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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.

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Wellstar Kennestone Hospital

As one of the Top 100 hospitals, Wellstar Kennestone offers the most advanced care available for all your surgical, medical, rehabilitative and emergency care needs. In addition to a highly qualified team of physicians, nurses and clinical staff, we offer the very latest in technology and diagnostic imaging capabilities.

MAP UPDATE — In preparation of a new patient bed tower opening in 2026, Wellstar Kennestone has revised its campus map (posted November 2022) so that patients and visitors may avoid construction areas. To view, select "Campus Map" under Information or click to download and save the printable PDF here. Please review the new walkways and access points in order to help expedite your way around campus upon your next visit.

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Information


Address

677 Church Street NE
Marietta, GA 30060

Phone Number

(770) 793-5000
  • Directory
  • Parking Information
  • Campus Map revised Nov. '22
  • Visitor Information
  • Tower Construction Information
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(770) 793-5169
Monday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
(770) 793-5328
Monday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
(770) 793-5082
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
(770) 793-5171
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
(770) 793-9300
Monday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Tuesday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Wednesday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Thursday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Friday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Sunday:
11:00 AM-5:00 PM
(770) 793-5005
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Gift Shop
Green Tower, visitor lobby

(770) 793-5169 Closed ▼
Monday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Medical Records

(770) 793-5328 Closed ▼
Monday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-4:30 PM

Patient Billing

(770) 793-5082 Closed ▼
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Patient Experience
Purple Tower, Main Level

(770) 793-5171 Closed ▼
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Pharmacy
Blue Tower #8

(770) 793-9300 Closed ▼
Monday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Tuesday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Wednesday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Thursday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Friday:
7:00 AM-8:00 PM
Saturday:
10:00 AM-6:00 PM
Sunday:
11:00 AM-5:00 PM

Spiritual Health

(770) 793-5005 Closed ▼
Monday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Tuesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Wednesday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Thursday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Friday:
8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Parking Information

PARKING UPDATE — We are pleased to share that the Blue Parking Deck has reopened as our primary patient/visitor paid parking deck. The Cancer Center Parking Deck is also open as a paid patient/visitor parking deck. Golf carts with drivers remain available at the entrance of both decks to shuttle visitors and patients to the hospital entrance from 6:00am to 9:00pm daily, and personnel are present to help further direct you. Thank you for your patience as we worked through deck repairs together!

Kennestone Parking Map

Click here to download the full campus map.

Blue Parking Deck

The Blue Parking Deck is our primary patient/visitor parking deck and allows direct access to the main hospital entrance and all services. Located off Tower Road and accessible by turning onto Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.

Direct access to:

  • All inpatient units
  • All critical care units
  • Inpatient admissions
  • Outpatient registration
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Women’s Services/Imaging
  • Outpatient imaging and lab services
  • Outpatient Surgery Center
  • Cardiac services
  • GI Lab
  • Pulmonary services
  • Wound Center
  • Medical Records
  • Care Coordination & Social Services

Valet Parking

Valet parking is available at the main entrance to the hospital on Kennestone Hospital Boulevard for $6. The service is available Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm, excluding holidays. Parking passes are not accepted. Valet Parking service is also available at Whitcher Street Monday - Friday from 8am - 5pm.


Green Parking Deck

Located off of Church Street by turning onto Whitcher Street. Whitcher Street Physician Center access; also allows access to Whitcher Street bridge to Main Street in the Green Tower.


Cancer Center Parking Deck

Located off of Tower Road by turning onto Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.

Cancer Center visitors—park in Blue Parking Deck and shuttle is provided to Cancer Center. (Monday - Friday: 6:30 AM - 7:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
Health Place members—park in Employee Parking Deck, located off of North Avenue. Shuttle is provided to Health Place. (Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM)


Emergency Services Parking Lot

15-minute parking available for patient drop-off in front of Emergency Department door. For longer than 15-minutes, parking is located under Emergency Department building. Parking for patients being seen in the Emergency Department. Patient’s vehicle must be moved once the patient is released from the Emergency Department or admitted to the hospital.


Surgery Center Parking Lot

Located off of Church Street. Parking is only for patients scheduled for pre-op testing, general surgery and Vascular Institute procedures. Only one vehicle permitted per patient. Patient’s vehicle must be moved by midnight on the day of surgery.

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Campus Map (Revised November 2022)

Kennestone Campus Map

Wellstar Kennestone directory and lower level map

 

Click to download and save printable PDF file.

Visitor Information

Wellstar Kennestone understands that having loved ones by your side can help with your healing and care. You have the right to choose and prioritize visitors from among family, friends, partners, personal care aides or other individuals (regardless of the person’s gender or your relationship to the person). To provide a restful and safe environment, we ask that visitors follow these guidelines:

Visitor Guidelines

  • Smoking is prohibited on the campus.
  • Please refrain from visiting if you have a cold, sore throat, fever or other illness.
  • Avoid noisy, disruptive behavior to help respect the healing of all patients.
  • Ask before bringing foods, drinks or other items that might trigger allergies like balloons, flowers or perfume into patient rooms.
  • Wash your hands before entering patient rooms.
  • Make sure children have a supervising adult with them at all times.
  • Some areas may restrict children or limit the age of children allowed to visit. Please check with the nursing staff.
  • Dress appropriately and wear shirts and shoes.
  • If a family member stays overnight, he or she must be of the same sex in semi-private rooms.

