Media Room

For the first time, people in Paulding County and nearby communities have access to leading-edge robotic surgery close to home. Wellstar Health System launched a new robotic surgery program at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

“We’re thrilled to offer access to game-changing da Vinci robotic surgery at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center for the first time in history,” said Ralph Turner, Wellstar senior vice president and president of Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

Robotic technology enables surgeons to make highly precise incisions smaller than the human hand can make — as tiny as a keyhole. As a result, people who have robotic surgery typically experience less blood loss, recovery pain and scarring.

“Robotic surgeries are minimally-invasive, which typically means shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries,” said Dr. Beau Dusseault, a urologist who leads the robotics program at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

He performed the first robotic surgery at the hospital, assisted by the $1.8 million da Vinci Xi Surgical System, on August 22. Dr. Dusseault has performed more than 440 robotic surgeries for prostate cancer and urinary tract conditions.

Experienced urologists and general surgeons are the first to offer robotic surgery at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center, primarily treating:

• Cancers such as prostate, kidney and bladder cancers
• Conditions in the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract
• Hernias and other conditions that require general surgery

The surgical team named the robot “Rosie,” a reference to the robotic maid from the 1960s sitcom “The Jetsons.” It is one of 14 robotic systems patients can benefit from at nine Wellstar locations.

“While our robotic surgery program is new to Paulding, we have high-volume robotic experience that we are bringing from the other Wellstar hospitals,” Dr. Dusseault added.

Learn more about Wellstar Paulding Medical Center.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated health systems, has been ranked in the top 10 Best Workplaces in Health Care™ by Fortune Magazine in the “Large Company” category. 

The Great Place to Work® Trust Index™ Survey results show that 81 percent of employees at Wellstar Health System say it is a great place to work, compared to an average of 57 percent for other U.S.-based companies. Additionally, 88 percent of Wellstar team members feel a sense of pride in accomplishments made at Wellstar.

To determine the Best Workplaces in Health Care list, Great Place to Work analyzed the survey responses of over 161,000 employees from Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies in the healthcare industry. The survey enables employees to share confidential quantitative and qualitative feedback about their organization’s culture by responding to 60 statements on a five-point scale and answering two open-ended questions. Collectively, these statements describe Wellstar’s positive employee experience, defined by high levels of trust, respect, credibility, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

Learn more about working for Wellstar at careers.wellstar.org.

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated health systems, announces it has been named a “Healthiest Employer” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in the “Extra Large Company” category, recognizing innovative organizations that have created robust and healthy workplace programs.

“Wellstar is dedicated to putting people first in everything we do, and that starts with our team members,” says David A. Jones, EVP and chief human resources officer at Wellstar Health System. “Prioritizing a culture of wellness is essential as we strive to deliver world-class healthcare to every person, every time. Wellstar is proud to be recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle for our work in looking out for our team members' health and well-being. When we take care of ourselves, we can better care for our communities.” 

The Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Healthiest Employer award is based on the analysis of over 60 scored questions with more than 600 data points for scoring and benchmarking. Wellstar was included in this prestigious list as an organization that takes proactive measures to “better the lives of employees through innovative programs and leadership commitment.” In 2022, wellness rooms were established across the system for team members to have a place to reflect, refuel and recharge during their shifts. Team members also have access to state-of-the-art fitness centers and onsite mental health resources.