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Wellstar Health System Celebrates Accolades

Facilities, service lines and leaders across the system receive awards and accreditations

Published on April 23, 2021

Last updated 11:14 AM April 23, 2021

Wellstar Health System, one of the largest healthcare systems in Georgia, announces multiple accolades, including national, regional and local recognition for facilities, service lines and leaders. Awards and accreditations for quality, safety, performance excellence and community service exemplify Wellstar’s commitment to world-class healthcare.

“Dedication to excellence is a hallmark of Wellstar,” said David Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer of Wellstar. “People are at the center of everything we do. Achieving these accolades is a testament to our team’s hard work to enhance the health and well-being of every person, every time. It is not only our mission—it is our calling and our honor to offer tailored, compassionate healthcare to the people we serve.”

National and regional organizations recognize Wellstar for quality, safety and performance excellence

Healthgrades, which evaluates, recognizes and ranks hospitals that deliver superior care, recently named both Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Cobb Hospital in the top 5% in the nation for overall clinical excellence and ranked both in the 2021 “Top 250 Best Hospitals.”

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital was also recognized for:

America’s 100 Best Critical Care
America’s 100 Best Gastrointestinal Care
America’s 100 Best Pulmonary Care
General Surgery Excellence Award
Joint Replacement Excellence Award
Vascular Surgery Excellence Award

Wellstar Cobb Hospital was also recognized for:

America’s 100 Best Gastrointestinal Care
America’s 100 Best General Surgery
America’s 100 Best Pulmonary Care
America’s 100 Best Stroke Care
Vascular Surgery Excellence Award

Wellstar Douglas Hospital and Wellstar Paulding Hospital both earned the highest possible grade of A from Leapfrog, the only hospital rating focused exclusively on hospital safety.
Newsweek published “The World’s Best Hospitals 2021,” which included Wellstar Paulding Hospital as one of the top hospitals worldwide. The research conducted spans 25 countries and rates and ranks those that stand out for consistent excellence. This accolade follows Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s November 2020 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award—the nation’s highest performance excellence recognition. Wellstar is the first healthcare entity in Georgia and second company in the state to receive the award.
Georgia Hospital Association Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) recognized Wellstar Health System with the Circle of Excellence award and third place overall in the Hospitals and Health Systems category. Wellstar Douglas Hospital received two PHA awards in the Hospitals with 100-299 Beds category: second place for “Reductions of Both Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) & Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) Within the Intensive Care Unit" and third place for “The Clinical Nurse Leader: Improving Heart Failure Patient Outcomes.”
Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) recognized Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center with the WarnerMedia Community Leadership Award: Downtown Atlanta as part of a tribute to healthcare workers across Atlanta during the 2021 Annual Meeting. The award “pays tribute to leaders and institutions that have had an indelible impact on Downtown Atlanta.”
Cobb Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting April 12, where Wellstar unveiled that it has been named one of the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® in the nation. Fortune also named Wellstar one of the 2021 Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma™. At the event, the Chamber recognized healthcare workers for the Citizen of the Year award, including Wellstar Health System. Nadine Lynch, ICU manager at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, accepted the award on behalf of Wellstar healthcare workers.
Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center South recently obtained American Diabetes Association recognition as a site offering education, training and support for individuals with type 1, type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes.
Wellstar West Georgia Women's Health Center received accreditation as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. This “designation is awarded to breast imaging centers that achieve excellence,” offering world-class, quality breast care for people served by Wellstar West Georgia.

