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Article Category: Newsroom

Wellstar Kennestone Receives Georgia Oglethorpe Award for Organizational Excellence

Award-winning facility celebrates 70th anniversary

Published on June 11, 2020

Last updated 12:05 PM August 12, 2020

Kennestone Hospital at sunset

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital celebrates its 70th anniversary. The hospital was founded in 1950 to serve the needs of the Cobb County community.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, today announced Wellstar Kennestone Hospital was named the recipient of the prestigious Georgia Oglethorpe Award for 2020, Georgia’s highest level of recognition for organizational performance excellence. Presented by the Florida Sterling Council, the award recognizes organizations and businesses “that have successfully achieved performance excellence within their management and operations.” This award announcement falls on the 70th anniversary of the hospital—a significant milestone in community care.


Award Recipients Are Role Models for Excellence

Due to its high standard for excellence, the Georgia Oglethorpe Award represents one of the most significant levels of recognition an organization can receive. Recipients of the Georgia Oglethorpe Award are examples for excellence for other organizations.

This award is presented after rigorous evaluation to recognize organizations that have achieved management and operations performance excellence. Only 89 organizations have earned awards since 1992 from the Florida Sterling Council—the organization that orchestrates the Georgia Oglethorpe Award. The awards are “presented annually to high performing, role-model organizations, both private and public, that demonstrate superior management approaches and role model results,” according to the Florida Sterling Council.


Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Makes an Impact

Founded in 1950, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is a 633-bed hospital, anchoring the regional medical center located in Marietta, Georgia, and is part of the nationally recognized non-profit Wellstar Health System. The hospital serves hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and consistently demonstrates high performance levels across all metrics, including quality, safety, satisfaction, and operations.

Wellstar invests consistently in new innovations that help address vital healthcare needs, such as Georgia’s first CyberKnife®, TomoTherapy® and da Vinci® robotic surgical systems.

As one of only three Level II trauma centers in Metro Atlanta, and part of the state’s largest trauma network, Wellstar Kennestone operates the second busiest emergency department (ED) in Georgia and the eighth busiest ED in the U.S., caring for more than 138,000 patients per year. The new ED is slated to open late June 2020 and will be one of the top two largest and busiest EDs in the nation, serving up to 600 patients per day and 220,000 patients each year at full capacity, doubling the current trauma and emergency capacity. The 263,000-square-foot facility will include dedicated isolation and decontamination rooms that can be used for patients who present with infectious disease, behavioral health, or chemical contamination issues and multiple entrances for different levels of patient severity. Offering a dedicated pediatric ED and many industry-leading features and processes, the new ED dramatically enhances access for Georgians to vital healthcare needs and will be a model for best practices in emergency services, both for the region and nationally.


Celebrating 70 Years of Compassionate Care

Today, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is honored to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The hospital was founded in 1950 to serve the needs of the rapidly growing Cobb County community, which had tripled in the ten years prior. The May 21, 1950 edition of the Marietta Daily Journal stated the facilities “are said to be among the best available in hospital circles in the Southeast”—a fact that stands true today. For the last 70 years, the hospital has been a pinnacle in the Marietta community and is a destination hospital for North Georgia and neighboring states.

“Every birthday that we celebrate not only signifies our maturity in age but also our advancement in serving our community,” said Mary Chatman, executive vice president of Wellstar Health System and president of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital. “We, the more than 5,000 employees of Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, are proud to be the healthcare choice for many patients, from the beginning of life, when we celebrate birth, to the end of life, when we demonstrate dignity.”

The hospital’s longest-tenured team member and unofficial historian, Joyce McMurrain, has worked at Kennestone for almost 55 years. Joyce began her career as a staff nurse in the maternity unit and has served in many roles. McMurrain is currently the nurse manager for professional practice and helps to guide rising senior nursing students. “One of my proudest accomplishments is helping Wellstar to re-shape and re-structure women's health services,” said McMurrain. “The hospital moved from a traditional maternity model to a modern family-centered approach that provides women greater access, support, decision-making in the delivery process, childbirth, and care.” She credits her longevity to her credo of believing that we are all connected and that service makes a significant difference in people's lives.

Chatman and McMurrain join Wellstar Kennestone Hospital team members in celebrating this significant milestone 70th anniversary, knowing that the hospital will continue to provide compassionate care for the communities it serves for years to come.

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Wellstar Leader Addresses Rising Cancer Rates in Younger Women at Health Connect South

At this week’s Health Connect South conference, Dr. Steven McCune, oncology service line physician lead, joined an impactful panel discussion titled “Women First: Collaborating for Better Cancer Care, Redefining Outcomes for the Next Generation.” The conversation brought together Dr. McCune and other regional experts to explore the alarming rise in cancer diagnoses among younger women.

Research shows that women under 50 are 82% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than men in the same age group. Historically, cancer research and treatment have focused primarily on older patients.

“If you come see me for breast cancer, we’re about 10 to 20 years too late,” said Dr. McCune. “We want to work on prevention rather than treatment. This is about working together and collaborating to provide access to care in Georgia.”

Dr. McCune highlighted the Wellstar Center for Genetics —the largest genetic risk assessment program in Georgia—and its focus on identifying younger women at higher risk. Building on that commitment, Wellstar Women’s Health is championing Gabbi, an innovative tool that uses data and technology to expand access to advanced breast cancer risk screening. Supported by Catalyst by Wellstar, a program led by Dr. Hank Capps, Gabbi reflects Wellstar’s commitment to advance healthcare innovation to improve patient outcomes. Wellstar is also partnering with the Medical College of Georgia to train medical students and residents, helping expand the physician workforce and improve access to care across the state.

