Wellstar Heart Care
Integrated, Collaborative Cardiovascular Care
Wellstar provides innovative, compassionate care across the entire spectrum of heart disease and conditions. Our expertise and award-winning care have made Wellstar a preferred destination for cardiac wellness.
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Expert Cardiovascular Care
From routine to complex, Wellstar offers comprehensive cardiovascular care. Our doctors are experts in cardiovascular disease and ensure a whole-person treatment plan tailor-made for you. Patients experience evidence-based treatment from a range of nonsurgical methods and minimally invasive procedures to highly complex cardiac surgery.
Our Care Philosophy
Wellstar understands that every person is different, and we know how to care for each unique cardiovascular system. Our team includes expert heart specialists who will craft a personalized treatment plan just for you, whether it is a lifestyle change, medication, an outpatient procedure, surgery or mechanical support. We are here to ensure you receive the specialized care you need. No matter where you live, you have access to the care that is right for you.
Our Care Team
At Wellstar, patients have access to a personalized, multidisciplinary care team who offers you comprehensive care from screening and diagnosis to treatment and support. Our team works together to ensure that you receive the complete heart care you need. We collaborate with experts in other medical specialties to provide you with exceptional care that addresses your individual needs. In addition to physicians with expertise in cardiology, a patient's care team may include nurses, therapists, dietitians and athletic trainers.
Board-certified physicians
Patients are cared for by board-certified and world-renowned heart specialists at award-winning cardiac care centers providing a network of support and patient-centered care. Some of our heart specialists are double and triple board-certified, ensuring your heart is in the best care.
Specialized Care
Our multidisciplinary teams often include board-certified physicians who have the most advanced training and knowledge in their fields. Our heart specialists directly connect to Mayo Clinic and can request detailed consultations and second opinions for complex cases at no additional cost to the patient.
Heart Care Research & Clinical Trials
The Wellstar Research Institute works closely with select local and national partners to enroll patients in clinical trials, often providing groundbreaking treatments years before FDA approval.Groundbreaking clinical trials in your community
When patients qualify, they have access to groundbreaking treatments, procedures and technologies through clinical trials, often years before the FDA approves them. Wellstar participates in more than 20 clinical research studies in structural heart, interventional cardiology, and heart failure, giving our patients access to advanced treatments close to home.National partners
The Wellstar Research Institute is attractive to drug and device companies researching because of our dedicated investigators, diverse patient base, and excellent reputation. We participate in trials with device manufacturers such as Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Corindus.A track record of clinical trial success
Because of clinical trials our patients have participated in, new therapies are now available more widely. One example of an advancement that came out of a clinical trial we participated in is an implantable, remote monitoring device for heart failure that detects symptoms and alerts physicians so they can avoid hospitalization.Thanks to our patients
Thanks to patients before you, many effective treatments are now available. And, there could be a trial that’s right for you. Patients who are interested in learning more should speak with a heart care specialist.Accreditations & Awards
Wellstar consistently receives awards and recognition from the nation’s authorities on healthcare quality. We continually strive to provide comprehensive, innovative care.The Joint Commission & American Heart Association
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center was the first in Georgia to receive the Comprehensive Cardiac Care Center certification — the premier cardiovascular award from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association. Primary Heart Attack Centers certified by both organizations provide fast, state-of-the-art treatment to prevent and treat heart attacks at Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Wellstar Douglas Hospital, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center, and Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center.Our hospitals are also the recipients of many additional Get With The Guidelines awards from the American Heart Association recognizing their high level of care for people with heart attacks, heart failure, stroke and diabetes.
Emergency Cardiac Care Centers
Leaders in life-saving heart care, Wellstar has the largest network of hospitals in Georgia designated as ECCC by the Department of Public Health. When you or someone you know has a heart attack, you can trust Wellstar to provide fast and effective treatment. Our mission is to improve survival rates, reduce disability and improve quality of life from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and heart attacks.- Level I ECCC: Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
- Level II ECCC: Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Wellstar Douglas Hospital, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center
Wellstar Foundation
As a not-for-profit, gifts to the Wellstar Foundation make it possible to provide patients with additional resources and amenities for a higher level of comfort and care. Every dollar donated supports Wellstar's vision of delivering world-class healthcare, carried out through patient-centered programs, advancements in technology and making reliable healthcare available close to home. Your generosity also makes it possible to provide free heart screenings and diagnostic services to uninsured and underinsured patients every year. For more information about how to support our fight against heart disease, visit the Foundation.
