Wellstar Ortho Care
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Your favorite activities make everyday life your own, and bone or joint pain can keep you sidelined. At Wellstar, our skilled and caring team is ready to help you find relief and get back to life with less pain and more freedom.
Orthopedic specialists here offer complete care for all types of bone, joint and soft tissue injuries and conditions. From diagnosis and treatment through rehabilitation and recovery, we’ve got your back.
Specialty Ortho Care
Sports Medicine
Our sports medicine team specializes in working with sports-related injuries in athletes of all ages and ability levels. In addition to providing expert diagnosis and treatment, the team offers advice on proper technique and conditioning, body mechanics and overall injury prevention. They also help athletes with sports nutrition and performance enhancement.
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Hand & Wrist Care
Wellstar’s skilled hand surgeons perform a broad range of procedures aimed at restoring quality of life. Whether you were born with your condition or it’s a result of injury or aging, we can help. Our hand specialists have extensive experience with non-surgical and minimally invasive surgical options for issues like Dupuytren’s Contracture, carpal tunnel release, cubital tunnel release, De Quervain’s Release, arthroscopic surgery, fracture surgery, thumb UCL repair, ganglion cyst removal, joint fusion, joint replacement, microsurgical repair for fingertip injuries, nerve decompression, tendon repair and trigger finger release.
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Total Joints
At Wellstar, we know that painful bone or joint symptoms can prevent you from living your fullest life. That’s why we deliver orthopedic care that’s tailored for your individual needs. Whether a total joint replacement could help you keep up with your grandchildren or a minimally invasive procedure might get you back on the sports field, our care is designed to help you live the life you want to lead.Learn more
Pediatric Ortho
Our pediatric orthopedic specialists provide comprehensive, compassionate bone and joint care for children and teens. We know that kids are not just little adults. Their bones and joints are still growing, and they need specialized expertise when an injury or disease slows them down.Orthopedic challenges can stem from many causes, including overuse, injury and genetics. From common setbacks, like a broken bone, to more complex orthopedic conditions, we use the latest technology and treatments to provide care, including minimally invasive surgical techniques which typically help reduce discomfort and recovery time. We look at the whole child to assess how an orthopedic condition affects their overall health and wellness.
Finding an effective approach to care that’s right for each individual is always our priority. When clinical expertise is needed, our fellowship-trained Wellstar specialists meet kids right at their level to help them begin moving well again.
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Foot & Ankle Care
Many foot and ankle conditions may require surgery, from bunions to tendon tears and severe arthritis. Usually, foot and ankle surgery is only considered only after nonsurgical treatments have failed. Certain conditions, especially acute injuries such as ankle fractures, may require immediate intervention. There are many surgical and non-surgical treatments that can be used to treat foot and ankle conditions. It is our goal to restore movement and alleviate pain.
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Our team of experienced orthopedic specialists is here to help. Booking your orthopedic appointment is quick and easy!
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News
Table of experts: Advancements in ortho care
Wellstar and the Atlanta Business Chronicle discuss the changing landscape of orthopedic care.
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Newsroom
Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center opens new MRI suites with funding secured by Sen. Jon Ossoff
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff joined Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center leadership in cutting the ribbon on two new MRI suites that feature state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. The machines were purchased with $3.5 million in federal funds that Ossoff secured with bipartisan support from the U.S. Senate in March 2022.
The critically needed units are located in newly designed and built MRI suites that are conveniently located between Wellstar MCG Health and Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia. The updated technology allows for faster image scanning, better quality scans, and better patient access and comfort for adults and children. The new machines and suites replace two aging machines that were located in different parts of the medical campus.
“Senator Ossoff listened to our friends at Augusta University when they shared how adults and children in Augusta and throughout Georgia would benefit from two new, state-of-the-art MRI machines,” said Ralph Turner, president of Wellstar MCG Health. “Today, we celebrate Senator Ossoff’s leadership and work to obtain federal funding that will improve the healthcare experience for people across our great state for years to come.”
“The technology in these new machines is phenomenal and will make a noticeable difference in the care of every patient and physician who uses them,” said Dr. Annette Johnson, department chair for radiology at Wellstar MCG Health and academic chair and professor of radiology and imaging at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. “These state-of-the-art machines can compensate for patient breathing and other motion, anticipating the patient’s movement and modifying the scanning techniques to adapt to the motion. This level of sophistication results in a higher quality scan in less time.”
For context, a typical MRI exam consists of five to 10 individual scans, each of which takes several minutes to complete. If a patient moves during one of the scans, the scan must be repeated. This happens frequently since it’s very hard for people to be perfectly still for long periods of time.
“If everything goes perfectly, the whole exam for a cervical spine MRI, for example, should take 25 minutes. But if the patient moves a little bit during the exam, it may take 10 or 15 additional minutes because scans have to be repeated, which makes the experience more difficult to tolerate as a patient,” said Johnson.
Cutting down the amount of time spent in the machine is a win-win-win. In addition to improving the quality of the scans, it is more comfortable for the patient, reduces wait times for other patients and allows for more patients to be seen.
“I don’t know if it qualifies as AI, but it’s super-smart technology,” said Johnson. “It’s motion-sensing and even predicts the patient’s movements. This results in fewer repeat scans, which improves the patient experience and enables more people to receive scans.”