After-Hours Visiting

All visitors entering Wellstar Kennestone between 9:00 PM and 5:30 AM, or planning to stay past 9:00 PM, must check in at one of the visitor management kiosks. Please bring a form of government ID. A Security Services team member will print you a FastPass® photo ID badge. A new pass is required daily for each after-hours visit.

Waiting Areas

Waiting areas for visitors are on each patient floor and on the main floor of each tower. Specific waiting areas have been designated for families of patients in the Critical Care Unit, the Emergency Department and Surgery.

Quiet Time

To provide healing and rest, Wellstar observes quiet times from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM each day. Visitors are encouraged to turn off televisions and cellphones.

Tower Construction Information and Frequently Asked Questions

Rendering of the new Wellstar Kennestone tower

Celebrating 72 Years of Meeting your Changing Healthcare Needs

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is pleased to celebrate 72 years of providing world-class healthcare to you and your families. We are very grateful for the community’s partnership and wish to thank you for your ongoing support as we grow to meet your changing needs. Below are some frequently asked questions about this exciting, state-of-the-art new tower. We look forward to keeping this page updated throughout the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

What is being built on the Kennestone campus?

A new bed tower on the Kennestone campus:

Wellstar Kennestone has begun construction on a new bed tower. The tower will be built on the current Baird Building site in the center of the Kennestone campus. It was approved by the state in December 2021, and the first phase of pre-construction work is well underway. The building is expected to be complete in 2026.

Why is this tower being built?

Kennestone is committed to offering world-class healthcare to its community and all of Georgia:

Kennestone continues to not only provide quality care to its in-network community, but also to patients throughout the state of Georgia. The new tower will allow us to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community by continuing to improve the patient experience, expand our service lines, respond to any emerging disease crisis and future-proof healthcare.

The area around Kennestone is growing and requires increasingly complex care:

Kennestone serves 2.5 million residents and this number is projected to grow by more than five percent over the next five years. The senior population is expected to grow by a disproportionately larger 25%. An aging population will demand more specialized care, thus more space.

Kennestone’s expanded Emergency Department (ED) meets not just local needs, but cares for all ages and higher acuity patients across Georgia:

Since 1950 Kennestone has been serving the local community with regular additions and renovations to keep pace with area growth and changing healthcare needs. In 2020 Kennestone expanded the adult and pediatric Emergency Department, and it will eventually accommodate more than 220,000 patients of all acuity levels each year – nearly doubling the hospital’s capacity and further extending its ability to serve the entire state. Once a patient transitions from this level of care, they often need further hospital care and rehabilitation, thus more beds are needed. One of only four in Georgia, this Level 2 Trauma Center is often a destination for patients requiring complex care not just within the Wellstar system but throughout the entire state of Georgia.

What will be housed in the new tower?

The new tower will house next-generation NICU and neonatal services and will become home to our cutting-edge cardiovascular and neurology service lines, all enabled by technology to ensure the expertise housed within the tower reaches patients throughout the state.  The tower also provides the privacy and modern comfort people expect today including additional private rooms, a new dietary service, in-room dining options and much more.

What changes should I expect on or near the campus during construction?

Kennestone’s main lobby entrance will remain open during the current phase of construction.

We are pleased to share that the Blue Parking Deck has reopened as our primary patient/visitor paid parking deck. The Cancer Center Parking Deck is also open as a paid patient/visitor parking deck. Golf carts with drivers remain available at the entrance of both decks to shuttle visitors and patients to the hospital entrance from 6:00am to 9:00pm daily, and personnel are present to help further direct you.

Where do I go if I am delivering a baby?

Labor & Delivery patients ONLY may be dropped-off at the Outpatient Pavilion entrance just inside the Blue Parking Deck

The Labor & Delivery Drop-off/Entrance has shifted to the Outpatient Pavilion entrance, just inside the Blue Parking Deck. To access this Labor & Delivery entrance, visitors use Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, off Tower Road, then follow the Labor & Delivery signs into the Blue Parking Deck, which is our primary parking area.

This entrance is covered, there is plenty of space for drop-off, and the reception desk is staffed 24-hours a day.

Will construction impact the Emergency Department?

Construction will not impact patient access to the Emergency Department:

Emergency Department access for patients will not be impacted by this construction. Emergency vehicles may be impacted by lane closures but already have been notified of efficient route alternatives.

The entire Wellstar Kennestone team thanks you for your patience and support as we continue to grow to serve your healthcare needs!

