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Wellstar Physicians Named as “Top Doctors” in Atlanta Magazine’s 2021 List

Cardiologist Dr. Mindy Gentry featured on cover; Nearly 80 Wellstar physicians chosen by peers

Published on July 01, 2021

Last updated 10:05 AM July 01, 2021

Illustration of two physicians with Wellstar and Top Doctors logos

Wellstar Health System has announced that Atlanta magazine recognized 79 Wellstar physicians on its 2021 "Top Doctors" list in the July issue. This list is compiled annually from nominations by physicians whom they consider to be among the top experts in their region for their medical specialty. The number of Wellstar doctors named to the distinguished list increased 14% from 2020 to 2021.

"As a community-based, non-profit health system, Wellstar physicians are focused on providing high-quality patient-centered care to everyone who comes through our doors," said Dr. John Brennan, executive vice president and chief clinical integration officer of Wellstar Health System. "Wellstar is extremely proud of the doctors recognized by this prestigious list published annually by Atlanta magazine, as well as all of our team members, who are committed to delivering outstanding care to every person, every time."

Atlanta magazine's "Top Doctors" list is compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., a leading healthcare research and information company founded to help consumers reach America's top doctors and hospitals. Physicians are nominated by their peers and selected after a rigorous screening process that reviews professional, educational, and patient care excellence. The final list with detailed information about the doctors’ education, training, and medical expertise is included in Atlanta magazine's July 2021 issue. Below is the complete list of Wellstar physicians who were honored on the 2021 list.

