.

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital’s longest-serving team member, McMurrain, has been a nurse for nearly 60 years, with 56 years—and counting—served at Kennestone Hospital. For many years McMurrain was the nursing director/executive nursing director for Women's Services at Kennestone, and she also served in that position systemwide. She later transitioned to director of special projects, and is now cultivating the next generation of nurses through her role as nurse manager and student nurse extern program coordinator. She uses her vast experience to guide new nurses and helps nearly 100 nursing students each year gain invaluable hands-on experience in preparation for nursing careers. 

“Joyce has a natural ability to develop others and is committed to equipping students with the education and opportunities to excel in patient care and gain confidence in their job. She has been indispensable throughout Wellstar’s extraordinary growth and change and has contributed to its evolution to become one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated health systems,” says Saunders.

Saunders has served as a trustee of the American Hospital Association, chair of the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy board for Region 4, and past chair of the Georgia Hospital Association. She was named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women Leaders and among Georgia Trend Magazine’s 100 Most influential Georgians. A strong patient advocate who began her healthcare journey as a critical care nurse decades ago, Saunders has become a nationally recognized leader in improving community access to vital healthcare needs and enhancing the patient care experience. Saunders joined Wellstar in May 2007 as president of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. She assumed the role of president and CEO in 2015, becoming the health system's first female CEO. 

“Candice’s impact on the nursing profession is evident through her continued commitment to attract and retain top nursing talent. Candice began her career as a critical care nurse, and she remains passionate about investing in programs and supporting the growth and development of nurses at every stage in their career to ensure our patients and communities have access to high quality, compassionate care for generations to come,” says Dr. O. Scott Swayze, Chair, Wellstar Health System Board of Trustees. 

Wellstar Health System has partnered with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA) to provide maternal health resources in support of new mothers and birth givers in Georgia. Through Wellstar Community Health and the Wellstar Center for Health Equity, the partnership supports pregnant and postpartum birth givers and encourages positive maternal health and wellness by providing vital resources and education.

According to the 2019 HMHBGA State of the State Report, 58 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in Georgia were preventable. Wellstar’s participation expands HMHBGA’s Pickles & Ice Cream perinatal care package project created to help address pregnancy mortality. Started in 2021, the Pickles & Ice Cream program through Wellstar plans to reach 150 birth givers a month.

The free care packages will include:

• A blood pressure monitoring system
• Breastfeeding book and journal 
• Thermometer and probe cover
• Breastfeeding storage bags
• Compression stockings

Alongside these vital tools, educational information will include topics such as postpartum care planning and safe sleeping. As one of the key partners in this initiative, Wellstar will also distribute COVID-19 safety kits, including cloth masks, hand sanitizers, and informational materials to new mothers. 

HMHBGA has impacted the health and well-being of women, children, and families for the past 48 years by supporting the community through direct services, advocacy, and community education. 

The Wellstar Center for Health Equity is an extension of Wellstar’s long history of community engagement and allyship to provide people-centric care, and was formed to convene, activate, and support community partners and advocates to address, impact, and drive lasting change at a grassroots level.

Pregnant or postpartum moms, birth givers and organizations serving pregnant women may request a care package. For more information, please visit this link.

Wellstar Health System honored the life, legacy, and many contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a tribute and virtual ceremony on Jan. 13. The event included team members, faith leaders, and powerful voices from the diversity, equity, and inclusion community with uplifting and moving blessings, song, dance, images and messages.

Allyship, connectedness, and advocacy emphasized as tools to combat injustice 

Wellstar physicians, caregivers, and team members are connected by the desire and commitment to serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice as the system strives to meet the vital needs of patients and communities. 

During the virtual event, Wellstar president and CEO Candice L. Saunders reflected on the organization’s deep commitment to caring for people and Dr. King’s view of the world that all life is interrelated. 

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Dr. Johnetta Betsch Cole, chair and seventh president of the National Council of Negro Women and former president of Spelman College, an historically black college, emphasized the theme of the event from Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” wherein he stated: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” She talked about the importance of being an ally and advocate for any struggles against injustice, and encouraged all to build a better world where we can stand together. Dr. Cole was introduced by Le Joyce Naylor, Wellstar’s senior vice president and chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer.

In addition to inspiring messages from Dr. Cole and Saunders, the event included prayers and blessings from David A. Spencer Jr., manager of Wellstar Spiritual Health; Cavit Agu, chaplain for Wellstar Health System; Rabbi Judith Beiner of Jewish Family and Career Services of Atlanta; and Patricia Symonette, director of Wellstar Spiritual Health, who sang “Show Me How to Love,” by Babbie Mason. The Fellowship Bible Baptist Church Worship and Arts Ministry sang and danced to “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” by J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson. Dr. Scott Swayze, chair of the Wellstar Board of Trustees, closed the event with a message about Wellstar’s commitment to compassion, excellence, and inclusion.  

Wellstar is honored to celebrate the life and legacy of American Civil Rights Movement leader and activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and acknowledge this important federal holiday and National Day of Service in recognition of his enduring impact and example. Wellstar has added Martin Luther King Jr. Day to the paid holiday calendar starting Jan. 17, 2022. 

Six major health systems that serve metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia have unified to address the public regarding the latest COVID-19 impacts and the result of the rapid  spread of the Delta and Omicron variants.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Healthcare, Grady Health System, Northeast Georgia Health System, Piedmont Healthcare and Wellstar Health System are once again experiencing a staggering surge in adults and children with COVID-19 symptoms and diagnoses. Collectively, the healthcare systems have experienced 100–200% increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past eight days and the vast majority of inpatients are unvaccinated. This comes at a time when the health systems are preparing for an influx of patients with seasonal flu.

Emergency room activity has also increased significantly for both emergent and non-emergent situations, including those seeking COVID-19 testing without the need for further care or treatment. To keep emergency rooms available to individuals who have the most critical health needs, individuals should obtain care at the most appropriate medical facility for their condition and seek COVID-19 testing at primary care locations, public health and mass testing sites or use at-home testing kits.

While hospitals in metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia have best practices in place to actively manage capacity and provide high-quality patient care, we need the public’s help and support. Doing the following will help us all navigate this significant wave, minimize serious illness and hospitalizations from COVID, and better manage emergency room diversions and wait times at our facilities:

• Get fully vaccinated for COVID-19, obtain the COVID-19 booster when eligible and get the seasonal flu vaccine.
• Go to the most appropriate medical facility for your condition when you require care — and do not delay care if you are in need of immediate medical attention.
• Please remember that emergency rooms are for those seeking examination and treatment for medical emergencies, not for routine COVID-19 testing or mild symptoms.
• Please only call 911 with a true emergency. Local 911 operators and EMTs are overwhelmed with calls, so if there is not a real emergency, please call your medical provider for guidance.
• Use at-home testing kits, public health testing locations or independent testing facilities if you need to be tested for COVID-19 unless you are ill and need medical care.
• For routine COVID-19 tests, you can find a location near you on the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) website at: dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting.
• Consult your provider for appropriate treatment options if you are diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Continue to actively follow CDC and DPH guidelines, and practice the “3 Ws” safety measures — wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.
• Anticipate increased wait times for medical services. Due to the influx of patients and increased demands placed on our health care workforce, we ask everyone who enters our facilities to practice patience and kindness with each other and with our care team members who are providing expert, compassionate care.

The health and safety of our patients and communities remains our top priority. The six metro Atlanta health care systems will continue to work together to educate and inform the public regarding COVID-19 and address the most critical health needs impacting our area. We also would like to express our appreciation to the Governor for his support of our workforce and the newly announced funding to address staffing shortages at hospitals across the state due to COVID-19, and to the Georgia Department of Public Health for continued outreach to the public regarding issues affecting our patients, care team members and community.

Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, is announcing that the planned construction and expansion project to further enhance patient services and facilities will begin at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital on December 20, 2021.  During construction, the Church Street entrance to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital will be closed.  

WHEN: Starting December 20, the covered walkway from the hospital’s Blue Parking Deck to the main entrance will be replaced with a temporary covered sidewalk, shifting the Labor & Delivery Entrance and Drop-Off to inside the Blue Parking Deck at the existing Kennestone Outpatient Pavilion (699 Building) entrance. To access the Labor & Delivery entrance, visitors will need to use Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, off Tower Road, then follow the signs into the covered Blue Parking Deck. 

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is taking the following steps to minimize the impact on patients, team members, providers, and the community: 

• The main lobby entrance will remain open, as will Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.
• Visitors who park in the Blue Parking Deck can use the temporary sidewalk into the main lobby or enter the hospital through the Purple Tower.
• The new Labor & Delivery entrance location is covered, with ample space for curbside drop-off. The area will be open 24 hours a day and fully sta­ffed to welcome and direct patients to their destination.
• Signs will be posted on the construction barricades, in the parking deck, and in the hospital corridors to guide visitors to their desired location.
• Traffic directors will be stationed outside the hospital lobby to help visitors navigate the changes.

WHY: Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is prepping the site for the proposed expansion project and new patient tower. Wellstar is developing the new tower to expand its women and children services, enhance campus amenities, and address community requests for more private rooms. The new tower will replace the current Baird Building and is expected to open in mid-2025.  

To see the latest updates on the project, visit the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital web page.

Through a new partnership, Wellstar will both help address food insecurity in the communities we serve and have a positive impact on our environment.

Honeybees are an essential part of our ecosystem, and they keep us fed — bees pollinate 70 of the world’s top 100 crops. However, they are dying at high rates as they lose their habitats. Wellstar is taking a step to help by giving a home to three beehives at Wellstar Vinings Health Park in a partnership with Bee Downtown. Wellstar is the first hospital system to partner with Bee Downtown on such an initiative.

These small insects make a huge impact. A single honeybee creates more than 1,200 pollination events each day, so the bees at Wellstar will make billions of pollination events a year. Wellstar’s bees will also produce 80 pounds of honey a year. Some of that honey will be donated to Open Hand Atlanta, which provides home-delivered meals to those experiencing food insecurity and will include honey from Wellstar in its “Market Baskets” of groceries donated to community members in need.

The safety of our patients, community and team members is Wellstar’s highest priority. The bees will be kept in a gated area behind the health park, away from sidewalks and building entrances.

The partnership with Bee Downtown is an initiative of Catalyst by Wellstar, a global digital health and innovation center working to transform healthcare. To learn more, please visit catalyst.wellstar.org.

Wellstar Health System has opened two pediatric COVID-19 vaccination centers following the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the COVID vaccine for existing Wellstar pediatric patients aged 5 to 11. Wellstar began offering COVID vaccinations for children under age 12 the weekend of Nov. 5 and quickly filled more than 100 vaccination appointments on the first day. To date, nearly 2,000 appointments have been scheduled through January 2022. The Wellstar pediatric COVID vaccination sites are currently located at the East Cobb and Acworth Health Parks, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to schedule a vaccination appointment with their children’s pediatrician.

“During the COVID pandemic, Wellstar has remained dedicated to protecting our practitioners, patients, and the children of our communities,” said Dr. Avril Beckford, chief pediatric officer for Wellstar Health System. “We are incredibly excited by the high demand and interest in pediatric vaccinations and proud of the families who have taken the important step to vaccinate their children to offer some of our youngest patients protection against COVID.”

Wellstar’s COVID pediatric vaccination clinics include waiting rooms for families to relax in while their children are vaccinated. In addition, parents can also schedule follow-up visits, including the second vaccine dose and other important immunizations while waiting.

“I decided to get my two children ages five and seven vaccinated,” said Hunter Carlson, executive director of Health Parks and Pediatric Center for Wellstar Health System. “The kids had a great time and enjoyed interacting with the physicians and staff. In addition to wearing masks, the vaccine will give my children and family an extra layer of protection against the disease.”

The best protection against COVID-19 is prevention, vaccination and stopping community spread. Be sure you and your family members who are age five and up get the COVID-19 vaccine. Parents can also help protect their children’s health by teaching them the 3Ws—wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.