Wellstar MCG Health also has a mobile MRI machine that is located outside of Professional Building One.
“This will be so much better for our patients, being closer to other support services for pediatric patients and wayfinding for all patients. All patients who receive a MRI will now got to the same waiting room, instead of three different waiting rooms,” Johnson said.
The new machine has a stronger gradient within the magnetic field, Johnson explained, which translates to higher-resolution, thin-section imaging. This means, for example, that radiologists and other physicians will be able to more clearly see the margins of a prostate cancer or the valves of the heart.
“You can see fine detail so much better, so you can make more confident diagnostic and treatment decisions,” she said. “You can get literally a half a millimeter slice thickness with this new equipment. That’s huge for us as we help patients and physicians make the best possible decisions for a person’s care.”
The new technology also improves the ability to adapt to individual patient body shape and to better scan patients who have implanted devices such as pacemakers.
Radiology Manager Felicia Ford said she is very happy to begin working with the new machines. She even volunteered to be among the first people to be scanned, just to test it.
Ford is looking forward to providing her patients with a better experience in addition to better quality MRI scans.
“It’s really nice,” she said. “I was impressed. It’s comfortable.”
Newsroom
CLEAR Partners with Wellstar Health System to Launch Seamless and Secure Check-in Across Locations
Atlanta, GA -- CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), the secure identity company, and Wellstar Health System, one of the largest healthcare systems in Georgia, are launching a new initiative to further simplify and speed up the patient check-in process. The first pilot location is live with further rollout expected in the second half of 2024.
CLEAR has successfully integrated with Wellstar to enable patient registration and on-site check-in through CLEAR Verified. Wellstar co-developed the integration and is the first health system to utilize the CLEAR Verified technology application, which will become an out-of-the-box integration that CLEAR can easily implement for other healthcare partners who use Epic.
Wellstar patients who opt-in to use CLEAR’s proven technology will enjoy a smooth on-site check-in by simply verifying their identity ahead of time. Wellstar patients will receive a text a few days before their scheduled appointment to check-in using CLEAR. On appointment day participating patients simply need to take a selfie at the Wellstar CLEAR Verified kiosk to check-in for their appointment.
“Identity is foundational to making patient experiences safer, easier, and more efficient in healthcare,” said CLEAR CEO, Caryn Seidman Becker. “CLEAR’s collaboration with Wellstar Health System will bring a streamlined and secure check-in experience for patients. With the launch of this new experience, CLEAR is one step closer in our effort to replace the clipboard in healthcare.”
“Our patients’ time is precious. Introducing CLEAR’s proven secure technology will help make the check-in process even more efficient and safe,” said Dr. Hank Capps, FAAFP, EVP and Chief Information and Digital Officer for Wellstar Health System, and President of Catalyst by Wellstar. “We are committed to building an ecosystem of care that includes technologies that have never been used in healthcare. When combined with compassionate care from Wellstar clinicians, we will deliver a truly world-class experience.”
About CLEAR
CLEAR's mission is to create frictionless experiences. With more than 22 million members and a growing network of partners across the world, CLEAR's identity platform is transforming the way people live, work, and travel. Whether you are traveling, at the stadium, or on your phone, CLEAR connects you to the things that make you, you – making everyday experiences easier, more secure, and friction-free. CLEAR is committed to privacy done right. Members are always in control of their own information, and we never sell member data. For more information, visit clearme.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results, developments and events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those described in the Company's filings within the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections titled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10- K. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein.
Epic is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation.
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Newsroom
Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center Honored with the Georgia Oglethorpe Award
Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center has been named a first-time Georgia Oglethorpe Award winner. The Sterling Council, established in 1992, is a public/private not-for-profit corporation supported by the Executive Office of the Governor. The Council oversees the Governor’s Sterling Award for Performance Excellence and the Georgia Oglethorpe Award, which is based on the national Malcolm Baldrige Award, with Awards being presented annually to high performing, role-model organizations, both private and public, who demonstrate superior management approaches and role model results.
Wellstar Sylvan Grove is a nonprofit, critical access hospital in Jackson, Georgia and one of 11 Wellstar Health System hospitals. The hospital operates with 25 in-patient/swing beds (subacute rehab) and a 13-bed emergency department. The swing bed unit serves patients from all over the country, and the emergency department treats over 17,000 patients annually. Wellstar Sylvan Grove receives patients from across the nation because of their excellent reputation for rehabilitative care. “Together we can achieve more” describes the mindset of the Wellstar Sylvan Grove team. The hospital’s teamwork approach is the key driver of maintaining zero hospital-acquired infections for over three years and consistently remaining in the top 75th percentile for patient satisfaction as a facility.
Wellstar Sylvan Grove consistently remains one of the top-performing hospitals on the Great Place to Work® Survey, a national employee engagement survey, which resulted in the health system being named one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, earning the award in 2024 for the sixth time. The family culture extends outside of the four walls of the hospital to the people in the community. Wellstar Sylvan Grove participates in many community events, including a mobile market that helps to provide nutritious food and health education to the community at no cost.
Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center is a first-time recipient of the Georgia Oglethorpe Award and is the sixth hospital that is part of the Wellstar Health System to be recognized with the Sterling Oglethorpe Award.
Wellstar Sylvan Grove will be formally recognized on Friday, May 31, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando at a banquet honoring their accomplishments and attainment of this recognition.
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