Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, announced that the Wellstar Cancer Network was recently recognized nationally as a cancer treatment leader. Honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and designated as a Care Continuum Center of Excellence by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, the Wellstar Cancer Network continues to pioneer innovative cancer treatments and technologies to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.
“Wellstar Health System is dedicated to providing patients with the highest quality of compassionate and personalized care,” said Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer of the Wellstar Cancer Network. “We are extremely proud of the Wellstar Cancer Network and our team of highly skilled physicians, nurses and oncology support services who excel at treating the spectrum of cancer illnesses with the most advanced, patient-centric technologies and treatments. We are focused on enhancing the health and well-being of everyone we serve, with a commitment to delivering world-class cancer care.”
Wellstar earned an Outstanding Achievement Award for the third consecutive cycle from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). The highest honor in the United States awarded to a cancer program, the Wellstar Cancer Network was recognized for achieving excellence in providing care to cancer patients. Award recipients must have received commendation ratings in all seven commendation standards and receive a compliance rating for each of the 27 remaining cancer program standards.
Wellstar Recognized as Cancer Treatment Leader
Published on October 12, 2020
Last updated 02:04 PM October 16, 2020
Wellstar Cancer Care Receives National Recognition with Outstanding Achievement Award, Designated as Care Continuum Center of Excellence for Lung Cancer
The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to:
- Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.
- Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care.
- Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices.
- Encourage honorees to serve as quality care resources to other cancer programs.
“More and more, we’re finding that patients and their families want to know how the health care institutions in their communities compare with one another,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, MACP, chair of the CoC. “They want access to information in terms of who’s providing the best quality of care, and they want to know about overall patient outcomes. Through this recognition program, I’d like to think we’re playing a small but vital role in helping them make informed decisions on their cancer care.”
Wellstar was also recognized by the Care Continuum Centers of Excellence (CCCOE), a program of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer which identifies community hospitals that meet rigorous qualifying criteria and demonstrate collaborative leadership across the lung cancer care continuum. GO2 Foundation formed the Care Continuum Centers of Excellence program to enable patient access to standard of care lung cancer screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship in their local community. Meeting the CCCOE criteria puts member hospitals on par with leading academic and research institutions and provides patients with access to the latest innovations not typically found in community hospitals. The CCCOE program promotes a standard of compassionate and timely care excellence with, as well as treatment options that improve survivorship.
“We are proud and honored to be working with Wellstar Health System as a GO2 Foundation Care Continuum Center of Excellence. Their commitment will help save lives and improve long-term survivorship by giving patients access to high-quality, multidisciplinary care closer to home. They are the example to follow,” says Laurie Fenton Ambrose, co-founder, president and CEO of GO2 Foundation.
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Highlights
Helping Patients Screen for Colon Cancer Through ColoCare Connect
When caught early, colorectal cancer is much more treatable, yet many people face barriers that prevent them from getting screened. Through the ColoCare Connect Program, Wellstar is working to make preventive care more accessible for communities who need it most.
In 2024, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, with support from the Wellstar Foundation, provided funding to expand colon cancer screening across Cobb and Douglas counties with the launch of ColoCare Connect. The community-based program, led by Wellstar Center for Health Equity and the Community Health team, focuses on education, resources and supplying at-home screening tests with the help of trusted local clinics.
Meeting patients where they are
Instead of patients having to navigate additional appointments, ColoCare Connect partnered with community clinics that were already providing care. These included BWell Medical & Wellness Center, Someone Cares, Bethesda Community Clinic and The Rouse Foundation.
Our partners provided patients with fecal immunochemical tests (FIT kits) that allowed them to complete colorectal cancer screening at home. During the grant period alone, the program distributed 435 FIT kits.
A strong community partner: BWell Medical & Wellness Center
One example of ColoCareConnect’s impact is BWell Medical & Wellness Center, which distributed more than 100 FIT kits and continues to collaborate with Wellstar to help people get screened.
The clinic serves a diverse population that includes working families, the elderly, underserved residents and people living in assisted living or personal care homes.
“Our focus is on accessible, patient-centered care that emphasizes prevention and early intervention,” said Vivian Adu-Aboagye, director of BWell Medical & Wellness Center. “Many of our patients face barriers such as transportation challenges, time constraints or limited access to preventive services.”
The partnership stood out because it offered a practical and patient-friendly solution.
“Many patients delay colon cancer screening due to fear, cost concerns or scheduling challenges related to their colonoscopy,” she added. “The FIT kits provide a convenient option that fits naturally into routine primary care visits.”
Making screening part of everyday care
At BWell, team members speak with patients during their visits to determine if they need colorectal cancer screening. They provide education and distribute kits during appointments, then follow up about returning the kit.
Patients have said they appreciate the privacy and convenience of the kits. Many of them had previously avoided screening due to concerns about invasive procedures or difficulty taking time off work. By removing common barriers, like transportation challenges, scheduling conflicts and fear, patients who may have otherwise skipped their colon cancer screenings were able to get checked.
Building toward healthier communities
ColoCare Connect demonstrates the power of community partnerships in advancing health equity. By equipping trusted local clinics with resources and support, the program expanded access to life-saving screening.
As the program continues, partnerships like these help ensure that more individuals have the opportunity to participate in early detection and receive follow-up care when needed. This ultimately improves outcomes and strengthens community health across the region.
Connecting patients to ongoing support
Screening is an important first step, but access to information and support beyond the clinic is also critical. Community members can use Wellstar Find Help to locate colorectal cancer screening programs, patient navigation services and financial assistance resources available in their ZIP code.
