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Article Category: Newsroom

Wellstar Addresses Persistent Health Inequities

One of Georgia’s Most Integrated Health Systems Announces Partnerships and Programs in Response to Critical Community Needs

Published on May 03, 2021

Last updated 02:50 PM May 03, 2021

Illustration of someone with box of groceries, provider giving COVID-19 test

Wellstar Health System today announced several partnerships and initiatives to respond to long-standing, critical health inequities and social disparities affecting people and communities across the state.

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 endorses diversity, equity, and inclusion pledges

Wellstar joined the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) ATL Action for Racial Equity, a multi-year action plan designed to address the effects of systemic racism. Over 150 metro Atlanta-based companies have joined the initiative, including Atlanta Hawks, Coca-Cola, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Newell Brands, Prime Revenue, and UPS, to “leverage the size, scale, and expertise of the region’s business community to advance racial equity.” Saunders has also endorsed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ pledge, aimed to rally the business community to advance diversity and inclusion at work. The pledge outlines actions the signatory CEOs will take to cultivate a trusting environment where employees feel comfortable and empowered.

Wellstar Foundation launches Innovation Series

Wellstar Foundation has launched a series of virtual roundtable discussions with local leaders in the philanthropy and corporate communities to discuss and address pertinent community health and well-being issues. The series aims to facilitate conversation and collaboration that will lead to meaningful action and a pathway to transforming healthcare in Georgia. The first Innovation Series event, “Bridging the Gap: A Collaborative Approach to Health Equity,” took place on March 29 featuring experts from across Wellstar, an impassioned message from NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, and a keynote presentation from Dr. Gail C. Christopher, executive director of National Collaborative for Health Equity. More than 100 participants attended the inaugural event and engaged in discussion about how to enhance health equity. Future topics include digital health innovation, behavioral health and wellness, women’s health and pediatrics, and workforce planning.

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Wellstar Kennestone Achieves ANCC Magnet Recognition® for Nursing Excellence

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has achieved recognition from the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, joining an elite group of hospitals known for delivering the gold standard in nursing excellence and patient care. This honor confers Magnet® recognition status on Wellstar Kennestone, making it the second Wellstar hospital to achieve this designation, alongside Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

This is the highest distinction a hospital can receive for nursing excellence and quality patient care—earned by fewer than 10% of hospitals nationwide. For patients and families, receiving care at a Magnet-recognized hospital means:

  • Better health outcomes
  • Higher patient satisfaction
  • Shorter hospital stays
  • Access to some of the best nurses and healthcare professionals in the field

During the rigorous evaluation process, Wellstar Kennestone received seven special commendations ranging from strong leadership and team collaboration to advancing professional practice and delivering measurable improvements in patient care. These commendations reflect Wellstar Kennestone’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and clinical excellence—qualities also demonstrated at Wellstar Paulding as part of our Magnet hospital family.

For our community, this recognition is more than a milestone—it reaffirms that the people of Cobb County and the surrounding areas can count on world-class healthcare close to home at Wellstar. Magnet recognition also strengthens our ability to recruit and retain top-tier nurses and providers, further supporting the region’s health and economic well-being.

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Highlights

Personalized Breast Care Close to Home at Wellstar North Fulton

By Wellstar Breast Surgeon Dr. Laura Pearson

I have never met a woman who enjoyed getting mammograms, including myself. They can be uncomfortable, awkward and anxiety-provoking—especially if you have had scares in the past or are at high risk for getting breast cancer.

There are so many additional resources for risk reduction and surveillance available that go hand-in-hand with mammograms. At Wellstar, reducing your risk and screening for cancer starts with a physical from your primary care doctor.

If you are at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin annual screening mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent screening. If something is detected on a mammogram, the Wellstar Comprehensive Breast Health Program has nurse navigators who will help arrange diagnostic imaging, biopsy procedures and referrals to breast specialists. If you are diagnosed with cancer, the compassionate and oncology-trained nurse navigators with Wellstar Cancer Care walk patients through diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and beyond.