For more health tips and information on how to schedule pediatric vaccinations, visit our Pediatric Care During COVID-19 page.

Hank Capps, MD, Wellstar Health System’s Chief Information and Digital Officer, recently delivered a keynote address about the future of care at the 2021 Healthcare Internet Conference in Las Vegas. This article summarizes Dr. Capps’ remarks regarding how the future of care is taking shape and how digital technology can be leveraged to achieve better patient outcomes and community health.

Never in our recent history has society gone through a period where technological innovation is moving more rapidly than it is right now, while impacting every aspect of our daily lives in the process.

Another year has come and gone, and while COVID-19 is still with us, this year brings gratitude for one of the best ways to protect against the disease – vaccinations. While safety measures are still encouraged, family gatherings are a bit safer this year due to the safety and efficacy of the vaccines rolled out late last year. COVID vaccines are now available for people who are at least five years old and offer important protection for families, friends, and communities as they gather for the holiday season.

Wellstar Health System has provided the healthy and helpful tips below to help families safely enjoy the winter holidays and give T.H.A.N.K.S. again:

T - TAKE STEPS EARLY: Preventing the spread of COVID during the holidays is more than just wearing a mask, watching your distance, and washing your hands. It’s about caring for those you love by taking steps to be sure you keep everyone safe. The best way to do that is to get vaccinated.

• Vaccine clinics across Georgia have online sign-up pages with location details to make vaccination scheduling easy. The Georgia Department of Public Health is an excellent resource.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website provides information on COVID-19 vaccinations and how to find and schedule an appointment in your area.
• Plan for enhanced safety measures: Have extra masks, host your events outdoors in large spaces for social distancing, and have plenty of hand sanitizer available.

H - HAVE FAMILY PLANS: No matter how you celebrate the winter holidays, COVID can easily throw a wrench into any occasion. Having a family plan to prevent catching or spreading the disease can keep unneeded worry out of holiday gatherings.

• Schedule vaccinations ahead of time, especially for young children and teens, as the approval for younger people has only just begun, and appointments could be limited in your area.
• If you have family members who cannot receive the vaccine, plan for them to attend your gathering virtually so they aren’t excluded.
• Remember that full vaccination for the highest level of protection is two weeks after the second dose, or if you had your vaccine more than eight months ago, two weeks after your booster shot.
• Getting tested before you gather can add to safety measures, but testing is no replacement for getting vaccinated. If you take a test and the results come back positive, ask your care provider about treatment and avoid gatherings until after you quarantine.

A – AWARENESS: Stay aware of the latest COVID-19 news and information by checking updates from credible sources such as the CDC and local public health departments.

• The CDC provides key data for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic across the nation.
• Worldwide facts can help keep you and your family updated on the state of the pandemic, as well as what destinations have travel restrictions or may not be ready for visitors yet.

N - NEW TREATMENTS ARE HERE: The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones and give thanks. Many new medical advances have been approved that help treat COVID and limit the severity of the disease. That is reason to be thankful!

• COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to drastically reduce the effects of the virus by preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Be sure to contact your physician about the need for a booster shot and how other treatments can help if you have been diagnosed with COVID.

K - KEEP CALM AND BE KIND: The past two years have been challenging, and many are finding new ways to cope with unexpected loss. Please be considerate and kind and try to remain calm when faced with anxieties about the pandemic.

• Understand that some family members may not participate in large gatherings. We are still in the middle of the pandemic, and while things are getting better, we aren’t out of the woods yet. If you have family still worried, discuss steps that will make them feel safer, such as mask-wearing and other methods to reduce the spread of COVID.
• Talk with family and friends to acknowledge stress and anxiety. Being open about mental health stressors is the best way to reduce stigma and support each other. You can also create stress-reducing family activities such as group yoga, long walks, or bike riding to help exercise away worries.
• Focus on creating new family traditions that make enhanced safety part of the holiday experience, such as creating pumpkin spice hand sanitizer or decorating face masks for family events.

S -SUPPORT OTHERS: Support those interested in learning more about COVID vaccines by sharing information from credible sources such as the CDC. The spread of misinformation can negatively affect COVID-19 vaccine confidence and because we know how truly effective the vaccines have been in our communities, let’s all work together to focus on the facts from healthcare experts.

• The CDC has put together a toolkit to help communicate accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines and address misinformation that could be harmful to others.

Wellstar is committed to providing world-class healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for more information and tips on how to prevent COVID.

When kids or adults are injured, a specialized trauma team is ready 24/7 in Paulding County to provide high-quality patient care. As a result of its commitment to advanced trauma care, Wellstar Paulding Hospital was recently designated a Level IV Trauma Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Level IV Trauma Centers demonstrate the ability to provide advanced trauma life support prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center when necessary.

“Wellstar Paulding Hospital is part of the largest trauma network in the state, delivering compassionate, high-quality care to people in our community suffering from accidents, incidents and injuries,” said Frances Van Beek, assistant vice president of Trauma & Neuro Services for Wellstar Health System. “Patients benefit from our team’s tight-knit communication and collaboration, as well as our physician and caregiver expertise that enables us to save lives every day.”

For a child, going to the hospital can be scary. That’s why Wellstar Douglas Hospital’s new $5.7 million Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) offers a kid-friendly and kid-sized experience for Douglas County’s youngest patients. The nautical-themed 7,600 square-foot facility provides specialized care for children from birth to 18 years of age.

The world-class “just-for-kids” facility has a separate entrance and waiting room from the main Emergency Department and is currently open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The ten treatment rooms feature child-sized furniture, equipment and supplies.

“We created an environment that is optimum for healing and that helps our youngest patients feel as comfortable as possible,” said Dr. Avril Beckford, chief pediatric officer, Wellstar Health System. “Children in Douglas deserve to see doctors and nurses who understand them. We also wanted to give parents a state-of-the-art facility staffed by pediatric physicians close to home – there is no need to travel long distances with a sick child now, because this specialized facility is right here, in the Douglas County community.”

A deeper dive into kid-friendly care

Staffed by kid-friendly nurses and skilled providers devoted to children, the new kids’ ED is a result of collaboration between the architect, construction firm and pediatric experts. Wellstar’s pediatric team cares for children at more than 114,000 emergency visits a year across Wellstar’s hospitals.

“From the outside, there are colorful floor-to-ceiling glass windows,” Dr. Beckford said, as she imagined a child’s first impression. “It feels almost like you’re walking into an aquarium.”

Inside the pediatric ED, children and their parents are greeted by warm staff members, soothing murals of ocean life, a large flat screen TV and child-sized furnishings.

To help children be seen and treated more quickly, some rooms will be dedicated to patients with less serious conditions – such as sore throats and sprains. There will also be a trauma bay and a dedicated room for adolescent gynecological concerns.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2020 results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Wellstar Clinical Partners (WCP) Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) helped CMS save over $18 million for the entire performance year. During the 2020 calendar year, WCP Medicare ACO also received its highest quality score and yielded the third-best financial performance, resulting in cost savings for patients. 

“Even through the most challenging times such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, Wellstar has remained dedicated to providing high-quality, world-class care for our patients,” said Dr. John Brennan, executive vice president and chief clinical integration officer of Wellstar Health System. Dr. Joseph Havlik, chairman of the board for WCP added, “While we continue to work together to keep our communities safe, we’re all proud that we have been able to remain focused on excellent quality, appropriate cost, exceptional patient experience and caregiver well-being.”

Wellstar achieved a quality score of 97%, a metric that rates ACOs on patient experience, patient safety, preventive health and at-risk populations. The WCP Medicare ACO performed in the top 15 percent of ACOs for 2020 based on generated savings, out of more than 500 other ACOs.

“Our physicians and partners are passionate about the health and well-being of our patients,” said Barbara Corey, senior vice president of Managed Care for Wellstar Health System. “The scores and accomplishments for the 2020 calendar year are a true testament to our commitment to providing compassionate and exceptional care.”

One of the largest and most experienced ACOs in Georgia, the WCP Medicare ACO is consistently named one of the top ACOs in the country. Additionally, the ACO is the only one in Georgia to help Medicare bend the healthcare cost curve for seven of the last eight years. Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated high-quality care to their Medicare patients. 

The WCP Medicare ACO leverages its internal resources, infrastructure, and partnerships with employed and affiliated physicians to deliver high quality, cost-effective healthcare to the communities it serves. Since 2012, the WCP Medicare ACO has been a consistent, high-quality, top performing ACO and it is among the top MSSP ACOs when measured by cumulative savings to Medicare of over $111 million. 

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a festive, multi-day cultural celebration among Mexican and Latinx communities where family and friends come together to pay respects to friends and family members who have died. The celebrations can sometimes take a serious or a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed, marked by gatherings, music, colorful costumes, and food.

This year, Día de los Muertos celebrations are expected to take place during the global pandemic once again, which means the COVID-19 safety measures observed over the past 20 months should still be followed to protect your loved ones. This is particularly important since 26.2% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been among Hispanics and Latinos, representing 18.45% of the total deaths from the virus.

To keep everyone protected during this special celebration, Wellstar has compiled some tips for a fun and safe Día de los Muertos celebration.

1 – Vaccination can make celebrations safer: Now that we have the protection of COVID-19 vaccines available, every celebration and gathering can be safer. The more people in your group who have been fully vaccinated, the better for everyone, especially if other safety measures are followed. If you are eligible, be sure and get a booster as soon as you can, too.

2 – Make masks the star of Catrina costumes: Masks are not only fun, they’re also proven to minimize the spread of the virus for everyone age two and older. Get creative by incorporating masks in Catrina costumes and make-up by using fabric paint, glued-on sequins, or stickers to decorate them. In a pinch, use a printed Catrina mask and do your make-up to match or complement the mask. Don’t forget to share photos on social media with the hashtag #celebraciónsegura.

3 – Celebrate outside with appropriate social distancing: Outside is the best place to celebrate. Weather and health permitting, being outside to celebrate Día de los Muertos can promote airflow and help minimize close contact with others. For parades and visits to gravesites, wear a mask and stay at least two meters apart from people who do not live with you. “Air” hugs and waves are much safer than physical hugging and kissing during the pandemic. 

4 – Avoid shared food and utensils: Because parties can be a big part of Día de los Muertos, not sharing food and utensils is one of the best ways to keep the spread of COVID-19 in check. If you do get together with a few close friends and family members, take measures to make it a safe celebration by bringing your own meal and utensils to limit sharing or use disposable items. As convenient as it may be, a buffet-style meal is not a good idea during a pandemic. Space your tables and chairs out, possibly outside or in a large area, to limit the spread of the disease, and wear a mask when you are not eating, especially those who are unvaccinated. 

5 – Wash hands and sanitize: During the celebration, keep disinfectant wipes nearby to use on surfaces such as tables, chairs, and doorknobs. Everyone should frequently wash and sanitize their hands and remind children and other family members about all safety measures to help keep everyone COVID-free.

6 – Stay at home: Everyone loves a party, but it’s best to avoid any gathering, particularly if you have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung issues, obesity, cancer, or other conditions that compromise your immune system. With the rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases, since many children are still not vaccinated, they may also be at greater risk of infection. Anyone can be a carrier or become infected and seriously ill, but these groups are at the greatest risk of contracting and succumbing to COVID. If anyone in your group is feeling ill or has symptoms, it's best to play it safe and stay home to celebrate. 

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Día de los Muertos and the autumn season with fun activities during the pandemic, be sure and refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for specific guidance on how to stay safe and well.

Wellstar Health System announces that Wellstar Paulding Hospital achieved global Magnet recognition in October. This honor is a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and excellence in patient care. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. Wellstar Paulding Hospital is only the 12th hospital in the state of Georgia to receive this recognition.

With this credential, Wellstar Paulding Hospital joins the global community of Magnet-recognized organizations. Only a small and select group of U.S. healthcare organizations have achieved Magnet recognition due to the complex requirements and meticulous evaluation process. This prestigious honor further underscores Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s commitment to world-class, compassionate, and tailored care in all the communities we serve across Georgia.