The panel, moderated by Dr. Kristin Higgins, chief clinical officer at City of Hope Cancer Center, featured leading voices in the field, including Dr. Lynn Durham, president and CEO of Georgia CORE, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing oncology research and education.

“We work with health systems throughout the state, and we want to make sure that Georgians are getting the best cancer care they can get,” said Durham. “I’m a three-time cancer survivor and luckily I am cancer-free today because of clinical trials and the incredible care we have right here in Georgia.”

Together, the panelists discussed:

  • The impact of rising cancer rates on younger women.
  • Gaps in care, awareness and research that need to be addressed.
  • Opportunities for health systems, nonprofits and national organizations to collaborate in new ways.

Dr. McCune also stressed the importance of trusted primary care relationships.

“It’s easy to say a person needs to be their own advocate, but I think in the course of a busy day we have to take a step back and listen to people,” McCune said. “The best thing people can do is have a relationship with a primary care doctor where you’ve built a sense of trust.”

By participating in this regional forum, Wellstar continues to elevate its voice in the broader healthcare community—reinforcing our commitment to addressing the toughest challenges in cancer care through innovation, collaboration and compassion.

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Wellstar AirCare Completes First ECMO Patient Transport

When every second counts, having access to advanced technology and expert care can make all the difference. On September 10, Wellstar AirCare completed its first patient transport using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)—a lifesaving therapy for people with severe heart or lung conditions.

Taking Flight with Lifesaving Technology

For months, Wellstar teams prepared for this moment. Perfusionists, cardiovascular surgeons, flight crews and many others came together to ensure that patients who need ECMO could safely and quickly receive it—even when ground transportation was improbable or impossible.

Their work paid off. This month, AirCare One lifted off with its first ECMO patient on board. The crew worked quickly to stabilize the critically ill cardiovascular patient and minimize bedside time at the referring hospital. Once in the air, they successfully transported the patient to the ECMO center.

“The AirCare and ECMO teams made this success possible through countless hours of planning, education, crew resource management, dry runs, training flights and simulations,” said Zack Lancaster, executive director of Air Medical Transport. “The program is safe, efficient and ready, and it will be a game-changer for many.”

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What Is ECMO?

ECMO is an advanced therapy that supports patients with serious cardiac or pulmonary conditions such as heart attack or pneumonia. By temporarily taking over the work of the heart and lungs, ECMO gives the body time to heal after trauma, organ failure or in preparation for major surgery.

Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Centers are among the few facilities in Georgia with the expertise and technology needed to provide this advanced treatment.

Expanding Access to Care

The successful AirCare transport marks an important milestone for Wellstar—and for the communities we serve. With the ability to rapidly transport ECMO patients by helicopter, more people across Georgia can reach lifesaving care when they need it most.

“This mission represents a new chapter for AirCare—not only as Wellstar’s dedicated critical care transport team, but also as a trusted regional partner in ECMO patient care,” Lancaster said.

Following the transport, leaders at the referring hospital praised the AirCare team for their professionalism and expertise, noting that Wellstar is now their first choice for advanced cardiovascular ICU and cardiac support transport.

Learn more about Wellstar AirCare.

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Health Connect South Brings Augusta University, Medical College of Georgia and Wellstar Leaders Together on Better Healthcare for All of Georgia

Healthcare leaders gathered at Health Connect South to discuss the key healthcare challenges and opportunities facing medical institutions nationwide. Wellstar President and CEO Candice L. Saunders, Augusta University President Dr. Russell T. Keen and Medical College of Georgia Dean Dr. David Hess spoke with 11Alive's Cheryl Preheim about advancing healthcare throughout Georgia. They highlighted how investing in cutting-edge facilities and rural hospital collaborations helps meet the unique needs of communities across Georgia.

At the heart of this partnership is a shared goal: making sure every person, in every part of Georgia, has access to high-quality, personalized care. Whether it's through strengthening rural hospitals, expanding digital health options or bringing care directly to patients via telehealth, the organizations are working together to improve access to care and rethink what healthcare can look like.

"As we look to the future, we are keeping our eye on how the role of technology is still revealing itself. It is very exciting as we continue to work together and bring the strength of academic research and clinical expertise to our community," said Saunders.

One example already making a difference? The Wellstar Digital Care Network is improving rural hospitals’ access to cardiology, stroke and pediatric subspeciality services across the state, enabling Georgians in rural areas to receive care closer to home.

And that's just the beginning. By blending the deep clinical expertise and medical records data, this collaboration is helping to develop innovative care models that improve health outcomes.

“Combining our forces to leverage the clinical data and research capabilities that we have can translate to better health outcomes for people across the entire state. Being able to offer more clinical trials for Georgians is certainly an early win. We are truly doing more together than we could have in our own arenas,” said Keen.

Improving access to care and growing Georgia's healthcare workforce are top priorities. Medical College of Georgia is already one of the largest medical schools in the country. With more than 350 teaching sites and four regional campuses, it trains future doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals where they're needed most, and about half of new physicians establish their practices where they train. That means more providers in more places—ready to meet the state's growing and changing needs.

Georgia's healthcare challenges are real, from aging populations to rising rates of chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. The state faces some significant hurdles. AU, MCG and Wellstar are collaborating to expand care and use data in more innovative ways to get ahead of these issues, not just respond to them.

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