Skip Navigation
Book Now! Find care near you Find care near you Find care near you
wellstar-logo
Wellstar Go Back
Go to MyChart

Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
For Patients & Families For the Community For Providers About Us Careers
  • Start Your Care

  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Our Services
  • Virtual Visits
  • Planning

  • Accepted Insurance
  • Hospital Payment Planning
  • Financial Assistance
  • Pricing Information
  • Before Your Visit

  • Sign Up for MyChart
  • Visitation Guidelines
  • While You're Here

  • Support & Entertainment
  • Join an Event
  • After Your Visit

  • Pay Your Bill
  • Get Medical Records
  • Contact us
  • COVID-19 Support

  • COVID-19 Information
  • Vaccines
  • Testing Information
  • Foundation Relief
  • Community Care

  • In the Community
  • Health Highlights
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Latest News
  • Center for Health Equity
  • Wellstar Find Help
  • Events & Programs

  • Events Calendar
  • On-Demand Classes
  • Support Groups
  • Give

  • Wellstar Foundation
  • Donate
  • Ways to Give
  • Thank a Caregiver
  • West Georgia
    Health Foundation
  • Volunteer

  • PeopleCare Advisory Council
  • For Adults
  • Care

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Cures Act
  • Refer a Patient
  • Lab Test Directory
  • Request to Conduct Research
  • Connect

  • Physician Relations
  • Request Imaging Services
  • Wellstar Clinical Partners
  • Wellstar Medical Group
  • Mayo Clinic Care Network
  • Medical Staff Services
  • Provider Recruitment
  • Log In

  • EpicCare Link
  • Lawson Connect
  • MyID Password Reset
  • Citrix Access
  • Leadership

  • Authority Board
  • Board Of Trustees
  • Foundation Board
  • Regional Health Boards
  • Executive Leadership
  • Awards, Recognition & Safety

  • Accreditation & Certifications
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Safety First Program
  • Nursing
  • Careers at Wellstar

  • Apply now
  • Upcoming virtual events
  • Why Wellstar?
  • Nursing Careers

  • Nursing (Direct Care)
  • Nursing Leadership
  • Nursing (Non-bedside)
  • Nursing Support
  • Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

  • Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Homecare & Hospice
  • Physicians
  • Support Team Careers

  • Administrative & Clerical
  • Coding, Compliance & HIM Systems
  • Facility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food Services
  • Information Technology & Systems
  • For Patients & Families
  • For the Community
  • For Providers
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Search Search Search
  • MyChart MyChart MyChart

Start Your Care

Find a DoctorFind a LocationOur ServicesVirtual Visits

Planning

Accepted InsuranceHospital Payment PlanningFinancial AssistancePricing Information

Before Your Visit

Sign Up for MyChartVisitation Guidelines

While You're Here

Support & EntertainmentJoin an Event

After Your Visit

Pay Your BillGet Medical RecordsContact us

COVID-19 Support

COVID-19 InformationVaccinesTesting InformationFoundation Relief

Community Care

In the CommunityHealth HighlightsCommunity Health Needs AssessmentLatest NewsCenter for Health EquityWellstar Find Help

Events & Programs

Events CalendarOn-Demand ClassesSupport Groups

Give

Wellstar FoundationDonateWays to GiveThank a CaregiverWest Georgia
Health Foundation

Volunteer

PeopleCare Advisory CouncilFor Adults

Care

Transfer a PatientCures ActRefer a PatientLab Test DirectoryRequest to Conduct Research

Connect

Physician RelationsRequest Imaging ServicesWellstar Clinical PartnersWellstar Medical GroupMayo Clinic Care NetworkMedical Staff ServicesProvider Recruitment

Log In

EpicCare LinkLawson ConnectMyID Password ResetCitrix Access
About Wellstar

Our patients are the center of everything we do. We're nationally ranked and locally recognized for our high-quality care, inclusive culture, exceptional doctors and caregivers, and one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia.

About Us

Leadership

Authority BoardBoard Of TrusteesFoundation BoardRegional Health BoardsExecutive Leadership

Awards, Recognition & Safety

Accreditation & CertificationsAwards & RecognitionSafety First ProgramNursing

Careers at Wellstar

Apply nowUpcoming virtual eventsWhy Wellstar?