“Magnet recognition provides our community with the ultimate benchmark to measure the quality of patient care,” said Jill Case-Wirth, chief nurse executive for Wellstar Health System. “Achieving Magnet recognition validates the culture of excellence that is a cornerstone of how we serve our community. It’s also tangible evidence of our nurses’ and interprofessional teams’ commitment to providing the very best care to our patients, of which we are extremely proud.”

Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and is a factor when the public considers healthcare organizations. U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care. 

Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to healthcare organizations and the communities they serve, such as:

• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information. 
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates. 
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses. 
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions.  

“Magnet recognition has many benefits — not just for the nurses who provide care, but also for the patients who receive that care,” said Vicky Hogue, vice president of Patient Services & chief nursing officer at Wellstar Paulding Hospital. “For example, changes in nursing practice are guided by research for better outcomes, which results in higher patient and employee satisfaction and a shorter patient stay.” 

The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence. The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

“Ultimately, this recognition aligns with the Wellstar Paulding’s culture of ‘Neighbors caring for Neighbors,” Hogue said.

Halloween is right around the corner, and while many Georgians are looking to celebrate this year, many may have questions about how to do so safely. 

We’re still in a global pandemic, but we are one year smarter about the best ways to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19, including the safe, effective vaccines that are now available. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released guidelines recommending vaccination to minimize COVID-19 risk and to keep family and friends safe while celebrating holiday occasions such as Halloween. 

Moreover, Halloween is a great occasion to show your creative flair and incorporate mask wearing. Adding decorative touches to face masks and even transforming a face shield into a superhero mask can be fun and adds a layer of protection from COVID and other viruses. 

Get SPOOKY

Wellstar has created these SPOOKY Halloween tips for a healthy Halloween celebration during the pandemic.

S- SANITIZE often and thoroughly. Have your kids wash their hands before heading out, then bring along sanitizer and use it frequently while trick-or-treating. Sanitize candy wrappers when you get home and remind children of safety measures that can help keep everyone COVID-free. If children are visiting your home for trick-or-treating, keep hand sanitizer handy to help prevent the spread of viruses.

P- PHYSICAL DISTANCING is still highly recommended by the CDC. Whether trick-or-treating at a front door or hanging around food and drinks at a party, large group gatherings should be avoided as much as possible. Six feet distancing when possible and small groups are still recommended, even when outside.

O- OUTDOORS is the best way to celebrate Halloween, weather permitting. Being outside promotes air flow and helps minimize close contact with others. If guests are coming to your home for Halloween, consider sitting outside. If you’re planning to make “Grab-n-Go” treats instead of offering a big bowl of treats for kids to dig into, space the bags out for added safety. Reminder: being outdoors doesn’t mean you should ignore sensible safety COVID precautions.

O- OBSERVE your youngest trick-or-treaters. They don’t always know how to stick to the safety guidelines, so keeping an eye on them and making sure that children use face masks, sanitizer, and other safety measures will help make Halloween safe and fun.

K- KIDS having fun and creating positive childhood memories is what Halloween is all about. Try to follow the recommended CDC guidelines for holidays to avoid or minimize COVID exposure while having fun.

Y- YOUR JUDGMENT is key to making good and healthy decisions and minimizing COVID-19 exposure. In addition to wearing masks and getting vaccinated for layers of protection for you and your loved ones, take additional safety precautions such as washing your hands and be sure to stay home if anyone in your family has symptoms. 

Wellstar is committed to providing high-quality, tailored, and compassionate care. For more information and the latest updates on COVID-19, visit wellstar.org/COVID-19.

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is pleased to announce that Wellstar Health System has earned 2021 CHIME Digital Health Most Wired recognition as a certified level 8 in acute, ambulatory and long-term care. This is the seventh time Wellstar has received this annual distinction. The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively healthcare organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.

“Digital transformation in healthcare has accelerated to an unprecedented level since 2020, and the next few years will bring a wave of innovation that empowers healthcare consumers and will astound the industry,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “The Digital Health Most Wired program recognizes the outstanding digital leaders who have paved the way for this imminent revolution in healthcare. Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges.”

“This recognition reflects the care, dedication and extraordinary professionalism the Wellstar team brings to work every day in service of our communities,” said Dr. Hank Capps, executive vice president and chief information and digital officer, Wellstar Health System. “Through this challenging season, the team has delivered on Wellstar’s mission of enhancing the health and well-being of every person we serve.”

A total of 36,674 organizations were represented in the 2021 Digital Health Most Wired program, which includes four separate surveys: acute, ambulatory, long-term care and international acute. The surveys assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in healthcare organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry leading.

Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report, an overall score and scores for individual levels in eight segments: infrastructure; security; business/disaster recovery; administrative/supply chain; analytics/data management; interoperability/population health; patient engagement; and clinical quality/safety.

Wellstar Health System has hired Le Joyce Naylor as senior vice president and chief diversity, equity, & inclusion officer. Naylor began her role on August 2 to provide systemwide thought leadership, strategic planning, and implementation of DE&I initiatives at Wellstar. 

“Wellstar is committed to sustaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that honors and values the voice of each patient and team member,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “Le Joyce will work with leaders across our organization to advance Wellstar’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and cultural competence programs to positively impact patients, team members and the communities we serve – both today and into the future.”

Naylor has nearly 20 years of diversity and inclusion experience and an exceptional track record of setting strategy, engaging stakeholders and driving results, including leadership of DE&I initiatives in a healthcare setting. Most recently, she served as the executive director diversity & inclusion officer at the Cleveland Clinic. She was responsible for driving the diversity and inclusion strategy and execution for more than 66,000 employees and oversaw the system’s 21 Diversity Councils and 13 Employee Resource Groups. Under Naylor’s leadership, the Cleveland Clinic received National recognition for their employee resource groups, along with being recognized by DiversityInc. as a Top 10 Health System for twelve consecutive years, most notably ranking #1 in 2019. 

Nurturing diversity, equity and inclusion inside and outside the walls of Wellstar

Wellstar is dedicated to nurturing a diverse workplace that mirrors its communities. Approximately 81% of the company’s employees are women, and just over half (51%) of the workforce is comprised of minorities. When it comes to ascension, 47% of Wellstar’s executives and 77% of frontline managers are women, while minority executives make up 21% of the workforce, with minorities in 38% of the frontline management roles. Also, Wellstar has 7,300 nurses, of which approximately 90.2% of the system’s clinical RNs are women.

In December 2020, Wellstar formally launched the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Council to identify opportunities to grow and drive positive change for our communities, patients and team members. As part of her scope, Naylor will lead the council to collaboratively address workforce diversity, a culture of inclusion, cultural competence, health equity, community engagement, and supplier diversity. Wellstar is regularly recognized for diversity excellence, including accolades from Diversity MBA magazine, Diversity Best Practices, Working Mother/Working Father, and National Association for Executive Women (NAFE), among others. Wellstar was also named among Great Place to Work® and Fortune “Best Companies to Work For” and “Best Workplaces for Diversity,” as well as in PEOPLE “Companies that Care,” in part due to the health system’s emphasis on inclusive policies and programs for Wellstar’s workforce and communities. 

Wellstar Health System has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of ten 2021 Top Organizations for Diversity from across the nation. Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia included in the inaugural listing and was honored for demonstrating a commitment to workforce diversity, including leadership positions. 

“Healthcare organizations widely promote their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts when they're first announced. But it's more important to track success and make sure those initiatives deliver on the long-term results the companies and communities they serve expect. This year, we increased the cadence of our diversity recognition program and expanded eligibility to include companies as a whole, as well as individuals,” said Modern Healthcare editor, Aurora Aguilar. “The 2021 class of Top Diversity Leaders lead the pack in healthcare. These are people and companies that exemplify ‘walking the walk.’”

This is the inaugural year for Modern Healthcare’s Top Organizations for Diversity awards, which recognize healthcare companies that are “bolstering the diversity of their workforces” at all levels.  

“Wellstar is committed to fostering an inclusive culture and workforce that mirrors the communities we serve and celebrates our diversity,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and chief executive officer, Wellstar Health System. “Some of our greatest impacts are a direct result of the diversity of our people: the incredible talent we attract, the daily contributions of our team members, the positive effects we create in our communities, and the programs, resources, and initiatives we implement as a leading healthcare provider. Being recognized as one of Modern Healthcare ten Top Organizations for Diversity honors not just what we do, but who we are.”

Inclusion drives positive impact 

Wellstar has a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2020, Wellstar formally launched the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council to identify opportunities to grow and drive positive change for its communities, patients and team members. The Council holds regular listening sessions to ensure the voices of team members across the organization are heard and reflected in a connected cycle of feedback across the system. Every Wellstar facility and department is represented in Wellstar’s diversity efforts.

Nurturing a diverse workplace that mirrors its communities, approximately 81% of Wellstar’s employees are women, and just over half (51%) of the workforce is comprised of minorities. When it comes to ascension, 47% of Wellstar’s executives and 77% of frontline managers are women, while minority executives make up 21% of the workforce, with minorities in 38% of the frontline management roles.  

Wellstar believes every person should have access to safe, high-quality healthcare and offers inclusive medical services across its System. In 2019, Wellstar opened a family medicine practice providing specialized health services to people who identify as LGBTQ+. Additionally, physicians are trained to talk about specific issues that the LGBTQ+ community may encounter and support patients through transition goals with gender-affirming care. Wellstar also employs native-language interpreters across the System to serve patients and their families, including a team of full-time Spanish interpreters, a Mandarin Chinese interpreter, as well as full-time Nationally Certified American Sign Language interpreters to support Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients and their families.

Health system acknowledged as employer of choice and diversity advocate 

Wellstar is regularly recognized for diversity excellence, including accolades from Diversity MBA magazine, Diversity Best Practices, Working Mother/Working Father, and National Association for Executive Women (NAFE), among others. Wellstar recently received two awards exemplifying excellence that include Great Place to Work® and PEOPLE magazine’s 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care®, and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Healthiest Employers. Wellstar has been recognized for outstanding diversity efforts and named in Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For” and “Best Workplaces for Diversity.”

Wellstar Health System has received two prestigious awards that exemplify excellence: Great Place to Work^® and PEOPLE magazine’s 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care^®, and Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Healthiest Employers.

The two accolades underscore Wellstar’s focus on “More than healthcare. PeopleCare.”—putting people first both inside and outside the walls of Wellstar across the many communities and regions served by the health system.

“People are at the center of everything we do at Wellstar, and these awards underscore our dedication to compassionate care and wellness for everyone we serve,” said David A. Jones, chief human resources officer, Wellstar Health System. “We are honored and humbled by this recognition, and commit to continuing to nurture our culture of caring and excellence.”

National recognition in PEOPLE magazine for putting people first

Great Place to Work^® and PEOPLE magazine have honored Wellstar as one of the 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care^®. This is Wellstar’s first time being named to this prestigious list, this year coming in at 50th place of the 100 companies recognized. Earning a spot means that Wellstar is one of the best companies to work for in the country. Wellstar is one of only four Georgia-based companies and one of only six health systems included in the ranking.

Wellstar was highlighted for its LGBTQ+ primary care family practice in Atlanta and for the more than $900 million invested last year in charity care, unreimbursed care and community programs as a leading non-profit health system.

“These companies show up for humanity in a variety of ways—from showing compassion for their employees to giving back to their communities to putting diversity, equity and inclusion in the forefront,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work^®. “They are paving the way for more socially responsible business and are fostering high-trust workplaces for all. Congratulations to the winners of the PEOPLE's Companies that Care list!”

The PEOPLE Companies that Care award is highly competitive and based on analysis of survey responses from more than five million current employees across all industries and U.S. geographies. Companies were only considered if they are a Great Place to Work-Certified^™ organization.

Prioritizing health and wellness for team members

Wellstar was recognized on the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Healthiest Employers list in the “Extra Large Company” category as one of only two health systems included. Healthiest Employers recognizes the innovative organizations that have created robust healthy workplace programs and companies that go “above and beyond to create a culture of wellness.”

