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To celebrate Women’s Health Month, more than 150 executives gathered Thursday at The Studio Theatre in Sandy Springs for insightful discussions on advancing women’s health in Atlanta and throughout Georgia.

The Women's Health Summit, presented by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Wellstar Health System, featured two panels of experts and a keynote address by renowned health and wellness expert Emma Lovewell.

Cheryl Preheim, anchor at 11Alive (WXIA), welcomed attendees and served as a moderator.

For more than a year, our communities have done their part to fight COVID-19.  

We have stayed home, worn masks when we’ve gone out, been extra careful with washing our hands and avoided large gatherings. That’s meant that holidays and birthdays have looked a little different, all so we can stay safe and healthy. 

The separation and fear have been draining, and many of us have dealt with loneliness and stress as we worry about our health and our loved ones. 

But now we have something to celebrate. Hope has arrived in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine. All Georgians age 12 or older are now eligible to get their shots. 

At Wellstar, we've chosen to lead by example. Across our health system, frontline healthcare workers and leadership have "stuck it to COVID." Whether they want to gather with friends and family, travel to a new destination or help protect vulnerable members of the community, our Wellstar team members all have their #MyWhy — the reason they chose to get vaccinated. 

For Dr. Jeffrey Hines, chief of gynecologic oncology for Wellstar, getting the shot was about a sense of responsibility. As medical director of the Wellstar Center for Health Equity, Dr. Hines works to ensure our underserved populations have access to the care they need to stay safe and healthy. He got the COVID-19 vaccine to protect those around him. 

“I’m a father, I’m a husband, I’m a brother and I’m a grandfather, and it’s important for me to protect my family,” Dr. Hines said. “I understand the science, and the science is important, but equally important to me is I want to be a trusted voice to people in the community who are most at risk for this and perhaps may have the most questions.” 

Dr. Sophia McIntyre, senior vice president of Wellstar Medical Group, also said she got her shot to stop the spread, noting that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities.  

“The reason why I got the COVID-19 vaccine is to ensure that I’m doing my part to bend the curve,” Dr. McIntyre said. “We know that African Americans and Latino Americans are dying at a higher proportion.” 

Dr. Danny Branstetter, Wellstar’s medical director for infection prevention, has been at the forefront of Wellstar’s work to fight COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. Now, he wants to see life return to normal, because health isn’t just about your body. It’s also about your personal connections and overall well-being. 

“I’m tired of being separated from my friends and family. I’m tired of seeing small businesses fold,” Dr. Branstetter said. “I’m tired of seeing the increased burden this places on those without resources. I’m tired of the loneliness this puts on those who are isolated and the elderly. My question is, aren’t you tired, too?” 

All of us play a part in ending this pandemic. 

“We’re in this together, and we can end this together through vaccination,” Dr. Branstetter said. 

To find a vaccination site near you, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health website or local retail pharmacy.

Christmas carols and telephones ringing filled the Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia lobby December 7 through December 9, 2023 for the 23rd annual iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, a check for $262,693 was presented to Wellstar Children’s at the conclusion of Radiothon on Saturday, December 9.

Throughout the event, radio stations 104.3 WBBQ, 96.3 Kiss-FM and 105.7 The Bull broadcast live from the lobby while WRDW News 12/NBC 26 shared stories of hope. Families of pediatric patients who have successfully finished treatment or are undergoing treatment at Wellstar Children’s, which is a member of the Children’s Miracle Network, stopped by to share stories of the world-class care their children received from the caring staff and expert caregivers.

“Every dollar that’s raised this weekend with Radiothon stays right here at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia and directly benefits the care of the children,” said Pediatrician-in-Chief Dr. Valera Hudson. “We’re the second largest children’s hospital in Georgia and the only children’s hospital outside of Atlanta. We offer the highest level of care to the sickest and most complex children. We hope you never need us, but if you ever need us, we’re here.”

Donations to Radiothon are used to purchase much-needed items that are unique to a children’s hospital, such as a vein finder for the neonatal intensive care unit. This device shines a red light through an infant’s arm or leg and helps caregivers find their tiny veins without having to stick them with a needle multiple times to administer fluids and medications.

The funds are also used to provide additional supplies for patient care as needs arise.

Though Radiothon is over, pledges are accepted year-round by calling (706) 721-4004 or by visiting the Cares for Kids Radiothon website.

Christmas music and cheers filled the halls of Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia Dec. 5 through 7 as listeners and viewers of local iHeartMedia radio stations and WRDW-TV generously supported patients and families for the 24th consecutive year.

In the end, the community pledged $255,612 to support Wellstar Children’s.

iHeartMedia generously donated the 72 hours of airtime to the cause while three of its popular radio stations—104.3 WBBQ, 96.3 Kiss FM and 105.7 The Bull—and WRDW News 12/NBC 26 broadcast live from the hospital.

“The children’s hospital could not survive without the support of the community. I’m just so grateful for everyone’s support,” said Dr. Valera Hudson, pediatrician-in-chief of Wellstar Children’s. “No children’s hospital thrives without philanthropy; 100% of the money that’s raised is used directly to help the children we take care of here. All of the funds stay right here at the Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia.”

Wellstar Children’s is a not-for-profit hospital with specialists who care for pediatric patients with a range of conditions, including the most complex conditions.

Some of the patients who have been treated at Wellstar Children’s shared their stories with DJs and reporters throughout Radiothon. For example, 9-year-old Kensley Woodberry began developing spots on her hands and feet that became so painful, she could no longer walk. She stopped eating and refused to play. A team of specialists at Wellstar Children’s diagnosed her with juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own muscles and leads to inflammation throughout the body.

This past summer, Kensley attended Camp Joint Venture, a summer camp for children with rheumatic conditions. It gives kids like Kensley the opportunity to enjoy the summer camp experience while a team of medical personnel is nearby in case they are needed. The camp is one of several summer camps funded through Radiothon.

Radiothon also allows for purchases of comfort items like Zaky Hugs, which mimic the warmth and security of a parent’s touch for babies in the NICU; red wagons for transporting young patients around the hospital; and sensory toys for children with autism. These are only a few of the items that bring joy, comfort or care to young patients that the hospital could not purchase without community support.

Though Radiothon has concluded, donations can be made throughout the year by calling (706) 721-4004, by emailing Wellstar Children’s Director of Philanthropy Catherine Stewart or through the Cares for Kids Radiothon website.

The iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon filled the lobby of Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia Dec. 4 through 6 for its 25th year of fundraising. Surrounded by a winter wonderland of Christmas trees and red, white and silver balloon arches, volunteers took donations from generous supporters while iHeartMedia radio stations and WRDW-TV broadcast stories of the miracles that happen every day at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

The event raised $291,617 to support the children’s hospital, which is a part of the Children’s Miracle Network.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is life-changing,” said Ralph Turner, president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center. “This can support many of our young patients. They come to us and we take care of them. We don’t turn them away, and this really helps support our mission.”

Dr. Valera Hudson, pediatrician-in-chief, echoed Turner’s gratitude.

“We couldn’t do this without community support. We are so grateful for everyone who is here who helped pull this off,” she said.

Each year, iHeartMedia generously donates 72 hours of airtime as DJs from 96.3 Kiss FM, 104.3 WBBQ and 105.7 The Bull join WRDW-TV to broadcast live from the event, sharing success stories from patients and families grateful for the care they received.

“Thank you, CSRA, for making miracles happen. Exactly 291,617 miracles. Thank you!” said Ivy Elam, market president of iHeartMedia in Augusta.

Donations from the iHeartMedia Cares for Kids Radiothon are used throughout the year to purchase pediatric equipment such as vein finders for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and a gaming system for patients in the pediatric operating room.

They also support programs that are unique to a children’s hospital. These include the facility dog program, featuring three hospital-owned dogs who provide comfort and help Child Life Specialists more easily communicate with young patients. Donations also help fund summer camps for children living with chronic conditions—such as Camp Rainbow for cancer patients—which allow kids to just be kids while remaining under medical supervision.

Radiothon has ended, but donations can be made throughout the year by calling (762) 375-4004, by emailing Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia Director of Philanthropy Catherine Stewart or by visiting the Wellstar Foundation.

Bringing your baby into the world is joyful and overwhelming all at once. Between the feedings, diaper changes and sweet first snuggles, your care team may talk to you about a few important immunizations given in the hospital or during your baby’s first doctor visit.

It’s normal to have questions. Here is a quick guide to the three shots offered in the first week of life—and why they matter for your baby’s health.

Hepatitis B vaccine

What it does: Protects your baby from Hepatitis B, a virus that attacks the liver and can cause lifelong infection

Why it’s important: Hepatitis B isn’t just a risk for adults later in life. Most importantly for newborns, the virus can be passed from mother to baby during childbirth. Studies show that up to 75% of mothers with chronic Hepatitis B don’t know they’re infected—and 90% of infants who catch the virus during delivery will develop a chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious liver disease, cancer or even death.

What to expect: The Hepatitis B vaccine is a series of three doses given at birth, 1 month and 6 months. Side effects are rare, other than mild soreness at the injection site.

Beyfortus (RSV protection)

What it does: Shields your baby from RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), a common virus that can be much more serious in infants

Why it’s important: For most adults, RSV feels like a mild cold. But for newborns—especially those born prematurely—RSV can sometimes lead to serious lung infections and hospitalization. In severe cases, babies may need breathing support in the hospital. Beyfortus provides antibodies that protect your baby through their first RSV season.

What to expect: One injection lasts about five to six months. The most common side effects are pain, redness or swelling at the injection site. Studies show Beyfortus reduces the risk of severe RSV illness by about 85% to 90%.