Atlanta Magazine cover

1. John Vickery, Allergy & Immunology

2. Grace Chiang, Allergy & Immunology

3. Narendra Kanuru, Cardiac Electrophysiology

4. Jacob Blatt, Cardiac Electrophysiology

5. Anand Kenia, Cardiac Electrophysiology

6. Mohammad Kooshkabadi, Cardiac Electrophysiology

7. Bryan Piedad, Cardiac Electrophysiology

8. Michael Riley, Cardiac Electrophysiology

9. Ayushi Ahuja, Cardiovascular Disease

10. Bruce Alayof, Cardiovascular Disease

11. Mindy Gentry, Cardiovascular Disease

12. Barry Mangel, Cardiovascular Disease

13. Janice Warner, Dermatology

14. Jennifer Jones, Dermatology

15. George Dobo, Dermatology

16. Jodi Ganz, Dermatology

17. Michael Collins, Diagnostic Radiology

18. Jean Molinary, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism

19. Israel Orija, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism

20. Rolf Meinhold, Family Medicine

21. George Brown, Family Medicine

22. Thomas Gearhard, Family Medicine

23. Sachin Goel, Gastroenterology

24. Jeffrey Hines, Gynecologic Oncology

25. Mark McBride, Hand Surgery

26. Edward Holliger, Hand Surgery

27. Joel Isom, Internal Medicine

28. Ebon Bourne, Internal Medicine

29. Amber Driskell, Internal Medicine

30. Chukwuma Onyeije, Maternal & Fetal Medicine

31. Daniel Eller, Maternal & Fetal Medicine

32. Jay Cinnamon, Neuroradiology

33. Angela Hudson, Obstetrics & Gynecology

34. Carlos Alarcon, Obstetrics & Gynecology

35. Elizabeth Taghechian, Obstetrics & Gynecology

36. Mary Chappell, Obstetrics & Gynecology

37. Kimberly Huffman, Obstetrics & Gynecology

38. Terry Kelley, Obstetrics & Gynecology

39. Colleen Killian, Obstetrics & Gynecology

40. Natalie Needham, Obstetrics & Gynecology

41. Elizabeth Street, Obstetrics & Gynecology

42. Jerry Berland, Ophthalmology

43. Mark Berman, Ophthalmology

44. Monica Bratton, Ophthalmology

45. Charles Ho, Ophthalmology

46. Denise Johnson, Ophthalmology

47. Robert Titelman, Orthopedic Surgery

48. Erroll Bailey, Orthopedic Surgery

49. Stephanie Martin, Orthopedic Surgery

50. Tapan Daftari, Orthopedic Surgery

51. Robert Kelly, Orthopedic Surgery

52. Douglas Lundy, Orthopedic Surgery

53. Raymond Schettino, Otolaryngology

54. Roy Schottenfeld, Otolaryngology

55. David Parks, Otolaryngology

56. David Gale, Pain Medicine

57. Larry Clements, Pediatrics

58. Christian Williams, Pediatrics

59. Richard King, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

60. M Keith Hanna, Plastic Surgery

61. K. Keith Jeffords, Plastic Surgery

62. William Dowdell, Pulmonary Disease

63. Russell French, Pulmonary Disease

64. Jody Hughes, Pulmonary Disease

65. Eduardo Molinary, Pulmonary Disease

66. Keith Rott, Rheumatology

67. Kelly Weselman, Rheumatology

68. Chris Andersen, Surgery

69. Philip Ramsay, Surgery

70. Richard Myung, Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery

71. Theolyn Price, Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery

72. Kevin Windom, Urogynecology/Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery

73. Scott Miller, Urology

74. Murphy Townsend, Urology

75. Thomas Murphy, Vascular & Interventional Radiology

76. Alan Zuckerman, Vascular & Interventional Radiology

77. Arun Chervu, Vascular Surgery

78. Shariq Sayeed, Vascular Surgery

79. Steven Oweida, Vascular Surgery

Expanded capacity & new cutting-edge technology

The expansion enhances the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a TrueBeam linear accelerator — an advanced system that delivers radiation therapy. While the capacity to treat people with cancer doubled, new technology brings more cutting-edge treatments to Paulding, alongside a modernized dressing room area offering patients more space and comfort.

“This is a dream come true after seeing the growing need for cancer treatment in this area,” said Dr. William Thoms, Radiation Oncology medical director. “The new TrueBeam allows people to stay closer to home rather than driving outside our own community for radiation therapy."

The expansion enhances the patient experience by adding a new radiation vault to house a TrueBeam linear accelerator — an advanced system that delivers radiation therapy. While the capacity to treat people with cancer doubled, new technology brings more cutting-edge treatments to Paulding, alongside a modernized dressing room area offering patients more space and comfort.

New, advanced treatments in Paulding

Wellstar Paulding’s new linear accelerator also brings a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time.

“SBRT will transform cancer care in our community,” said Dr. Rakendu Shukla, Wellstar radiation oncologist. “In the coming months, we will roll out new treatments previously unavailable in Paulding.”

SBRT is different from conventional radiation therapy because it delivers very high, precise doses of radiation directly to tumors that are traditionally difficult to treat. It is more powerful at killing tumors, and it decreases the amount of radiation that healthy tissue is exposed to, which decreases side effects. And the treatment can be delivered over a short course of time — around 1-5 days rather than weeks or months.

The renovated space is located at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s Outpatient Pavilion at 148 Bill Carruth Parkway in Hiram, Georgia.

Pictured l-r: Don Zarkou, VP, Oncology Service Line, Wellstar Health System; Ralph Turner, SVP, Wellstar Health System, President, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer, Wellstar Health System; Dr. William Thoms, Radiation Oncology Medical Director, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Sandy Kaecher, Post II Paulding Commissioner; Nichole Rydahl, AVP, Operations, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Shawn Jackson, Manager, Radiation Oncology, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center; Dr. Rakendu Shukla, Radiation Oncologist, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

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.

Physicians and team members from the Wellstar Paulding Medical Center oncology team gathered for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of a major expansion to cancer services.

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center’s new TrueBeam linear accelerator helps make cancer treatment more accessible to patients and brings a leading-edge cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to Paulding County for the first time.

