Wellstar Health System and Southside Medical Center are announcing a new partnership to improve primary and preventive care throughout Atlanta communities. Together, the organizations will focus on expanding access to preventive, whole-person care and chronic disease support, rather than treating patients episodically when they are acutely sick or injured without guaranteed follow up.
As the first step in this collaboration, Wellstar will invest nearly $5 million toward expanding primary care services for thousands of East Point residents at Southside Medical Center’s East Point clinic located at 1100 Cleveland Ave. Through Wellstar’s investment, the Southside Medical Center clinic in East Point will expand its size, capacity and hours.
“This important partnership will create a much-needed medical home that will meet the primary and preventive care needs of the South Fulton County community,” said David M. Williams, MD, President and CEO of Southside Medical Center. “Wellstar and Southside share a vision to promote a culture of health and well-being. Building upon the initial expansion in East Point, our plan is to promote change in health status, lifestyles and health outcomes in the patients we serve through a new model of care throughout Metro Atlanta.”
The Southside Medical Center clinic is adjacent to Wellstar’s East Point Health Center (EPHC), which offers urgent care, care coordination and behavioral health services. Through this partnership, care coordinators at EPHC will support urgent care patients in developing a relationship with primary care clinicians at Southside Medical Center to support their long-term health and well-being.
“At Wellstar, we know from our experience, and we have heard from our patients and consumers that our communities have a critical need for preventive primary care health services, especially those focused on chronic illnesses,” said Candice L. Saunders, President and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “We are proud to partner with Southside Medical Center to grow access to the kind of care that matches the needs of the community and promotes the long-term health and well-being of the people we serve. This partnership represents Wellstar’s broader vision for the future of healthcare, which is focused on transformative care models that support overall community health and wellness through personalized preventive care.”
In April 2022, Wellstar transitioned the Atlanta Medical Center South hospital campus to an urgent care clinic to better match the care needs of the community. The partnership with Southside Medical Center represents the next step on this journey to create a sustainable care solution that will best serve the South Fulton County community long-term.
By expanding and enhancing the care offered through Southside Medical Center, patients will have access to family medicine, general dentistry, behavioral health services and substance abuse disorders management. Patients will also have access to Southside’s Behavioral Lifestyle Enrichment Center, which provides mental health and addiction treatment through their comprehensive Lifestyle Enrichment Treatment program to address addiction, depression, anxiety and other disorders.
Southside Medical Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that has provided care to East Point and Atlanta communities for over 55 years. As an FQHC, Southside Medical Center provides primary care access to all patients of the communities it serves, especially
underserved communities. Southside Medical Center has strong ties to the community, and expanding their clinic is the right next step toward a sustainable care solution for a population that needs access to primary care, preventive and mental health services. As an FQHC, Southside Medical Center intends to provide greater access to primary and preventive health care services in addition to addressing the chronic care needs of the community through the patient-centered medical home model, which is designed to address both the clinical and social determinants of health issues which impact the healthcare and well-being of our community.
An important member of the East Point and Atlanta communities, Southside Medical Center has been nationally recognized by the National Association of Community Health Centers for having one of the best primary care delivery systems for the medically underserved.
“I look forward to the incredible impact this clinic will have on the lives of the patients and families we serve,” Dr. Williams said. “The expansion in East Point is just the beginning of an impactful partnership with Wellstar that I’m confident will meaningfully improve the health of our friends and neighbors throughout our region.”
As these groups move forward with this exciting partnership, Wellstar and Southside Medical Center will continue to work in collaboration with East Point Mayor Deana Ingraham, and we look forward to sharing more about this exciting next step.
Southside Medical Center and Wellstar Partner to Enhance the Health of Atlanta Communities
Partnership to Transform Care Through Expanded Access to Preventive and Primary Care Services
Published on October 20, 2022
Last updated 10:56 AM October 20, 2022
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The iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon filled the lobby of Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia Dec. 4 through 6 for its 25th year of fundraising. Surrounded by a winter wonderland of Christmas trees and red, white and silver balloon arches, volunteers took donations from generous supporters while iHeartMedia radio stations and WRDW-TV broadcast stories of the miracles that happen every day at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
The event raised $291,617 to support the children’s hospital, which is a part of the Children’s Miracle Network.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is life-changing,” said Ralph Turner, president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center. “This can support many of our young patients. They come to us and we take care of them. We don’t turn them away, and this really helps support our mission.”
Dr. Valera Hudson, pediatrician-in-chief, echoed Turner’s gratitude.
“We couldn’t do this without community support. We are so grateful for everyone who is here who helped pull this off,” she said.
Each year, iHeartMedia generously donates 72 hours of airtime as DJs from 96.3 Kiss FM, 104.3 WBBQ and 105.7 The Bull join WRDW-TV to broadcast live from the event, sharing success stories from patients and families grateful for the care they received.
“Thank you, CSRA, for making miracles happen. Exactly 291,617 miracles. Thank you!” said Ivy Elam, market president of iHeartMedia in Augusta.
Donations from the iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon are used throughout the year to purchase pediatric equipment such as vein finders for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and a gaming system for patients in the pediatric operating room.
They also support programs that are unique to a children’s hospital. These include the facility dog program, featuring three hospital-owned dogs who provide comfort and help Child Life Specialists more easily communicate with young patients. Donations also help fund summer camps for children living with chronic conditions—such as Camp Rainbow for cancer patients—which allow kids to just be kids while remaining under medical supervision.
Radiothon has ended, but donations can be made throughout the year by calling (762) 375-4004, by emailing Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia Director of Philanthropy Catherine Stewart or by visiting the Wellstar Foundation.
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