Extra protection tip: Moms can also receive an RSV vaccination late in pregnancy, which helps pass antibodies to their newborns. Keeping siblings and visitors with colds away from newborns—and encouraging good handwashing—are other ways to help protect your baby.

Vitamin K shot

What it does: Gives your baby the vitamin needed to help blood clot and prevent dangerous bleeding

Why it’s important: Babies are born with very little vitamin K, and breastmilk and formula don’t provide enough. Without the shot, newborns are at risk for vitamin K deficiency bleeding—a rare but serious condition that can cause internal bleeding in places like the brain and intestines. These bleeds can happen suddenly and may lead to life-altering complications.

What to expect: The vitamin K shot has been safely given to newborns in the U.S. since the 1960s, with no significant side effects.

If you have questions about newborn immunizations, speak with your baby’s pediatrician. At Wellstar Children’s of Georgia, we’re here to partner with you through every stage of your child’s life.;

By Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, Wellstar pediatrician

When school is in session, finding the perfect after-school snack that balances nutrition and deliciousness can feel like quite a task. As a board-certified Wellstar pediatrician, I understand the importance of fueling growing bodies with the right nutrients. With that, I'm excited to share five wholesome after-school snack ideas that are easy to make and fun for kids to eat. 

1. Celery Caterpillars

This creative snack recipe offers a good balance of protein from peanut butter, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables, providing essential vitamins and antioxidants for growing children.

What You’ll Need:
Peanut butter
Celery
Grapes
Blueberries
Grape tomatoes
Candy eyes

Directions:

1. Fill stalks of celery with peanut butter.
2. Place grapes, blueberries or grape tomatoes atop celery sticks. These will be the body and head of your caterpillars. 
3. Apply peanut butter to the backs of candy eyes, then place eyes on grape, tomato or blueberry to create face.
4. Optional: Cut thin matchsticks from a celery stick and place behind candy eyes to create the antennae. 

2. Apple Sailboats

This recipe is excellent for kids as it combines the crisp sweetness of apples, a good source of fiber and vitamins, with protein-rich peanut butter and the added crunch of Cheerios to create a tasty and nutritionally balanced snack. Toothpicks may be a choking hazard for children, so supervise as your family makes and enjoys this snack. 

What You’ll Need:
One apple
Peanut butter
Cheerios
Low-fat cheese
Toothpicks

Directions:

1. Cut apple in half and remove the apple’s core. 
2. Spread peanut butter across the flat side of your apple halves. 
3. Place Cheerios on top of peanut butter spread. 
4. Using a thick slice of cheese, cut triangular sails for your apple boats. 
5. Attach sail to boat using toothpick.

3. Krazy Kabobs 

This krazy kabob recipe is a playful and nutritious way to encourage children to enjoy a variety of fruits. Filled with hydrating watermelon, sweet cantaloupe, refreshing honeydew, juicy pineapple, antioxidant-rich blueberries and grapes, these skewers provide a spectrum of vitamins and flavors, promoting a fun and healthy snacking experience for young taste buds.

What You’ll Need:
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Pineapple
Blueberries
Grapes
Wood skewers
Fruit-shape cutters (stars, hearts, etc.)

Directions:

1. Cut horizontal slices of your larger fruits (watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew). 
2. Use your fruit cutters to cut shapes out of your fruit slices. 
3. Place any creative combination of fruits or fruit shapes onto your skewer to create the ultimate krazy kabob.

4. Veggie Cars

This wholesome veggie car recipe is a fun way to encourage children to enjoy their vegetables. With vibrant baby peppers and baby cucumbers, the snack not only provides essential vitamins, but also engages kids in a fun, hands-on experience of assembling their own veggie cars, promoting both healthy eating and interactive play. Toothpicks may be a choking hazard for children.

What You’ll Need:
10 baby peppers
Six baby cucumbers
Toothpicks

Directions:

1. Slice cucumbers into half-inch rounds, discarding the ends. These will be your wheels. 
2. Place two toothpicks through each pepper. The toothpicks will serve as the axels to your cars. 
3. Push one cucumber round onto the ends of each toothpick to form the full car.

5. Banana Lollipops 

These banana lollipops offer a delightful and healthier alternative to traditional sweets. With the natural sweetness of bananas and the richness of dark chocolate, the recipe makes for an enjoyable, nutritious after-school snack for kids of all ages.  

What You’ll Need:
One banana
Chopped dark chocolate bar
Popsicle sticks
Wax paper and baking sheet

1. Unpeel banana and slice into inch-thick rounds, discarding the ends. 
2. Insert one popsicle stick into each round. 
3. Place chopped dark chocolate into microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. 
4. Dip each banana round into chocolate.
5. Place popsicles onto wax paper-covered baking sheet and let freeze for 45 minutes.  

As a pediatrician dedicated to the well-being of children, these snack ideas offer more than delicious bites—they pave the way for a lifetime of healthy habits. Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables, these recipes not only provide essential vitamins and minerals, but also engage young minds in the joy of preparing and enjoying wholesome foods. Learn more about how to keep your kids happy and healthy by scheduling an appointment with a world-class Wellstar pediatrician today. 

A graduate of New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Joanna Dolgoff is a board-certified pediatrician with Wellstar.

Wellstar’s content, and all related media, are provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Consult a pediatrician for the diet that’s best for your child.

Having a bedtime routine is essential to catch more Zs throughout the year. When you wake up feeling rested, you often feel more productive and energized throughout the day.

Get started by setting a specific time to go to sleep—and stick to it. Make sure you reserve at least seven to nine hours per night for sleep.

Limit your screen time before getting in bed. Bright screens from a phone, computer or TV can keep your brain awake and make it harder to fall asleep.

If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, have a decaffeinated cup of tea or take a warm bath to help you relax.

Eat a balanced diet

When it comes to losing weight, many people look for a quick fix, which can often create unhealthy ways of eating. Creating a healthy eating plan from the start can help avoid any fad diet pitfalls.

Nutrition plans that restrict or eliminate food groups and those with extreme calorie deficits are difficult to maintain and can often produce more weight gain or undesired results, according to Wellstar Registered Dietitian Kelly Prian.

Diet trends can also create a negative relationship with food, which can make it harder to achieve your goals. Prian shared that those with long-term success focus on maintaining a plan that enables steady weight loss over time.

A healthy nutrition plan is balanced and emphasizes whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, low fat dairy, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

Try not to overcomplicate healthy eating. You can start by filling half your plate with vegetables or having fun trying new recipes.

Take care of your mental health

Self-care is an important aspect of your mental well-being and should be made a consistent part of each day.

“Make self-care a priority and a non-negotiable,” Dr. Gomez said.

“Think of self-care as a form of personal healing and a way to strengthen resilience,” Dr. Gomez explained. “Much like the way exercise enhances physical health, self-care enhances mental health.”

According to Dr. Gomez, it can be helpful to turn tasks we do on “autopilot” into more meaningful experiences.

“When washing your hands, give yourself a hand massage,” Dr. Gomez shared. “When driving, use red lights to practice deep breathing. Listen to a book on tape or language lessons rather than the radio or call someone to reconnect.”

If you feel overwhelmed by stress or anxiety, Wellstar behavioral health specialists are here for you.

“Working with a mental health provider is different than speaking with a friend or even a life coach,” Dr. Gomez said. “Mental health professionals are trained and licensed to address psychological or emotional wellness.”

Need support? Connect with a Wellstar behavioral health specialist.

Mental health is an essential part of whole-person care. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or want to build resilience, small steps can make a big impact.

At Wellstar, we’re here to support your mental well-being and help you thrive. Our Behavioral Health team offers specialized care close to home, so you can feel your best both physically and mentally.

Here are five expert-backed strategies to help protect your mental health and strengthen your overall wellness.

Pay attention to early signs of stress.

Recognizing stress early is key to managing it effectively. When stress becomes chronic, it can affect both your mental and physical health. Learning to identify warning signs can help you take action before it escalates.

This is true across all areas of life, including the workplace, where job stress can quietly build over time and lead to more serious mental health concerns if left unaddressed.

“Paying attention to feelings of emotional exhaustion and general cynicism is important,” said Dr. Ryan Breshears, a board-certified clinical health psychologist and chief behavioral health officer at Wellstar. “Those are the foundational signs of occupational burnout, which certainly affects our well-being in the workplace, but when unchecked, can also spill over into our personal lives.”

That spillover can show up as irritability, mood changes, social withdrawal or insomnia. “Any of those could point to a problem that warrants intervention,” Dr. Breshears said.

Treat your whole health to support your mental well-being.

Mental and physical health are deeply interconnected—and we shouldn’t treat them in silos. At Wellstar, integrated care is a key part of our approach.

“I think the days of talking about problems that are physical problems versus mental problems are over,” said Dr. Breshears. “We have a body of research now and decades of science that show the interplay between the physical and the emotional.”

He explained that changes in thinking patterns can trigger physiological shifts in heart rate, stress hormone levels and more. Recognizing these mind-body connections can help you take a more proactive approach to your mental health.

“Wellstar is making a concerted effort to deconstruct old ideas about mental health and remove barriers to access,” Dr. Breshears added. “For example, we’re bringing behavioral health into primary care, cardiac care, pediatrics and women’s health. We want to strategically integrate behavioral health services wherever patients are receiving care.”

By treating the whole person and bringing behavioral health into every corner of healthcare, Wellstar is helping people take charge of their well-being in a way that’s compassionate, connected and convenient.

Prioritize recovery.

Stress is inevitable, and recovery is essential. Without it, your mind and body stay in overdrive, increasing your risk for burnout and long-term health issues. Taking time to recover is not a sign of weakness—it’s a strategy for resilience.