If you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment and care will transition from our Comprehensive Breast Health Program to the Wellstar Cancer Care team. In Wellstar STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatment, we put you at the center of your care plan. In our STAT Clinic for Breast Cancer, the care team, including breast oncology nurse navigators, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, nutritionists and genetic counselors, will meet with you and your support system on the same day to formulate a treatment plan personalized to your specific cancer, as well as your personal and cultural needs. Patients are able to ask questions, make decisions and start treatment sooner, improving outcomes.

Many times, surgical intervention can be done as an outpatient procedure. We can also offer some people intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT—the option of doing their radiation treatment in the operating room at the same time as their lumpectomy, meaning they are able to avoid four to six weeks of radiation treatments. Any other interventions, such as chemotherapy or radiation, including our CyberKnife for treatments like targeted partial breast radiation therapy, are found in the cancer center on Wellstar North Fulton’s medical campus. We have physical therapists, social workers and palliative care specialists who are there for you if the need arises.

Your Wellstar care team can also help you reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Being overweight or obese or being a smoker can increase your risk. Patients at Wellstar have access to our Center for Best Health to assist in weight management. We also have smoking cessation programs and dietitians waiting to help you make healthier choices that can positively impact your health.

Wellstar provides more than healthcare, PeopleCare—working relentlessly to exceed national standards and our patients’ expectations while remembering the humanity of every patient. We are here for all the situations and stages of our patients’ lives by offering the tools and resources to be healthy and thrive. Wellstar clinicians live in the communities we serve. We must get physicals, mammograms and biopsies. We need help being our healthiest selves. We get sick and have family members who need compassionate care. PeopleCare means offering our patients world-class healthcare in the communities where they live and work.

Your care team can put your mammogram order in Wellstar MyChart to book online, or you can schedule by calling (678) 581-5900.

Visit wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare to learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton.

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New Medical College of Georgia Campus Opens at Wellstar Kennestone

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New Medical College of Georgia Campus Opens at Wellstar Kennestone

MARIETTA, Ga. — With applause, camera flashes, and a ceremonial snip of the ribbon, Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG) officially launched its newest two-year clinical campus Tuesday at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. The campus is MCG’s first in the Atlanta area.

The celebration of the new campus–known as MCG Atlanta at Wellstar Health System–marked a bold step forward in expanding medical education into the heart of Metro Atlanta, where 48 third- and fourth-year students will now live, learn and care for patients as part of their training. Their areas of focus will include internal and family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry and neurology.

The event brought together leaders from Augusta University, the University System of Georgia and Wellstar Health System to celebrate the launch of MCG Atlanta at Wellstar Kennestone.

“This is a moment of pride, but also a moment of responsibility. Pride in the years of dedication, collaboration and vision that have brought the Atlanta campus to life, and in our students, faculty and partners who believed in this mission before it was fully realized," said Augusta University President Russell T. Keen. "Now, we have the possibility, the opportunity and the responsibility to do even more to strengthen the physician pipeline for Georgia."

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue praised the collaboration as a model for the state’s future.

“It’s a great day to celebrate,” said Perdue. “We look forward to the leadership here at Wellstar Kennestone and know that great things will happen here.”

“When we joined forces with Augusta University, we promised to expand access to care, increase educational capacity and build a stronger healthcare workforce for Georgia. This campus is a powerful example of how we’re keeping that promise," said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “We’re honored to help train future generations of caregivers for every corner of Georgia.”

Following the ceremony, guests toured the new campus suite at 61 Whitcher St. The expansion builds on a decade-long relationship between MCG and Wellstar Kennestone, where students have been getting first-hand experience since 2015.

MCG’s statewide network now includes four-year campuses in Augusta, Athens and Savannah, and regional clinical campuses in Albany, Brunswick, Dalton, Rome and Savannah, making it one of the largest medical school networks in the country.

"MCG has the fourth largest class size in the nation," said MCG Dean David Hess. "That would not be possible without regional clinical campuses like this one. By increasing our capacity to educate more medical students, we’re directly addressing the physician shortage that affects communities across the state. More students mean more graduates, and more graduates mean more doctors ready to serve Georgia."

New Medical College of Georgia Campus Opens at Wellstar Kennestone

Classroom and collaboration spaces at MCG Atlanta at Wellstar Health System
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