Proposed Project Schedule

  • May 2022 - Enabling Project, Phase I, Underway
  • December 2022 - Baird Building Demolition Start
  • April 2023 - Groundbreaking and Bed Tower Construction Begins
  • December 2025 - Bed Tower Construction Complete
  • 2026 - Bed Tower Occupancy

Contact Us

Contact us with questions or concerns:
[email protected]
470-956-7241

Café & Bistro Options

Kennestone Café

If you're a visitor who would like to eat in a patient's room, please purchase a guest tray from the cafeteria cashier.

Location

Lower level near Green Tower elevators.

Hours

Monday through Friday: 6:00 AM-8:00 PM and 11:30 PM-3:00 AM
Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 AM-7:00 PM and 11:30 PM-3:00 AM


Tower and Church Bistro

Location

Main level, Purple Tower

Hours

Open Monday-Friday 6:00 AM-5:00 PM
Open Saturday-Sunday 7:00 AM-3:00 PM with limited menu
Closed on holidays


Calm Water Café

Location

Wellstar Cancer Center

Hours

Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Become a Wellstar Volunteer

Working diligently in virtually every area of our hospital, volunteers are our extra hands and hearts! They play the harp and the piano, provide pet therapy, sing, knit, wash hair, do hand massage, encourage, care, help, smile, serve tea, hold hands, garden and push wheelchairs.

  • Wellstar's 1,100 volunteers work more than 200,000 hours a year, representing $3.6 million in donated time.
  • Wellstar volunteers also raise money—more than $773,000 each year, helping us buy needed equipment, renovate facilities and educate our patients.

Currently suspended due to COVID-19. Check back for updates.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center

Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC)

Join the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. Our PFAC is a group of patients, family members of patients and hospital leaders who are committed to finding opportunities to improve the patient and family experience here at Wellstar Kennestone.

Learn more about our Patient and Family Advisory Council at Wellstar Kennestone

Accreditations & Recognition

Rehabilitation Care
  • U.S. News & World Report, Nationally Ranked in Adult Specialty, Rehabilitation 2022
Quality & Safety
  • U.S. News & World Report, Best Hospitals in Georgia 2020
Heart Care
  • Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification by The Joint Commission 
  • The Joint Commission's Gold Seal Certification for coronary artery bypass, heart valve repair and replacement and heart failure
  • Joint Commission certification for CAB and Valve Replacement and Repairs programs
  • Level I ECCC Emergency Cardiac Care Center Designation by Georgia Department of Public Health 
  • Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
  • Mission: Lifeline® - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD by the American Heart Association
  • Mission: Lifeline® - NSTEMI - GOLD by the American Heart Association
  • Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll by the American Heart Association
  • #6 Ranking for Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery in Georgia by by U.S. News and World Report 
  • Walter F. Johnson IV Chest Pain Observation Unit, low-risk chest pain patients receive rapid triage and treatment
     
Stroke Care
  • Designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and the Georgia Department of Public Health
  • Target: Stroke Honor Roll - Elite Plus
  • Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy
  • Get With The Guidelines: Gold Plus Achievement
  • AMSN PRISM Award®
Cancer Care
  • GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
  • Care Continuum Center of Excellence
Critical Care
  • Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care
Pulmonary Care
  • Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Pulmonary Care
GI Care
  • Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for GI Care
Surgical Care
  • Healthgrades, General Surgery Excellence Award
  • Joint Replacement Excellence Award
  • Vascular Surgery Excellence Award

Nursing at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital

At Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, it takes a village to deliver personalized care to the community. Our healthcare heroes are more than just nurses, doctors and staff helping people overcome illnesses. We are truly friends caring for friends, family caring for family and neighbors caring for neighbors.

Learn more about the nursing culture at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
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Services


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Service

Cancer Care

Comprehensive cancer care for the whole person.
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Service

Heart Care

Comprehensive, cardiac care you can count on.
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Service

Neuro Care

Expert care for brain and spine disease and injury, including stroke care.
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Department

Emergency Care

State-of-the-art facility delivering quality and compassionate care.
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Service

Labor & Delivery

Ensuring your birth experience is as comfortable and joyous as possible.
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Service

Child & Adolescent Care

Personalized, world-class care for children and young adults.
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Pharmacy

Have your prescription filled and ready before you leave.
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Service

Bariatric Surgery

Personalized weight loss plan and support to improve your overall health.
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Ongoing Care

Cardiac Rehabilitation

A medically supervised program designed to improve quality of life.
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Service

Ear, Nose and Throat

Medical and surgical solutions for hearing, balance, snoring and sinus issues. 
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Service

General Surgery

From elective to trauma, specializing in procedures with quicker recovery. 
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Orthopedics

No matter the injury, we’ve got everything you need to get moving again.
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Robotic Surgery

Advanced technology with smaller incisions, less pain and quicker recovery.
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Vascular Surgery

Providing a comprehensive plan of surgery, recovery and rehabilitation.
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Women's Health

Specialty care for every stage of life.
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Service

Wound Care

Customized care for non-healing or chronic wounds.
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Awards and Accreditations


Wellstar is frequently recognized for its commitment to providing world-class healthcare and excellent patient service

Best Hospitals In Georgia

 

 

Recognized by US News & World Report for excellence in treating complex, high-risk patients with life-threatening or rare conditions.