“Our bodies are designed to return to baseline, what we call homeostasis, after high-stress periods,” Dr. Breshears said. “Research suggests it's often the failure to prioritize recovery, not the stress itself, that actually contributes to the most lasting problems.”

Dr. Breshears shared a study comparing elite marathon runners to non-elite runners. The surprising finding? Elite runners were better at identifying stress early and adjusting their pace to recover, ultimately helping them perform better.

That same principle can apply to your mental health. If you notice signs of stress—like fatigue, irritability or changes in focus—take time to reset. That might mean getting more sleep, going for a walk, reaching out to a friend or seeking professional support.

Being intentional about recovery helps you maintain balance, build resilience and continue showing up for what matters most.

Nurture relationships and workplace well-being.

Meaningful relationships are a powerful buffer against stress. For many people, the workplace is a central source of community—and a critical place to nurture mental health.

“We’re social creatures,” said Dr. Breshears. "Having environments where people come in and feel good about their day-to-day interactions is really important.”

Dr. Breshears said it starts with employers being committed to understanding the inadvertent threats to their team’s well-being and removing barriers to care.

“First, I think we have to pay attention to the occupational drivers of stress on our employees and commit to resolving those issues,” he explained. “All of the human resources and benefits in the world will fail if we’re not also working upstream to eliminate the root causes. Secondly, we need to establish clear pathways so people can easily access support without all the stumbling blocks and delays they often run into.”

Employers who lead with empathy—and prioritize flexibility, compassion and connection alongside performance—help create cultures where people feel empowered to seek help when needed.

“We have to ensure that we have accessible resources,” Dr. Breshears said. “People bring their personal struggles into the workplace, and take their struggles in the workplace home. The lines have certainly blurred.”

Know when to seek help.

While self-care and support systems can go a long way, there are times when professional help is essential. Mental health conditions are common—and treatable. The sooner you seek help, the better.

This is especially true for men, who often face cultural and emotional barriers when it comes to seeking support.

“Men on average tend to delay help-seeking more than women,” Dr. Breshears said. “And this is especially true when men are suffering. Frankly, it's a mortality issue.” He noted that men are more likely to die by suicide and experience substance abuse disorders, which makes early intervention even more critical.

Dr. Breshears also emphasized the need to remove barriers and promote action: “We have to create environments in which people feel safe to talk about the struggles that they’re having.”

If you’re struggling, don’t wait. Explore Wellstar Behavioral Health services and find the support you need today.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.;

People who want to lose weight have more options than ever before. However, deciding which one to pursue can be a challenge. Should you go for lifestyle changes alone? Consider weight loss surgery? Or look into injectable weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy?

We asked two Wellstar physicians to weigh in on this popular topic—and their answers might surprise you. Dr. Lisa Hilton is director of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center and director of the Center of Obesity and Metabolism at Augusta University. Dr. Mitzi Rubin is a family medicine physician and director of the Wellstar Center for Best Health. Here’s what these two experts have to say about obesity, treatment options and the importance of a comprehensive approach to weight loss.

Let’s cut to the chase: What is the best way to lose weight?

Dr. Rubin: There is no magic fix that works for everyone. Many people have tried every fad diet out there. They’ve tried being more active. Maybe they’ve even had bariatric surgery or used injectable weight loss drugs—but nothing works. If this sounds like you, schedule an appointment at a comprehensive weight loss center. Find one that offers medical and surgical treatment options and personalized recommendations. And make sure they provide ongoing support to help you meet and maintain your weight loss goals.

Dr. Hilton: Both of our centers take this comprehensive approach. We use every tool available to treat obesity. You may be successful with lifestyle changes alone, or perhaps you need to meet with a behavioral therapist or consider surgery, medicine or a combination of therapies. Everyone is unique, and their treatment plan has to be unique too.

What’s your take on weight loss injectables—are you a fan?

Dr. Rubin: I’m excited about drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, which people sometimes refer to as GLP-1s. They work because they control your appetite and reduce ‘food noise,’ a persistent, unwanted focus on food.

However, not everyone can tolerate the side effects, which include nausea, constipation and diarrhea. If you want to lose more than 20% of your body weight, using one of those drugs alone probably won’t get you there. Another consideration is that many people need to continue taking these drugs for life—even after they reach their weight loss goals.

What are some misconceptions about bariatric surgery?

Dr. Hilton: Two big misconceptions are that bariatric surgery is dangerous and it doesn’t work. Here’s what I’d say: First, bariatric surgery is as safe as a routine procedure like gallbladder removal. Second, bariatric surgery is the most long-lasting and effective treatment for obesity available. Most people who have bariatric surgery maintain their weight loss at the 10-year mark.

With weight loss drugs dominating the headlines, have you noticed a shift away from surgery?

Dr. Hilton: Yes, but I think that’s temporary. The drugs are sparking conversations about obesity and weight loss, which is a good thing. Patients who have never considered bringing up obesity to their primary care provider are asking about the injectables. They’re making appointments at a comprehensive weight loss center, and they are discovering they have a lot of choices. It isn’t ‘medicine or surgery’ or ‘medicine versus surgery.’ Sometimes the best answer is both.

Can you share a weight loss success story with us?

Dr. Rubin: We’ve had so many success stories. One of our rock star patients has lost 250 pounds under our care. Now, she’s living her life again. Her diabetes is in remission, and her cholesterol has improved. She’s no longer depressed and isolated. My whole team is so proud of her—she has completely changed her lifestyle, sees our dietitian regularly and attends our support group. Another patient has lost 135 pounds. He and his wife are losing weight together, and it’s fantastic.

Dr. Hilton: We ask our patients at their first visit, ‘What does success look like to you?’ Most have a number in mind, but non-scale victories are important too. Some want to get off their diabetes medicine or shop in a regular store instead of a big and tall store. Others want to take their kids to Disney World or a water park and have fun on the rides—not just watch.

What is the No. 1 key to weight loss success?

Dr. Rubin: The key is to make lasting lifestyle changes. Medication and bariatric surgery can only get you so far. If you are ready to make these changes, consider finding a team who offers personalized, long-term support. Dr. Hilton, myself and others at Wellstar are here to help!

Ready to take your first step? If you’re considering lifestyle changes, medication or surgery for weight loss, it all starts with a conversation. Schedule a visit with your primary care clinician to discuss your goals, health history and next steps.;

Pregnancy is a time of excitement and change. But it also puts added strain on the heart. In fact, cardiovascular conditions are one of the leading causes of maternal complications worldwide. Some women can develop heart conditions during pregnancy that can lead to serious complications if not recognized early. Knowing the risks and being proactive about your heart health can help prevent a life-threatening problem.

Here’s what every expectant mom should know about heart health during pregnancy.

1. High blood pressure can be silent—and dangerous.

Some women develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, even if they’ve never had it before. High blood pressure can lead to preeclampsia. It’s a condition that can cause organ damage and, in severe cases, seizures. When high blood pressure isn’t treated, it can increase the risk of stroke or heart failure. Checking your blood pressure regularly can help catch problems early.

What to do about high blood pressure

If you have a history of high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of cardiovascular issues, tell your care team. Preconception counseling is essential if you have a known heart condition. Your physician may recommend that you monitor your blood pressure at home and report any sudden swelling, headaches or vision changes immediately.

2. Heart failure can happen—even in healthy moms.

A rare but serious condition called peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) weakens the heart, usually in the last month of pregnancy or the months following delivery. If you have shortness of breath, swelling or often feel extremely tired, don’t ignore those signs.

What to do if you have shortness of breath or a racing heart

Talk to your provider immediately if everyday activities leave you exhausted or struggling to breathe. Other concerning symptoms include persistent coughing, swelling in your legs or feet and dizziness. Don’t ignore symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, severe fatigue or a racing heartbeat. These could signal a serious heart problem—seek help right away.

3. Pre-existing heart conditions and hypertensive disorders require extra care.

If you’ve ever had heart disease, a heart defect or high blood pressure—including hypertension or hypertensive disorders—pregnancy can increase your risks. Even women without symptoms before pregnancy may need extra monitoring.

What to do if you have a pre-existing heart condition

Talk with your provider early about a care plan. High-risk pregnancies may require specialist support, like a maternal-fetal medicine physician or cardiologist. If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart condition before pregnancy, ask your provider how it may affect labor and delivery. If something doesn’t feel right, speak up. You know your body best, and your concerns deserve attention.

4. Blood clots are more common during pregnancy.

Pregnancy increases the risk of thromboembolism, a serious condition where blood clots can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. The risk is even higher for women with a history of clotting disorders, obesity or limited mobility.

What to do to prevent blood clots

To reduce your risk of blood clots, stay active, stay hydrated and watch for warning signs like leg swelling, redness or pain. If you notice these, call your provider right away. If you’re on bed rest, ask your provider about ways to improve circulation. Learn the signs of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

5. A racing heartbeat may be abnormal.

You can expect some changes in heart rhythm during pregnancy, but arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) can be a sign of something more serious. Hormone changes, increased blood volume and underlying conditions like thyroid disorders can all contribute to an irregular heartbeat.

What to do about a racing heart

If your heart races often, feels like it’s skipping beats or you feel dizzy or faint, let your provider know immediately. Keep track of when these symptoms happen and whether they occur at specific times, such as during physical activities or when your stress levels are high.

6. Postpartum recovery still puts stress on the heart.

The risk of heart complications doesn’t end at delivery. Many serious conditions, including heart failure or high blood pressure, can develop in the weeks or months after childbirth. Postpartum heart issues can be life-threatening if you don’t address them.

What to do during the postpartum period

Keep all postpartum checkups, even if you feel fine. Watch for new symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath or extreme fatigue. If you had high blood pressure during pregnancy, continue monitoring it after delivery. Be aware that cardiovascular complications can develop up to a year postpartum, and follow-up care is so important for your long-term health.

