Wellstar Community Health Programs

Between cookie baking, busy shopping trips and being with family, the holiday season can pass by in a blur. Through all the hustle and bustle, Wellstar health experts warn it can be all too easy to put off your wellness.

“During this hectic time of year, health may be the last thing on your mind. However, the best present you can give yourself is prioritizing your well-being,” said Dr. Umme Nur, internal medicine physician with Wellstar.

“Seeing your provider now can help you stay on track this season,” Dr. Nur explained. “It can also help you jumpstart your health goals in January and already have a care plan tailored to your needs.”

Start healthy habits

It’s easy to let your normal routines slip during this time of year. However, you can take small steps to stay on track every day.

• Eat right. It’s okay to indulge in holiday treats, but try to keep your main meals balanced with fruits and veggies.
• Don’t forget about fitness. Create a routine and stick to your exercise goals, even if it’s just a 30-minute stroll.
• Catch some Z’s. Maintain an adequate sleep regimen to help your body rest, feel refreshed and ready for the day.

Check in on your well-being

Remember, the perfect gift isn’t something wrapped with a bow—it’s putting your health first. That means partnering with Wellstar Primary Care and scheduling a wellness exam.

Your primary care team will help you take charge of your health and create a personalized plan just for you. Because your clinician is a pro at preventative care, they’ll help keep you ahead of potential medical problems.

After your annual check-up, you’ll know your stats for:

• Blood pressure. Taken with a simple arm cuff, a blood pressure test helps diagnose hypertension (high blood pressure), hypotension (low blood pressure), heart disease and other conditions.
• Blood glucose level. The amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood can indicate the onset of diabetes and an increased risk for heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
• Blood cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called “bad” cholesterol, can indicate clogged arteries, which may lead to heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
• Body mass index (BMI). The BMI estimates human body fat, which may indicate an increased risk for heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes.

At your exam, be sure to bring up any health goals, such as weight loss or managing a chronic condition. Your care team will work with you to create a custom treatment plan for your unique needs.

Know your family history & take action

Depending on your gender, age and family history, your care team may also recommend other preventative tests to screen for diseases before they start, such as a mammogram or colonoscopy.

Your clinician can also help you understand your potential health risks with:

• Know Your Heart screenings. Preventative heart screenings help determine your risk of heart disease, stroke and other serious conditions.
• Genetic risk assessment. Genetic testing is a tool to help people determine their hereditary risk of cancer and heart problems. This program also helps couples and expecting mothers with prenatal or preconception concerns.

Learn more about how having an established primary care team can keep you well.

A Wellstar patient recovering from a brain injury got a surprise visit Thursday from a former Atlanta Falcons player in celebration of the teenager’s graduation from the intensive care unit of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta.

Oheneba “O.J.” Appiah, 17, who plays linebacker for the football team at Archer High School near Lawrenceville, sustained the brain injury during a football game last month.

“After the game, he said he was dizzy, and that’s when he passed out,” said his mom, Elizabeth Appiah.

“I met O.J. on the worst day of his life,” said Dr. Phillip Parry, a Wellstar neurosurgeon. “He had a life-threatening bleed inside his head, and we took him to surgery immediately.”

O.J. has come a long way during his 20-day stay in intensive care.

“His miraculous recovery is a testament to the care he received and an inspiration to us all to continue doing what we do every day,” Dr. Parry said.

“We are so grateful to God,” O.J.’s mother said. “The team here is great, and the nurses are amazing.”

Wellstar Kennestone’s neuro-ICU team, called “5 Blue East,” bonded with O.J. and his family over their love of football. The team members said it’s been great witnessing O.J.’s recovery and seeing his personality come back.

Former Atlanta Falcons and Pro Bowl player Ovie Mughelli visited O.J. during a special surprise party Thursday. Mughelli gave O.J. a signed jersey and photo from his professional football days and shared advice.

“You had a hard situation happen to you, but you can do hard things,” said Mughelli, encouraging O.J. to “ask for help up front.”

