Wellstar Health System Partners with Georgia State University to Increase Respiratory Therapy Student Enrollment Through Wellstar Foundation Grant

If you have sleep apnea, waking up tired may be your norm. Even if you wear a CPAP every night, you might not get the good night’s rest you need. Thankfully, there’s a different option available.

Positive airway pressure (PAP)—CPAP and BiPAP therapy—is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. It pushes pressurized air through a mask to keep your airway open so you can sleep better. But it doesn’t work well for everyone.

“For years, countless patients who have been intolerant of CPAP or BiPAP therapy have had few options for treatment,” said Dr. Michael Vick, an otolaryngologist with Wellstar. “What we have done in the past has been painful and unpredictable.”

Fortunately, if you don’t respond to PAP therapy, there’s good news. Wellstar is a multidisciplinary Center of Excellence for Inspire Implants—the first with the designation in Georgia and the second in the country. This hypoglossal nerve stimulator can reduce sleep apnea without the bulky mask.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder. It causes you to stop breathing off and on while you’re asleep. It can happen when something blocks your airway (obstructive sleep apnea) or if your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing (central sleep apnea). Either way, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen.

To kickstart your breathing, your body triggers a survival reflex. The jolt wakes you up just enough for you to start breathing again. But it also breaks your sleep cycle, meaning you’re tired the next day. And without proper treatment, you can develop high blood pressure or other heart problems that can be life-threatening.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

You may have sleep apnea if you snore, wake up frequently at night or stop breathing when you sleep. An at-home or overnight in-clinic sleep test can diagnose you accurately.

At-home tests use a finger monitor to measure and record your airflow, blood oxygen level, breathing pattern and heart rate. We may suggest an in-clinic test called a polysomnogram if we think you have central sleep apnea. This test uses electrodes placed around your body to evaluate your arm and leg movements, blood oxygen level, brain activity, breathing, and heart and lung activity while you sleep.

Common treatments for sleep apnea

Oral appliances can treat mild sleep apnea, and surgery can address treatment-resistant sleep apnea. But two types of PAP therapy have long been the most common treatments for most people with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea:

• Continuous PAP (CPAP): A machine delivers constant air pressure through a mask to keep your airway open during sleep.
• Bilevel PAP (BiPAP): A similar machine uses a mask to deliver higher air pressure when you inhale and lower air pressure when you exhale.

More advanced sleep apnea treatment

PAP therapy is uncomfortable for many people. If it doesn’t work for you, an Inspire Implant can reduce your sleep apnea without the mask. The two-piece implant involves a sensor in your chest and a receiver that wraps around the hypoglossal nerve that controls your tongue.

Our ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists partner with lung and sleep medicine experts to place the device. They perform a minimally invasive procedure that requires two small incisions. This outpatient surgery requires minimal recovery time.

Once in place, the implant works simply. When turned on at night, the sensor sends a signal to the receiver that gently stiffens your tongue and palate with each breath, so your airway does not become blocked—all without waking you.

According to Dr. Vick, Inspire has been a breakthrough for many patients who cannot tolerate CPAP or BiPAP therapy. While success rates can vary depending on individual health factors such as body mass index (BMI), Inspire generally delivers higher satisfaction, fewer complications and a more comfortable recovery than previous surgical options.

“With Inspire, we have a successful and convenient treatment option with a high patient satisfaction rate. While it is a surgically placed device, there is far less risk of complications and downtime than anything we have previously offered,” he said. “If you cannot tolerate PAP therapy, you should consider Inspire.”

Learn more about Inspire at Wellstar and find an ENT who’s right for you.

According to a Modern Healthcare analysis of data from 255 health systems, Wellstar Health System provides the second-highest percentage of charity care among large nonprofit U.S. health systems. The rankings are based on a review of charity care reported as a portion of operating expenses for fiscal year 2022[1].

Wellstar devoted 6.11% of its operating expenses to charity care, making the system the top provider of charity care in the state and the second nationwide. As a nonprofit healthcare system, Wellstar is committed to bringing expert, compassionate health services to those who need them.