7. Your hospital choice matters

For women at high risk, delivering in a hospital with access to specialized prenatal tests, genetic testing like amniocentesis, fetal evaluations and emergency cardiac care can make all the difference. Not all hospitals have the same level of maternal heart care, so it’s important to plan ahead. Choose a hospital that is equipped to handle pregnancy-related cardiac emergencies.

Wellstar provides specialized care for mothers and babies close to home, including:

• Wellstar Acworth Health Park: Perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Avalon Health Park: Perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Cherokee Health Park: Perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia: Level IV NICU
• Wellstar Cobb Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care, level III NICU, maternal-fetal medicine, medical genetics, perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Douglas Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care, maternal-fetal medicine
• Wellstar East Cobb Health Park: Perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care, Level III NICU, maternal-fetal medicine, medical genetics, perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center: Cardio-obstetrics, emergency cardiac care, maternal-fetal medicine, medical genetics
• Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care, medical genetics
• Wellstar Paulding Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care, medical genetics, perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar Spalding Medical Center: Maternal-fetal medicine
• Wellstar Vinings Health Park: Perinatal cardiology
• Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center: Emergency cardiac care

What to do about your hospital choice

If you are high-risk, consider hospitals with advanced cardiac care and those that have expertise in pregnancy-related heart conditions. Talk to your care team well in advance about your birth plan, especially if you have a heart condition. If possible, tour the hospital beforehand and ask about its capabilities in managing pregnancy-related heart complications.

8. Mental health and stress impact heart health.

Anxiety and stress can affect your heart. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to someone. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Depression, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder are common in pregnancy and postpartum, and they can impact heart health.

What to do to keep your mental health in check

Access mental health resources and practice stress management techniques to help you manage your mental health. Simple practices like deep breathing, mindfulness and connecting with loved ones can help lower stress levels. Remember, you are empowered to take control of your health—talk with your provider or a support person and get the help you need.

Take Action for a Healthier Pregnancy.

Eat well, stay active and avoid smoking or alcohol. These efforts can protect your heart and your baby’s health. Small, consistent changes—like reducing salt intake or walking daily—can make a difference.

Regular prenatal visits are just as important. Remember, knowledge is power. Stay informed, speak up when something feels off and choose a hospital that meets your needs. These simple steps can help you take control of your heart health and reduce the risk for you and your baby.

Find an OB/GYN or perinatal cardiologist and learn about labor and delivery at Wellstar.;

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes. Of that group, 90 to 95% have type 2 diabetes. Because this condition often develops in people over 45, getting screened and getting the best treatment to live your healthiest life is essential.

"Diabetes is a chronic and complex condition, and treatments are continuously changing," said Dr. Georgia Forrest, Wellstar primary care physician. "Teaming up with a primary care provider who personalizes your care plan to you and everything that makes you unique should be a top priority."

Whether you currently have type 2 diabetes, a family history of the disease or feel concerned about your overall well-being, you can take proactive steps to manage your health. Here are some key facts to help you better understand the relationship between diabetes and good health.

1. Undiagnosed diabetes costs you money & health
Not knowing you have diabetes carries high medical costs. Undiagnosed diabetes can increase your risk for death and other medical issues.

Diabetes was the eighth leading cause of death in 2021, the most recent data reported by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. And according to the American Diabetes Association, having diabetes doubles your risk for heart disease and stroke—heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S. 

2. A diagnosis and personalized treatment can save your life
Knowing you have diabetes and then working to manage your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol effectively can lower your risk of death and help you live a better quality of life.

3. Getting screened for diabetes is easy
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends getting screened with a simple blood test at the age of 35 for people with no symptoms but who are overweight or obese. Even if you have no signs or family history of diabetes, it can lurk in your numbers. Getting screened can help you catch it early and even prevent it altogether.

Consider getting screened for diabetes if you:

• Are obese or overweight
• Are physically inactive 
• Have a parent or full sibling with diabetes
• Are an African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander 
• Have a history of cardiovascular disease
• Have hypertension
• Have blood work that shows an HDL of less than 35 mg/dl or triglycerides greater than 250 mg/dl
• Have a diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Have other medical conditions that lead to insulin resistance

4. Some people have pre-diabetes
If your screening shows that you have pre-diabetes, your blood sugar levels run higher than average but aren't within the range of type 2 diabetes. However, you have an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

Identifying that diabetes is around the corner can help you stop it before it starts.

5. Diabetes treatment plans should be unique
When crafting a plan to address diabetes, the conversation must be about more than the numbers.

"Additional diseases or conditions you may be experiencing in conjunction with your diabetes should also become part of your individualized health plan," Dr. Forrest said.

A complete medical history helps your healthcare provider understand how other medications and treatments may interact with your symptoms and treatments related to type 2 diabetes.

6. Lifestyle modifications can make a big impact on diabetes
Lifestyle modifications may involve slight changes to your weight, the amount of exercise you get, your diet and even your sleeping patterns.

Changes don't have to be major. For instance, your doctor may suggest you lose around 10 pounds and exercise for 30 minutes five days a week.

Our primary care providers work with patients one-on-one but can also refer patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes to Wellstar Diabetes Services to help prevent the onset or manage the effects of diabetes.

7. S.M.A.R.T. diabetes treatment plans
According to Dr. Forrest, your overall plan should include "specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely (S.M.A.R.T.) goals and involve shared decision-making between you and your care provider. There should be plenty of follow-ups to keep the conversation fluid and open to modification."

8. Know your numbers — and acronyms (A1C, CGM, TIR)
Should your screening lead to a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, conversations with your health providers will focus on several acronyms and numbers.

"Know your ABCD’s of diabetes," said Dr. Forrest. "Your A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol and the medications you are taking. Knowing these facts about your health will be key to your success."

• A = Hemoglobin A1C goal is <7 
• B = Blood pressure goal is <130/80 
• C = Cholesterol goal is to keep bad cholesterol <100 
• D = Drugs 

Keeping the A1C low and within an optimal range will help prevent complications like eye damage, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. 

A mainstay for type 2 diabetes management centers around constant glucose level monitoring. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides readings every few minutes via a sensor inserted just below your skin. Monitoring glucose is a common way to help regulate insulin in your body, giving you the readings you need to self-adjust with insulin when appropriate. Average glucose levels should be 100 mg/dl or lower though they can increase if you've just eaten.

New developments introduced the importance of tracking Time in Range (TIR). Along with monitoring your glucose levels, TIR may impact your customized plan for maintenance. According to Dr. Forrest, the goal for TIR is 70% or more.

9. Receive individualized diabetes care at Wellstar
For diabetes management, a personalized, proactive approach can make all the difference. Wellstar primary care providers are here to partner with you to help prevent or manage diabetes, heart disease and many other conditions.

"A true patient-centered approach for managing diabetes is the key to the future of this disease," Dr. Forrest said. "Get screened and speak up when it comes to your care. Opportunities for personalized and individualized medicine should be a part of your treatment plan as you move forward."

Find a primary care provider near you.

Over the years, advice about breast self-exams and breast cancer screenings has changed. So what exactly should you be doing to make sure you’re staying your healthiest? We brought together a panel of women’s health experts to discuss the best strategies to keep tabs on your breast health—and who to talk to if you’re diagnosed with breast cancer.

I do breast self-checks every month. Why do I need a mammogram too?

Dr. Paula Greaves, MD, OBGYN, Wellstar chief Women's Health officer: Unfortunately, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, so early detection is key. We have shown over the years that the sooner we detect breast cancer, the more successfully it can be treated. Survival has increased significantly since we started finding breast cancer earlier—before there are symptoms, such as feeling a lump during a self-exam.

Mammograms are essential for early detection. It’s recommended that women start getting mammograms at age 40. However, if you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors, your gynecologist or primary care provider may recommend starting earlier and will help you create a personalized screening plan. There are some risk factors that women cannot change, such as genetics, but there are some ways women can lower their risk, like quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Wellstar offers 16 mammography locations, and our patients have state-of-the-art technology on their side. We offer high-resolution breast screening, including 3D mammograms.

Women should continue not only getting annual mammograms, but also seeing their gynecologist or primary care provider for regular breast exams. Women should also be aware of physical changes within their bodies, including breast changes. Changes in the texture of the skin or a lump or pain in the breast should always be checked out by their healthcare provider.

Margie Apacible-Mancao, MSN, RN, CBCN, nurse navigator: I am so passionate about breast cancer screening—every opportunity I have I tell patients to get a screening mammogram when they’re of age. Tell someone in your circle that you’re going, then they’ll tell someone in their circle and the circle gets wider so more people will get screened.

Does it mean I have cancer if the doctor recommends a biopsy?

Dr. Sujatha Hariharan, MD, medical oncologist: When a mammogram detects an abnormality, a biopsy might be indicated. Many breast biopsies will be non-cancerous such as fibroadenomas.  

If cancer is found on a breast biopsy, there are several parts of the pathology result that the care team will utilize to make a treatment plan. For example, the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptor positivity allows the potential for hormone therapy as part of the treatment plan. The HER-2 gene is also tested for and if that is present and positive, it allows for medication directed at the HER-2 gene to be given along with chemotherapy.  

Sequencing of the various treatments for breast cancer—surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy—will be determined as a collaborative effort between the breast surgeon and medical oncologist.

If I’m diagnosed, who should I talk to next?

Margie: The anxiety of not knowing their diagnosis or what’s next is one of the hardest parts. At Wellstar, patients have access to a nurse navigator on the day they are recommended to have a biopsy. We make an appointment with the specialists as quickly as possible because just knowing that someone is helping them get to the next step and get that appointment fast dials down their stress level. 