100 Best Hospitals - Critical Care

Healthgrades 100 Best Critical Care 2020

 

 

Healthgrades recognizes hospitals that deliver superior patient outcomes in Critical Care.

The AMSN PRISM Award

Recognized by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board for exemplary practice of the medical-surgical unit.
View of Front Desk at the Wellstar Kennestone Emergency Department
Personalized Treatment, Exceptional Care
New, state-of-the-art emergency department delivers quality and compassionate care to every patient, every time
Image of Wellstar executive leadership team speaking in the hallway at Kennestone Emergency Department
Fostering a Culture to Honor Every Voice
We strive to meet the unique health needs and preferences of our diverse patient population
View of Wellstar Kennestone Emergency Department Lobby
Designed with Care in Mind
From top to bottom, the new Kennestone Emergency Department offers acute care for patients and families, at every age and stage of life
Exterior View of the connecting bridge at Wellstar Emergency Department
Impacting the Lives of Real People Every Day
Providing world-class care for the people and the communities we serve
An inside look of a trauma operating room at Wellstar Kennestone Emergency Department
Direct, Emergency CT Access
Our emergency department features a separate high acuity ambulance entrance with direct access to CT imaging

Upcoming Events

View All Events

For the health and safety of our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, all events and classes are limited. For a complete list, see our event calendar.

News


Illustration of physicians holding stethoscope and magnifying glass.

Finding better ways to fight heart disease and accelerate cardiac care progress

Republished Content: Atlanta Business Chronicle Published on: February 2023

This article was originally published on Atlanta Business Chronicle on February 9, 2023.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Heart disease and stroke are among the forms of cardiovascular disease. In 2019, nearly 900,000 people died of cardiovascular disease in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. In Georgia, about 1 in 3 deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Most of these deaths are premature and preventable. Atlanta Business Chronicle recently talked with a panel of experts from Wellstar Health System and the American Heart Association about ways to accelerate heart care progress through diversity and inclusion and finding better ways to fight heart disease through unconventional methods, early detection and education and through the workplace.

Panelists & moderator

Moderator: David Rubinger, Market President & Publisher, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Depicts panelist of contributors to the article

Rubinger: What is the best way to define heart disease? And what does it mean for our culture?

Dr. Vivek Nautiyal: Let me start by saying that heart disease or cardiovascular disease is a very broad term which include a wide variety of conditions affecting our heart and blood vessels. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which is usually caused by cholesterol plaque clogging the arteries, supplying blood to our heart. This is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and across the world.

Some other types of heart disease include heart failure, which affects the heart muscle pump, heart valve disease and heart rhythm disorders affecting electrical activity of the heart. Vascular disease includes aortic aneurysm, and disease affecting neck arteries going to the brain or arteries going to the legs. All of these would broadly come under heart disease.

These conditions affect the ability of the heart to function properly and can lead to serious health problems such as heart attacks or stroke.

Rubinger: How much of that would we consider to be genetics and how much would we consider to be lifestyle, leading to the disease itself?

Nautiyal: Genetics is important, but I would say the vast majority are lifestyle-related. And that is why it's killing so many people. Heart disease is often the result of lifestyle factors like poor diet, lack of exercise, mental stress.

About four in 10 U.S. adults currently are obese. Three in 10 have high cholesterol, four in 10 have hypertension. One in 10 have diabetes. So, this is an epidemic. Adolescent and childhood obesity is on the rise and we in Georgia are sitting in the diabetes belt of the U.S.

Lack of awareness of these common risk factors often leads to delay in seeking preventive or medical care. You can have hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes for years or decades without knowing, which is why they're called silent killers. Unless you check for them, you may be blissfully unaware of your risk, until one day it leads to a major event.

Rubinger: It's very common to hear about examples where sometimes it can be genetic and other times it can be a lifestyle cause. Dr. Sacks, in your career, how have you viewed this whole conundrum of how to best approach heart disease?

Dr. Harvey Sacks: Getting back to your previous question, one form of heart disease we did not mention is congenital heart disease — malformations of the heart and blood vessels which occur at birth. As regards to lifestyle, when I started practicing cardiology, I saw patients in Paulding County. At that time, it was a rural community, but it is not so rural anymore but rather an extension of Atlanta. Many members of that community had a lifestyle consisting of poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, cigarette smoking and use of smokeless tobacco.

We began an educational process to teach people about healthy living. We socialized this into the community by giving talks to schools, churches and Rotary Club meetings.

The community bought into these new concepts, and we have made great progress. We have made significant changes as a result of this education in heart attack rates and cardiac mortality in that community.

Rubinger: Do we have any data to support that?

Sacks: We do. Since we have been seeing patients in Paulding County, data show a decrease in cardiac mortality. People understand the risk factors that contribute to the development of heart disease. And this trend is not unique to Paulding County. Similar efforts have been successful throughout the country. The American Heart Association (AHA) has helped us educate millions of people, and as a result, people are adopting healthier choices.

