- Easier access to emergency care. The proposed $1 billion hospital’s primary service area has more than 340,000 residents today and is expected to grow to 365,000 by 2030. The area’s population over 65 is projected to grow even more rapidly, which is significant because the need for inpatient and emergency services increases with age.
- Expanded access to care for patients regardless of their ability to pay. The proposed hospital, like all Wellstar facilities, would care for all who need help regardless of their ability to pay. It is estimated that 50% of patients served by the hospital would use Medicare, Medicaid or lack insurance. The Wellstar system as a whole provides more than $1 billion annually in charity care and other community benefits.
- Enhanced healthcare throughout the region. The proposed hospital would relieve pressure on Wellstar Kennestone, which currently has an occupancy rate of 98.5%. It would improve Wellstar Kennestone’s capacity to treat the most critical patients and accept transfers with fewer delays by allowing less serious patients to be cared for at Acworth.
- Jobs and economic development. The proposed hospital would create more than 1,500 healthcare and related jobs with competitive wages that would help bolster the economy in surrounding areas. Wellstar is listed among the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For.
- Provide broader access to Wellstar’s integrated care network. This includes Georgia’s largest integrated trauma network, urgent care sites, specialists and primary care physicians, imaging, pharmacy and lab services.
Article Category: Newsroom
Proposed Wellstar Hospital in Acworth Would Strengthen Access to Care, Create Jobs
Addresses critical need for more hospital beds to serve Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee and Bartow counties.
Published on June 23, 2025
Last updated 03:22 PM June 23, 2025
MARIETTA, Ga., (June 23, 2025) – Wellstar Health System has filed its Certificate of Need (CON) application to build a 230-bed medical center that will address a critical need for hospital beds and emergency services in Acworth and nearby counties. The proposed Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center at Acworth would be conveniently located across from Wellstar’s busiest health park and would significantly reduce travel time for patients requiring emergency care.
Wellstar today shared new details on the proposed hospital, which would be an eight-story, 675,000-square-foot facility with 70 emergency department bays and 8 operating rooms. Wellstar’s filing included extensive information on the critical need for a new hospital in the area, and why Wellstar is uniquely able to provide that care.
The community response since the proposed hospital was first announced last month has been highly positive, with dozens of business and community leaders throughout Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee and Bartow counties expressing their support through letters. Wellstar will partner with community members throughout the application and development process and engage a community advisory council.
“Caring for the communities we serve is always our top priority when we look for opportunities to grow,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “Over the past few years, we have been able to increase access to healthcare across Georgia and into our rural communities by partnering with local leaders, businesses and organizations to identify and meet the rapidly expanding needs of our patients and their families.”
If approved, the proposed Acworth hospital would provide several benefits for the health and well-being of the region:
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Highlights
Health Equity Is Good for Healthcare Business—And Better Care for Everyone
As healthcare evolves, hospital systems prioritize not only the level of care they provide, but also how well they respond to the needs of the people they serve.
This is true with programs like Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Quality-In-Sights: Hospital Incentive Program (Q-HIP), which scores organizations’ health equity efforts.
When we invest in equitable care, our patients receive better treatment, our team members feel supported and we have additional resources that we can use to improve care.
Why do programs rewarding health equity matter?
Programs like Q-HIP recognize healthcare organizations for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Rather than focusing on how many patients are seen, these models score performance across quality, safety, outcomes and experience.
Programs like Q-HIP align with Wellstar's mission to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve.
Health equity’s role in Anthem’s Q-HIP program
Q-HIP has recognized Wellstar with a reimbursement bonus point for health equity, acknowledging our efforts to reach underserved patients and tailor our care to the communities and people we serve.
“Programs like Q-HIP make it clear that equity work isn’t separate from performance—it’s part of how we deliver quality and earn the resources we reinvest back into patient care,” said Mindy St. George, Wellstar assistant vice president of managed care.
The Q-HIP health equity assessment evaluates whether health systems:
- Commit to advance health equity
- Collect and analyze demographic and social needs data
- Look at quality measures to identify disparities
- Work to improve disparities and gaps in care
- Involve leadership in equity efforts
To provide high-quality care, you need to address inequities.
Wellstar’s approach: Equity as responsiveness
At Wellstar, health equity is part of everything we do. Through Wellstar Community Health and Center for Health Equity, equity is embedded into how we design care, improve quality, engage leadership across the system and analyze data.
We focus on understanding who we serve, identifying barriers to care and continuously improving how services are delivered.
“Health equity is not an add-on to our work—it’s how we deliver better care,” said Elise Lockamy-Kassim, Wellstar assistant vice president of community health and Center for Health Equity. “When healthcare systems are responsive to people’s needs, outcomes improve, care becomes more efficient and everyone benefits.”
Why equity investments benefit everyone
When patients can access care more easily and feel like their clinicians care about them, they’re more likely to get the preventative care they need. This helps them manage chronic conditions like diabetes, stay ahead of disease and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.