Dr. Karen Xu, MD, radiation oncologist: If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you will need to see a breast surgeon first to discuss your surgery options—lumpectomy or mastectomy; a radiation oncologist to discuss the duration of radiation treatment and whether lymph nodes should be included in the target; and a medical oncologist about whether endocrine therapy or chemotherapy is indicated and the timing of systemic therapy. Patients who desire reconstruction after mastectomy will discuss with a plastic surgeon the type and timing of reconstruction they want.

Schedule a mammogram

Find a breast imaging location near you online or call (678) 581-5900.

Heart attack is the leading cause of death in Georgia, according to the American Heart Association. To save more lives, Wellstar provides advanced heart care services, ranging from minimally invasive procedures to open heart surgery. The health system recently expanded its offerings to bring an advanced technology called rotational atherectomy to more people in our community. The tool our physicians use for this procedure is called a Rotablator, which has a small but mighty diamond tip.

Who rotational atherectomy helps

Wellstar has offered percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), formerly known as angioplasty, for a number of years. This procedure helps treat the main cause of heart attacks—the build-up of cholesterol filled plaque within a coronary artery. The build-up decreases blood flow and oxygen to the heart. By opening the artery, blood and oxygen can move freely once again.

The benefits of having a PCI typically include fewer complications, faster recovery time and shorter hospital stays.

Not everyone is a candidate for PCI, especially when the blockage is heavily calcified. But rotational atherectomy changes that.

“For heavily calcified coronary blockages, rotational atherectomy works as a drill to decrease the bulk of calcium,” said Wellstar interventional cardiologist Dr. Omer Mirza.

This technology makes non-surgical heart attack treatment available to people with more complex blockages that could not typically be cleared with balloon angioplasty.

Rotational atherectomy has been available at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, and now we have expanded availability recently to Wellstar Cobb Medical Center.

“By expanding Wellstar Cobb’s technology, we can offer more comprehensive care for the patient and prevent transfers and subsequent delays to patient care,” Dr. Mirza said.

How rotational atherectomy works

At Wellstar, a rotational atherectomy is performed using a Rotablator, a small, diamond-tipped tool. This revolving instrument is inserted into the blocked artery using a catheter while a patient is under local anesthesia.

When the interventional cardiologist guides the Rotablator to the blockage, it begins to rotate, going as fast as 190,000 rpm. It gently breaks apart the blockage, making the plaque particles small enough to pass safely through the bloodstream.

Stents are then placed in the artery to widen it so blood can flow through. This procedure can improve blood flow and heart function within minutes.

Effective treatment with advanced technology

Studies indicate that rotational atherectomy results in high procedural success rates.

Giving patients the ability to resume normal activities within a few days, the recovery time for this procedure is significantly less than open heart surgery. Patients undergoing a rotational atherectomy typically spend one night in the hospital.



Learn more about interventional cardiology at Wellstar or find a specialist near you.

It all started with a gift and a special note.

April Sather had just undergone surgery for her breast cancer and was struggling to sleep at night. She would spend the night tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. “I’m a side sleeper, so that is kind of an issue,” she said when describing her sleeping troubles.

One day she received a gift from a friend: a heart-shaped pillow made with soft flannel that was light pink with beautiful clouds across it. Sather was able to tuck it under her arm and sleep comfortably throughout the night. This gift, combined with a lovely note from one of her nurses after surgery, inspired Sather to want to do the same for others.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we could make heart-shaped pillows for other breast cancer patients so that after they get out of surgery, they could feel that same love that I received?’” Sather said. “I shared the idea with a few ladies at church, and the rest is history.”

Healing Hearts Ministry at Warren Belvedere Church now meets once a month to sew, stuff, pray, write notes and package up the hearts to be delivered to patients with breast cancer across the CSRA. There is no commitment, and volunteers are welcome to take the materials with them if they prefer to work in the comfort of their own homes.

“It makes me feel like I’ve done something that’s worthy of helping someone else go through a hard time in their life,” volunteer Susan Elliot shared about each time the group finishes a pillow to be delivered to a patient.

Elliot is one of the women who answered Sather’s call for help with her idea. While she has no personal experience with breast cancer, she is a seamstress and was more than happy to use her knowledge and experience with sewing for the program.

Healing Hearts provides the sewing pattern, fabric and fluff needed to create the pillows, so all that volunteers have to bring are their hands and good spirits. Sometimes the group welcomes speakers during the meetings; in fact, they celebrated their first anniversary by inviting a Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center patient and breast team nurse navigator to come and share their story.

If you would like more information or to make a donation to assist the program, visit the church’s website, select the Belvedere campus, then make the message out to April Sather or Susan Elliot. You can also get in touch through the church’s Facebook page.

Wellstar’s ongoing commitment to improving patients’ health and wellness was on full display when more than 100 cardiovascular healthcare providers gathered for the third annual Cardiovascular Quality Forum last spring. The forum, which was hosted at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, serves as a way to share best practices across the Wellstar Center for Cardiovascular Care in order to enhance patient care systemwide.

“All of our Wellstar cardiovascular programs across the system are constantly working to improve clinical processes in order to improve patient outcomes, whether it be reducing mortalities, decreasing complications, reducing length of stay, etc.,” said Wellstar Quality Manager Dave Bloomquist. “Our annual Cardiovascular Quality Forum allows us to share the work being done at each individual hospital so all Wellstar hospitals can benefit from each other’s improvement efforts.”

The centerpiece of the forum is the poster competition, an idea borrowed from the American College of Cardiology’s annual Quality Summit. Each Wellstar hospital is encouraged to share its cardiovascular improvement successes in the form of a poster submission. Submissions can come from any stakeholder across the care continuum, including inpatient, outpatient, procedural, wellness and post-acute care areas. The posters are then judged by a panel of physicians using an objective scoring tool.

“After three years of holding this event, our physician leaders are still quite eager to devote the time necessary to score the ever-increasing number of posters,” Bloomquist said. “When we held the first Cardiovascular Quality Forum, we had 12 poster submissions. Last year we received 20 submissions, and this year we received 32 submissions.”

The posters represent the hard work from Wellstar teams to enhance and sustain a culture of high-level cardiovascular quality. This year, the top five posters belonged to Wellstar Kennestone, Wellstar MCG Health, Wellstar North Fulton, Wellstar Paulding and Wellstar West Georgia Medical Centers. Wellstar West Georgia earned the top overall score for its poster on decreasing telemetry calls, or the overuse of cardiac monitoring.

Additional highlights of the 2024 forum included a keynote address delivered by Mayo Clinic Cardiologist Dr. Abhishek Deshmukh and an awards presentation that honored Wellstar Cobb Medical Center with the overall cardiovascular quality award.

For the first time, the event also recognized outstanding provider leadership in quality. Wellstar Kennestone Cardiothoracic Surgery Physician Assistant Deleen Huff received the APP quality leader award, while Wellstar North Fulton Cardiologist Dr. Suresh Ramamurthy received the physician quality leader award. The awards are based on nominations, which may be submitted by any individual from any hospital.

“It was quite moving to read the nominations for physician quality leaders,” Bloomquist shared. “There was so much love and respect shown for our physicians by their clinical teams that it brought tears to my eyes as I read each nomination.”

Tears also flowed during the forum when a patient who survived a heart attack took the stage to share his testimonial alongside the Wellstar care team members who treated him.

“As we do each year, we invited a patient to join us to tell their story and recognize their Wellstar care team,” said Bloomquist. “There was not a dry eye in the room when the patient and his family told their journey at Wellstar—which ended with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)—and thanked his care team for their love and care.”

As the Cardiovascular Quality Forum continues to grow, Wellstar patients will benefit greatly from care teams who are dedicated to improvement through collaboration. Bloomquist noted that the forum has been increasingly recognized by system leaders, including a number of hospital presidents who attend.

Looking ahead, Bloomquist said he is eager to see even more heart care leaders acknowledged for their contributions to the service line. “We will continue to grow the list of cardiovascular stakeholders that will be recognized for their improvement efforts to include inpatient nurses and EMS partners,” he shared.

The next Cardiovascular Quality Forum will be held March 2025.;

Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia pediatrician and author of the bestselling book “Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right,” uses her “no time, some time, never all the time” philosophy to provide families with guidance around screen time.

At nearly every wellness visit, Dr. Dolgoff talks with parents about how to set healthy limits with screen time. “We’re seeing language delays in children from too much screen time,” she explained.

Some signs that children may be spending too much time on social media, gaming or watching videos can include:

• Aggression
• Difficulty handling boredom without a screen
• Trouble connecting with peers
• Sleep disruption
• Poor focus in school
• Withdrawing from hobbies or activities they once enjoyed

Dr. Dolgoff’s advice? Parents should follow expert recommendations and know the difference between learning-focused content and pure entertainment. “You want to know what your kids are doing on their screens, and you want to know how long they’re doing it for,” she said.

Troubling trends in children’s media habits

Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization that advocates for children’s health in the digital age. Its most recent survey of the digital habits of children 8 and younger showed that by age 2, 40% of children have their own tablet. By age 4, that number climbs to 58%.

The survey also found that 1 in 5 children use mobile devices during meals, at bedtime or to cope with emotions.

Dr. Dolgoff stresses that parents must monitor and regulate their children’s digital use across all platforms. Yet the same survey shows gaps in how families co-view content: 62% of parents occasionally watched YouTube with their children, compared to only 17% on TikTok.

The survey also found that screen use varies by income. Children in lower-income households spend twice as much time on screens (3 hours, 48 minutes) as those in higher-income households (1 hour, 52 minutes).