Wellstar leaders achieve industry and community recognition for ongoing contributions

John Kueven, SVP and president of Wellstar Paulding Hospital and interim president of Wellstar Cobb Hospital, was named a 2021 International Hospital Federation Young Executive Leader. This program identifies and recognizes emerging hospital leaders from around the world and creates opportunities for “impactful international conversations” that help shape healthcare leadership.
Callie Andrews, SVP and president, Wellstar Cobb Hospital, was named SVP and chief operating officer for Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, one of the largest and busiest hospitals in the state of Georgia. In this role, Andrews will serve as an on-site designated leader to bridge the daily corporate and local operations of Wellstar Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals, affiliated Health Parks, and Hospital Outpatient Departments.
Dr. Chirag Patel, medical director of Population Health, Wellstar Health System, was selected as an American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) 2021 Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Program Scholar. The “new generation of top-level healthcare leaders” participate in an advanced leadership program that fosters diverse and responsive healthcare organizations.
Vicky Hogue, vice president of Patient Services and chief nursing officer for Wellstar Paulding Hospital, received the Nikki T. Randall Servant Leadership Award from the Georgia Women's Legislative Caucus. She was selected by Representative Kimberly Alexander of District 66 for exceptional leadership and service.
David Jones, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Wellstar Health System, was listed on the inaugural Human Resources Director (HRD) Global 100. This list features leaders across a variety of sectors, specialties, and regions worldwide, celebrating “the very best” in human resources.

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Mary Chatman, Executive Vice President of Wellstar Health System and President of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, Named Chair-Elect of the Georgia Hospital Association Board of Trustees

Mary Chatman, PhD, RN, executive vice president (EVP) of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital, was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) on Nov. 10. Chatman, who has served on the GHA Board since February 2020, will lead the Board in developing strategies for GHA hospital members, advocating for the highest quality care for patients and supporting adequate reimbursement for hospitals.

“Mary Chatman is a visionary leader whose vast leadership skills have benefited Wellstar hospitals and the communities they serve,” said GHA President and CEO Earl Rogers. “She is a strong patient advocate and we look forward to her expertise and leadership of our Board.”

In addition to serving as a Wellstar EVP and president of two of the system’s hospitals, Chatman oversees the operations of the seven other Wellstar hospitals. In 2020, she led the opening of Wellstar Kennestone’s new emergency department, the largest in the Southeast.

Prior to serving in her current role, Chatman was the chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital and its nursing operations. She also served as interim chief information officer for Memorial and completed the electronic health record conversion to EPIC.

This year, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Chatman to the state’s Healthcare Workforce Commission, where she has helped address challenges in the hiring and retention of healthcare workers.

Chatman has been recognized locally and nationally as a prominent leader and strong patient advocate in health care. Atlanta Daily World recognized her among the 2018 Women of Excellence. Diversity MBA Magazine named her among the 2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive & Emerging Leaders and 2020 Top 100 Women of Influence. Profiles in Diversity Journal named her a 2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM award winner. Chatman was recognized by Atlanta Magazine among the 2021 Women Making A Mark honorees and by Becker’s as one of the 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. She was also named the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines for Cobb County, fighting COVID-19 and collaborating with local leaders.

Chatman is deeply involved in the community, serving as board member for United Community Bank and active in the fight to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

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Dr. Hank Capps Awarded 2022 Georgia CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award in Healthcare

This month Dr. Hank Capps, Wellstar Health System’s executive vice president, chief information and digital officer, and founder and president of Catalyst by Wellstar, was honored by GeorgiaCIO with the 2022 CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award in the healthcare category.

The CIO ORBIE Awards is the premier technology executive recognition program of its kind that recognizes CIOs in Georgia who have shown excellence in technology leadership. Since its inception in 1998, over 500 CIO winners have received the prestigious ORBIE Award. The ORBIE signifies exceptional leadership, innovation, and vision, representing the characteristics and qualities that inspire others to achieve their potential. GeorgiaCIO is led by an advisory board of CIOs from prominent organizations in Georgia who set the direction for events, membership, and annual Awards program.

“Every organization is technology-dependent, but strong leadership is the X-factor that can turn mundane IT into a remarkable strategic differentiator,” said Brandon Van Orden, GeorgiaCIO Chair. “The ORBIE Awards are meaningful because they are judged by peers – CIOs who understand the challenges of technology leadership.”