Unconventional weapons: Collaboration, technology & more

Rubinger: From a medical standpoint, what have you learned from research that has helped deliver better outcomes?

Nautiyal: As Dr. Sacks was mentioning, we have made huge advancements in improving cardiovasular mortality and morbidity, especially in the Medicare population. There's clear evidence of that in the last two decades. One area where we are lagging behind is in the young population. Unlike the older population, in the younger population the event rates are either flat or going up.

One of the reasons for this is that traditional risk factor calculators tend to underestimate cardiovascular risk in young people. By young people, I mean below 50. So, if you are below 50 and you have family members who had premature events or if you have very high cholesterol, or if you are a woman with certain complications during pregnancy, then be aware that traditional risk factors will underestimate your cardiac risk. Also, younger people tend to have this sense of invincibility. You don't have any symptoms. You think, “I’m doing OK,” not realizing that silently, processes are going on in your body which one day will lead to a catastrophic event.

As part of an NIH-funded 4-year study, led by the Mayo Clinic, we at Wellstar are implementing a shared decision-making electronic tool called CV Prevent Choice in our primary care offices. This enables the patient and physician to have a discussion about their personal risk for heart attack over next 10 years. It shows in an easy-to-understand graphic the impact of lifestyle measures, like healthy diet and exercise and — if needed — medications, in reducing their cardiac risk. We collaborated with the Mayo team to include factors on this risk calculator, like family history, women-specific risk factors and coronary calcium score, which alerts the clinician and patient that actual risk may be higher than indicated.

Another area where we in the U.S. lag behind is utilization and adherence to easily available life-saving therapies. A recent study showed that in over 600,000 commercially insured patients with established cardiovascular disease in the U.S., the utilization of appropriate, life-saving medications, such as statins, was low, despite overwhelming evidence of the benefit and established clinical guidelines. Only one in five patients received appropriate high-strength statins, despite these being relatively inexpensive generic medicines. Younger patients and female patients were less likely to receive these therapies. Furthermore, patient adherence, as measured by prescription refill rates, was low.

To better understand some of the factors behind this and also improve our quality of care, we at the Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular care are honored to have been chosen by the American Heart Association, to be one of six health care organizations across the country to participate in an integrated cardiovascular cholesterol management initiative, a learning collaborative grant. As part of this initiative, we will track patients admitted with heart attacks and follow them as they transition home. We will pilot programs to get patients to their treatment goals within a short time after discharge and improve patient outcomes.

Rubinger: Mr. Mooney, why aren’t people taking their statins? Is this part of the problem? Are people making bad decisions based on lack of education about what the risk factors are?

Mooney: There are a lot of factors that play into why patients are not adhering to taking statins or medications. Some of those barriers is health literacy, access to health care, and the affordability of medications. The expansion of Medicaid could address some of these factors. We at the American Heart Association are supporting the states that are advocating for Medicaid expansion.

Rubinger: What have been the major technological changes that have really made your jobs more effective or easier?

Sacks: There are different kinds of technology. One type is the evolution of the treatment of coronary heart disease. We are not only able to diagnose blockages in coronary arteries, but in a large proportion of the patients we can treat them with stents, reserving surgery for more extensive and complex heart disease. We are treating patients with valve abnormalities without having to open their chests, thus providing a much less invasive procedure.

A spot on the lung, or pulmonary nodule, is sometimes found incidentally on a CT which was ordered for another reason. We have an AI (artificial intelligence) program to follow and surveil these nodules for the possible development of lung cancer. And in addition, some of these patients have been found to have enlargement of their aorta (known as an aortic aneurysm). AI can identify these patients from a narrative report. They can then be referred to medical and surgical specialists for treatment. This helps prevent an otherwise fatal event from rupture of the aneurysm.

The other part is virtual visits. We believe that virtual visits are the future. There are so many people who for many, many reasons cannot come in to see the doctor, whether it's a transportation issue, whether it's having childcare, finances, whatever it may be. We want to bring those technologies to the person when they can't come to us. We believe that we can really influence people's lives greatly by being able to do that technologically by virtual visits.

Rubinger: And virtual medicine was something really born out of the pandemic. Is the concept of virtual medicine here to stay, Dr. Nautiyal?

Nautiyal: I believe so. The idea was there before, but the pandemic forced us into implementing it a very short time span. Now I think it's going to stay, but in a hybrid model. In-person conversation and physical exams still have meaning in spite of all the technology. An example of a hybrid model would be if someone was hospitalized recently for heart failure and now needs frequent visits for adjusting medications, they don't have to come in every time. We can do virtual visits to adjust the medications and get them to their goal.

Sacks: Psychological ill health can be as important as physical disease. Wellstar has introduced a Cardiovascular Behavioral Health program which can in part be virtual. It integrates behavioral health with physical wellbeing. We can help patients identify emotional problems which can contribute to physical maladies. Obesity is a prime example.

