Wellstar Health System News

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 give@wellstar.org.

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. For more information about Falcon Capital Acquisition Corp., please visit falconequityinvestors.com.

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.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, today announced that the organization is expanding its discussion and engagement process for potential partners in working with the Atlanta Medical Center (AMC). The not-for-profit health system will seek interested partners to address a long-term, sustainable solution that meets the critical healthcare needs of the AMC communities.

Through a comprehensive review of the operating model at AMC, which is primarily reactive, acute care and emergency medicine, Wellstar determined that the care delivery model must be transformed to better meet community needs and reach long-term sustainability. This transformation will be centered on three fundamental areas, including making additional investment in AMC physicians and team members, reimagining the development and implementation of a more proactive care model, and addressing the limitations of aging facilities. Wellstar plans to explore a variety of strategic options and will be inviting select organizations that meet its partnership criteria to submit proposals to further support Wellstar AMC.

“For the past four years, we’ve been on this journey with the Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center teams and physicians to understand the individual needs of the AMC communities, to extend our mission, and increase the standard of care, said Candice Saunders, FACHE, president and CEO, Wellstar Health System. “As an invested community partner, we believe these communities need a long-term, sustainable solution—one that works to improve overall health and well-being. Our priority is finding the right solution for the community and our current investments are not enough to fulfill these critical needs.”

Wellstar has made significant investments including hiring top talent, offering a broader set of services and updating aging facilities and infrastructure—over $126 million across both Wellstar AMC campuses. In just a few short years, the health system has vastly improved the quality of care provided at these facilities. Wellstar has also expanded primary care in Camp Creek, nine miles from Wellstar AMC’s south campus, and developed a family medicine and imaging center—Wellstar Primary Care which is scheduled to open on February 24, 2020. In fiscal year 2019, AMC provided more than $113 million in uncompensated care—second only to Grady Health System.

“At AMC, we are people taking care of people and are extremely proud of our progress in serving these communities. However, a long-term, sustainable solution will require a substantial, additional investment that we, as a not-for-profit, cannot fund alone while maintaining access to care for everyone we serve,” said Kem Mullins, executive vice president of Ambulatory and Business Development, Wellstar Health System. “As a result, we’re expanding our discussions to include others who believe there is a better, more sustainable way to meet the healthcare needs of our Atlanta communities.”

As the health system explores a variety of strategic options, it will be engaging with elected officials, community leaders, potential partners, and those who may be willing to invest in the right solution for serving the AMC communities. Wellstar acknowledged that how this process transpires in the months ahead remains unknown. It is committed to keeping everyone informed and will continue listening to everyone, including team members, physicians and the community, to inform the path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Is AMC closing?

No, AMC is not closing. We believe the AMC communities need a long-term, sustainable solution—one that works to improve overall health and well-being. we want to be clear that our efforts to find a long-term solution will not affect AMC’s daily operations or our on-going commitment to AMC. We are here to support the AMC teams in the delivery of safe, high-quality, personalized care for everyone.

What will happen to my medical records? Can I still see my doctor?

Our efforts to find a long-term solution will not affect AMC’s daily operations.

Why is Wellstar seeking proposals and broader input?

We believe there is a better way to meet the short and long-term healthcare needs of our Atlanta communities and our priority is finding the right solution for the community.

How will the community be involved in this process?

We have decided to explore a variety of strategic options and will be inviting select organizations that meet our partnership criteria to submit proposals. We are also engaging with elected officials, community leaders, potential partners, and those who may be willing to invest in the right solution for serving the AMC communities.

Wellstar Health System announces the opening of its first integrated primary care office on the Atlanta BeltLine. Designed to provide easy accessibility to Atlantans who live, work, and play on and around the BeltLine, Wellstar Primary Care offers health care for all ages, diagnostic imaging, and laboratory services by appointment and on a walk-in basis. Having a highly accessible primary care facility in this vibrant area of Atlanta underscores Wellstar's commitment to understanding and investing in the present and future healthcare needs of patients, families and communities throughout the state.

"For the past four years, Wellstar has been focused on understanding and meeting the needs of this community. We have invested $4.3 million in Wellstar Primary Care on the Atlanta BeltLine, which will serve residents and visitors to that area, as well as surrounding neighborhoods, such as Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park," said Joe Brywczynski, senior vice president of health parks development at Wellstar Health System. "The new Wellstar Primary Care practice will help reduce barriers to healthcare and is designed to provide convenient world-class, personalized care."

The 7,500 square foot facility features:

• X-ray and CT scanning
• 3D mammogram, ultrasound and laboratory services
• Six patient exam rooms and a procedure room

“We value Wellstar’s sponsorship and longstanding support of the Atlanta BeltLine, and we are thrilled that they are opening this location,” said Rob Brawner, Executive Director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership. “Having excellent primary care directly on the BeltLine - where many Atlantans work, live, and play - is reassuring and an asset to the entire community.”

Wellstar Primary Care is located on the ground floor of Edge on the BeltLine, a multi-use complex with apartments, restaurants and other retail, located on the Atlanta BeltLine between Edgewood and Dekalb avenues.

Dr. Randolph Taylor II will serve as the primary care physician at Wellstar Primary Care and Terrica Rumph, DNP, as nurse practitioner. The practice is now accepting appointments for primary care, imaging and lab.

The address for the new facility is 670 DeKalb Avenue SE, Suite 106, Atlanta, GA 30312. Patients can schedule appointments, and walk-ins will be accepted. The primary care practice will be open every day from 8 AM – 6 PM.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (470) 267-0570 for primary care and (678) 581-5900 for imaging.

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.