Wellstar was included in this prestigious list as an organization that takes proactive measures to “better the lives of employees through innovative programs and leadership commitment.”

The assessment measures wellness programming in six categories: leadership commitment, foundational components, strategic planning, communication and marketing, programming and interventions, and reporting and analytics.

In addition to serving its mission to enhance the health and well-being of everyone in the communities it serves, Wellstar invests significantly in its more than 24,000 team members across Georgia, with broad and innovative resources, programs, and initiatives. From wellness rooms, concierge services, fitness facilities and services, and childcare support, to paternity leave, wellness apps, and mental health services and hotlines, Wellstar is committed to putting people first and caring for those who provide care for Georgians each and every day.

While the Delta variant has contributed to a sharp increase in new COVID cases, there are still steps we can take to protect ourselves and others.

"The Delta variant is extremely contagious and responsible for the recent summer spike in COVID cases seen all over the world, including here in Georgia," said Dr. Danny Branstetter, medical director of infection prevention for Wellstar Health System. "The best protection against COVID is prevention, and now is the time to prioritize getting vaccinated, practicing safety measures, and getting tested if you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed." 

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, the largest hospital in the nationally recognized nonprofit Wellstar Health System, is celebrating its 71st anniversary. In addition, Wellstar Kennestone is marking a year of significant accomplishments and accolades that include national emergency and trauma care designations, as well as community and national recognition for service and care excellence.

“Wellstar Kennestone Hospital has proudly provided lifesaving and compassionate care to Georgians for 71 years,” said Mary Chatman, Wellstar Health System executive vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals. “We are an integral part of the community we serve, and so grateful for the support we have received over the past year, which has been especially challenging for everyone.”

“Our exceptional and dedicated team members stand ready to serve the community’s healthcare needs with excellence and compassion,” said Marianne Hatfield, chief nursing officer at Kennestone. “As one of the largest and busiest hospitals in the state, recent designations and accolades we have received simply underscore what we are committed to doing every day: providing expert medical care to people, no matter their age or stage in life.” Founded on June 27, 1950, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital marked its 71st anniversary this week by hosting a small reception to thank hardworking and selfless team members, dedicated community members, and key supporters.

A history of recognition for care excellence

Wellstar Kennestone has a rich history of delivering quality care for Georgians, and has received many national and regional accolades and certifications for care excellence over the years. The hospital recently received the highest level of recognition for emergency cardiac care in Georgia and was designated a Level I Emergency Cardiac Care Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of Cardiac Care.

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital was also verified as one of only four Georgia Level II Trauma Centers by the American College of Surgeons. This achievement recognizes the Trauma Center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.

Wellstar operates the largest trauma network in Georgia, with Wellstar Kennestone managing one of the nation's newest and largest emergency departments, with state-of-the-art care for pediatric and adult patients. The new emergency department is connected to the main hospital and is located near the intersection of Church and Cherry Streets at 115 Cherry Street NE, Marietta, Georgia 30060.

Additional accolades

• U.S. News & World Report 2020-2021 Best Regional Hospitals and one of the nation’s High Performing Hospitals.
• America’s 100 Best Critical Care Hospitals and 250 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades, which recognizes hospitals that deliver superior patient outcomes in Critical Care. Wellstar Kennestone was also listed as a best hospital in five service line categories.
• AMSN Prism Award by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board for exemplary practice of the medical-surgical unit.
• American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ 2020 Beacon Award of Excellence, recognizing units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care.
• Atlanta Business Chronicle 2021 Best in Real Estate Awards "Healthcare Deal of the Year" for the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Emergency Department, which opened in July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Atlanta Magazine 2021 "Best of Atlanta" recognition for “New Emergency Care: Wellstar Kennestone Hospital’s New Emergency Department.”
• Georgia Trend 2021 "Top Doctors," a listing of the state’s top physicians, with many of the 130 doctors on the list serving Wellstar Kennestone across multiple service lines.
• Atlanta magazine 2021 "Top Doctors" list featuring 79 Wellstar physicians, many of whom serve at Wellstar Kennestone.

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital celebrated its 71st anniversary by hosting an ice cream social to thank team members for providing outstanding and compassionate care to the community.

Wellstar Health System has announced that Atlanta magazine recognized 79 Wellstar physicians on its 2021 "Top Doctors" list in the July issue. This list is compiled annually from nominations by physicians whom they consider to be among the top experts in their region for their medical specialty. The number of Wellstar doctors named to the distinguished list increased 14% from 2020 to 2021.

"As a community-based, non-profit health system, Wellstar physicians are focused on providing high-quality patient-centered care to everyone who comes through our doors," said Dr. John Brennan, executive vice president and chief clinical integration officer of Wellstar Health System. "Wellstar is extremely proud of the doctors recognized by this prestigious list published annually by Atlanta magazine, as well as all of our team members, who are committed to delivering outstanding care to every person, every time."

Atlanta magazine's "Top Doctors" list is compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., a leading healthcare research and information company founded to help consumers reach America's top doctors and hospitals. Physicians are nominated by their peers and selected after a rigorous screening process that reviews professional, educational, and patient care excellence. The final list with detailed information about the doctors’ education, training, and medical expertise is included in Atlanta magazine's July 2021 issue. Below is the complete list of Wellstar physicians who were honored on the 2021 list.

Panel discussion and breakout sessions explore transformative technologies

More than 100 participants attended the virtual roundtable event, which included a panel discussion and breakout sessions focused on leading technologies that have the potential to transform healthcare. The panel was moderated by Julie Teer, senior vice president of Wellstar and president of the Wellstar Foundation. Panelists included:

• Dr. Clifford Goldsmith, chief medical officer and national director, U.S. Providers, Microsoft Health and Life Sciences
• Jeff Arnold, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Sharecare
• Dr. Hank Capps, executive vice president and chief information & digital officer of Wellstar

“There has never been a time in healthcare when getting the technology strategy right was more imperative than now,” Dr. Goldsmith said. “There is a massive transformation underway in healthcare to significantly increase clinician productivity and enable teamwork across the care continuum, which will be a huge boost to patient satisfaction. Thank you to Wellstar for hosting this important conversation to fuel innovation.”

Digital health is transforming healthcare through integrating innovation and advanced technology into patient care, improving quality of care and expanding access. In addition to the panel, three breakout sessions facilitated conversation about leading-edge, advanced technologies, including:

• Machine learning and artificial intelligence to help provide augmented support for healthcare professionals across a wide range of specialties and operations
• Advanced sensors to enhance diagnostics that simplify the patient experience and foster patient-provider communication and collaboration
• Merged Reality (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) to enhance business insight, training, and patient partnership

Physician leaders from Wellstar Medical Group provided expert insights in the breakout discussions on the potential applications and impacts of these technologies on the future of healthcare. Physician experts included:

• Dr. Rishi Gupta, vascular neurologist
• Dr. Arthur Reitman, interventional cardiologist
• Dr. Barry Mangel, interventional cardiologist

“The future of healthcare is not a 2025 vision – it is a 2021 reality,” said Sharecare’s Arnold. “Georgia continues to strengthen its position as a global center for public health, information technology, and digital media; and Wellstar is at the center with their focus on partnerships and healthcare innovation. Discussions such as the Wellstar Innovation Series help create momentum around viable solutions that will address gaps in care and a make a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of communities throughout the Peach State and beyond.”

The event followed Wellstar’s March 3, 2021 announcement that it will become the country’s first Sharecare-enabled health system, and the May 18, 2021 launch of Catalyst by Wellstar^TM, the first-of-its-kind global digital health and innovation center created and operated within a health system. Catalyst by Wellstar is designed to harness, accelerate, optimize, and scale people-centric solutions that:

• Disrupt how Wellstar delivers care to create better patient and provider experiences
• Maximize quality and safety to improve outcomes while reducing the total cost of care
• Enhance health and well-being for people through access, engagement, and empowerment
• Optimize enterprise performance excellence, efficiencies, and productivity
• Impact communities and the world by designing the future of healthcare

To further fuel healthcare transformation, Wellstar also announced a partnership with Engage, a collaborative innovation and corporate venture platform. Wellstar is the only healthcare company to partner with Engage, alongside other partners Chick-fil-A, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Georgia-Pacific, Georgia Power Foundation, Georgia Tech, Goldman Sachs, The Home Depot, Inspire Brands, Intercontinental Exchange, Invesco, Invest Georgia, Tech Square Ventures, and UPS.

Innovation Series convenes thought leaders and changemakers

The Wellstar Foundation’s Innovation Series convenes thought leaders, community partners, and industry experts in a series of roundtable discussions to explore how to transform healthcare to better serve Georgians. The conversations aim to facilitate collaboration that will lead to meaningful action and a pathway to transforming healthcare in Georgia. The series covers topics of health equity, digital health technologies, behavioral health and wellness, women’s health and pediatrics, and workforce planning.

Wellstar Health System,  which has the largest trauma network in the state, has announced that the Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Trauma Center has been verified as one of only four Georgia Level II Trauma Centers by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the Trauma Center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.

Building on Wellstar’s commitment to healthcare excellence, the system was also named a top-five finalist for the American Hospital Association’s 2021 Quest for Quality Prize and had 130 physicians – representing almost 26% of the total list – named as Georgia Trend “Top Doctors.”

Largest Trauma Network in Georgia Adds LII Trauma Care Verification for Wellstar Kennestone

Wellstar operates the largest trauma network in Georgia, with Wellstar Kennestone’s new state-of-the-art emergency department, which opened in July 2020, being one of the largest and busiest in the nation. Kennestone provides comprehensive trauma care, with 24/7 access to on-site trauma, critical care trained surgeons, and a wide range of surgical subspecialties to consistently meet the needs of the most seriously injured patients following the highest care, quality and safety standards.

Established by the ACS in 1987, the Committee on Trauma’s (COT) Consultation/Verification Program for Hospitals promotes the development of trauma centers. Participants provide the hospital resources and level of care necessary to address the needs of all injured patients across the entire trauma continuum of care. Trauma center verification provides a structure for trauma care that can raise the overall level of performance throughout a hospital.

This prestigious verification recognizes the Wellstar Kennestone Trauma Center’s commitment to providing the highest quality of care for injured patients, spanning community outreach and injury prevention efforts, emergency trauma, operative care, critical care, and rehabilitation.

"Receiving this verification further validates the exceptional life-saving care we provide at Wellstar Kennestone for patients who have suffered from all ranges of traumatic injury," said Mary Chatman, Wellstar Health System executive vice president and president of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals. "We are so proud of the Trauma Center team's commitment to ensuring that all patients get the appropriate care in a timely and coordinated manner because our communities rely on Wellstar to provide the very best care for every person, every time."

Trauma is the leading cause of death and disability between ages 0-44 and the fourth leading cause of death overall. According to the Georgia Trauma Foundation, nine main causes account for 92.1% of trauma in Georgia. The leading causes of major trauma are motor vehicle crashes (37.7%); falls (22.2%); gunshot wounds (8.0%); motorcycle crashes (5.4%); pedestrian incidents (5.2%); assaults (4.3%); accidents (4.0%); stab wounds (2.9%) and all-terrain vehicle crashes (2.4%).

Top Five Finalist for National Quality Award

As an additional indicator of excellence, Wellstar was one of only five national American Hospital Association 2021 Quest for Quality Prize finalists. The award recognizes healthcare leadership and innovation in providing, improving, and advancing health in communities.

Nominees are highlighted for partnering with community organizations to improve health outcomes, developing new models of care, and collaborating with patients to design the patient care experience. One way that Wellstar addresses vital community needs to enhance health and wellness is via the Wellstar Center for Health Equity (WCHE). Over the past year, the WCHE orchestrated multiple, high-impact initiatives, including free pop-up COVID-19 testing, mobile food markets, and anchoring vulnerable patients with resources, benefiting thousands of Georgians. Wellstar was also honored for pandemic response efforts, including quickly leveraging telehealth to serve patients, creating team member mental wellness programs, and allocating and redeveloping resources across the system.