Equity-driven improvements also support Wellstar team members by improving workflows and enabling us to invest resources in our people.
“When we focus on health equity, we’re strengthening the entire system,” said Dr. Earl Stewart, Wellstar medical director of health equity. “Better data and better responsiveness lead to better care—for every patient, every time.”
Why continued investment matters
Programs like Q-HIP make it clear: Equity performance is quality performance and quality performance is rewarded.
For Wellstar, continued investment in health equity means:
- Stronger performance in programs like Q-HIP
- Resources to reinvest in team members and care
- Better outcomes for patients across all communities
- A healthcare system that is responsive, resilient and sustainable
Newsroom
Atlanta City FC Selects Wellstar Health System as Official Healthcare Provider
ATLANTA – Oct. 1, 2026 – Atlanta City FC has selected Wellstar Health System, a nationally-ranked and locally recognized healthcare provider based in Georgia, as the official healthcare provider of the club.
Through this multi-year partnership, Wellstar and Atlanta City FC will ensure the club’s athletes receive a high level of care on and off the pitch, while developing community and philanthropic efforts focused on the health and wellbeing of all women and female athletes.
Partnerships are developed through shared values, common goals and an aligned vision for the future,” said AMB Sports and Entertainment President Tim Zulawski. “As an Atlanta-based healthcare provider with a shared commitment to women’s health and delivering best-in-class care for female athletes, Wellstar is a perfect partner for Atlanta City FC. We’re proud to have Wellstar as our Official Healthcare Provider and look forward to working together to make a positive impact in our community as we continue to lay the foundation of our NWSL club.” For Wellstar, the partnership creates new opportunities to engage the community in their health and wellness.
By combining Wellstar's expertise in women's health, sports medicine, orthopedics, rehabilitation, primary care, and specialty care with the visibility and community reach of Atlanta’s new National Women’s Soccer League franchise, we can engage more people where they live, work, and gather and connect them with the care they need,” said Wellstar President and CEO Ketul J. Patel. “The team’s decision to choose Wellstar reflects the strength of our physicians, clinicians, team members, and the high-quality care we provide across Georgia every day. “
The partnership also aligns with Wellstar’s focus and expertise in women’s health, providing a full range of services from preventive and reproductive care to maternity, high-risk pregnancy and advanced orthopedic, cardiovascular and cancer services with one of the Southeast’s largest physician networks. Wellstar also is investing in innovative women’s health programs, including remote pregnancy monitoring and personalized breast cancer risk assessment, to ensure more women have access to quality and trusted care.
Women’s health is about recognizing that women have unique healthcare needs at every stage of life,” said Paula Greaves, MD, Chief of Women’s Health for Wellstar Health System. “By partnering with Atlanta City FC, we have an opportunity to bring together our expertise across women’s health, sports medicine and specialty care to support these athletes as whole people, not simply as competitors. This partnership also provides us with opportunities to engage with and support women of every age and background as we rally behind our new hometown NWSL team, on and off the pitch.”
As Atlanta City FC continues building its club and community presence ahead of its inaugural season, Wellstar will play an integral role in supporting the health and wellbeing of players and the broader community through a shared commitment to excellence, community impact and service. Together, the organizations will develop opportunities to expand access to women’s health resources, promote healthy lifestyles and create meaningful community impact.
Learn more about Atlanta City FC
Newsroom
Wellstar Names Kem Mullins Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
MARIETTA, Ga. — Wellstar Health System has named Kem Mullins as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer.
Mullins, a veteran healthcare executive with more than a decade of leadership experience at Wellstar, will oversee enterprise integration efforts, including Wellstar's recent acquisition of Mountain Lakes Medical Center and planned partnership with Stephens County Hospital. He will also oversee real estate and construction, facilities, emergency preparedness, implementation of Wellstar's operating model, and system support functions, including food and nutrition and environmental services. Kem will continue to lead acute and ambulatory operations until the national search for Wellstar's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer is completed.
Since joining Wellstar in 2012 as president of Wellstar Cobb Medical Center, Mullins has served in several key leadership positions across the system, including interim chief operating officer and, most recently, executive vice president of Wellstar's Ambulatory Division and Business Development. Prior to joining Wellstar, he served as CEO of Saint Francis Hospital Bartlett and was Chief Operating Officer at Atlanta Medical Center and NEA Medical Center.
"Kem has a strong track record at Wellstar and has built trusted relationships across our system over many years of service," said Ketul J. Patel, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. "Few leaders know Wellstar as well as Kem. He approaches his work thoughtfully and remains focused on supporting our teams and the people we serve. His deep experience and leadership will help advance important priorities across our system in the years ahead."
In this role, Mullins will help lead several key priorities across Wellstar, supporting continued growth and ensuring strong coordination across critical operational and support functions.
"Wellstar has a strong foundation with exceptional people and a clear vision for the future," Mullins said. "Having served in a variety of leadership roles across the system over the past 14 years, I'm honored to take on this responsibility supporting our teams and advancing the important work we're doing."