Within one year of joining Wellstar, Dr. Capps led the creation and launch of Catalyst by Wellstar, a first-of-its-kind global digital health and innovation center designed to disrupt the future of healthcare. Dr. Capps has also led the transformation of the core technology functions of the organization, including reorganizing around customer needs, launching the Wellstar Data and Insights Institute, and accelerating implementations of ERP, Device Integration, core infrastructure modernization, and data governance initiatives with the main goal to make work easier for clinicians and team members.

“PeopleCare is at the forefront of every project let by the Wellstar team. For myself and the dedicated team at Wellstar, the greatest reward is caring for patients each day,” said Dr. Hank Capps.

Dr. Capps and his team of experts are committed to changing the model from sick care to PeopleCare, by harnessing new technologies and always-connected networks to make care more personalized and focused on well-being through prevention. Some specifics include:

Relaunched the flagship wellstar.org site, growing monthly sessions 96% in one year, while reducing bounce rates from 70% to 16.5%
Led access initiatives that drastically increased physician discoverability and digital booking across Wellstar’s online appointment tools, driving more than 16,000 bookings in 12 months
Guided the launch of a new, consumer-facing mobile app
Led creation of immersive audio in Team Member Wellness Rooms, where 95% of users felt positively impacted and reported improved mental state
Achieved the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s (HIMSS) Stage 7 Ranking for Digital Transformation
Received Epic Gold Star 9 (top 10 percentile in the nation)
Earned Level 9 ranking and Digital Health Most Wired recognition from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME)
Advisory Board Member, leading investment in Engage Venture Platform, May 2021 – present

This recognition is a testament to the nearly 1,000 digital, technology, data, and innovation team members who help deliver on Wellstar’s mission of improving the health and well-being of every person served.

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Illustration of a person receiving an advanced radiation therapy treatment.

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Wellstar Paulding Medical Center Breaks Ground on New Radiation Technology

Wellstar Health System announced a multimillion-dollar investment to bring cutting-edge radiation therapy to Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram, Georgia on November 2, 2022.

“Our motto is ‘Neighbors Caring for Neighbors’ and these new technologies will enhance access to medical care for every neighbor in Paulding County,” said Ralph Turner, Wellstar senior vice president and president of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center. “Our team is focused on providing a patient-centric experience. Having a short drive and the comforts of home and family nearby helps the healing process.”

Breaking ground for groundbreaking radiation technology

The expansion will enhance the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a second linear accelerator — the technology that delivers radiation therapy — and is slated for completion in early 2023.

In the last year, patients received nearly 8,000 radiation treatments. The radiation oncology team often extended hours from 7 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. to accommodate patients.

During a recent press conference, a group of patients, physicians, healthcare leaders, team members, government leaders and community partners ceremonially broke ground on the major expansion of Wellstar Radiation Oncology. The facility is located on the ground floor of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s Outpatient Pavilion at 148 Bill Carruth Parkway in Hiram, Georgia.

The new machine will also bring a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time. This radiation technology uses multiple X-ray beams to treat tumors with highly precise, high-dose radiation to any location in the body, preserving surrounding tissue, organs and nerves. The technology allows patients to have significantly fewer treatment sessions.

“This is a huge step forward for cancer care for the people of Paulding County,” said Dr. William Thoms, who has served as the radiation oncology medical director for Wellstar Paulding Medical Center since 2017. “This expansion will allow people to stay in our community for more advanced treatments with shorter wait times.”

The renovation will also modernize the dressing rooms and add more space to increase patient comfort.

In the last year, patients received nearly 8,000 radiation treatments. The radiation oncology team (pictured) often extended hours from 7 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. to accommodate patients.

Hospital leaders hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking on a major expansion of Wellstar Radiation Oncology at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center. Here, a group holds shovels and wear hard hats at the site of construction.

A rendering of what the new LINAC radiation therapy machine will look like..

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

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