Georgia Trend Highlights Wellstar Physicians as Top Doctors

The May issue of Georgia Trend included the 2021 “Top Doctors,” the second annual listing of the state’s top physicians. Close to 26% of the physicians on the list were part of the Wellstar Health System enterprise, totaling 130 doctors across the majority of categories.

Physicians deemed by Georgia Trend as “outstanding” span Wellstar’s service areas, facilities, and service lines, including cardiology, neurology, gynecologic oncology, pulmonology, internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, radiology, endocrinology, pediatric orthopedics, spine surgery, and sports medicine, among others. The physicians are selected via peer voting and review of government information sources. Inclusion on this list of the top medical experts in the state further validates Wellstar’s commitment to world-class healthcare.

Building on a rich history of innovation and impact in healthcare delivery, Wellstar Health System has launched Catalyst by Wellstar^TM, a global digital health and innovation center.

As part of the center’s work, Wellstar has partnered with corporate innovation and venture platform Engage to connect and collaborate with industry-leading corporations, enterprise startups, and universities to fuel innovation. To foster meaningful discussion, action, and philanthropy around healthcare innovation, the Catalyst by Wellstar leadership team will participate in a Wellstar Foundation-hosted Innovation Series virtual event on June 15.

Catalyst by Wellstar designed to drive disruptive innovation

Catalyst by Wellstar is the first-of-its-kind global digital health and innovation center created and operated within a health system to holistically address healthcare disruption by harnessing problems, solutions, investments, and partnerships across industries. The center defines and drives leading-edge, transformative solutions that enhance the health and well-being of people and communities with world-class results and impact.

As technology continues to advance and consumers become more empowered by digital solutions and information access, innovation to solve problems and seize opportunities will evolve and impact how healthcare is delivered and used. Wellstar is committed to transforming healthcare through problem sourcing from patients, community members, physicians and team members, and partners to lead mission-driven innovation. Catalyst by Wellstar is designed to harness, accelerate, optimize, and scale people-centric solutions that:

• Disrupt how Wellstar delivers care to create better patient and provider experiences.
• Maximize quality and safety to improve outcomes while reducing the total cost of care.
• Enhance health and well-being for people through access, engagement, and empowerment.
• Optimize enterprise performance excellence, efficiencies, and productivity.
• Impact communities and the world by designing the future of healthcare.

“Innovation is vital to our mission of enhancing the health and well-being of every person we serve, today and into the future,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “Catalyst by Wellstar positions us to lead change across our system, communities, and the healthcare industry.”

Catalyst by Wellstar convenes and activates best-in-class entrepreneurs, philanthropists, innovation ecosystems, research and development experts, corporate partners, academicians and scientists, and thought leaders inside and outside of the healthcare industry. The center will encompass innovation that drives positive impact related to:

• Sustainability
• Aging and children
• Health equity

“There is endless opportunity to transform healthcare in positive and meaningful ways,” said Dr. Hank Capps, executive vice president and chief information and digital officer, Wellstar Health System. “With Catalyst by Wellstar, our system is poised to purposefully drive innovation faster than the speed of change through thought leadership and collaboration. Our global digital health and innovation center will equip Wellstar to transform the way healthcare is delivered for years to come.”

Wellstar invests in Engage corporate venture platform to fuel innovation

The first Catalyst by Wellstar partnership is an investment in Atlanta-based Engage, a first-of-its-kind collaborative innovation and corporate venture platform. Engage brings together industry-leading corporations, enterprise startups, and universities with the shared mission of elevating Atlanta and the Southeast as a leading technology and innovation hub. Wellstar is the only healthcare company to partner with Engage. Saunders has joined Engage’s board of directors and Capps has been named to the Engage Advisory Board.

“As a regional and national healthcare leader, Wellstar brings critical industry perspective to the Engage platform,” said Daley Ervin, managing director of Engage. “Our corporate partners are facing challenges posed by large-scale digital transformation and rapidly evolving customer expectations. Through this partnership, Wellstar will benefit from the expertise of a broad network of industry-leading companies while also leveraging the startup and university research ecosystem on their journey to design the future of healthcare.”

As a result of Wellstar’s investment in Engage, the system will have the opportunity to collaborate with startup technology companies as part of the innovation process, alongside other Engage partners: Chick-fil-A, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Georgia-Pacific, Georgia Power Foundation, Georgia Tech, Goldman Sachs, The Home Depot, Inspire Brands, Intercontinental Exchange, Invesco, Invest Georgia, Tech Square Ventures, and UPS. The Engage Fund is managed by Tech Square Ventures. Engage’s exclusive partnership with Georgia Tech, one of the country’s top research and technology commercialization universities, provides unique access to its startup, innovation, and research initiatives.

“Healthcare is one of the strategic areas of focus for UPS and I am thrilled to welcome Wellstar to the Engage partnership," said Matt Guffey, president of Global Strategy and Transformation at UPS and Engage Advisory Board member.

Wellstar Foundation Healthcare Innovation Series to foster discussion about the future of healthcare

The second Wellstar Foundation Healthcare Innovation Series virtual roundtable will take place on June 15, 2021 from noon to 1:30 p.m. The event will focus on “Designing the Future of Healthcare,” with emphasis on the role of technology and innovation. The Series convenes community, philanthropic, and thought leaders to facilitate conversation and collaboration to propel the transformation of healthcare. More than 100 participants attended the inaugural event and engaged in discussion about how to enhance health equity. For more information, contact [email protected].

Wellstar Health System wrapped up a weeklong celebration of its healthcare heroes during National Healthcare Week and National Nurses Week honoring team members for their selfless service, sacrifices, and dedication amid the pandemic. Wellstar team members were also recognized by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta Business Chronicle for outstanding work and serving their communities with compassion and excellence.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s 16th Annual Celebrating Nurses Awards honored four Wellstar nurses, including selecting Vicky Hogue, chief nursing officer at Wellstar Paulding Hospital, as the Nurse Leadership Award recipient. Hogue will celebrate 41 years with Wellstar in August and her background includes working as a critical care and ICU nurse. When the pandemic began, she said that the crisis was exactly what she and her fellow nurses have trained for — answering the call to care for the community. In addition to nursing leadership, Hogue was highlighted for serving as a nurse advocate at the local, state, and national levels, volunteering to administer COVID-19 vaccinations and providing unwavering support for team members. Given annually to an outstanding nurse director, Hogue was chosen from 47 nominees to receive the Nurse Leadership Award.

Additional honorees included:

• Clayton Fowler, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital: A registered nurse for 11 years, Fowler helped to care for some of Wellstar’s sickest ICU patients during the height of the pandemic. In March 2020, Wellstar Kennestone was converted to take care of critical COVID-19 patients, and Fowler served on the frontlines providing life-saving therapies, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment.

• Laurie Pazda, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital: A veteran nurse with more than 20 years of service, Pazda works in the cardiac intensive care unit and helped provide care for intubated COVID-19 patients designated to negative pressure rooms.

• Laura Moss, Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital: Moss became a registered nurse in 2019 and immediately started a career of service by providing compassionate care to Wellstar patients. During the pandemic, Moss served as an extended family member to many COVID patients and helped the family of one intubated COVID-19 patient communicate with distant family members by setting up nightly FaceTime visits.

Wellstar held systemwide Nurses Week award celebrations, events, and activities to congratulate honorees and thank Wellstar team members for their dedication and resiliency throughout the pandemic. The Wellstar Nursing Excellence Awards spotlighted nurses at each hospital nominated by their peers for elevating the field of nursing and enhancing the health and well-being of patients. Employees also shared “Videos of Gratitude” showing appreciation for fellow team members.

Three Wellstar team members were also announced as finalists in Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 “Healthcare Heroes” Awards, including two in the Nurse category and one in the Community Outreach category. The finalists are Vicky Hogue (chief nursing officer, Wellstar Paulding Hospital), Nadine Lynch (ICU unit manager, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital) and Dr. Shara Wesley (assistant vice president, Community Health and Wellstar Center for Health Equity). The awards acknowledge “the outstanding work on the frontlines” of the COVID-19 pandemic during an “exceptional year,” and winners will be announced on May 28.

During National Nurses Week, Wellstar Health System is celebrating three finalists in Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 “Healthcare Heroes” Awards, including two in the Nurse category and one in the Community Outreach category. The awards acknowledge “the outstanding work on the frontlines” of the COVID-19 pandemic during an “exceptional year,” and highlight some of the many healthcare professionals who have created positive impact through their leadership.

Nursing professionals are instrumental in providing expert, compassionate care, no matter the medical circumstance. The 7,300 nurses at Wellstar are valued and vital caregivers for patients, communities, families, and each other, which has been pivotal to navigating the pandemic.

Two of the three finalists in the Nurse category are Wellstar nursing professionals:

• Vicky Hogue, chief nursing officer, Wellstar Paulding Hospital. Hogue’s background as a critical care and ICU nurse has been instrumental in serving as a leader throughout the pandemic and across her 41-year career. Her leadership is noteworthy and marked by Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s recent recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award for performance excellence. 

• Nadine Lynch, ICU unit manager, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. Lynch cares for some of the sickest patients who need extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment for vital blood oxygenation, along with many of the facility’s COVID-19 patients. She knows it’s important to focus on more than just the medical care they need, which is why she is always considering ways to ignite her patients’ passions to meet their mental and emotional needs, which aids the healing process.

Both of these nurse leaders have emphasized that close teamwork and collaboration have helped them to achieve positive impact at Wellstar, with people at the center of everything they do.

The Wellstar finalist in the Community Outreach category is:

• Dr. Shara Wesley, assistant vice president, Community Health and Wellstar Center for Health Equity (WCHE). As a convener of thought leaders, community advocates, and action drivers, Wesley has demonstrated over a distinguished career her commitment to public and community health in nearly every facet of the industry.

The WCHE – an extension of Wellstar’s long history of community engagement and allyship to provide people-centric care – was formed under her leadership to drive lasting change at a grassroots level through activating strategic partnerships with government agencies, businesses, philanthropies, non-profit organizations, academia, and citizens.

Qualifications for the awards are that “the nominee must be: employed in the healthcare industry; based in metro Atlanta; and have at least one year in the nominated position or role, and with the same company.” Finalists were selected from nominations for healthcare professionals across Metro Atlanta that highlighted stories of outstanding work with “passion, expertise, and patient care” over the past year. Entries were judged by a panel of editorial staff members from Atlanta Business Chronicle. Winners of the “Health Care Heroes” awards will be announced and featured in a special section of Atlanta Business Chronicle on May 28.

Last month, Great Place to Work® and Fortune honored Wellstar Health System as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For®, Wellstar’s fourth time on this prestigious list of the best companies to work for in the nation. Wellstar is the only Georgia-based healthcare company included in the 2021 ranking; only two other companies headquartered in Georgia were included in this year’s list.

The system continues to build on its legacy and commitment to serving communities by actively listening to best understand and respond to what consumers want, need, and expect from their healthcare provider.

“As a leader in healthcare, we must take action to meet the evolving needs of people and communities. Health equity connects to everything we do, and recognizing hardships, disparities, and inequities is just the first step,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “Through strategic partnerships and programs, Wellstar is committed to supporting people and communities to make a tangible and lasting difference, enhancing the health and well-being of everyone we serve.”

Wellstar Center for Health Equity addresses community needs at a grassroots level

The Wellstar Center for Health Equity (WCHE) – an extension of Wellstar’s long history of community engagement and allyship to provide people-centric care – was formed to drive lasting change at a grassroots level. The six areas of focus were informed by Wellstar’s triennial Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) of 2019: Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Food Insecurity, Suicide, Cancer, Women’s Health.

Each of these strategic domains connects to Wellstar medical service lines to bring to bear the deep expertise and broad bench of resources needed to identify pertinent needs, relevant partnerships, and viable programs.

