Wellstar North Fulton Hospital

Wellstar Health System, which has one of the largest trauma networks in the state, is proud to announce that Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center was again verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and American College of Surgeons (ACS). Wellstar North Fulton has been a Level II Trauma Center since 1987 and was the first in Georgia to be verified by the American College of Surgeons in 2015. This marks the third time the hospital has been designated a Level II Trauma Center, demonstrating its commitment to patients in their time of need.

The option to be verified by the ACS is voluntary and is in addition to the State of Georgia designations. Only a handful of trauma centers are verified by the ACS in Georgia, even though they have state designations.

“This designation represents a unique distinction for a community hospital because it demonstrates we are managing trauma cases according to the highest national standards,” said Mark Gravlee, MD, trauma medical director, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. “We are reevaluated by the ACS every three years and continue to meet their rigorous standards, so patients in North Fulton and surrounding communities can rest assured they’ll be cared for expertly and with excellence now and well into the future.”

Wellstar North Fulton’s highly skilled trauma team is ready 24/7 to save lives. Level II Trauma Centers provide 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care. They also offer trauma prevention and continuing education programs for staff, and a comprehensive quality assessment program. Wellstar North Fulton has board-certified trauma surgeons standing by to offer a heightened level of care.

“We are proud to receive this designation again, and more importantly, to be able to offer the advanced care our patients in Northeast Atlanta suffering from accidents, incidents and injuries need,” said Jon-Paul Croom, president, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center and senior vice president, Wellstar Health System. “This designation is a shining example of our commitment to deliver world-class care to every patient, every time.”

Other trauma centers across the System include Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center (Level II), Wellstar Cobb Medical Center (Level III), Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center (Level IV), and Wellstar Paulding Medical Center (Level IV). Wellstar’s Trauma Network serves patients across the state of Georgia, and the health system is proud to play a critical role in Georgia’s trauma network, collaborating with peers across the state to ensure patients receive the care they need.

From welcoming a child to well woman’s exams and health education, women have a partner and advocate in Wellstar’s certified nurse midwives.

Midwives are registered nurses who have received additional education and training in comprehensive care for women. While they may be associated with childbirth — and do support patients through every aspect of labor and delivery — they also offer personalized care for women through every phase of life. 

“Midwives do everything spanning from well women’s health, like annual exams, birth control, IUDs and Nexplanon insertions, to all of the prenatal care, so taking care of women from the time of conception throughout delivery and postpartum,” said Emily Goolsby, a certified nurse midwife at Wellstar.

Midwives collaborate with other members of a patient’s care team, including nurses and OB/GYNs, to provide comprehensive care during birth. Whether the patient has a natural childbirth or a medically-assisted birth, midwives provide personalized, expert care and advocate for the patient.

“We support all aspects of birth. We are there for the patients who are laboring naturally and want to be on the birthing ball or moving around, but sometimes the patient says their goal is to feel as little pain as possible,” Goolsby said. “Then, my goal is to advocate for those interventions as soon as possible. It’s all about making the birth experience what our patients want and supporting our patients in that environment.”

Numerous studies have shown the highest quality comprehensive birth experiences come from a multidisciplinary treatment team of midwives and OB/GYNs supporting and caring for a mom together.

“We’re championing for patients’ best outcomes and their babies, and it tends to decrease interventions overall that are unnecessary,” Goolsby said.

After the patient gives birth, midwives support patients through education on parenting topics such as breastfeeding and newborn care. 

Midwives care for patients at these Wellstar locations — Wellstar Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone, North Fulton, West Georgia and Spalding medical centers. If you already have a Wellstar OB/GYN, ask your provider about working with a midwife. If you need a new provider, find a Wellstar OB/GYN location near you.