Wellstar Recently Partnered with the American Cancer Society to Provide Free Mammograms to Women in Need

Communities across Cobb County and Metro Atlanta are growing quickly—and so is the need for world-class healthcare.

The new Yellow Tower at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is helping meet that need. The nine-story, 235-bed patient tower expands hospital capacity, strengthens specialty care and enhances the patient experience through state-of-the-art technology and spaces that support healing.

Opening to patients April 15, 2026, the tower represents a $400 million investment in the future of healthcare for the region—helping ensure families across Georgia can access expert care when and where they need it.

Expanding capacity and advancing care

The approximately 300,000-square-foot tower increases acute care capacity and strengthens key service lines, including cardiology, neurology, oncology and surgery. Dedicated units for cardiac critical care, surgical care, neurological care and medical oncology allow care teams to deliver advanced treatment in environments built for each specialty.

The new tower also introduces a next-generation neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and enhanced neonatal services, expanding care for our smallest patients. A dedicated Women’s & Children’s entrance improves access and reinforces family-centered care.

"This tower is more than a new building—it reflects our commitment to providing extraordinary care for people across the Southeast,” said Ketul J. Patel, Wellstar president and CEO. “Wellstar Kennestone has become a destination hospital, with a Level I Trauma Center and nationally recognized specialty programs, including one of the best heart programs in the country. This investment allows us to serve more patients, support families during life’s most important moments, and give our teams the space and tools they need to deliver safe, high-quality care to every person, every time. When someone needs advanced care, they can find it at Wellstar.”

Technology that supports care

Every element of the Yellow Tower was designed with patients, families and care teams in mind.

All adult patient rooms are private, offering greater comfort and functionality. Natural light, sound-reducing features and adjustable lighting and privacy controls create a calm, quiet setting. Durable antimicrobial materials support infection prevention and help maintain a clean, safe space.

Throughout the new tower, smart-room technology keeps patients and care teams connected. Interactive digital whiteboards in each patient room display real-time care information, including medications, care team details and daily treatment plans.

Smart technology also supports patient safety. Remote monitoring allows trained team members to observe patients who may be at risk of falls or other complications. Virtual nursing helps coordinate admissions, discharges and documentation so bedside nurses can focus on direct patient care.

Other advanced capabilities—including AI-assisted monitoring and virtual rounding—enhance the care experience by helping identify risks earlier, improving decision-making and extending access to expert providers.

These advancements are especially impactful in high-acuity areas like neurology and neurosurgery.

“Expanding our neuro beds allows us to bring advanced technology and specialized brain and spine care directly to more patients,” said Frances Van Beek, assistant vice president of neuroscience and trauma services at Wellstar. “Because many of these services aren’t widely available, this growth helps ensure patients across Georgia can access the expert care they need.”

Specialized care for newborns and families

The Yellow Tower includes a 49-bed next-generation NICU designed to care for infants who are premature or critically ill while supporting families during a challenging time.

The new unit emphasizes natural light, quiet healing spaces and advanced monitoring technology that promotes healthy growth and development.

A centralized Milk Lab prepares fortified human milk, donor milk and prescribed formulas to meet the unique nutritional needs of infants in the NICU. The unit also includes six couplet care rooms, allowing mothers and babies receiving specialized care to remain together—encouraging bonding during treatment.

This focus on family-centered care reflects Wellstar’s commitment to supporting people at every stage of life—ensuring families have access to compassionate, specialized care when they need it most.

Hospitality-inspired dining experience

Under the patient tower, a new 22,000-square-foot kitchen powers a hospital-wide in-room dining service that blends restaurant-quality meals with clinical nutrition.

Patients can order meals when they’re ready to eat during service hours, with breakfast favorites available throughout the day. This model gives people greater choice and flexibility during their stay.

“We designed this program to give patients more control over their dining experience—so they can order what they want, when they want it,” said Ben Behimer, director of nutrition and food services at Wellstar Kennestone. “Our goal is to create a more personalized, restaurant-style experience that reflects the same level of quality and care patients expect across our hospital.”

Visitors and team members can also enjoy retail dining, including Mountainside Bistro—which features seven food concepts—and Wellbean Coffee, along with expanded indoor and outdoor seating.

The new kitchen and dining areas are over 50% larger than the previous space and feature dual production lines, allowing teams to prepare fresh meals efficiently for everyone they serve.

Rapid access when minutes matter

Wellstar Kennestone plays a critical role in caring for patients with serious injuries and complex conditions across Georgia. The hospital is verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and designated by the Georgia Department of Public Health—the highest level of trauma care available.

The new tower strengthens that capability. Expanded helipads and integrated flight paths connect the hospital directly with the Wellstar AirCare network, helping ensure patients can reach advanced care quickly.

Dual heavy-lift helipads support high-volume air medical operations, while overlook spaces within the tower provide views of the surrounding campus.

Wellstar AirCare operates a 24/7 air ambulance service with helicopters based in Augusta and south of Metro Atlanta. Care teams provide lifesaving care during transport, including whole blood transfusions for severe blood loss and support for patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Built for the future of care

The Yellow Tower was designed to adapt to evolving healthcare needs. Entire floors can be converted to negative pressure environments, allowing the hospital to respond quickly during infectious disease outbreaks or other public health emergencies.

The new tower also enhances Wellstar Kennestone’s ability to provide exceptional care every day—from welcoming babies to supporting people through cancer treatment and recovery. It ensures the hospital can continue caring for the community with the level of excellence people expect while preparing for what’s ahead.

Learn more at wellstar.org/kennestone.

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — Community members, local officials and healthcare leaders gathered to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Wellstar’s newest cancer care facility, marking a significant milestone in expanding oncology services for Bartow County. The facility began seeing patients Feb. 23, but the event offered the community its first look inside the expanded space and an opportunity to recognize the teams behind the project.

The nearly 15,000-square-foot building doubles local infusion capacity and adds space for chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and other medical oncology ervices. The facility features 15 exam rooms, three triage rooms, 28 infusion chairs, eight blood draw stations, a dedicated laboratory, an on-site compounding pharmacy, and expanded areas for clinical consultations and care coordination.

“This new facility is part of our commitment to expanding access to compassionate, high-quality care across the Southeast,” said Ketul J. Patel, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “For the people who call Bartow County home, that commitment means advanced cancer treatment where they live, delivered by a team supporting them every step of the way.”

The new location expands cancer care with Wellstar and partners in care Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers, enabling access to the latest therapies and strengthening collaboration among oncologists, advanced practice providers, pharmacists and support teams. In Cartersville, a dedicated team of two medical oncologists and four advanced practice providers now delivers personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s diagnosis. Patients also have access to supportive services, including genetic counseling, financial navigation and education with a clinical pharmacist.

“This space was designed with our patients’ needs in mind,” said Dr. Michelle Ojemuyiwa, a Wellstar oncologist and hematologist who practices in Cartersville. “With more room, additional infusion chairs and an on-site compounding pharmacy, we can care for more patients efficiently while maintaining the personalized, attentive approach they expect throughout their treatment.”

The new Wellstar cancer care facility is located at 65 Cloverleaf Drive in Cartersville.

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.