Guidelines for screen time by age

As a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Dolgoff suggests that parents know and follow the organization’s screen time guidelines for children:

• Under 18 months: No screen time
• 18 to 24 months: Only educational content with parents
• 2 to 5 years: No more than one hour per day
• 6 years and older: Balanced screen time that doesn’t interfere with family, friends and schoolwork

These guidelines are based on the science of children’s and adolescents’ brain development. abies’ brains begin developing before birth, and the early years of life have remarkably rapid brain development.

What do screen time limits look like?

According to Dr. Dolgoff, parents don’t need to worry if little ones under 18 months use screens for video chats with loved ones like grandparents. But she adds an important distinction: “Content matters. Mindlessly scrolling through TikTok videos is not what we want children doing for hours each day.”

Fortunately, children’s programming has expanded considerably since the parents of today were kids. YouTube Kids, PBS Kids, Netflix, Apple TV and other streaming services serve a variety of programs.

Here are some healthy screen time choices, along with suggested time limits:

• Toddler (2 to 3 years): Video call with grandparents and 30 minutes of educational programming such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood or Sesame Street with parents watching
• Elementary school (6 to 10 years): Homework on Chromebook or other platform and 30 minutes of YouTube Kids, unstructured outside play and bedtime stories
• Teens (13 years and older): Homework time and no more than two hours of other screen use for gaming or socializing with friends

While watching shows or movies with children, parents can spark curiosity and critical thinking by asking open-ended questions such as:

• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “How would you feel if that happened to you?”
• “Could this happen in real life?”
• “How would you have made this better?”

Most importantly, parents should help children see screens as just one part of life—not a substitute for family time, active play or friendships.

Sound screen habits begin with parents

Young children develop social and communication skills by observing, listening, talking (babbling counts!), reading, singing and playing with parents, siblings and others. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates that parents put down their phones so they can focus on those activities and interactions.

For help, parents can turn to apps designed to monitor their smartphone and tablet use. They can also examine their habits by asking themselves questions such as:

• “Am I scrolling at the dinner table?”
• “Am I texting while driving?”
• “How much are my children watching me use my phone for entertainment?”
• “Am I setting a good example by having hobbies and interests that don’t involve screens?”

Experts advise ways to set and enforce limits

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Pediatrics understand the temptations of screens and parents’ difficulty setting limits. Some of their advice for parents:

• Avoid using screens as pacifiers, babysitters or to stop tantrums.
• Create tech-free times, with extended breaks and tech-free zones, including the meal table.
• Learn about and use parental controls on devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and televisions.
• Make family outings technology-free—and that includes cameras.
• Remove screens from bedrooms 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.
• Set a timer when using a device as a reminder to turn it off or put it away.

Tips for enforcing screen-time limits

It’s in children’s nature to resist when they don’t want to stop doing something pleasant or fun. It’s the parents’ job to stick to the limits they’ve set. Some more ideas for managing children’s reactions to screen-time limits include:

• Have a designated “quiet spot” for younger children to calm down if they rage after time on a device is up.
• Offer alternatives after a device is turned off. Those could include playing a board game, reading a book together, playing with a favorite toy or creating an art project.
• Warn children before their time limit is up.

Resources for parents

• The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry on screen time limits, music and music videos, video games, movie and video choice, and screen violence
• Common Sense Media
• Google and Apple content about online safety and parental controls
• Healthychildren.org, a website of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• know2protect, guidelines for protecting children online from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

If you’ve had a stroke, you don’t have to replace flavorful cuisine with bland foods on your journey to recovery.

There are easy, delicious meal options that follow American Heart Association nutrition guidelines for lowering your risk of another stroke. More fiber, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein, with less trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar are key to supporting your recovery efforts. Rehabilitation care teams and dietitians at Wellstar recommend keeping meals and snacks interesting with variety and new recipes like these.

Coconut Truffles satisfy your sweet tooth without any added sugar.

Ingredients:

12 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup puffed brown rice
½ cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut

Directions:

1. Using a blender or food processor, puree dates and water until a sticky paste forms.
2. Add cocoa powder and pulse until a solid dough forms.
3. Stir in puffed brown rice.
4. Using a small scoop, form mixture into 14 tablespoon size balls.
5. Roll each ball in the shredded coconut for a light coating.
6. Refrigerate for one hour.
7. Enjoy! 

Southwestern-Style Breakfast Casserole is a great way to start your morning.

Ingredients:

6 slices hearty whole-grain bread, cut into cubes
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (or 1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped)
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) Mexican-style cheese
3 cups non-fat milk
8 ounces egg substitute
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Layer the bread in the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Sprinkle evenly with the spinach, red peppers and cheese into baking dish.
4. Combine the non-fat milk, egg substitute, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and salt, then pour into baking dish.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

For more heart-healthy recipes, visit American Heart Association Recipes.

To learn more about how you can partner with Wellstar rehabilitation care teams to reduce your risk of another stroke, visit https://www.wellstar.org/medical-services/treatments-procedures/rehabilitation-services/neuro-rehabilitation..

This article was originally published on Atlanta Business Chronicle on August 19, 2022.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 600,000 people dying of cancer in the country in 2021. While the U.S. death rate, or the percentage of people dying from cancer, is decreasing — partly due to fewer people smoking — the number of cancer deaths is going up due to our aging population. All these statistics are behind the call to decrease cancer deaths by 50% in the next 25 years. Atlanta Business Chronicle recently talked with a panel of experts from Wellstar Health System and the American Cancer Society, headquartered in Atlanta, about ways to accelerate cancer care progress through scientific research, patient care, partnerships, early detection, diversity and inclusion, and local care.* (Remarks edited for clarity and brevity.)

Panelists & moderator

Moderated by David Rubinger, market president and publisher, Atlanta Business Chronicle.

*Wellstar partners with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers to provide world class cancer care close to home.

Research & treatment

David Rubinger: Where are we today in the world of scientific research? Are we in a good place in terms of research dollars?

Kimberly Jackson: I think we’re in a good place, but we can always be doing better and that’s a fact. There’s no other nongovernmental, nonprofit organization in the United States that’s focused on finding the cause and cures for cancer like the American Cancer Society. We’re committed to continuously funding the best new and ongoing projects at institutions across the country. For instance, right now in Georgia, we are currently funding eight research multi-year grants that are totaling more than $6.3 million. In addition to funding and conducting research, we are mobilizing our grassroot network advocates to increase the funding for cancer research. We’re primarily supporting those investigators that are early in their career, who are doing the most innovative cancer discovery research.

Rubinger: While the aging population is causing the cancer deaths to increase, the average death rate for the population has actually decreased. What do you attribute recent successes to and how will we continue to fight cancer deaths in the future?

Dr. Steve McCune: The mission of the Wellstar and Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers partnership is to help cancer patients live longer by providing innovative therapies in their local communities. What we have seen in the last 10 years has revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers, particularly lung cancer and melanoma, with immunotherapy and targeted therapies, oral drugs that address a gene mutation. What may be a good way to think of that is it’s the Achilles heel for certain cancers: they have one gene that drives their growth. And there are, because of the research that has occurred, typically one or more drugs that may specifically treat that mutation and block it so that it no longer encourages the growth of cancer cells.

Next-generation sequencing makes it very easy and fast to sequence 400 to 500 genes in a tumor from an individual patient, so that you know exactly any gene mutations in that particular tumor. It’s the most individualized medicine you could have. That’s the reality and that’s very accessible for many patients.

Rubinger: Nicole, from the nursing standpoint on the front line with patients, how has immunotherapy changed the relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider psychologically?

Nicole Centers: From the patient care perspective, it’s very clear that patients are more involved in their care. They want to have more say in their care. When we can educate patients appropriately up front about all of their different options and their care along with their providers, they feel like they have more control. We know when patients feel more in control of their care, they’re more compliant to the plan of care. When it comes to immunotherapy and monoclonal antibodies that are given, they’re generally tolerated far better than chemotherapies of the past. That doesn’t mean everything can be treated with an immunotherapy or monoclonal antibody. However, when we have more options to give patients that they can tolerate better, then it kind of alleviates all of those nightmares of, “This is a horrific journey,” and, “It’s not going to work for me.” Overall, we have medicines that work with your body to fight the cancer in ways that we just haven’t had before.

Patient care & partnerships

Rubinger: The cancer “moonshot" is a term that excited everyone. Have you seen the concept of patient care change from when you first got into the field to where it is today?

McCune: I think it’s dramatically different. In some ways the moon shot has already happened and I'll explain what I mean by that.

Immunotherapy revolutionized the treatment of cancer. If you have a chemotherapy that kills 99% of cancer cells, well that means eventually that 1% keeps coming back. Immunotherapy can work for years, even after the actual immunotherapy has stopped. It’s not a vaccine, but it works in much the same way that a person’s own immune system actually can control or eliminate the cancer. I think that, in a sense, was the biggest game changer for the way that people were treated.

I started doing this about 20 years ago. And so most things that we treated were chemotherapy, very few things that were actually what we would have called targeted therapy or intelligently designed targeted therapy. The first drug was really coming out at that time called Gleevec, which treated CML (chronic myeloid leukemia.) I treated patients before that era who had to have a bone marrow transplant or they were basically going to die of CML. And now we think of CML as a condition that’s almost 100% survivable. We have eight different medicines that are commercially available for treating CML. It’s totally changed the future for some patients who would have had very poor outcomes otherwise.

Melanoma used to be very difficult to treat. Chemotherapy didn't work well. A treatment called Interleukin-2 worked for about 8% of patients and no one really knew why. It basically is an early immunotherapy but with a lot of toxicity. Now you have drugs like Opdivo, Yervoy, Keytruda, which are really the standard of care. Chemotherapy is rarely, if ever, used for melanoma.

