The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2022 results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Wellstar Clinical Partners (WCP) Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) helped CMS save over $16 million for the entire performance year.
“These latest results from CMS clearly demonstrate how Wellstar is committed to providing world-class care for every person, every time. Our teams never waiver from that commitment – even during some of the most challenging times in healthcare,” said Dr. Alan Muster, senior vice president, Specialty Division for Wellstar Medical Group. Dr. Larry Hornsby, chairman of the board for WCP added, “At Wellstar, we all work together to keep our communities healthy. We provide the highest-quality care, at an appropriate cost, and ensure each patient has an exceptional experience while maintaining a laser focus on our caregiver well-being.”
Even after CMS revised its methodology for calculating the annual Quality score, Wellstar maintained a competitive rating compared to other Georgia systems that participate in the Medicare ACO. The System also saw an increase in patient satisfaction compared to 2021. The WCP Medicare ACO performed in the top 16 percent of ACOs for 2022 based on generated savings, out of more than 480 other ACOs.
“The health and well-being of every patient remain our top priority,” said Barbara Corey, president of the Wellstar Clinical Partners Medicare ACO. “The hard work and dedication of our WCP physicians is clearly reflected in our latest accomplishments, and we are proud of the compassionate care we consistently provide for the communities we serve.”
As one of the largest and most experienced ACOs in Georgia, the WCP Medicare ACO is consistently named one of the top ACOs in the country. Additionally, the ACO is the only one in Georgia to help Medicare bend the healthcare cost curve for nine of the last ten years. Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated high-quality care to their Medicare patients.
The WCP Medicare ACO leverages its internal resources, infrastructure, and partnerships with employed and affiliated physicians to deliver high quality, cost-effective healthcare to the communities it serves. Since 2012, the WCP Medicare ACO has been a consistent, high-quality, top performing ACO and it is among the top MSSP ACOs when measured by cumulative savings to Medicare of nearly $150 Million.
Wellstar Clinical Partners Medicare ACO Continues to Significantly Reduce Costs for Patients
Achieves High Score for Patient Satisfaction, Saves Medicare $16 million
Published on November 08, 2023
Last updated 01:20 PM November 08, 2023
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Wellstar Health System and Columbia County Schools Partner to Provide Job Prospects for Students Interested in Healthcare
Busloads of Columbia County high school students funneled through a purple and blue balloon archway into their future on Jan. 23. The 2026 Opportunity Summit was held at Columbia County School District’s Support Complex to showcase career opportunities and benefits available at Wellstar to students who will be looking for jobs in healthcare after graduation.
Juniors and seniors spoke with Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center leadership about careers in both direct patient care and the many fields that support it. With the opening of the new Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center this fall, Wellstar has many open roles in Grovetown as well as its Augusta hospital and clinics. Students could also explore open careers in any of Wellstar’s 11 hospitals.
Students also had the opportunity to learn about employee benefits Wellstar offers, such as free tuition for some critical fields. For Bella Weeks, a junior at Greenbrier High School, that’s a major draw. Weeks knew she wanted to become a nurse after an accident landed her mom in the intensive care unit. The nursing team patiently answered her questions and let her help care for her mom, changing bandages and assisting with her mom’s physical therapy. She knew she wanted to do that for others after graduating high school.
Working at Wellstar would allow Weeks to attend nursing school at Augusta University for free, meaning she could earn a degree without accruing student debt while building her career near her family. She said she appreciated the Opportunity Summit because it gave her a chance to ask questions and learn more about programs not only at Wellstar, but also at local colleges such as Augusta University and Augusta Technical College, which were also in attendance.
“I think it’s very important to hire people, start them young and help them walk into it. It’s really scary going to the healthcare world and just walking into it. Having a little bit of knowledge beforehand really helps,” Weeks said.
Brooks Smith, the director of career and college readiness for Columbia County Schools, said partnerships like the one with Wellstar enable the school system to offer students resources to begin their careers. They also benefit the community by encouraging students to stay in the area and helping them find jobs with local businesses. Those businesses, in turn, benefit from a pipeline to grow their workforce.
“(Partnerships) are really beneficial for our students because basically we’re handing them off to their next steps. For these students today who are obviously interested in a career in healthcare, it’s a logical opportunity for us to provide for these students. We’re certainly very thankful that Wellstar has been willing to really initiate some of these partnerships that we now have,” Smith said.
Evelyn Rosenthal, Wellstar vice president and chief learning officer, wanted students to leave knowing that Wellstar eagerly wants to hire them. She said many of today’s graduating seniors have certifications the health system is looking for, such as certified medical assistants, maintenance and HVAC credentials, and valuable hands-on experience.
“They’re coming out of school with the education and certifications that we need to employ them immediately,” she said. “Bottom line: Every student who comes in here today who wants a job, we’re committed to giving them one.”
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Wellstar Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King with Inspiring Systemwide MLK Day Streaming Event and Call to Action
On January 15, 2026, Wellstar Health System marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day through a powerful systemwide streaming event, viewed across hospitals, health parks, practices and offices via in-person watch parties and virtual access. Thousands of team members paused together to reflect, learn and recommit to service through a shared experience designed to unite the system.
Anchored by the theme “Carrying the Torch, Expanding the Dream: The Enduring Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” the program centered on Coretta Scott King’s essential, and often underrecognized, leadership. Beyond her role as partner and strategist in the Civil Rights Movement, Coretta Scott King founded The King Center, helped secure the establishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday and extended the movement globally through advocacy for peace, economic justice and human rights, including early and sustained support for LGBTQ+ equality. Her work underscored that the movement’s progress depended on courageous, collective leadership.
The streaming event featured a reflective musical performance by cellist Okorie Johnson and an interfaith prayer by Wellstar Director of Spiritual Health Rev. Sarah Murray. Wellstar President and CEO Ketul J. Patel offered opening remarks and kicked off a compelling conversation between Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, and Monica Kaufman Pearson, former Atlanta news anchor and current host for Atlanta News First and Peachtree TV. Their dialogue explored the enduring relevance of both leaders’ teachings, emphasizing nonviolence as a guiding philosophy alongside unity, moral courage and action as essential to creating positive change. Wellstar Chief Human Resources Officer David A. Jones offered brief closing remarks as the executive sponsor of the event.
In keeping with the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy, Wellstar encourages team members to carry this work forward not only by participating in volunteer opportunities on MLK Day, but by engaging in service and advocacy throughout the year, reinforcing the ongoing commitment Wellstar has to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the communities it serves.
The virtual program is available for on-demand viewing at https://youtu.be/bksp8gadNVM.