Nursing Careers

Nursing (Direct Care)Nursing LeadershipNursing (Non-bedside)Nursing Support

Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)Allied Health ProfessionalsHomecare & HospicePhysicians

Support Team Careers

Administrative & ClericalCoding, Compliance & HIM SystemsFacility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food ServicesInformation Technology & Systems
Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
Close
  • Schedule With This Provider
  • Schedule At This Location
  • Schedule With This Provider
  • Schedule At This Location
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care
Close Close Close Book Now Menu
  • Schedule With This Provider
  • Schedule At This Location
  • Schedule With This Provider
  • Schedule At This Location
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care

Introducing

Wellstar Virtual Care

Access Wellstar healthcare providers
wherever you are.

Get started

Warning Warning Our "Book Now" feature should not be used for life threatening conditions such as heart attack, severe injury, poisoning, chest pain, or stroke. If you are experiencing such conditions, STOP and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or visit your nearest Emergency Department.

I Understand
  • Home
  • Articles
  • What Georgians Want from their Healthcare System
Article Category: Newsroom

Wellstar Reveals What Georgians Want from their Healthcare System... and it's Personal

“More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” Underscores Wellstar’s Commitment to Delivering Compassionate, Quality, and Personalized Care to People and Communities across Georgia

Published on February 04, 2020

Last updated 04:35 PM August 10, 2020

New Wellstar logo on purple background.

Wellstar new branding revealed.

The healthcare landscape and the needs of patients and communities, both throughout Georgia and across the country, are ever changing. Wellstar Health System—nationally ranked and locally recognized for its high-quality care, inclusive culture, and exceptional doctors and team members—actively listens to the people in the communities it serves to best understand and respond to what they want, need, and expect from their healthcare provider.

Actively and regularly listening ensures that Wellstar is evolving alongside its patients and communities, providing not only responsive care to emergent needs, but also ongoing, quality, and personalized care at every age and stage of life. Wellstar spent the last 18 months on a renewed listening journey, interviewing more than 8,000 Georgians, including team members, community partners, patients, and consumers, with the objective of informing strategy and taking action to best serve the healthcare needs of the people they serve.

“Enhancing the health and well-being of people requires pausing—and listening—to what consumers and communities tell us they want, need, and expect for their healthcare journey,” said Candice Saunders, FACHE, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “Much of what we hear and learn from our ongoing research is exactly what we strive to deliver to every patient, every time: compassionate, quality care. Over the last year and a half, we heard directly from people across the state that they want to feel valued as a unique person and in control of their healthcare decisions—in partnership with their providers. This insight not only validates our approach to patient care, it guided us to take action and renew our commitment to excellence with a personalized and integrated approach that is more than healthcare."

”Combining these research insights with patient feedback, as well as critical regional insights from its 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment with the Georgia Health Policy Center, Wellstar refined its mission, vision, and values and launched a new brand identity. Today, the not-for-profit announced the launch of its new system-wide brand campaign—“More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.”

“Many people are asking ‘why now?’, and the answer is that our focus over the past few years has been fully integrating our healthcare service offerings across our entire system to ensure that our patients and communities have access to the care they need and deserve across the entire Wellstar footprint,” said Saunders. “Now, we want to make it clear to everyone we serve that being one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia equips us to provide a full spectrum of world-class health services from birth to end of life. This approach also applies to our team members. We are people taking care of people, and we want to ensure that everyone considers Wellstar a place where individuals can advance their careers and feel appreciated.”

Wellstar now has 11 hospitals; 250+ medical office locations; 9 cancer centers; 55 rehabilitation centers; 3 hospice facilities; 1 retirement village; 21 imaging centers; 15 urgent care locations; and 5 health parks. By doubling in size—growing its services, footprint and capabilities—Wellstar has grown its ability to meet the evolving healthcare needs of patients and communities across Georgia.

By taking the time to listen and understand the individual needs of the communities they serve throughout Georgia, Wellstar is recreating the standard for Georgia healthcare by:

  • Providing personalized care that compassionately takes each person’s unique life story into account—never taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
  • Partnering with patients and communities to identify the best solutions for their needs with the highest quality, expert care by top-rated physicians and team members.
  • Providing care that treats the whole person to promote overall health and well-being.
  • Ensuring that each person has choice and control in their healthcare decisions.
  • Leading and collaborating on community programs and services that provide more than healthcare.

Every Age and Stage

“When you’re 39 years old, you never think you’ll be dealing with something like a heart attack,” said Brett Faucett, a husband and father of two, who drove himself to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital after his arm went numb in the shower. Upon arrival, he was rushed to the operating room for a 99-percent blocked artery. A few years later, it happened again, and he was treated at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

“When you’re in a situation like that, your world is flipped upside down. My family has a dad and a husband because of Wellstar—they saved my life,” said Faucett.