To create meaningful impact, Wellstar has forged strategic partnerships with government agencies, businesses, philanthropies, non-profit organizations, academia, and citizens. Examples of how WCHE has activated resources in the community include:

Walk-up, pop-up family COVID-19 testing: With the support of community partners, Wellstar conducts free walk-up, pop-up family testing at churches and school lunch pick-up sites and distributes safety kits in English and Spanish. To-date, WCHE has orchestrated 29 pop-up testing sites, administered over 3,000 COVID tests, and distributed more than 51,000 wellness kits with culturally and linguistically appropriate safety information.

Reaching faith-based congregants with vital information and vaccines: WCHE is hosting a series of community town halls to debunk myths about COVID-19 and vaccines in partnership with the Wellstar Congregational Health Network. In April, WCHE hosted a Hispanic town hall to address community questions and launched a series of equity-centric and language-proficient vaccination clinics for congregants at faith-based organizations.

Providing nutritious meals to food-insecure communities: In partnership with Goodr, an organization that provides food resources for people in need, and funded in part by Wellstar Foundation donations, the WCHE “Mobile Market” hosts “pop-up” farmers’ markets in seven communities, feeding over 700 families monthly.

Enabling technology-driven community health transformation: WCHE launched a year-long initiative to enhance access to medical care via technology with leading community partners. Supported by contributions to the Wellstar Foundation, the “Community Health Transformation” program enables the following community organizations to reach, engage, and support at-risk individuals with measurable results: Bethesda Community Clinic; Empowerment Resource Center; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia; Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb; and MUST Ministries.

Anchoring vulnerable patients with vital healthcare resources: When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 80% of COVID-19 patients in eight Georgia areas were Black people, WCHE developed “Anchoring Vulnerable Patients,” a project in Clayton County to assess and address the medical and social needs of Black patients with co-morbidities that put them at risk for contracting COVID-19.

Wellstar Health System, one of the largest healthcare systems in Georgia, announces multiple accolades, including national, regional and local recognition for facilities, service lines and leaders. Awards and accreditations for quality, safety, performance excellence and community service exemplify Wellstar’s commitment to world-class healthcare. 

“Dedication to excellence is a hallmark of Wellstar,” said David Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer of Wellstar. “People are at the center of everything we do. Achieving these accolades is a testament to our team’s hard work to enhance the health and well-being of every person, every time. It is not only our mission—it is our calling and our honor to offer tailored, compassionate healthcare to the people we serve.” 

National and regional organizations recognize Wellstar for quality, safety and performance excellence

• Healthgrades, which evaluates, recognizes and ranks hospitals that deliver superior care, recently named both Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Cobb Hospital in the top 5% in the nation for overall clinical excellence and ranked both in the 2021 “Top 250 Best Hospitals.”   

• Wellstar Kennestone Hospital was also recognized for: 

• America’s 100 Best Critical Care 
• America’s 100 Best Gastrointestinal Care 
• America’s 100 Best Pulmonary Care 
• General Surgery Excellence Award 
• Joint Replacement Excellence Award 
• Vascular Surgery Excellence Award 

• Wellstar Cobb Hospital was also recognized for: 

• America’s 100 Best Gastrointestinal Care
• America’s 100 Best General Surgery
• America’s 100 Best Pulmonary Care
• America’s 100 Best Stroke Care
• Vascular Surgery Excellence Award    

• Wellstar Douglas Hospital and Wellstar Paulding Hospital both earned the highest possible grade of A from Leapfrog, the only hospital rating focused exclusively on hospital safety.   
• Newsweek published “The World’s Best Hospitals 2021,” which included Wellstar Paulding Hospital as one of the top hospitals worldwide. The research conducted spans 25 countries and rates and ranks those that stand out for consistent excellence. This accolade follows Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s November 2020 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award—the nation’s highest performance excellence recognition. Wellstar is the first healthcare entity in Georgia and second company in the state to receive the award.    
• Georgia Hospital Association Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) recognized Wellstar Health System with the Circle of Excellence award and third place overall in the Hospitals and Health Systems category. Wellstar Douglas Hospital received two PHA awards in the Hospitals with 100-299 Beds category: second place for “Reductions of Both Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) & Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) Within the Intensive Care Unit" and third place for “The Clinical Nurse Leader: Improving Heart Failure Patient Outcomes.”              
• Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) recognized Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center with the WarnerMedia Community Leadership Award: Downtown Atlanta as part of a tribute to healthcare workers across Atlanta during the 2021 Annual Meeting. The award “pays tribute to leaders and institutions that have had an indelible impact on Downtown Atlanta.” 
• Cobb Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting April 12, where Wellstar unveiled that it has been named one of the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® in the nation. Fortune also named Wellstar one of the 2021 Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma™. At the event, the Chamber recognized healthcare workers for the Citizen of the Year award, including Wellstar Health System. Nadine Lynch, ICU manager at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, accepted the award on behalf of Wellstar healthcare workers. 
• Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center South recently obtained American Diabetes Association recognition as a site offering education, training and support for individuals with type 1, type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes. 
• Wellstar West Georgia Women's Health Center received accreditation as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. This “designation is awarded to breast imaging centers that achieve excellence,” offering world-class, quality breast care for people served by Wellstar West Georgia.       

Wellstar leaders achieve industry and community recognition for ongoing contributions 

• John Kueven, SVP and president of Wellstar Paulding Hospital and interim president of Wellstar Cobb Hospital, was named a 2021 International Hospital Federation Young Executive Leader. This program identifies and recognizes emerging hospital leaders from around the world and creates opportunities for “impactful international conversations” that help shape healthcare leadership.
• Callie Andrews, SVP and president, Wellstar Cobb Hospital, was named SVP and chief operating officer for Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, one of the largest and busiest hospitals in the state of Georgia. In this role, Andrews will serve as an on-site designated leader to bridge the daily corporate and local operations of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals, affiliated Health Parks, and Hospital Outpatient Departments.
• Dr. Chirag Patel, medical director of Population Health, Wellstar Health System, was selected as an American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) 2021 Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Program Scholar. The “new generation of top-level healthcare leaders” participate in an advanced leadership program that fosters diverse and responsive healthcare organizations.
• Vicky Hogue, vice president of Patient Services and chief nursing officer for Wellstar Paulding Hospital, received the Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award from the Georgia Women's Legislative Caucus. She was selected by Representative Kimberly Alexander of District 66 for exceptional leadership and service.
• David Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Wellstar Health System, was listed on the inaugural Human Resources Director (HRD) Global 100. This list features leaders across a variety of sectors, specialties, and regions worldwide, celebrating “the very best” in human resources.

Wellstar Health System is recognized as one of the best companies to work for in the country for the fourth time; People-centric programs, benefits, and culture foster an inclusive, team-based workplace 

Great Place to Work® and Fortune have honored Wellstar Health System, one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For®. This is Wellstar’s fourth time on this prestigious, national list. Wellstar is the only Georgia-based healthcare company included in the 2021 ranking; only two other companies headquartered in Georgia were included in this year’s list.

“In a year of immeasurable challenges, our Wellstar team members and caregivers have remained focused on our mission to enhance the health and well-being of everyone we serve,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “Earning the 100 Best Companies to Work For award is a testament to their bravery and unwavering commitment to providing people-centric care for millions of Georgians.”

The Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® award is based on analysis of survey responses from more than half a million current employees across the U.S. In that survey, 79% of Wellstar’s employees said Wellstar is a great place to work. By comparison, the average percentage of employees in the U.S. who say their company is a great place to work is only 59%.

"Offering the resources, support, and workplace culture team members need to be their best benefits everyone and everything we do,” said David Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Wellstar Health System. “We care for our employees so they can care for our community. We are grateful for the recognition from Fortune and, especially, for the all the people who make Wellstar a great place to work.”

Wellstar and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., the largest African American women's organization in the world with more than 350,000 college-educated members, have united to reach vaccine-reticent populations in Georgia by sharing personal “My Why” stories and reasons for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Who: Beverly E. Smith, national president and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., joined Wellstar team members in sharing a personal reflection about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. A recent poll found that Black voters in Georgia are less sure about vaccine safety than another racial or ethnic group, with 36 percent reporting that they are unsure if the vaccine is safe or not. The video aims to tackle these concerns and offer hope for the future as more Georgians become fully vaccinated. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. national president and CEO, Beverly E. Smith, joins Wellstar team members in sharing a personal reflection about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Responding to vital needs among vulnerable communities during the pandemic, Wellstar is the first Georgia-based health system to become a national partner in new initiative

Wellstar Health System has joined Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN) of partners to further inform community-driven response, recovery, and resiliency strategies for addressing the impact of COVID-19 on communities.

In response to the needs of at-risk communities across the health system’s service areas, Wellstar has partnered with the MSM-NCRN and its 40 network partners across the U.S. to collaborate on offering COVID-19-related services to disproportionately impacted communities. As a not-for-profit system dedicated to providing “More than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” Wellstar is committed to addressing inequities that impact the health and well-being of people and communities through more than 450 community partnerships, Wellstar Community Health initiatives, and activities led by the Wellstar Center for Health Equity (WCHE).

One of the most critical barriers to health during the pandemic has been consumer access to reliable, science-based, culturally appropriate, and native language information resources, which the partnership will facilitate. Wellstar is the first Georgia-based health system to become a national partner in this important, new initiative.

“Wellstar is pleased to partner with Morehouse School of Medicine to provide vital information and resources for at-risk communities,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “The NCRN is a strong complement to the important work that our Wellstar Center for Health Equity is doing, and we are thankful for the collaboration.”

Morehouse School of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network Builds Community Resiliency

The MSM-NCRN coordinates a strategic and structured national network of national, state/territorial/tribal and local public and community-based organizations that, together, will work to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority and rural populations. The network helps to provide awareness of culturally appropriate health education information and linkage to care, helping organizations and families recover from pandemic difficulties. In addition to educational and informational resources in at least 10 languages to accommodate cultural competency, initiatives will include COVID-19 testing, vaccinations following phases directed by DPH, training opportunities for community leaders.

“Our national network connects individuals, families, community organizations and clinical providers to timely and relevant COVID-19 information and services in their neighborhood,” says Dominic Mack, MD, MBA, professor of family medicine and director of the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network in the National Center for Primary Care at MSM.

“Morehouse School of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network is designed to not only provide structure to the resources that are on the ground-level fighting this pandemic but is an important resource for our partners in serving the underserved and getting people the healthcare they need,” said Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD., MSM president and dean. “Organizations such as Wellstar here in Georgia, its Wellstar Center for Health Equity, and the partnerships we cultivate, are critically important to the mission of health equity and in fighting and defeating COVID-19.”

Wellstar Center for Health Equity Addresses Health Inequities across Georgia

The WCHE addresses health inequities across Georgia to enhance the health and well-being of the people and communities served by Wellstar. Through partnerships such as the one with MSM-NCRN, the WCHE implements multi-disciplinary approaches to address deeply entrenched social disparities and healthcare gaps. Programs led by the WCHE over the past year include walk-up, pop-up COVID-19 family testing; distribution of masks and safety kits to at-risk communities; Congregational Health Network communications, collaboration, information, and support; Spanish-language educational information for Latinx communities; a technology-driven Community Transformation initiative for local non-profits; joint Webinars on health equity topics in collaboration with Partnership for Southern Equity, Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), and Georgia Health Policy Center; and a series of “Mobile Market” free farmer’s market-style grocery shopping experiences for hundreds of families with Goodr.

The partnership between Wellstar and MSM-NCRN will extend the organizations’ reach and resources to enhance information access and drive positive impact.

The NCRN launch follows a $40 million award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health to coordinate a strategic network focused on delivering COVID-19-related information to communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The launch of the NCRN occurs alongside the release of new digital technology accessible through the NCRN website. It provides location-based recommendations on where community members can get a COVID-19 test or receive a COVID-19 vaccine when distribution increases in the coming months.

Learn more about our COVID-19 vaccine updates. To access MSM-NCRN COVID-19 resources, visit www.msm.edu/ncrn. 

