A Heart for Collaboration: Wellstar Cardiovascular Quality Forum 2024

GRIFFIN, Ga. — Community leaders joined hospital executives Thursday as Wellstar Spalding Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open its new cancer center, improving access to oncology and infusion services for patients in Spalding County and the surrounding region.

The 6,475-square-foot expansion nearly doubles the hospital’s cancer treatment space and includes eight exam rooms, 14 infusion chairs, two blood draw stations, a dedicated lab, triage room, waiting area and administrative offices. An on-site infusion pharmacy will support chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and other outpatient treatments.

Care at the Wellstar Spalding Cancer Center is provided in partnership with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers (NGOC), with additional support from an oncology nurse navigator who coordinates care and guides patients through treatment.

“People should be able to receive high-quality cancer care close to home,” said Kevin Smith, president of Wellstar Spalding. “By expanding both our cancer services and the specialties that support early detection and treatment, we’re making it more convenient for our patients to get the care they need.”

NGOC oncologist Dr. Dhivya Prabhakar has joined the Wellstar Spalding Cancer Center, further enhancing access to oncology care. She will be joined by a second oncologist this summer.

“What matters most to patients is feeling supported and understood throughout their cancer journey,” Dr. Prabhakar said. “With this expansion, people can stay in their community surrounded by a care team that knows them, listens to them and helps them navigate every step with clarity, compassion and hope. Our goal is to meet people where they are and partner with them in their care so they never feel alone in the process.”

Hospital leaders also highlighted growth in related services since the project began. Wellstar Spalding now offers endocrinology, which plays a key role in identifying endocrine-related cancers such as thyroid, adrenal and some pancreatic tumors. The hospital has also added a general surgeon specializing in breast surgery, expanding local options for evaluation and surgical care.

Cancer treatment can save lives—but for some people, it can also be hard on the heart.

Wellstar's Cardio-Oncology Program provides specialized care to address this risk. The program offers cancer-focused heart care that helps protect cardiovascular health before, during and after treatment.

Our cardio-oncology experts support people with cancer who have heart disease, are at high risk for heart problems or are receiving therapies that may affect heart function. By monitoring heart health and coordinating care, we help people receive the most appropriate cancer treatment while reducing the risk of heart complications.

Expertise in heart disease and cancer care

Researchers have identified a connection between cancer care and cardiovascular health, leading to the creation of cardio-oncology. At Wellstar, this specialized care is available in metro Atlanta and Augusta, expanding access for people across Georgia.

“Cardio-oncology exists because more people are surviving cancer and living long enough to face heart-related complications,” said Dr. Avirup Guha, a board-certified cardio-oncologist at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center and the first designated fellow of the International Cardio-Oncology Society in Georgia. “For some patients, cancer treatments can damage their heart. For others, they may have existing cardiovascular disease that needs careful management during cancer care. That requires expertise beyond cardiology—knowing how to modify therapy without causing harm.”

Cardio-oncologists are cardiologists with advanced training in how cancer therapies affect the heart. They help guide treatment decisions and work closely with oncology teams to ensure patients receive safe, effective care.

“A lot of oncology treatments are very effective for cancer, but the heart can become an innocent bystander,” said Wellstar Cardio-Oncologist Dr. Nikolas Krishna, who also specializes in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. “We advocate for these patients so their oncology and cardiology teams work together for the best possible outcome.”

Coordinated, team-based care

Multidisciplinary collaboration is central to Wellstar Cardio-Oncology. Cardiologists, oncologists, nurse navigators and other specialists communicate directly to align care and support both cancer outcomes and heart health.

“Our program helps address complications before they happen and streamlines care so people aren’t going back and forth between specialists,” Dr. Guha said.

Wellstar Cardio-Oncology teams partner with patients and families to understand risks and create a personalized plan. This may include imaging, blood tests and ongoing monitoring to detect early signs of heart conditions during chemotherapy, hormone therapy or radiation.

Additionally, Wellstar Cardio-Oncology nurse navigators—registered nurses with advanced training—provide compassionate guidance throughout the care journey.