The new brand campaign “More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” is centered on real Wellstar patient stories that demonstrate the health system’s commitment to providing personal care that takes each person’s unique life story into account across the continuum of his or her personal healthcare journey – from inpatient to outpatient, pediatric to adult, birth to end of life. For more PeopleCare stories, visit wellstar.org/peoplecare.

Wellstar puts patients and communities in the driver’s seat by listening and providing an extensive choice of facilities and a wide breadth of services so that patients have access to all the options they need to make the best, most informed healthcare decisions. Each Wellstar hospital and healthcare facility offers an access point to a compassionate care team and a wide range of service lines that work in concert to provide personalized care for each patient’s needs.

“There’s no better time than the beginning of the year to reflect, refocus, and rebrand so that patients and communities know who we are and what we do,” said Dave Preston, senior vice president of Brand Experience and Communications at Wellstar. “Our new brand campaign, ‘More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.’ features real-life patient stories that illustrate Wellstar’s commitment to providing high-quality, tailored care that meets their individual needs at every age and stage of life.”


Stronger Together, Growing Together

Wellstar isn’t growing just for growth’s sake. The system has served one out of six Georgians, and patients in 148 out of 159 counties across the state. Wellstar is the only health system in Georgia with a network of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 trauma centers located in metro Atlanta to serve the most critical patients with a range of emergency care options. Today, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital operates the busiest emergency department in all of Georgia. The new emergency department will open this year, serving as a beacon for access to emergency care for Georgians. The 263,000 square foot building will connect directly to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and will hold 166 exam rooms. Upon its completion, it will be the second largest emergency department in the nation.

In addition to its new emergency department, the health system recently opened Wellstar Avalon Health Park, the fifth of its kind, giving patients in greater Atlanta easier access to a variety of high-quality, personalized healthcare services available at one convenient location. The Wellstar health park model gives patients access to primary care physicians and specialist appointments, outpatient procedures, urgent care, physical therapy and imaging in a single building.

The health priorities of the communities Wellstar serves are reflected in the 12 service lines that set the strategy of delivering effective, evidence-based care to their patients. All service lines are led by physician and nurse leaders who work with their team members to develop and deliver tailored care plans that tap the expertise of clinicians in an integrated and personalized manner, depending on specific patient needs.

Wellstar has been able to successfully evolve because of its unwavering commitment to listening to its patients. Truly personal, quality care means its patients have choices and access to the right care, at the right place, and at the right time.


More Than Healthcare

Wellstar’s passion for people extends far beyond its system and into the communities it serves. The health system collaborates with more than 450 community partners to bring important initiatives into its service areas across Georgia.

Being a not-for-profit health system enables Wellstar to offer care when and where it matters most. In 2019, Wellstar provided more than $784 million in charity care, unreimbursed care, and community programs. In 2019, the Community Health Needs Assessment Wellstar conducted in partnership with the Georgia Health Policy Center identified six specific care gaps within the community: food insecurity, opioids and behavioral health, women’s health, cancer, suicide and access to primary care. To address and help fill these gaps, Wellstar convened a group of system-wide experts and community partners to provide services, equipment, prevention and wellness programs such as free mammograms, school health programs, hospital chapels, healing gardens, and more. For example, Wellstar partnered with local organizations to provide first books to every baby born in 2020 at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Douglas Hospitals.

“We have been a partner with Wellstar Health System for more than 20 years,” said Dr. Dwight "Ike" Reighard, president/CEO MUST Ministries and senior pastor of Piedmont Church. “From supporting our 41 food pantries through food drives, including MUST in their annual Day of Service to address food inequities, and supporting the various health needs of our clients, to sponsoring programs like the annual Gobble Jog and the MUST annual Giving Gala, Wellstar has been a steadfast partner, helping us to be a beacon of hope and place of refuge for our neighbors in need with compassion and love. This wouldn’t be possible without community support from partners like Wellstar.

”By taking the time to actively listen, Wellstar’s knowledge has grown, its collaborations have grown, and its capacity to provide integrated, quality care where and when its patients need it most has grown. “More Than Healthcare. PeopleCare.” reflects Wellstar’s commitment to always listening and being there for patients in their hour of need and beyond; understanding the underlying factors that may affect their overall health; and creating processes, programs, and initiatives that promote the personalized care and well-being of every person they serve.