If your screening has an abnormal result, care teams can help coordinate next steps, answer questions about a colonoscopy and identify financial assistance options when needed. By pairing clinic-based screening with community-based support resources, Wellstar and its partners are working to ensure patients do not have to navigate the process alone.
Highlights
How Wellstar’s Cardio-Oncology Program Protects Heart Health During Cancer Care
Expertise in heart disease and cancer care
Researchers have identified a connection between cancer care and cardiovascular health, leading to the creation of cardio-oncology. At Wellstar, this specialized care is available in metro Atlanta and Augusta, expanding access for people across Georgia. “Cardio-oncology exists because more people are surviving cancer and living long enough to face heart-related complications,” said Dr. Avirup Guha, a board-certified cardio-oncologist at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center and the first designated fellow of the International Cardio-Oncology Society in Georgia. “For some patients, cancer treatments can damage their heart. For others, they may have existing cardiovascular disease that needs careful management during cancer care. That requires expertise beyond cardiology—knowing how to modify therapy without causing harm.” Cardio-oncologists are cardiologists with advanced training in how cancer therapies affect the heart. They help guide treatment decisions and work closely with oncology teams to ensure patients receive safe, effective care. “A lot of oncology treatments are very effective for cancer, but the heart can become an innocent bystander,” said Wellstar Cardio-Oncologist Dr. Nikolas Krishna, who also specializes in advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. “We advocate for these patients so their oncology and cardiology teams work together for the best possible outcome.”Coordinated, team-based care
Multidisciplinary collaboration is central to Wellstar Cardio-Oncology. Cardiologists, oncologists, nurse navigators and other specialists communicate directly to align care and support both cancer outcomes and heart health. “Our program helps address complications before they happen and streamlines care so people aren’t going back and forth between specialists,” Dr. Guha said. Wellstar Cardio-Oncology teams partner with patients and families to understand risks and create a personalized plan. This may include imaging, blood tests and ongoing monitoring to detect early signs of heart conditions during chemotherapy, hormone therapy or radiation. Additionally, Wellstar Cardio-Oncology nurse navigators—registered nurses with advanced training—provide compassionate guidance throughout the care journey. “Nurse navigation plays a key role in educating patients and making sure they .understand their care plan,” said Dr. Guha. “It’s all about communication.”Who can benefit from cardio-oncology care
Cardio-oncology care supports people from diagnosis through survivorship, especially when treatments or existing conditions may affect heart health. You may benefit from cardio-oncology services if you have cancer or were treated for cancer within the past five years and you:- Have heart failure or another existing heart condition
- Are at high risk for heart disease
- Have experienced cardiovascular complications after cancer treatment
- Require chemotherapy that may be cardiotoxic or radiation therapy to the chest
Support that extends into survivorship
When cancer treatment ends, Wellstar Cardio-Oncology teams continue monitoring heart health and providing preventive care tailored to each person’s history. “Survivors may face accelerated cardiovascular risks years later,” said Dr. Krishna. “By continuing to screen and monitor, we can help catch any issues and protect their long-term health and quality of life.” This ongoing care gives patients greater peace of mind as they navigate recovery. “We want patients to know we are a layer of reassurance,” Dr. Krishna said. “They don’t have to worry about treatment hurting their heart—we are here to protect it so they can focus on healing.” By combining advanced expertise, early monitoring and compassionate support, Wellstar’s Cardio-Oncology Program helps people face cancer with confidence. Learn more about cardio-oncology services at Wellstar.
Highlights
Advanced Cancer Care Has a Home at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center
- CyberKnife, a non-invasive robotic system that focuses radiation treatment with precision
- STAT Clinics, where specialists collaborate on one day to evaluate a patient and plan cancer treatment
- Nurse navigators to guide patients to resources at Wellstar and in the community
- Expanded inpatient capacity and distinctive surgical specialties
CyberKnife targets hard-to-treat tumors
Wellstar North Fulton was the second Wellstar location to receive a CyberKnife system. CyberKnife precisely targets cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. This minimizes damage to healthy tissue around tumors. CyberKnife allows radiation oncologists to deliver “very high doses of radiation at a very small target,” said Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a radiation oncologist. This type of precise treatment is called radiosurgery. Patients treated with CyberKnife typically have shorter treatment spans. For example, breast cancer patients undergoing conventional radiation might have four to six weeks of treatment, five days a week. With CyberKnife, patients may complete their treatment in just five days. According to Dr. McLaughlin, another CyberKnife advantage is the machine’s ability to deliver targeted treatment even when a patient moves. “For example, if a patient has breast cancer, she’ll be breathing during treatment. She has to breathe, of course, but with breathing, the tumor volume or target volume is constantly changing. The CyberKnife allows us to track and move the machine (to target the tumor) in real time,” he said.Providers collaborate to diagnose and begin treatment without delay
Wellstar North Fulton also has STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatments, for many types of cancer, including breast, head and neck, brain and spine, and lung. Dr. Pearson described STAT Clinics as a “one-stop shop where patients meet all the people who will be part of the cancer team in one day: surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, potentially plastic surgeons and genetics experts, if that’s appropriate.” Patients and their families appreciate not making multiple trips or trying to piece together a treatment plan. They’re also comforted to see the communication among everyone involved in their care, she noted.Cancer nurse navigators map the road to treatment and recovery
A cancer diagnosis can leave patients and their families feeling shocked, scared and unsure of where to turn. Nurse navigators help patients get their bearings by:- Answering questions about treatment and scheduling appointments
- Connecting patients and families to community resources for transportation, nutrition, financial support and more
- Helping with insurance questions
- Providing emotional support during a difficult time