There are antibody drug conjugates — something that basically has a payload on the monoclonal antibody, so it homes in on certain proteins on the outside of different cancer cells. That’s a way of delivering a toxin directly to the cancer cells with less impact on normal tissues.

There are companies all over the United States, from large to small, that are really driving the innovation in targeted therapies, antibody drug conjugates, so it’s an exciting time in oncology.

Wellstar has participated in trials for 15 years. In just the last three years, we have participated in cancer trials resulting in over 20 FDA approvals for either new medicines or new combinations of medicines. Usually, it is four to five years before something is FDA-approved. Now not everything’s approved, not everything works better, but it gives people hope and it gives them the chance to have cutting-edge therapies in their local communities.

Rubinger: Nicole, how have advances like these changed the psychology of talking with a patient with a cancer diagnosis?

Centers: I think it has changed. When I started in this field 20 years ago, we would say “the breast cancer down the hall" or “this is the breast cancer treatment.” Now we say, “the patient with breast cancer,” “the patient with lung cancer,” and we treat it as an illness that is part of the whole person, versus the whole person being the illness. That’s a different way that we think about things and that’s how we approach our patients differently when it comes to nursing.

There’s a very unique field inside of nursing called navigation. And one of the things that moonshot really promoted was something that we've been out here doing for a pretty good while, but it brought it to the center stage for all Americans to hear this word called a navigator. It meant someone that was going to guide you on your cancer journey. Several years ago, there was just one kind of navigator and they tried to do the whole care path, but we at Wellstar recognize that there’s lots of pieces to people who could have cancer, people who are being tested for cancer, and those patients that actually have cancer. So we have screening navigators, we have diagnostic navigators, and we have actual care trajectory navigators, which are oncology nurse navigators. We have over 15 of those in our system and some of those specialize by tumor type and some of those are more generalized.

What they do is they actually bring the whole person into view during their care. It means if you have childcare or if you have your parents, that you're taking care of first, or that transportation is an issue, these navigators work with you and your provider as well as your payers, whether it’s insurance or if you don't have insurance, we try and get you on insurance — to be sure that those things that would affect your compliance to the plan of care, they're helping you resolve.

It’s great if you can come in for your treatment. But if your dog has to be walked at two o'clock every single day and your treatment starts at noon, then we need to help you get a dog walker. We need to help you link to resources. For years there have been resources out there that patients didn't even know to utilize. And so organizations have this money that’s sitting there trying to help patients, but no one to link them to it. Navigators link patients to community resources, to national resources. The American Cancer Society has this really great program that will offer patients free rides to go get their cancer care, and most patients don't even know about that. But you talk to the navigator and they're like, “Wait, I have them on speed dial” because they get to know what those resources are, and they can help patients keep their appointments and keep a total life balance.

When we look at that, what that does is it makes their care more effective because they're more compliant to the plan of care.

The other thing navigators do is to help timeliness of care. So if two providers talk and say “we're both going to go see Sally Sue,” or whoever your patient is, and they turn to the front desk and say, “be sure we get this patient on the schedule.” However, the front office staff may not be aware the appointment doesn't meet the latest benchmark for timely care. So what a nurse navigator does is say, “Wait, we have some timeliness to care parameters that we know are best practice.” And they work with that provider or that office to help expedite those appointments.

The best part of navigation is it really brought care back into the patient’s community. Patients didn't understand what was available to them in their community. They thought you had to go to an academic center in a large city that cost them lots of money because they had to stay in hotels or take a flight or go get a car, because there’s so many patients in the states that don't have valid transportation that can take them two hours away. Navigators help patients understand what’s available in their community and the care that they can receive. They can also link them to clinical trials, arrange for assisted lodging and help patients get the best care out there to survive their cancer.

We've also seen an uptick in clinical trials because the navigators say, “Do you remember when your doctor talked to you about clinical trials? Do we want to circle back on that? And do you want to go talk to your doctor again?" They're reinforcing that education.

Second opinions & local care

Rubinger: Let’s move to another topic: the second opinion. The second opinion might be local, but if you have the resources, it might be at Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson or Mayo. Is there less of that going on today because local providers are able to provide that level of confidence in what the care is going to be? Twenty years ago you would have maybe run to Houston.

McCune: I think people still do, but maybe for a different reason. I think they have more information and more knowledge and they're not just running to Houston, they're running to a specialist in Houston or New York or Atlanta. I say, “Hey, you're not stepping on my toes. I want you to get a second opinion. I can help you get that, more than just a cold phone call. Let me try to get you to the right person.”

At Wellstar, we do have Mayo Clinic Care Network e-consults available. That’s a pretty easy way to get a quick question answered if we need a specific answer or a second opinion without someone having to travel somewhere.

In addition to second opinions, we believe in collaborative care. We have groups of cancer experts who diagnose and plan treatments together in tumor boards so patients have the best outcomes. In Specialty Teams & Treatments (STAT) Clinics, multiple cancer specialists meet with the patients and their families in one place on one day to help them get questions answered. This helps them start treatment faster so they have better outcomes.

Centers: At Wellstar, 300 cancer specialists in our network can collaborate with each other. When they do request second opinion e-consults from the Mayo Clinic, it is free to patients which is a really nice thing because they usually have to pay for second opinions.

Rubinger: Kimberly, when I think of the Cancer Society, I think of the research dollars going to help cure cancer. But as we were talking earlier about how it helps with driving patients to treatment, the society’s partnerships with a Wellstar or other healthcare systems may be less well known. Can you address that?

Jackson: Collaboration is absolutely critical. So many cancer patients and their families are facing barriers and challenges that are too complex for just one organization to address on its own. To help overcome those barriers, we unite organizations in partnership to improve the lives of people facing cancer.

One example, we have Hope Lodges all over the country where individuals and a family member are able to stay for free and they're wonderful. It’s a great resource for our patients and their families.

Another example is we partner with Wellstar and other health systems in Georgia to provide those transportation grants that Nicole talked about and service to people who need it the most.

For some people with cancer, transportation is a challenge and it creates that barrier to receiving the treatment that they need. Many of them need daily or weekly treatment and often over the course of several months and the need was particularly pronounced during the pandemic. We were able to provide funding to 251 health systems across the country to alleviate that financial burden of transportation.

Another way we mobilize the cancer community on both the national and the local level is through our mission-critical roundtables. We're providing organizational leadership and expert support to multi-organizational roundtables focused on breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer, HPV vaccination and patient navigation. Each roundtable has a shared vision to support people to prevent and support and survive cancer. It’s a proven model close to home. Wellstar Health System was a key partner in launching our Georgia Lung Cancer Roundtable, whose primary goal is to improve screening rates and lung cancer outcomes.

Rubinger: Our society has come a long way in terms of reducing smoking. What are the trends in lung cancer that you're seeing? Does it primarily impact your older patients or is it across the age spectrum?

McCune: It can be any age and certainly there are people who are non-smokers who are much more likely to have a lung cancer that is driven by a single gene mutation and those are usually treatable with targeted therapy, which is typically an oral drug. So, in one sense, lung cancer is a disease of people who have smoked for a long time, 30 or 40 years. But it’s also a disease of nonsmokers. I do think people are generally smoking less. I remember people used to smoke in the pediatrician’s office when I was little. Things have changed dramatically.

There is a very active lung cancer screening program at Wellstar through the thoracic surgeons and the pulmonary physicians. It looks at people who have had some smoking history, who are typically at more risk for developing lung cancer. They'll have a low-dose screening CT scan, and we do see a number of lung cancers get discovered earlier. That’s a worthwhile initiative when something is surgically curable, as opposed to it’s gotten so advanced that people are having symptoms.

The pandemic impact – screenings & DEI

Rubinger: During the pandemic, I didn't see my doctors as often. None of us did. It was harder to access healthcare the way we did before. What has that done?

Centers: The pandemic did change us. A lot of screening procedures at the beginning of the pandemic were paused, but we were still able to quickly to return to those services. But the temporary delay made some patients think that screening wasn't as important as it once was. We really worked hard to get the message out there about the importance of early detection.

We use a lot of automated tools like our lung nodule software to help us identify nodules in patients who come into our system for other reasons and have those incidental findings. We also work with our church network here at Wellstar. We work with BLKHLTH in Atlanta, and there’s lots of healthcare organizations that are reaching out to their communities to get people back to screening.

We at Wellstar have made a very concerted effort to go back out and say, “We have kit testing that you don't have to come into the hospital to have done. You can do that at home. Let us help you get the kits.” We reopened our screening mammography centers with all the safety protocols in place. And then we called the patients and said, “Hey, you missed your cancer screening.”

We did see an initial dip because if you're not screening, you're not finding it, as cancer usually doesn't hurt. So most people don't know that there’s something in there growing. Now we're seeing patients come in with later stages, or more advanced tumors than we traditionally would have seen. That’s because of the lag in screening.

Rubinger: Kimberly, is this consistent with what you've been seeing?

Jackson: Yes it is. Early during the pandemic, cancer screening rates decreased dramatically and an estimated 35% of Americans missed routine cancer screening due to Covid-19-related fears and care disruptions when many facilities reduced or suspended services. Screening rates remain below historical averages. In addition to the coronavirus, top barriers to screening are that individuals have no symptoms, procrastination, lack of recommendation, cost, and no insurance. During the pandemic we worked with healthcare systems to address the issue as part of the “Get Screened” initiative. Through donor support, we were able to provide $2.2 million in grant funding to 77 health partners to implement quality improvement strategies to rapidly increase cancer screening rates and reduce the barriers that have been exacerbated through the pandemic. Wellstar was one of our partnering health systems in the Get Screened initiative. They were able to increase their breast cancer screening rate by 6.8 percentage points, which resulted in over 44,000 people in Georgia being up to date with their breast cancer screenings.