Tags

BrettCare Frank and Llen Care MatthewsCare
ZacCare Media Room
Read related articles
Two men have an earnest conversation

Highlights

Health Equity in Action

The Weekly Check-up Atlanta


When Dr. Earl Stewart thinks about health equity, he thinks about patients who delay care because they can’t take time off work, who are seniors silently battling chronic disease in food deserts and who live in communities hit hard when summer heat bears down on the South.

“Health equity,” he said on  The Weekly Check-Up podcast, “means making sure every person, regardless of ZIP code, income or background, has access to the care they need delivered with dignity.”

Dr. Stewart is the medical director of health equity at Wellstar and an internal medicine physician. He’s at the forefront of building a more just healthcare system rooted in listening, proactive outreach and community-based care. His work is redefining what community health looks like in practice.

Health equity starts with access

One of the biggest misconceptions about health equity is that it’s only about insurance coverage. But that’s just the starting point.

“Access doesn’t mean only having a clinic nearby or having insurance,” Dr. Stewart said. “It means that care is affordable, culturally competent, geographically reachable and provided in a way that meets people where they are.”

In Georgia, especially in urban and rural areas, barriers to healthcare can have many forms: long travel times to the nearest physician, language barriers, gaps in preventive care and social factors like food insecurity and housing instability. Each of these affects whether patients seek care at all and what happens when they do.

That’s why Dr. Stewart is helping lead efforts at Wellstar to address care beyond hospital walls, including thinking outside the traditional healthcare model.

Food as medicine for chronic disease

Health happens everywhere, not just in exam rooms. For example, conditions like diabetes and hypertension, wo diseases that disproportionately affect ethnically minoritized and low-income populations, are directly linked to access, or lack of access, to healthy food options.

Wellstar is working to reduce the health impact of food insecurity and chronic disease across the state through:

  • Fresh food as medicine initiatives
  • Mobile Markets in partnership with Goodr
  • Partnerships with local organizations

“If you don’t have access to healthy foods, your ability to control your blood pressure or manage your blood sugar is already compromised,” Dr. Stewart said.

By addressing food insecurity head-on, Wellstar isn’t only treating illness—we’re preventing it through community investment and education.

Mobile health removes barriers

For patients who can’t easily get to a clinic or pharmacy, Wellstar is bringing the clinic to their neighborhoods. Through mobile health programs, including pop-up clinics and food markets, patients can get screened for high blood pressure, pick up healthy groceries or receive preventive education.

“These programs reflect a shift in strategy—from reactive to proactive and from system-centered to patient-centered care,” Dr. Stewart said. “This is PeopleCare in action.”

“Mobile care gives us the chance to address healthcare access in a tangible way,” he added. “It removes barriers before they become complications.”

Health risks presented by climate

In a season of extreme and dangerous weather events, Dr. Stewart noted the connection between climate and health risks, especially for older adults and low-income populations.

“We see emergency department visits spike when the temperatures rise,” he said. “Older adults, people who work outdoors and people with chronic heart and lung conditions are especially vulnerable. Heat isn’t just a weather issue—it’s a health equity issue.”

For communities with limited cooling, transportation or healthcare providers, rising temperatures create a dangerous, often deadly situation. Dr. Stewart sees climate resilience as part of the activities needed to build health equity, calling for stronger connections among climate data analytics, care strategies and community outreach.

Leading with empathy & listening with intention

Health equity starts with listening. Dr. Stewart grounds his leadership in the belief that every patient story matters and empathy is as important as data to the future of healthcare.

With Wellstar Mobile Markets, social determinants of health screenings and mobile health outreach units, Dr. Stewart, the Wellstar Center for Health Equity team and Wellstar clinicians are working to transform healthcare from the inside out.

“Equity is not just the right thing to do morally,” he said. “It’s how we get better outcomes for everyone.”

Hear the full conversation.

Keep reading
Man sleeping soundly and comfortably

Highlights

Inspire Implants Introduce Better Sleep Apnea Care

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.

Keep reading
A healthcare provider shows a brain scan to their patient

Highlights

Epilepsy Expert Explains Diagnosis and Treatment

The Weekly Check-up Atlanta


Having or witnessing a seizure can be frightening. But clinicians have made remarkable advances in diagnosing the causes and preventing future seizures with medications and surgery.

“Seizures often seem scarier to bystanders than to patients,” said Dr. Thomas Holmes, a Wellstar neurologist. “Most patients don’t even remember them.”

Epilepsy is more common than many realize—about 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed in their lifetime. On WSB’s The Weekly Check-Up, Dr. Holmes explained how epilepsy is diagnosed, why not all seizures mean epilepsy and what treatments are available.