Obesity is often stigmatized, but it is actually a disease. And when you recognize it as a disease, you can treat it as such, similar to how we can treat other conditions. We can do a lot of this support virtually. We also have medications to curb obesity and even surgery for complex cases. If we eliminate the stigma associated with certain conditions, we can better treat them. We need to recognize emotional triggers which can lead to physical medical issues.

Prioritizing early detection

Rubinger: You mentioned earlier younger people who may think they’re invincible. These are the people who need to learn about early detection, earlier on in their lives. What is the recommendation you all give to the younger population to start monitoring their own heart health to know whether they need help? What are the steps younger people need to take to make sure they are addressing these issues?

Nautiyal: I would like to highlight two key groups who are at a very high personal risk of heart attacks or strokes. One is familial hypercholesterolemia. This is a genetic condition where you have high cholesterol levels since early childhood. The way to identify this is to know your cholesterol numbers and know your family history. Familial hypercholesterolemia, FH for short, is not as uncommon as we thought. One in 250 people have FH, and only about 20% of people with FH have been identified or recognized. This leaves a vast reservoir of undiagnosed and undertreated people. If you are a man with untreated FH, there is a 50% chance of having a heart attack by age 50, that is basically a coin flip. Women with untreated FH have a one in three chance of having a heart attack by age 60.

The second group is people with family history of premature heart attacks or strokes.

If you are in one of these two groups, I would strongly urge you to seek preventive cardiology consultation.

Regardless of whether or not you belong to one of these two groups, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of following a heart healthy dietary pattern, exercising regularly, not smoking, getting adequate sleep and knowing your numbers — blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels.

On a positive note: know that your DNA is not your destiny. If you treat FH adequately early on in life, you can have a healthy and long life without any cardiac problems. Similarly, and this has been well studied, even among people who have a cluster of genetic mutations predisposing them to heart attacks (high polygenic score), following a heart-healthy lifestyle can reduce their risk by 50%. Again, your DNA is not your destiny.

At Wellstar, we also offer a robust 'Know Your Heart' screening program for the general public to schedule an appointment. The advanced version of this includes a CT coronary calcium score. For specialized care, we have a Preventive Cardiology office, where we offer evidence-based, patient and family-centered care with a multidisciplinary team including a cardiologist, dietician, clinical pharmacist and geneticist. Our cardio-genetics program has the highest volume of patients in Georgia.

Mooney: Through programs like Kids Heart Challenge at the American Heart Association, which partners with schools to help prepare children for success by empowering them to embrace a healthy lifestyle — eat well, move more and stay tobacco free. The Kids Heart Challenge prepares elementary students for future success both physically and emotionally. Through cardio-pumping physical activities, kids learn the importance of being heart-healthy. Participating schools and/or teachers receive discounted certificates for PE equipment, direct contributions to their school and new curriculum resources for whole-child centered learning. Healthy students are better learners; teachers and schools have a major influence on students’ health, and the Kids Heart Challenge is designed to support and improve those efforts.

One other AHA program, Target BP (blood pressure), using the M.A.P. (measure accurately; act rapidly; partner with patients, communities) Framework is connecting the community to clinics. This program here at the American Heart Association is designed to work with clinicians with improving how blood pressure is measured, developing treatment algorithms to improve uncontrolled blood pressure. This program’s framework was used to train barbers and stylists in an initiative called “Do You Know Your Numbers?”

We worked in barber shops and salons, faith-based and community-based organizations to install blood-pressure monitors and train them on how to use them. In the barbershop we talk about sports, families, children, so within that conversation it was simple to bring up “do you know your numbers?” And once they asked that question, and their clients are interested in knowing their numbers, they are able to screen those clients for high blood pressure. The people who need medical care are connected with health centers or clinics.

It has worked and it has grown and it's nationwide. We sent this national hypertension project throughout so many different communities, whether rural or urban. We find that bringing in that community component helps get patients to seeing their clinicians.

Education to reduce the numbers

Rubinger: Education about cardiovascular disease risk factors clearly plays a big part in helping people avoid making bad decisions. What programs or initiatives have had the biggest impact?

Sacks: If there is a group of people that we have significantly impacted, it is women. Mr. Mooney can speak to this too. You know, if you ask a woman what is she most likely to die from, she will probably tell you breast cancer or uterine cancer. But the truth is she is most likely to die from heart disease. The AHA has highlighted this with their Wear Red Day events and other programs. Women have come to understand their cardiac risk, and that their symptoms of heart disease may differ from those of men.

Mooney: I would agree with you on that. The information, as it relates to women dying of heart disease, is really the approach of addressing social determinants of health.

And quality improvements are really about self-management. For example, with the blood pressure project, it is a way of educating the patients, empowering the patients to take control of their blood pressure through what the doctors have shared with them. Talking to and educating these patients, as in the example Dr. Sacks gave in Paulding County, helps them know what are those factors that impact their health, such as healthy eating, access to care, also access to medication.