“Wellstar is committed to providing compassionate, expert care to the communities we serve,” Julie Teer, SVP and President of Wellstar Foundation, said. “As a nonprofit health system, we rely on the generosity of donors and strategic partnerships to help us expand access and impact. The Wellstar Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the health system and is fueling innovation and action to address the state’s most pressing health needs.”

Our nine safety net hospitals[2] care for every patient that comes through our doors, regardless of their ability to pay. Wellstar intentionally focuses on philanthropy and partnerships that support health equity, behavioral health, innovation, workforce development and clinical excellence initiatives. Each is critical to the health system’s efforts to provide holistic, tailored care that meets people’s health needs at every age and stage.

As we lead the way to a healthier Georgia, Wellstar is the only health system in the state with an established Center for Health Equity. The Wellstar Center for Health Equity (WCHE) is critical to reaching underserved communities. Every three years, a Community Health Needs Assessment is conducted to help better understand the unique health needs of the communities we serve – further enabling us to create and implement a plan to improve care and promote healthy lifestyles for every person regardless of their race, gender, culture or income.

“We are able to reach a broader range of people in need because of the partnerships we’ve formed,” Elise Lockamy-Kassim, AVP of the WCHE, said. “As a community, we are stronger together. Working with organizations like Goodr; Wholesome Wave Georgia; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies; Ser Familia, and hundreds of other partners, we’re able to make a much greater impact.”

Food insecurity is one of Wellstar’s six strategic initiatives because of the WCHE’s findings. Wellstar and the Wellstar Foundation first partnered with Goodr in 2020 to tackle food insecurity during the pandemic. Our partnership initially focused on Mobile Markets, pop-up grocery markets that provide food and fresh produce to thousands of families each year.

The partnership has evolved to also include a Surplus Food Recovery service where leftover food from hospitals and donated to community-based organizations. Most recently, the system launched an Organic Recycling Program with support from Goodr, the Wellstar Foundation, Catalyst by Wellstar and Wellstar Strategic Community Development.

At Wellstar, our strong commitment to clinical and community initiatives, designed to help enhance care and create a healthier Georgia, has recently grown with the addition of Wellstar MCG Health and Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

Please consider supporting Wellstar’s nonprofit work by making a tax-deductible donation through the Wellstar Foundation at wellstar.org/give.

[1] Source: Merritt Research Services, an Investortools Company
[2] Source: Georgia Department of Community Health, Safety Net Hospitals (2019 Data Year)

According to the American Hospital Association, “Shortages of health care workers in all roles will persist well beyond the pandemic given today’s highly competitive labor market.” To help meet this need, the Cobb County School District and Wellstar Health System are introducing high school students to healthcare careers through the healthcare pathway at the Cobb Innovation Technology Academy (CITA). CITA is an innovative Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program inside the Cobb County School District (CCSD).

Wellstar Health System and Wellstar Foundation recently awarded Cobb Schools Foundation a $2 million grant to expand the Cobb Innovation and Technical Academy (CITA) over the next five years. The CITA program is a beacon of opportunity for students seeking hands-on learning experiences and career prospects in healthcare through district, post-secondary and industry partnerships.

"This program seeks to inspire, educate, and nurture the next generation of healthcare professionals,” said David Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Wellstar. “We’re thrilled with the opportunity to help enhance the education of our community’s students and offer them rewarding career pathways."

Cobb students will have direct access to healthcare professionals from Wellstar who will make their classroom experience more practical and prepare them for their real-world jobs. All CCSD students can apply for the opportunity to enroll in CITA. Once enrolled, the Cobb students will be able to:

• Participate in the new Wellstar Healthcare Pathway Program
• Access cutting-edge equipment and technology
• Engage with Wellstar clinical team members and professionals before they graduate from high school
• Apply for two $2,500 college scholarships funded by Wellstar

"The Wellstar Healthcare Pathways Program will offer students exposure to training and potential job opportunities,” said Tiffany Barney, Director, CITA. “The Cobb Schools Foundation appreciates this investment in students who will go on to have careers in healthcare. It will further enhance the quality of education we provide our students in Cobb."