“Nurse navigation plays a key role in educating patients and making sure they .understand their care plan,” said Dr. Guha. “It’s all about communication.”

Who can benefit from cardio-oncology care

Cardio-oncology care supports people from diagnosis through survivorship, especially when treatments or existing conditions may affect heart health.

You may benefit from cardio-oncology services if you have cancer or were treated for cancer within the past five years and you:

• Have heart failure or another existing heart condition
• Are at high risk for heart disease
• Have experienced cardiovascular complications after cancer treatment
• Require chemotherapy that may be cardiotoxic or radiation therapy to the chest

Some cancer treatments can weaken the heart muscle or alter heart function, making monitoring and early intervention essential. Therapies known to affect the heart include anthracyclines, platinum-based chemotherapy, HER2-targeted therapies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and fluoropyrimidines.

“Too often we see patients years after treatment when heart problems have already developed,” Dr. Krishna said. “By screening earlier and seeing patients upstream, we can prevent disease rather than treat it after it occurs.”

Support that extends into survivorship

When cancer treatment ends, Wellstar Cardio-Oncology teams continue monitoring heart health and providing preventive care tailored to each person’s history.

“Survivors may face accelerated cardiovascular risks years later,” said Dr. Krishna. “By continuing to screen and monitor, we can help catch any issues and protect their long-term health and quality of life.”

This ongoing care gives patients greater peace of mind as they navigate recovery.

“We want patients to know we are a layer of reassurance,” Dr. Krishna said. “They don’t have to worry about treatment hurting their heart—we are here to protect it so they can focus on healing.”

By combining advanced expertise, early monitoring and compassionate support, Wellstar’s Cardio-Oncology Program helps people face cancer with confidence.

Learn more about cardio-oncology services at Wellstar.

MARIETTA, Ga. (Feb. 18, 2026) – Wellstar Health System announced today that Thomas A. Kruse will join the system as its new executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer, effective March 30. Kruse has extensive experience guiding strategy for nonprofit health systems that embark on a path of sustainable growth and top-decile performance for clinical care, quality and safety, and patient experience.

“Patient needs are changing, our communities are growing, and we must evolve right alongside them. Tom will help shape our systemwide strategy and guide how we grow in the years ahead, with a clear goal of strengthening our reputation as a destination for care across the Southeast,” said Ketul J. Patel, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System.

Kruse will lead enterprise-level strategy and transformation, evaluate market expansion and affiliation opportunities, and drive initiatives that position Wellstar among the nation’s most respected and high-performing nonprofit health systems. He’ll partner with leaders across Wellstar and the communities it serves to identify opportunities for expansion and collaboration. Under Patel’s leadership, Wellstar will build on a strong foundation by advancing clinical excellence, strengthening academic programs and elevating quality, safety and patient experience.

“I’m honored to join Wellstar at such an important moment in its journey. The organization’s commitment to the communities it serves is inspiring. I look forward to working alongside the talented teams across the system to build on the already strong momentum and help expand access to high-quality care throughout Georgia and the Southeast,” said Kruse.

Most recently, Kruse was an independent health industry advisor and consultant for regional health systems, community hospitals and nonprofit organizations. He previously served as senior vice president and chief strategy officer for the Northwest region of CommonSpirit Health and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, where he led long-range strategy and partnership efforts that strengthened the organization and expanded its reach throughout the Pacific Northwest. The success of that work reflects Kruse’s experience as chief strategy officer for market-leading integrated health systems in highly competitive regions, including Hackensack Meridian Health, where he helped lead the creation of New Jersey's largest health system.

ABOUT WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM
Wellstar personalizes the patient experience. We call it PeopleCare and it's only possible thanks to our 34,000 team members who provide expert, compassionate care for every stage of life. PeopleCare also means we serve our communities as a nonprofit health system, providing more than $1 billion annually in charity care and community programs and operating the largest integrated trauma network in the state of Georgia. We embrace innovation and technology, nurture early-stage companies through our venture firm Catalyst by Wellstar and train future generations of caregivers with academic institutions including the Medical College of Georgia. Wellstar honors every voice and is one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. To learn more, visit Wellstar.org.