We're discovering in this hypertension research project that these populations would not have had access to blood pressure monitors outside of the doctor's office to get true blood pressure readings. That's self-measurement. Now these devices, when they check their blood pressure, it automatically links up into their EMR systems. It's all about time: the patient comes from that (screening) to a follow-up appointment. Doctors have a real clear big picture of what the patient’s true blood pressure readings are, and that's where it goes into better treatment plans as it relates to physical activity, diet, and so forth.

Sacks: That recent study involving stationing pharmacists in predominantly African-American owned barber shops demonstrated the power of education. They screened patrons’ blood pressure. A large number of men, with no prior medical history, were found to have significant hypertension (high blood pressure). These individuals were then placed on medication. It was an amazing study because they were able to identify, educate and treat these patients thus reducing their risk of heart attack and stroke.

Rubinger: The key here is my numbers. My primary care physician needs be looking at those numbers closely, even though I am a younger person, because they're the bridge to getting referred to take care of these conditions. Is the primary care system addressing the hard health issues in cardiac care?

Nautiyal: When we started the Preventive Cardiology Program about two years ago, we took a holistic or multi-pronged approach for this very reason. When thinking of cardiovascular risk in the population, you can imagine a pyramid. At the base of the pyramid are people with traditional risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. As you move up this pyramid, you will have more serious risk factors — for example, diabetes — and at the tip of the pyramid would be people with familial hypercholesterolemia or family history for premature heart disease, who are fewer in comparison to the base, but have highest personal risk.

We'll make the most impact by focusing on the base, because that's where the most patients are and that can be addressed adequately at the primary care level or through community-led initiatives.

And we at the Wellstar Preventive Cardiology Program are engaging with our primary care colleagues to accomplish this through the initiatives I mentioned earlier, helping them in their own preventive strategies and identifying those at the tip of the pyramid, with higher personal risk who will benefit from specialized preventive cardiology care.

Mooney: That's what the American Heart Association is all about: bringing awareness on heart disease to rural and urban communities and vulnerable populations. We are developing science based tools and resources for clinicians and providers to keep them informed with the current research and what's going on out there, as well as providing educational tools in all languages for their patient population.

We discovered that patients heard the numbers but didn't know what they meant and didn't know how they impacted their bodies. We design educational materials for these patients to really understand the consequences of high blood pressure for any literacy level. For example, in some workshops with patients and the community, we may use infographics of a home water hose connected to a street fire hydrant as an example of blood vessels to the heart and/or a boxer beating the kidney to give a visual of what high blood pressure does to the body organs. Blood pressure has impacts on your entire body. Giving the visual, just keeping it simple and straight to the point.

Rubinger: It's all about trust, right? They have to trust the medical system. There are certain communities that in the past have not trusted the medical establishment.

Mooney: Absolutely. That's why we are such a big proponent of diversity in the workplace and bringing young scholars, HBCU scholars, historical black institutions and biomedical students into this arena, connecting them with cardiologists and scientists throughout their undergrad, up into medical school and up into their careers. That's key. And that's important because getting out there in the community is key to building that trust. People trust people who are very familiar with their environment.

Expanding heart care to diverse groups

Rubinger: That need to build trust between the medical profession and certain communities leads me to another issue: the disparity in different groups when it comes to obtaining medical care. How can our cardiac experts help close the gap in this area?

Mooney: The AHA has put a lot of money and research and grants focused on science-based solutions to address health inequalities through, for example, our Health Equity Research Network on Prevention of Hypertension.

I'm research-focused on cardio and oncology working in underserved communities and bringing forward awareness of the connection of heart disease and cancer, as well as putting our money back into the community to support community-based organizations that are addressing social determinants of health that could assist with improving overall cardiovascular health as it relates to addressing food insecurity, vaping advocacy work that we do in school systems throughout the country and also where we are invested into people. We're working with our historically black colleges and universities, identifying those underrepresented in the medical field and enlightening them to also become representatives in the medical field to help improve overall health and communities throughout the nation. We've been committed to that, and we're very much committed to that.

As it relates to the training for our providers and clinicians through quality improvement programs such as “Get Down With Your Blood Pressure” and our cholesterol control program as well, we are providing the research and the educational tools for providers and for patients to assist health systems. We'll start on improving blood pressure with other health systems throughout the United States and particularly in the metro Atlanta area.

Sacks: If we needed a reminder about health equity, certainly the pandemic provided us with that experience. The mortality from Covid was much higher in the African-American and Latino communities. There is a saying that a parent is only as happy as their least happy child. Similarly, the medical community should only be satisfied if everyone has access to health care.

We must do a lot more than we are doing to ensure a better distribution of our resources. That is our obligation as health care providers. We need to deliver health care to those who are unable to come to us, but who nonetheless are in need of our services. We need to go to them.

Winning in the workplace

Rubinger: How important is the employer towards helping deliver on some of these messages to their employees?