The young football player had just one question for the former NFL player: “How do you get an offer?”

By working hard and building relationships, Mughelli responded. He also stressed the importance of focusing on school. After learning O.J. had never been to a Falcons game, Mughelli invited him to attend one next season.

Wellstar Kennestone President Lorrie Liang, who also stopped by to congratulate O.J., noticed Mughelli’s gift.

“Now you have a jersey to wear during rehab,” she said to O.J.

But O.J. didn’t feel like waiting. He put on the jersey almost immediately.

We have a responsibility.

The nurse who sits at the bedside, holding a patient’s hand; the professor committed to training the next generation of caregivers; the hospital system executive seeking innovative technology to advance healthcare. They’re united by a shared sense of responsibility — to care for others.

That powerful commonality and our cultural alignment has been the underpinning of the successful partnership between Wellstar Health System and Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia. In the year since Governor Brian Kemp, our state legislators and the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents put their trust in us to create Wellstar MCG Health, we’ve improved healthcare in the Central Savannah River Area and enhanced medical education for future generations of Georgia caregivers.

From the beginning, we knew our people would be the key to our success. They’ve committed their lives to caring for others, and we’re committed to caring for them. It’s why we prioritized pay raises, enhanced mental health support, and now offer additional resources to help them take care of themselves and their families. Thanks to their feedback, we’re also investing in their career growth, with programs like CareerCare, which provides funding to help further their healthcare careers.

Supporting caregivers extends beyond those on our team. We’re also expanding the pipeline of clinicians to address our state’s chronic physician and nursing shortages. The Medical College of Georgia is the fourth largest medical college in the country, and the second-largest sponsoring institution for graduate medical training. By bringing academic excellence and advanced research together with deep healthcare experience and extensive resources, we’re able to offer innovative academic teaching models that ensure more physicians are trained in a modern clinical environment. Together, we’re building the healthcare workforce of the future.

As we address the need for more caregivers, we can’t overlook the need to expand access to care. To do that, we’ve increased digital health services and launched mobile care vans to serve rural communities. We’re looking ahead too, building the first hospital in Columbia County, the largest county in the state without its own hospital. Opening this 100-bed, Level II trauma center means people will have better access to the expert, compassionate care they need, right in their own backyard.

For the facilities already serving the area, there are now 129 new doctors, four new urgent care centers, and we’ve introduced innovative technology to improve patient care. We’re the first hospital in Georgia to use Galleri cancer testing, for example, which allows us to use just one blood test to detect more than 50 types of cancer earlier than ever before. We also have two new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suites featuring state-of-the-art machines for faster scanning.

Another piece of technology new to WMCG ensures our caregivers have the tools they need to give people the best care possible. It’s called Epic, an electronic medical records system, and it lives up to its name. With Epic, our caregivers now have improved data access for more accurate diagnoses, better treatment plans, and improved patient outcomes. Epic allows students to learn on modern technology, it facilitates research and makes it easier for patients to access their medical records. We invested approximately $175 million in this technology, along with other upgrades, and completed the implementation almost two full years ahead of schedule. It's a game changer and we couldn't be prouder of how the team came together to get this technology up and running.

Georgia’s leaders have put their faith in this partnership, an honor we take seriously. As we continue our work to create a healthier future for all Georgians, we’re committed to collaboration and financial sustainability, because we know our communities depend on us today and for generations to come. Improving the health and well-being of every person we serve isn’t just our responsibility, it’s our privilege, and none of it is possible without our dedicated team members. It’s heartwarming to see the way they embrace each other as one team. In the wake of hurricane Helene, their compassion hasn’t wavered as they care for patients and each other, a testament to their strong bonds. This is a team that cares deeply about each other and the communities we serve; a team that empathizes and uplifts; a team with determination and heart. With that kind of spirit, we can accomplish anything.

Candice L. Saunders is president and CEO of Wellstar Health System and Russell Keen is president of Augusta University.