Physician leader and digital healthcare strategist Hank Capps, MD, to drive next-generation healthcare delivery strategy for leading health system.

Wellstar has hired Hank Capps, MD, as executive vice president and chief information and digital officer. In his role, Dr. Capps will be responsible for advancing the system’s digital strategy to reimagine and enhance the consumer healthcare journey and experience, while evolving and optimizing the not-for-profit company’s operational technology-based platforms, processes, and partnerships.

Dr. Capps joins Wellstar after more than 18 years with Novant Health in North Carolina, where he held a series of clinical and administrative roles as an executive leader. His proven skills and expertise as an accomplished operator and digital healthcare strategist will further equip Wellstar to leverage advanced technology to transform healthcare with deeper patient engagement and consumer control.

“At Wellstar, we put people at the center of everything we do, and that includes our digital strategy,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “As both healthcare delivery and technology continue to evolve at a rapid pace, Wellstar is focused on how to accelerate and leverage the intersection of these two industries to improve patient care and outcomes. Dr. Capps is the experienced and visionary leader we need to define the path forward for our system and the communities we serve.”

The global COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented shift in the healthcare industry, resulting in consumer and provider demand for next-generation care and tools. Dr. Capps will head a team of technology and digital healthcare experts to identify gaps and opportunities in healthcare delivery and consumer engagement to create innovative, world-class solutions that fulfill this expectation.

“Wellstar’s industry leadership in healthcare excellence is grounded in continually and intentionally enhancing both the patient and provider experience,” said Dr. Capps. “The pandemic has impacted the dynamic of that consumer journey, accelerating technology adoption and exacerbating the need for creative solutions that enable access to quality care. I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of the Wellstar team as we leverage emerging technology and innovative thinking to transform the future of healthcare.”

The Wellstar Center for Health Equity will host a Virtual Town Hall this Thursday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. to address community questions about COVID-19 and vaccines. To register, visit wellstar.org/townhall

Marietta, Ga. (MARCH 2, 2021) — Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, is hosting a Wellstar Center for Health Equity Virtual Town Hall with its Congregational Health Network this week.

What: The event, held in collaboration with the Wellstar Congregational Health Network, Morehouse School of Medicine National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (MSM-NCRN), and Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI), will address pertinent questions about COVID-19 and vaccines with faith communities across Georgia. The 90-minute event will feature a panel of healthcare experts, including Wellstar and Morehouse School of Medicine physicians, who will address questions provided by the community in advance of and during the event, including the latest information and resources to combat COVID-19.

When: The Virtual Town Hall will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. and will offer participants the opportunity to ask questions and get answers from healthcare experts who are dedicated to community education and outreach. Faith leaders and congregation members are invited to register at wellstar.org/townhall.

Panel: The panel of experts will include Dr. Tabia Henry Akintobi, Morehouse School of Medicine; Dr. Je­ffrey Hines, Wellstar Center for Health Equity; and Dr. Zandraetta Tims-Cook, Wellstar Medical Group.

ABOUT WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM

At Wellstar, people are at the center of everything we do. By listening actively to what people want, need and expect from their healthcare, Wellstar is able to provide “More than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” — at every age and stage. Nationally ranked and locally recognized for our personal, high-quality care, inclusive culture, and exceptional doctors and team members, Wellstar provides access to compassionate, high-quality care through our: 11 hospitals; 300+ medical office locations; 9 cancer centers; 74 rehabilitation centers; 3 hospice facilities; 1 retirement village; 29 imaging centers; 16 urgent care locations; and 5 health parks. As one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, Wellstar is growing our services, footprint, capabilities, and ability to meet evolving patient needs. Our passion for people extends into the communities we serve. As a not-for-profit health system, we thoughtfully reinvest annually in prevention and wellness programs, as well as charity care for eligible patients. Our Wellstar Foundation also supports our mission to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve with funding for equipment, services, and programs that provide more than healthcare.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, and Sharecare, the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place, announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on unique, market-leading innovations in personalized care delivery, population health, and consumer engagement.

“People are at the center of everything we do,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “Our partnership with Sharecare was forged to deliver an innovative experience that will engage and empower people in improving their health and wellness in unprecedented ways. Together, we are building on our vision for the healthcare system of the future that empowers the consumer.”

Wellstar will leverage Sharecare’s digital engagement platform and expertise to equip its team members with enhanced resources and health information to take control of their day-to-day well-being. Through this partnership, Wellstar also will become the first “Sharecare-enabled” health system in the country, utilizing Sharecare’s solutions to accelerate the transformation to value-based care and applying resulting insights to optimize, expand, and, ultimately, re-imagine the overall consumer healthcare experience.

Platform Supports Team Members with Wellness Resources

Sharecare delivers each person a customized digital experience where they can easily access extensive information, engagement resources, and clinically validated tools to improve their individual health and well-being, no matter where they are in their health journey. In Summer 2021, Wellstar will roll out Sharecare’s award-winning virtual care platform to its 24,000 team members to help them manage their overall physical and mental well-being and navigate related employee benefits, all in one place. In addition to the comprehensive content and resources already available through Sharecare, the two organizations will focus on innovating incentives and rewards administration that tie to engagement and outcomes and capitalize on existing Wellstar workplace well-being strategies and programs, such as employee fitness centers and biometric screening programs.

“Our team members are dedicated to caring for Georgians each and every day,” said Saunders. “That’s why it’s important that we care for them with world-class solutions that equip them to be at their best.”

Closing Gaps in Care by Enhancing and Personalizing the Consumer Experience

As the country’s first Sharecare-enabled health system, Wellstar will work with Sharecare to co-develop consumer-facing offerings—available in Georgia through Wellstar exclusively through 2023—to achieve better health outcomes. To accomplish this, Wellstar will integrate its electronic medical record system with the Sharecare platform and utilize the digital health company’s robust portfolio of provider solutions, data management tools, and artificial intelligence capabilities to better identify and close gaps in care. Once a condition or potential care gap is identified, Wellstar providers can “prescribe” patients with additional information, digital therapeutics, and clinical programs through the secure, unified Sharecare platform, where in turn people can access those resources, monitor their progress, and, ultimately, become more engaged in their overall health and well-being.

“In addition to supporting our client partners throughout the pandemic, we have also continued to innovate and make strategic acquisitions—the collective impact of which has yielded new strategic opportunities, including accelerating our ability to bring our vision for the Sharecare-enabled health system to life,” said Jeff Arnold, founder, chairman, and CEO of Sharecare. “The key, however, was finding the right health system partner—one who shared our commitment to not only compassionate, community-driven care but also digital innovation and optimizing patient-clinician encounters through data. As a Georgian, I take pride in the fact that the ideal partner to help us realize this vision is Wellstar.”

Strategic Investment Fuels Innovation and Custom Development

To support the definition and development of the consumer-facing offerings, Wellstar has made a $10 million strategic investment in Sharecare, joining several investors who also are customers. The firms will collaborate on platform deployment, integration, and content strategy to drive value for all audiences, with a focus on the consumerization of healthcare and evolving the consumer healthcare experience. As Sharecare’s newest strategic partner, Wellstar is joining the company’s already impressive roster of investors, whose reach extends from the living room to doctors’ exam rooms and into the workplace. Select Sharecare strategic partners include hospitals, healthcare investment firms, and health plans, in particular HCA, Trinity Health, the Heritage Healthcare Innovation Fund and CareFirst; media companies Discovery Communications, Harpo Productions, and Sony Pictures Television; high-growth technology investment firms such as Claritas Capital; noted institutional investment funds such as Wellington Management; and other major reputable corporations such as Aflac Corporate Ventures, Quest Diagnostics, Wells Fargo, and Swiss Re. The partnership between Sharecare and Wellstar is the first of its kind for the two organizations.

The closing date of the strategic investment from Wellstar preceded the February 12, 2021 announcement that Sharecare has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: FCAC), a special purpose acquisition company.

About Wellstar Health System

At Wellstar, people are at the center of everything we do. By listening actively to what people want, need and expect from their healthcare, Wellstar is able to provide “More than Healthcare. PeopleCare.”—at every age and stage. Nationally ranked and locally recognized for our personal, high-quality care, inclusive culture, and exceptional doctors and team members, Wellstar provides access to compassionate, high-quality care through our: 11 hospitals; 300+ medical office locations; 9 cancer centers; 74 rehabilitation centers; 3 hospice facilities; 1 retirement village; 29 imaging centers; 16 urgent care locations; and 5 health parks. As one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia, Wellstar is growing our services, footprint, capabilities, and ability to meet evolving patient needs. Our passion for people extends into the communities we serve. As a not-for-profit health system, we thoughtfully reinvest annually in prevention and wellness programs, as well as charity care for eligible patients. Our Wellstar Foundation also supports our mission to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve with funding for equipment, services, and programs that provide more than healthcare.

About Sharecare

Sharecare is the leading digital health company that helps people—no matter where they are in their health journey—unify and manage all their health in one place. Our comprehensive and data-driven virtual health platform is designed to help people, providers, employers, health plans, government organizations, and communities optimize individual and population-wide well-being by driving positive behavior change. Driven by our philosophy that we are all together better, at Sharecare, we are committed to supporting each individual through the lens of their personal health and making high-quality care more accessible and affordable for everyone. To learn more, visit sharecare.com.

About Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp.

Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp. is a newly incorporated blank check company whose business purpose is to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. While the Company may pursue on initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, it intends to focus on business in the media, digital media/consumer technology, mobile gaming, interactive entertainment, health wellness/lifestyle and related industries which capitalize on its management team's expertise. The Company's management team is led by Alan G. Mnuchin, the founder and chief executive officer of Ariliam Group. The Company has formed an investment partnership with Eagle Equity Partners, which is a founding investor in the Company's sponsor.

Additional Information About the Business Combination and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed business combination, FCAC has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which includes a proxy statement/prospectus, and certain other related documents, to be used at the meeting of FCAC stockholders to approve the proposed business combination. Investors and security holders of FCAC are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus, any amendments thereto and other relevant documents that will be filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety when they become available because they will contain important information about Sharecare, FCAC and the proposed business combination. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of FCAC as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. Investors and security holders will also be able to obtain copies of the Registration Statement and other documents containing important information about the business combination and the parties to the business combination once such documents are filed with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp., 660 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10065, Attention: Saif Rahman, Chief Financial Officer.

Participants in the Solicitation

FCAC and its directors and executive officers, under SEC rules, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from FCAC's stockholders with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of those directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in FCAC is contained in the final prospectus for FCAC's initial public offering, which was filed with the SEC on September 23, 2020, and is available free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp., 660 Madison Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10065, Attention: Saif Rahman, Chief Financial Officer. Additional information regarding the interests of such participants will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed business combination when available. Each of Sharecare and its directors, executive officers and other members of its management and employees, under SEC rules, may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of FCAC in connection with the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the business combination will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed business combination when available.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, announced that the Wellstar Cancer Network was recently recognized nationally as a cancer treatment leader. Honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and designated as a Care Continuum Center of Excellence by the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer, the Wellstar Cancer Network continues to pioneer innovative cancer treatments and technologies to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.

“Wellstar Health System is dedicated to providing patients with the highest quality of compassionate and personalized care,” said Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer of the Wellstar Cancer Network. “We are extremely proud of the Wellstar Cancer Network and our team of highly skilled physicians, nurses and oncology support services who excel at treating the spectrum of cancer illnesses with the most advanced, patient-centric technologies and treatments. We are focused on enhancing the health and well-being of everyone we serve, with a commitment to delivering world-class cancer care.”

Wellstar earned an Outstanding Achievement Award for the third consecutive cycle from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). The highest honor in the United States awarded to a cancer program, the Wellstar Cancer Network was recognized for achieving excellence in providing care to cancer patients. Award recipients must have received commendation ratings in all seven commendation standards and receive a compliance rating for each of the 27 remaining cancer program standards.

At Wellstar, not one patient, symptom or treatment plan is the same—even in an emergency. Now, the new, state-of-the-art emergency department (ED) at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center delivers quality and compassionate care to every patient, every time.