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Newsroom
Top Marks for Heart Care at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center recently received two major commendations highlighting the high level of heart care continuously provided to patients—putting Wellstar Kennstone among the top hospitals in the nation. The Marietta-based heart care program received:
- A distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This is the highest category of quality, placing Wellstar Kennestone among the best programs for heart bypass surgery in the U.S. and Canada.
- The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark for Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification, which means Wellstar Kennestone is the only hospital in Georgia to raise its total cardiac program to the elite level.
“This community is where we live, and when we care for our patients, we’re caring for our neighbors and friends—that’s why pursuing excellence is such a high priority,” said Steve Cermak, executive director of Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care & Hospital Operations at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “We feel it’s our duty to provide the highest level of care possible.”
Highlights
Preventing Heart Failure Episodes with Easy-to-Use Technology
Remote heart monitoring technology is helping Wellstar patients prevent heart failure flare-ups by keeping their providers up-to-date with real-time information about their health.
The CardioMEMS HF system monitors pulmonary artery pressure. Changes in pressure are an early indicator of worsening heart failure, but providers can often address the issue through some easy adjustments to the patient’s care.
The system gives patients and providers the opportunity to be more proactive in heart care, reducing hospitalizations and helping prevent acute heart failure episodes.
“With heart failure, as with all health issues, it’s best to take preventative action and stop problems from occurring,” Dr. Hans Lee, medical director for Wellstar's congestive heart failure program, said. “Monitoring your heart health and staying in touch with your cardiologist can help keep you out of the hospital and keep your heart in shape.”
The device is implanted by an interventional cardiologist. Once the sensor is implanted, patients take daily readings at their convenience, saving trips to the doctor’s office. Physicians then review the data and contact the patient if needed.
Wellstar offers this technology at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center and Wellstar Douglas Medical Center.
Consult with your Wellstar cardiologist to learn whether the CardioMEMS system could be beneficial for your care plan. To find a cardiologist, visit our heart care page.
Highlights
Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center Completes 250 Procedures Treating Venous Thromboembolism
The peripheral vascular care team at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, a leading facility in the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), has completed its 250th venous thromboembolism (VTE) procedure.
According to the American Heart Association, VTE is the third most common vascular diagnosis after heart attacks and strokes, and affects between 300,000 and 600,000 Americans each year. There are two types of VTE:
- Deep vein thrombosis is a clot in a deep vein. It usually occurs in the leg, but it can also appear in the arms.
- A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot breaks off the vein and travels to the lungs, blocking the blood supply.
VTE can be fatal and can cause lifelong disability. Early intervention is crucial. At Wellstar North Fulton, the heart care team was an early adopter of a groundbreaking treatment for VTE, which uses a catheter to remove the clot. The healthcare provider inserts the catheter through the groin and navigates it to the clot for treatment.
“This has been a game changer in the treatment of this disease,” said Wellstar Cardiologist Dr. Ahsan Achtchi. “We’re seeing a lot less long-term disability and a lot less deaths in patients who come to the hospital with a blood clot.”
Wellstar North Fulton continues to receive referrals from around the region for this procedure and is one of the highest volume hospitals for VTE care in metro Atlanta.
Previous treatment options included open chest surgery, blood thinners and clot-busting medications. These methods posed a higher risk of complications, especially for patients who have recently undergone another surgical procedure. Because a recent surgery can put a patient at higher risk for VTE, using a catheter to remove the clot is safer for many patients. This new treatment method has reduced patients’ hospital stays for VTE from an average of five to seven days to only one or two days, according to Dr. Achtchi.
“Typically with this procedure, patients feel better almost immediately, and their recovery outside the hospital is a lot more complete and brisk,” he said.
Recognizing and preventing VTE
If you or someone else is showing signs of VTE, seek emergency care as soon as possible.
Symptoms of VTE include:
- Swelling of the legs
- Lightheadedness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Risk factors for VTE include not moving for a longer period of time—such as when someone is on bed rest following surgery—as well as some medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders or kidney disease. Your Wellstar provider can help you evaluate your risk of VTE and manage your risk factors.
Learn more about cardiovascular care at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.