Sacks: From the business standpoint, employers need to offer more health and wellness opportunities for their employees. And why is that? Because if they do, their workers will spend more time at work and less time at home, sick. They will spend less time in the emergency room because of adopting a healthier lifestyle and medical conditions will be identified sooner. The more businesses can promote these kinds of internal programs, the more an employee realizes 'my employer really cares about me; they really want me to be healthy.' It's a win-win for everyone, so those programs need to be much more widespread and offered to more people.

Mooney: The American Heart Association has workplace programs where we work with employers throughout the nation and throughout Georgia. Also we work with organizations just in in terms of broadening or expanding the pool of applicants, or those in leadership, to be able to be a representation of the community in which they serve.

Keep Reading

Publications & Articles


A personalized, 3D HeartFlow study of an individual’s coronary arteries shows blood flow in a color-coded model.

TomCare

When COVID forced everyone to spend more time at home, Tom Murphy decided he wouldn’t sit around idle. At 62, he upped his regular activity to work out with his son, daughter and daughter’s fiancé — college athletes who kept him in top shape.

Tom’s go-to workout was a long walk in a hilly East Cobb neighborhood. He and the kids also played a lot of pickleball.

About a year in, Tom noticed a physical change.

“I was playing fewer games of pickleball at a time and making it only halfway through my walks,” he said.

Tom turned to his cardiologist, who, with the help of specialized imaging offered at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, created a personalized action plan.

Getting answers with the help of HeartFlow

During Tom’s annual appointment with his Wellstar Dr. George Kramer, he shared his concerns about his symptoms.

“I do sports with my kids, and I’m short of breath,” Tom said.

The physician requested a cardiac CT (CCTA), the new standard for detecting heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. It can be more accurate than treadmill stress tests and is less invasive than cardiac catheterization.

“Results of the initial CT showed two blockages,” Dr. Kramer said. “One blockage was 67%, one was 75%, and we decided to follow up with further analysis using the HeartFlow test.”

Because Wellstar was the first HeartFlow Platinum site in Georgia, the cardiology staff were able to create a personalized, 3D model of Tom’s coronary arteries to check on blood flow. HeartFlow is a fractional reserve assessment that looks at how each blockage impacts the heart. Previously, this in-depth view of the heart could only happen with a more invasive procedure.

According to Dr. Kramer, the test itself has been “a godsend” since it makes it possible for patients to avoid invasive tests while still getting important — and potentially lifesaving — information about their hearts.

HeartFlow revealed the blood flow to Tom’s heart was significantly compromised.

Tom and his 91-year-old mother stand together for heart health.

Tom and his 91-year-old mother stand together for heart health.

Keep reading
Published on: February 2023
Ashley was able to recover from cardiac arrest and walk down the aisle.

AshleyCare

In March of 2021, Ashley Martin suffered cardiac arrest, which kills about 90% of people when it happens outside of a hospital. Thankfully, she was already at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center receiving the compassionate care she’d been seeking to address a long list of symptoms.

Everything began at a hectic time in Ashley’s life. She was 30 and had just gotten engaged. Wedding planning had started with the help of her fiancé and their two young boys. The hope had been to have the wedding toward the end of 2021. But the unexpected happened.

“I was always healthy,” she said. “I grew up playing sports. I was a runner. I used to get headaches, but that was the extent of my medical history.”

Finding the right care when there is more than one symptom

Symptoms of what would ultimately be diagnosed as Guillain-Barré syndrome began in February of 2021. This rare neurological disorder causes the body’s immune system to attack the nerves. 

Ashley started experiencing tingling in the tips of her hands and feet, which moved up her legs and arms as days passed. When intermittent numbness became a symptom, Ashley went to a hospital near her Peachtree City home. A clean CT and MRI meant she went home with plans to see a rheumatologist.

As she waited for her first appointment, she started feeling numbness in her feet.

“At one point, I took a step down the stairs and went tumbling down to the concrete floor,” Ashley said. 

On another trip to the hospital near her home, Ashley was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, but treatment was unsuccessful. The numbness continued, spreading to her face. She began using a walker and, soon after, a wheelchair.

“The paralysis had moved to my abdomen,” Ashley said. “I went to sleep one night and woke up abruptly gasping for air.”

Compassionate medical care at a pivotal point

 Later that night, an ambulance brought Ashley to Wellstar Kennestone, where she would finally get the specialized neuro care she desperately needed. She was admitted to the Neurocritical Care unit, staffed by physicians, nurses and a medical team with specialized training in neurological conditions.

Upon arrival, she underwent respiratory failure due to paralysis spreading to her diaphragm. She was stabilized, but shortly after that, she experienced sudden cardiac arrest — the abrupt loss of heart function that stops blood flow to the body.

After a critical care nurse administered CPR, Ashley’s heart started beating again. Life support medications were given to keep her heart pumping.

“The neuro ICU nurses and doctors saved my life,” she said.

Later, her attending neurologist explained that the stress of her nervous system and immune system fighting, paired with respiratory failure, caused such high stress that she had a cardiac arrest.

Keep reading
Published on: February 2023
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