Located just north of metro Atlanta, this 263,000 sq. ft. medical facility is one of the largest and busiest EDs in the nation and:

• It is one of only three Level II trauma centers in metro Atlanta.
• Increased its bed-count from 84 to 166 beds (130 universal beds and 36 transition beds).
• It is one of four Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Centers in Georgia.
• It is the only Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Cardiac Center in the state and seventh in the nation.
• Can treat more than 600 patients a day—nearly doubling its previous capacity—with up to 220,000 patient visits per year.
• It has 170 parking spaces for patients on the street level, accessible from Cherokee Street.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, today announced Wellstar Kennestone Hospital was named the recipient of the prestigious Georgia Oglethorpe Award for 2020, Georgia’s highest level of recognition for organizational performance excellence. Presented by the Florida Sterling Council, the award recognizes organizations and businesses “that have successfully achieved performance excellence within their management and operations.” This award announcement falls on the 70th anniversary of the hospital—a significant milestone in community care.

Award Recipients Are Role Models for Excellence

Due to its high standard for excellence, the Georgia Oglethorpe Award represents one of the most significant levels of recognition an organization can receive. Recipients of the Georgia Oglethorpe Award are examples for excellence for other organizations.

This award is presented after rigorous evaluation to recognize organizations that have achieved management and operations performance excellence. Only 89 organizations have earned awards since 1992 from the Florida Sterling Council—the organization that orchestrates the Georgia Oglethorpe Award. The awards are “presented annually to high performing, role-model organizations, both private and public, that demonstrate superior management approaches and role model results,” according to the Florida Sterling Council.

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Makes an Impact

Founded in 1950, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is a 633-bed hospital, anchoring the regional medical center located in Marietta, Georgia, and is part of the nationally recognized non-profit Wellstar Health System. The hospital serves hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and consistently demonstrates high performance levels across all metrics, including quality, safety, satisfaction, and operations.

Wellstar invests consistently in new innovations that help address vital healthcare needs, such as Georgia’s first CyberKnife^®, TomoTherapy^® and da Vinci^® robotic surgical systems.

As one of only three Level II trauma centers in Metro Atlanta, and part of the state’s largest trauma network, Wellstar Kennestone operates the second busiest emergency department (ED) in Georgia and the eighth busiest ED in the U.S., caring for more than 138,000 patients per year. The new ED is slated to open late June 2020 and will be one of the top two largest and busiest EDs in the nation, serving up to 600 patients per day and 220,000 patients each year at full capacity, doubling the current trauma and emergency capacity. The 263,000-square-foot facility will include dedicated isolation and decontamination rooms that can be used for patients who present with infectious disease, behavioral health, or chemical contamination issues and multiple entrances for different levels of patient severity. Offering a dedicated pediatric ED and many industry-leading features and processes, the new ED dramatically enhances access for Georgians to vital healthcare needs and will be a model for best practices in emergency services, both for the region and nationally.

Celebrating 70 Years of Compassionate Care

Today, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is honored to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The hospital was founded in 1950 to serve the needs of the rapidly growing Cobb County community, which had tripled in the ten years prior. The May 21, 1950 edition of the Marietta Daily Journal stated the facilities “are said to be among the best available in hospital circles in the Southeast”—a fact that stands true today. For the last 70 years, the hospital has been a pinnacle in the Marietta community and is a destination hospital for North Georgia and neighboring states.

“Every birthday that we celebrate not only signifies our maturity in age but also our advancement in serving our community,” said Mary Chatman, executive vice president of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital. “We, the more than 5,000 employees of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, are proud to be the healthcare choice for many patients, from the beginning of life, when we celebrate birth, to the end of life, when we demonstrate dignity.”

The hospital’s longest-tenured team member and unofficial historian, Joyce McMurrain, has worked at Kennestone for almost 55 years. Joyce began her career as a staff nurse in the maternity unit and has served in many roles. McMurrain is currently the nurse manager for professional practice and helps to guide rising senior nursing students. “One of my proudest accomplishments is helping Wellstar to re-shape and re-structure women's health services,” said McMurrain. “The hospital moved from a traditional maternity model to a modern family-centered approach that provides women greater access, support, decision-making in the delivery process, childbirth, and care.” She credits her longevity to her credo of believing that we are all connected and that service makes a significant difference in people's lives.

Chatman and McMurrain join Wellstar Kennestone Hospital team members in celebrating this significant milestone 70th anniversary, knowing that the hospital will continue to provide compassionate care for the communities it serves for years to come.

The healthcare landscape and the needs of patients and communities, both throughout Georgia and across the country, are ever changing. Wellstar Health System—nationally ranked and locally recognized for its high-quality care, inclusive culture, and exceptional doctors and team members—actively listens to the people in the communities it serves to best understand and respond to what they want, need, and expect from their healthcare provider.

Actively and regularly listening ensures that Wellstar is evolving alongside its patients and communities, providing not only responsive care to emergent needs, but also ongoing, quality, and personalized care at every age and stage of life. Wellstar spent the last 18 months on a renewed listening journey, interviewing more than 8,000 Georgians, including team members, community partners, patients, and consumers, with the objective of informing strategy and taking action to best serve the healthcare needs of the people they serve.

“Enhancing the health and well-being of people requires pausing—and listening—to what consumers and communities tell us they want, need, and expect for their healthcare journey,” said Candice Saunders, FACHE, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “Much of what we hear and learn from our ongoing research is exactly what we strive to deliver to every patient, every time: compassionate, quality care. Over the last year and a half, we heard directly from people across the state that they want to feel valued as a unique person and in control of their healthcare decisions—in partnership with their providers. This insight not only validates our approach to patient care, it guided us to take action and renew our commitment to excellence with a personalized and integrated approach that is more than healthcare."

”Combining these research insights with patient feedback, as well as critical regional insights from its 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment with the Georgia Health Policy Center, Wellstar refined its mission, vision, and values and launched a new brand identity. Today, the not-for-profit announced the launch of its new system-wide brand campaign—“More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.”

“Many people are asking ‘why now?’, and the answer is that our focus over the past few years has been fully integrating our healthcare service offerings across our entire system to ensure that our patients and communities have access to the care they need and deserve across the entire Wellstar footprint,” said Saunders. “Now, we want to make it clear to everyone we serve that being one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia equips us to provide a full spectrum of world-class health services from birth to end of life. This approach also applies to our team members. We are people taking care of people, and we want to ensure that everyone considers Wellstar a place where individuals can advance their careers and feel appreciated.”

Wellstar now has 11 hospitals; 250+ medical office locations; 9 cancer centers; 55 rehabilitation centers; 3 hospice facilities; 1 retirement village; 21 imaging centers; 15 urgent care locations; and 5 health parks. By doubling in size—growing its services, footprint and capabilities—Wellstar has grown its ability to meet the evolving healthcare needs of patients and communities across Georgia.

By taking the time to listen and understand the individual needs of the communities they serve throughout Georgia, Wellstar is recreating the standard for Georgia healthcare by:

• Providing personalized care that compassionately takes each person’s unique life story into account—never taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Partnering with patients and communities to identify the best solutions for their needs with the highest quality, expert care by top-rated physicians and team members.
• Providing care that treats the whole person to promote overall health and well-being.
• Ensuring that each person has choice and control in their healthcare decisions.
• Leading and collaborating on community programs and services that provide more than healthcare.

Every Age and Stage

“When you’re 39 years old, you never think you’ll be dealing with something like a heart attack,” said Brett Faucett, a husband and father of two, who drove himself to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital after his arm went numb in the shower. Upon arrival, he was rushed to the operating room for a 99-percent blocked artery. A few years later, it happened again, and he was treated at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

“When you’re in a situation like that, your world is flipped upside down. My family has a dad and a husband because of Wellstar—they saved my life,” said Faucett.

The new brand campaign “More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” is centered on real Wellstar patient stories that demonstrate the health system’s commitment to providing personal care that takes each person’s unique life story into account across the continuum of his or her personal healthcare journey – from inpatient to outpatient, pediatric to adult, birth to end of life. For more PeopleCare stories, visit wellstar.org/peoplecare.

Wellstar puts patients and communities in the driver’s seat by listening and providing an extensive choice of facilities and a wide breadth of services so that patients have access to all the options they need to make the best, most informed healthcare decisions. Each Wellstar hospital and healthcare facility offers an access point to a compassionate care team and a wide range of service lines that work in concert to provide personalized care for each patient’s needs.

“There’s no better time than the beginning of the year to reflect, refocus, and rebrand so that patients and communities know who we are and what we do,” said Dave Preston, senior vice president of Brand Experience and Communications at Wellstar. “Our new brand campaign, ‘More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.’ features real-life patient stories that illustrate Wellstar’s commitment to providing high-quality, tailored care that meets their individual needs at every age and stage of life.”

Stronger Together, Growing Together

Wellstar isn’t growing just for growth’s sake. The system has served one out of six Georgians, and patients in 148 out of 159 counties across the state. Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia with a network of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 trauma centers located in metro Atlanta to serve the most critical patients with a range of emergency care options. Today, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital operates the busiest emergency department in all of Georgia. The new emergency department will open this year, serving as a beacon for access to emergency care for Georgians. The 263,000 square foot building will connect directly to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and will hold 166 exam rooms. Upon its completion, it will be the second largest emergency department in the nation.

In addition to its new emergency department, the health system recently opened Wellstar Avalon Health Park, the fifth of its kind, giving patients in greater Atlanta easier access to a variety of high-quality, personalized healthcare services available at one convenient location. The Wellstar health park model gives patients access to primary care physicians and specialist appointments, outpatient procedures, urgent care, physical therapy and imaging in a single building.

The health priorities of the communities Wellstar serves are reflected in the 12 service lines that set the strategy of delivering effective, evidence-based care to their patients. All service lines are led by physician and nurse leaders who work with their team members to develop and deliver tailored care plans that tap the expertise of clinicians in an integrated and personalized manner, depending on specific patient needs.

Wellstar has been able to successfully evolve because of its unwavering commitment to listening to its patients. Truly personal, quality care means its patients have choices and access to the right care, at the right place, and at the right time.

More Than Healthcare

Wellstar’s passion for people extends far beyond its system and into the communities it serves. The health system collaborates with more than 450 community partners to bring important initiatives into its service areas across Georgia.

Being a not-for-profit health system enables Wellstar to offer care when and where it matters most. In 2019, Wellstar provided more than $784 million in charity care, unreimbursed care, and community programs. In 2019, the Community Health Needs Assessment Wellstar conducted in partnership with the Georgia Health Policy Center identified six specific care gaps within the community: food insecurity, opioids and behavioral health, women’s health, cancer, suicide and access to primary care. To address and help fill these gaps, Wellstar convened a group of system-wide experts and community partners to provide services, equipment, prevention and wellness programs such as free mammograms, school health programs, hospital chapels, healing gardens, and more. For example, Wellstar partnered with local organizations to provide first books to every baby born in 2020 at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Douglas Hospitals.

“We have been a partner with Wellstar Health System for more than 20 years,” said Dr. Dwight "Ike" Reighard, president/CEO MUST Ministries and senior pastor of Piedmont Church. “From supporting our 41 food pantries through food drives, including MUST in their annual Day of Service to address food inequities, and supporting the various health needs of our clients, to sponsoring programs like the annual Gobble Jog and the MUST annual Giving Gala, Wellstar has been a steadfast partner, helping us to be a beacon of hope and place of refuge for our neighbors in need with compassion and love. This wouldn’t be possible without community support from partners like Wellstar.

”By taking the time to actively listen, Wellstar’s knowledge has grown, its collaborations have grown, and its capacity to provide integrated, quality care where and when its patients need it most has grown. “More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” reflects Wellstar’s commitment to always listening and being there for patients in their hour of need and beyond; understanding the underlying factors that may affect their overall health; and creating processes, programs, and initiatives that promote the personalized care and well-being of every person they serve.