When kids or adults are injured, a specialized trauma team is ready 24/7 in Paulding County to provide high-quality patient care. As a result of its commitment to advanced trauma care, Wellstar Paulding Hospital was recently designated a Level IV Trauma Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH). Level IV Trauma Centers demonstrate the ability to provide advanced trauma life support prior to transfer of patients to a higher-level trauma center when necessary.
“Wellstar Paulding Hospital is part of the largest trauma network in the state, delivering compassionate, high-quality care to people in our community suffering from accidents, incidents and injuries,” said Frances Van Beek, assistant vice president of Trauma & Neuro Services for Wellstar Health System. “Patients benefit from our team’s tight-knit communication and collaboration, as well as our physician and caregiver expertise that enables us to save lives every day.”
Wellstar Paulding Hospital Designated a Level IV Trauma Center
Award-winning hospital receives state recognition as an advanced life support trauma facility
Published on November 09, 2021
Last updated 10:18 AM November 09, 2021
Wellstar Paulding Hospital is part of the largest trauma network in the state, delivering compassionate, high-quality care to people in our community suffering from accidents, incidents and injuries.
- Frances Van Beek
Assistant Vice President of Trauma & Neuro Services for Wellstar Health System
Not only does the Hiram-based hospital have a team of emergency physicians and nurses with advanced trauma training, but the facility is also home to hospitalists, critical care physicians and an in-house orthopedics program. Since December of 2019, Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s trauma team has cared for more than 768 patients.
As a new member of DPH’s trauma network, Wellstar Paulding will collaborate with the seven other Level IV-designated hospitals across the state to further enhance care capabilities with performance improvement programs. The hospital will also continue to expand on current education efforts for the Paulding community to reduce falls, stop bleeding after a trauma and encourage helmet safety.
“Our trauma team’s outreach activities in the community have helped to reduce injury and protect people, which has a positive impact on everyone,” said Kerry Carter, RN, Trauma Program manager at Wellstar Paulding Hospital. “These important efforts help us live out the Wellstar Paulding team’s motto of ‘Neighbors Caring for Neighbors.’ We love working with our community and enhancing their health and are proud to be designated as a Level IV Trauma Center to better serve the people of Paulding.”
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Wellstar Health System announced today that The Joint Commission recognized Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the most demanding stroke certification recognizing hospitals that have specific abilities to receive and treat the most complex stroke cases. With two of the eight Comprehensive Stroke Centers in Georgia, Wellstar Health System now offers stroke patients greater access to the highest level of stroke and aneurysm care. Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is also Joint Commission certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
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Wellstar North Fulton’s certification allows more Georgians to have access to the most advance diagnostics and treatments for cerebrovascular disease such as stroke. This is important because Georgia is located in the Stroke Belt, which is comprised of 11 states in the Southeast where the associated mortality rate for stroke patients is 10 percent above the national average.
At Wellstar North Fulton and Wellstar Kennestone, patients have access to advanced diagnostics and therapies to care for even the most complicated strokes faster and more effectively. These include:
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- Cutting-edge imaging – Neurointerventional biplane imaging shows detailed, 3D views of blood vessels in the brain. This allows neurosurgeons to flip neuroendovascular cases to an open neurosurgical case when needed.
- Pioneering technology – Wellstar North Fulton was among the first hospitals in the country to use the groundbreaking Artemis Neuro Evacuation device to treat brain bleeds, a condition that was nearly impossible to treat in the past.
- Around-the-clock care – Artificial intelligence such as VizAi allows quicker identification of patients who are candidates for thrombectomy and organizes care in a connected system by quicker response to identify and provide care as quickly as possible.
“Our team of neurosurgeons, neurocritical care physicians, neuroradiologists, advanced practice practitioners and nurses work together to perform world-class thrombectomies, aneurysm treatments, carotid surgeries and cerebral bypass procedures so that patients can regain their best quality of life. Additionally, our dedicated hybrid neurovascular suite is equipped with innovative bi-plane technology. This allows neurosurgeons to view highly detailed images of brain vessels, so we as a team can customize treatments in real time,” said Dr. Arthur Grigorian, neurosurgeon, Wellstar North Fulton.
“When you have a stroke, every second counts. Getting fast, expert stroke care can mean the difference between life, death, or lasting brain damage. We are proud to receive this prestigious certification at Wellstar North Fulton, informing the surrounding community that they don’t have to go far to receive the best treatment possible. We will continue to work hard to provide an interdisciplinary, innovative, and compassionate approach to safe and quality comprehensive stroke care to all the communities we serve,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president, Wellstar North Fulton and senior vice president, Wellstar Health System.
Wellstar is a leading provider of stroke and aneurysm services in Georgia and performs one of the highest numbers of thrombectomy and aneurysm treatments in the country. The Joint Commission is a United States-based nonprofit organization that accredits more than 22,000 healthcare organizations and programs.
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“Low back pain is such a common complaint among patients, and there are a limited number of specialists who are able to address these concerns,” said Wellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. Phillip Parry.
If you are experiencing neck or back pain or managing a spinal condition, Wellstar’s Neuro Care team will work with you to create a personalized care plan and decide if surgery is the most effective treatment option. Wellstar’s spine surgeons help patients with a variety of spinal conditions, including scoliosis, sciatica, arthritis, herniated disks and spinal deformities. Our spine surgeons perform cervical disk replacements and cervical fusions for cervical neck pain syndromes and offer both simple and complex spine surgical options for patients with low back pain syndromes.
Surgeons at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center also perform peripheral nerve decompression surgery for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and other compression neuropathies.
“Wellstar offers a unique opportunity for patients to receive comprehensive, compassionate and close-to-home care for whatever disease process they may have,” Dr. Parry said. “The spine care provided here at Wellstar is world-class.”
Schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon in Hiram by calling (770) 422-2326.