As director of neurodiagnostics at Wellstar, Dr. Holmes helped Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center earn Level 3 Adult Epilepsy Center accreditation, recognizing its advanced care for patients with hard-to-treat seizures.

Diagnosing epilepsy

According to Dr. Holmes, a seizure happens when there's an “abnormal firing of neurons in the brain.” This electrical disturbance can cause a range of symptoms—some more visible than others. A person having a seizure may briefly lose consciousness, and other signs can include:

  • Trouble breathing or temporarily stopping breathing
  • Sudden falls without warning
  • Jerking movements or a sudden loss of muscle control
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Not responding to sounds or voices for a few moments
  • Staring spells, sometimes with rapid blinking

It’s important to know that not all seizures are caused by epilepsy. Other conditions like stroke, brain injuries, infections or tumors can also trigger them. That’s why gathering details from someone who witnessed the seizure—like a family member—can be helpful for doctors trying to make an accurate diagnosis.

When someone experiences a seizure, the first step is usually brain imaging. An MRI is often ordered to look for structural causes, and an EEG, which records the brain’s electrical activity, can help detect abnormal patterns. In some cases, patients may be asked to wear a portable EEG at home for several days to capture activity that doesn’t happen regularly. Both MRIs and EEGs are safe and painless.

For more advanced monitoring, Wellstar offers inpatient epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs) at Wellstar Kennestone, Wellstar MCG Health and Wellstar North Fulton Medical Centers. These specialized units provide around-the-clock observation and are among the few in Georgia offering this level of epilepsy care.

Medications and surgery for seizures and epilepsy

For most people with epilepsy, medication is the first and most effective treatment option. How long someone needs to stay on medication depends on several factors, including what’s causing the seizures and what clinicians find during ongoing monitoring.

Sometimes a seizure is triggered by a specific event, like a head injury. In those cases, Dr. Holmes explained, long-term medication may not be necessary. But if tests reveal a structural issue in the brain—like an area of damage—it usually means a higher risk of future seizures and longer-term treatment is often recommended.

“You don’t necessarily need to be on medication for life, even if you have epilepsy,” said Dr. Holmes. Patients are regularly monitored, treatment plans are highly personalized and care plans are revisited to ensure the best outcomes possible.

“If someone has been seizure-free for two to three years, has a normal EEG and no visible brain lesion, we’ll often discuss tapering off medication if the patient is open to it,” he said.

Some people may struggle with seizure control despite medication. About 10% of patients don’t respond well to drugs—but there are additional treatments available.

Wellstar’s EMUs can help determine where in the brain seizures are starting. In some cases, surgery to remove a small area of brain tissue can significantly reduce or even stop seizures. According to Dr. Holmes, this approach is successful in nearly 70% of cases.

Other advanced options include laser surgery or a responsive neurostimulation—when a small device is implanted in the brain to detect abnormal activity and deliver a pulse to stop a seizure before it starts.

Looking ahead, Dr. Holmes is optimistic. “There are going to be many options that are not drug-related,” he said. “Less invasive procedures are on the rise, and we’re learning more about the genetic causes of epilepsy—especially in children. Research and clinical trials may even lead us to gene therapies in the near future.”

Epilepsy care is evolving rapidly, and for many patients, that means more control, fewer side effects, and real hope for the future.

Epilepsy and Seizures Program at Wellstar

Our Epilepsy and Seizures Program is one of only a few such programs in Georgia. It provides comprehensive care to help children and adults manage seizures. The program also offers a streamlined pathway to determine if a patient is a candidate for advanced treatments, including minimally invasive surgery and deep brain stimulation.

Wellstar Children's Hospital of Georgia and Wellstar MCG Health in Augusta are Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Centers, the highest designation by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Wellstar Kennestone is a Level 3 Adult Epilepsy Center.

Learn more about the Epilepsy and Seizures Program and Wellstar providers.

Keep reading
Back to Top
Branding illustration
Wellstar Logo
More than healthcare. PeopleCare.
Branding illustration
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal
Graduate Medical Education
Medical Residency Pharmacy Residency
For Business
Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information Price Transparency
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal

Graduate Medical Education
Medical Residency Pharmacy Residency
For Business
Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information Price Transparency

Copyright © 2025 Wellstar Health System. All Rights Reserved.

Wellstar does not discriminate on, exclude people or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression or any other type of discrimination prohibited by law.

Cookie Preferences

We use cookies for booking and general analytics. Learn more about or internet privacy policy.