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

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Illustration of hands holding heart. Wellstar and Lown Institute logos

Newsroom

Lown Institute Recognizes Wellstar Among Most Charitable in the Country

A report by the Lown Institute ranking the value of nonprofit hospitals’ community investment found that Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and Wellstar Cobb Medical Center are among the top 25 hospitals in the nation providing significantly more community benefit than they are receiving in tax exemption.

Wellstar Kennestone ranked No. 1 in Georgia, while Wellstar Cobb was No. 2. Wellstar is the only health system with two hospitals included on the national top 25 list.

As the top provider of charity care in the state and one of the top 10 providers nationwide, Wellstar is committed to bringing expert, compassionate health services to those who need them. Last year alone, uncompensated and charity care at Wellstar exceeded $1.2 billion, providing care for at-risk and underserved communities across Georgia.

In addition to Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb, Wellstar Douglas Medical Center, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center and Wellstar Spalding Medical Center were recognized for spending more on financial assistance and community investment than the estimated value of their tax exemptions.

Read the full report from the Lown Institute.

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Highlights

Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center Completes 250 Procedures Treating Venous Thromboembolism

The peripheral vascular care team at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, a leading facility in the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), has completed its 250th venous thromboembolism (VTE) procedure.

According to the American Heart Association, VTE is the third most common vascular diagnosis after heart attacks and strokes, and affects between 300,000 and 600,000 Americans each year. There are two types of VTE:

Deep vein thrombosis is a clot in a deep vein. It usually occurs in the leg, but it can also appear in the arms.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot breaks off the vein and travels to the lungs, blocking the blood supply.

VTE can be fatal and can cause lifelong disability. Early intervention is crucial. At Wellstar North Fulton, the heart care team was an early adopter of a groundbreaking treatment for VTE, which uses a catheter to remove the clot. The healthcare provider inserts the catheter through the groin and navigates it to the clot for treatment.

“This has been a game changer in the treatment of this disease,” said Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. Ahsan Achtchi. “We’re seeing a lot less long-term disability and a lot less deaths in patients who come to the hospital with a blood clot.”

Wellstar North Fulton continues to receive referrals from around the region for this procedure and is one of the highest volume hospitals for VTE care in metro Atlanta.

Previous treatment options included open chest surgery, blood thinners and clot-busting medications. These methods posed a higher risk of complications, especially for patients who have recently undergone another surgical procedure. Because a recent surgery can put a patient at higher risk for VTE, using a catheter to remove the clot is safer for many patients. This new treatment method has reduced patients’ hospital stays for VTE from an average of five to seven days to only one or two days, according to Dr. Achtchi.

“Typically with this procedure, patients feel better almost immediately, and their recovery outside the hospital is a lot more complete and brisk,” he said.

Recognizing and preventing VTE

If you or someone else is showing signs of VTE, seek emergency care as soon as possible.

Symptoms of VTE include:

Swelling of the legs
Lightheadedness or fainting
Shortness of breath
Chest pain

Risk factors for VTE include not moving for a longer period of time—such as when someone is on bed rest following surgery—as well as some medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders or kidney disease. Your Wellstar provider can help you evaluate your risk of VTE and manage your risk factors.

Learn more about cardiovascular care at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.

Keep reading

Wellstar Physicians Named as “Top Doctors” in Atlanta Magazine’s 2021 List

Cardiologist Dr. Mindy Gentry featured on cover; Nearly 80 Wellstar physicians chosen by peers

Tags

Read related articles

Recognizing and preventing VTE

Wellstar Physicians Named as “Top Doctors” in Atlanta Magazine’s 2021 List

Cardiologist Dr. Mindy Gentry featured on cover; Nearly 80 Wellstar physicians chosen by peers

Tags

Read related articles

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center Transforms Cancer Care With Major Renovation

Expanded capacity & new cutting-edge technology

New, advanced treatments in Paulding

Lown Institute Recognizes Wellstar Among Most Charitable in the Country

Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center Completes 250 Procedures Treating Venous Thromboembolism

Recognizing and preventing VTE