Rubinger: One of the crises in our society is the ability that people have to access care. When you think about those things from the DE&I perspective, where do we see the biggest challenges and where are the biggest opportunities?

Jackson: While the pandemic is shining a light on the issue, the reality is if we were focusing on having more diverse physicians, nurses, etcetera, if we were focused more on removing the barriers and investing more, we would have fewer people who are getting diagnosed at later stages, or, you know, unfortunately losing their lives to cancer. That’s a fact. There’s an opportunity right now that we cannot shy away from. The evidence is there to show the tie between the impact on an entire community by ensuring equitable health for all by focusing on the ones that need the most is actually equalizing and improving the health of the community itself.

Rubinger: I'm curious what role can the employer play?

Jackson: The employer, they have team members and staff that make up the community that we're seeking to serve. So what they can do immediately is educate the employees on the resources that are available on the prevention side. They can also make prevention a priority and establish norms of only offering healthy snacks, for example.

As well, they can encourage employees to go to their doctors, and also for the top leaders to serve on these boards and these councils of the hospitals and organizations like the American Cancer Society, to be aware and to stay ahead of the issues and to be informed and proactive about helping the community.

Centers: There’s really three ways to look at equitable care, and it’s not a one-path journey. First off, there’s a screening environment and the diagnostic environment, getting people to the services where they are and getting them access to care.

The second part is a mistrust of the healthcare system, which is ingrained in many of our societies across the U.S., so educating them to the safety parameters we have in place to ensure that all patients have equal access to care.

The third component is to teach our healthcare providers, be they nurses, medical assistants, physicians, about diversity and the things that happen to patients who maybe don't look like you, that walk through the door. What we know is, especially among our patients of color, that when they come in, sometimes their complaints aren't taken as seriously as others. We see that in the national studies.

What we have to do is educate our providers and our healthcare workers, but also educate our patients to say “you are your own best advocate.” If you go to a doctor and you're not getting the care that you think that you need or you deserve, then you can go to another place or else you can reach out to your patient advocates at the facility that you're going to. At Wellstar, we have invested a lot of time and energy into educating all staff so that all patients who walk through the door regardless of their social standing, regardless of what they look like, regardless of their history, are all treated equitably, and we do our best.

Rubinger: Dr. McCune, anything to add on that topic?

McCune: Yes. We have a diverse group of research coordinators, both African-American and native Spanish-speaking, so I do think there are opportunities to narrow some of those health gaps. I will say the pandemic across the board affected clinical trial enrollment, because there are typically more procedures like more CT scans that a person has to go through to go on a clinical trial, than just receive what we would call standard of care therapy. So across the board, that is something that has reduced clinical trial participation and that is starting to come back.

But I do think you have to meet people where they are. We obviously have a health system that covers some urban to rural areas in Georgia. One of the things that we're able to do is take clinical trials to people who are as far west as Carrollton, as far north as Cartersville, or closer to the Atlanta area in Marietta, Austell and Douglasville. We're expanding that research network as well.

Not everybody can drive two hours. Not everybody has a family member who can drive them when they're too sick. Access to care is a huge list of things that don't sound like much but a ride to the doctor’s office, a ride to a CT scan is the difference between someone getting care or not getting care. It’s things that seem little but are really not.

When you were talking about what can corporations do, I'll just say, it seems like most people’s experience is very dependent on whether the human resources person is nice to them. From the patient’s point of view, either “they're working with me and I can show up,” or “if I have a bad day, I can just stay home,” or “they fired me yesterday.” So maybe just a little bit of grace there. People have their federally mandated leave but they need more than that. They need a little attitude of caring or just going the extra mile, to help somebody get through their cancer treatment. They'll probably be a better employee and grateful if you treat them nicely.

Wellstar Urgent Care has locations in Evans, Grovetown and South Augusta, or you can use our Virtual Urgent Care.

Emergency Care

In a life-threatening medical emergency, every second counts. Never put off getting the proper care when lives are on the line. Remember, driving yourself to the Emergency Department (ED) may delay care, so call 911 for the fastest access to emergency care. 

When the unexpected happens, Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department is always ready. Our trained team provides expert emergency care 24 hours a day for people of all ages. At Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia, the dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department team is specially trained in treating children.

Recognize the signs of a medical emergency: 

• Fainting or loss of consciousness 
• Sudden, severe pain 
• Uncontrolled or severe bleeding 
• Choking, coughing up blood or severe vomiting 
• Changes in mental status, such as confusion or unusual behavior 
• Traumatic injury due to a motor vehicle or other accidents 
• Broken bones with an open wound

Remember, call 911 right away in a medical emergency. That way, care can begin sooner during the crucial time it takes to be transported to the hospital.

Some conditions, such as sports concussions or gout, may be best treated by a primary care or orthopedics clinician. Our Ortho-On-Demand team can refer you to other Wellstar locations if needed.

Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center has added and expanded cutting-edge services that can shorten treatment times and make cancer recovery more convenient and less stressful. These services include:

• CyberKnife, a non-invasive robotic system that focuses radiation treatment with precision
• STAT Clinics, where specialists collaborate on one day to evaluate a patient and plan cancer treatment
• Nurse navigators to guide patients to resources at Wellstar and in the community
• Expanded inpatient capacity and distinctive surgical specialties

“We have 100% of what patients need,” said Dr. Laura Pearson, a breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton. “We’ve blossomed in so many ways to treat different cancer types and have more services to offer our patients in this community.”

CyberKnife targets hard-to-treat tumors

Wellstar North Fulton was the second Wellstar location to receive a CyberKnife system. CyberKnife precisely targets cancerous and non-cancerous tumors. This minimizes damage to healthy tissue around tumors.

CyberKnife allows radiation oncologists to deliver “very high doses of radiation at a very small target,” said Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a radiation oncologist. This type of precise treatment is called radiosurgery.

Patients treated with CyberKnife typically have shorter treatment spans. For example, breast cancer patients undergoing conventional radiation might have four to six weeks of treatment, five days a week. With CyberKnife, patients may complete their treatment in just five days.

According to Dr. McLaughlin, another CyberKnife advantage is the machine’s ability to deliver targeted treatment even when a patient moves.

“For example, if a patient has breast cancer, she’ll be breathing during treatment. She has to breathe, of course, but with breathing, the tumor volume or target volume is constantly changing. The CyberKnife allows us to track and move the machine (to target the tumor) in real time,” he said.

Providers collaborate to diagnose and begin treatment without delay

Wellstar North Fulton also has STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatments, for many types of cancer, including breast, head and neck, brain and spine, and lung.

Dr. Pearson described STAT Clinics as a “one-stop shop where patients meet all the people who will be part of the cancer team in one day: surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, potentially plastic surgeons and genetics experts, if that’s appropriate.”

Patients and their families appreciate not making multiple trips or trying to piece together a treatment plan. They’re also comforted to see the communication among everyone involved in their care, she noted.

Cancer nurse navigators map the road to treatment and recovery

A cancer diagnosis can leave patients and their families feeling shocked, scared and unsure of where to turn. Nurse navigators help patients get their bearings by:

• Answering questions about treatment and scheduling appointments
• Connecting patients and families to community resources for transportation, nutrition, financial support and more
• Helping with insurance questions
• Providing emotional support during a difficult time

“These navigators are so approachable and warm,” Dr. Pearson said. “In the cancer program, we try to give patients points of contact and information. We never want them to feel like they’re out there on their own.”

Distinctive specialties and expanded inpatient capacity

Wellstar North Fulton has added beds for post-surgical cancer patients who need an overnight hospital stay. The medical center’s intensive care unit (ICU) is also tailored to care for cancer patients’ needs.

“For our more complicated cases, like colorectal or prostate patients, it allows us to make sure we have the space and the resources for them to get the care they need while they’re recovering,” Dr. Pearson said.

“Neurosurgery has expanded its footprint too. We not only treat brain tumors, but we also do a lot of vascular and neurovascular procedures,” Dr. McLaughlin said. “We’re doing some very high-tech things.”

Added Dr. Pearson: “I’m so proud of how we’ve brought this all to the North Fulton community. Patients don’t have to feel like they have to leave the area to get the expert care they need.”

Learn more about Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center.;

When it comes to getting high-quality care for your heart, you can count on Wellstar.

Because we know heart health is an essential part of overall wellness, we offer leading expertise, innovative treatments and compassionate care to protect your cardiovascular health.

From heart attacks and rehabilitation to cardiac surgery and psychological support, your heart is in expert hands at Wellstar.

High-tech heart treatments

With the largest network of certified Emergency Cardiac Care Centers (ECCC) in Georgia, Wellstar ensures world-class heart care is never far away.

Our cardiovascular experts are ready to treat patients at the first signs of a heart attack. We use high-tech equipment—including electrocardiograms (EKG), chest X-rays and cardiac catheterization—to diagnose heart attacks quickly.

Getting the right care can minimize or even prevent heart damage. That’s why Wellstar relies on the most advanced treatments, such as Shockwave technology, medicines and life-saving cardiac surgery, to effectively prevent and treat heart attacks as fast as possible.

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center has a cardiac hybrid operating room, bringing a catheterization lab and surgery suite together in one place. With catheter-based procedures, our interventional cardiologists can provide expert, minimally invasive heart attack care.

We also perform structural heart procedures, including valve repairs and replacements, along with cardiac surgery and electrophysiology procedures that can determine the cause of heart rhythm problems.

At Wellstar, we don’t just treat heart conditions when they happen. Our providers also offer world-class preventative care, helping people like Latoya Jordan catch chronic conditions—such as high blood pressure—at the very start.

The Wellstar Comprehensive Aortic Program provides treatment for people with emergency and non-emergency diseases of the aorta. We offer cutting-edge procedures and devices to diagnose, monitor and repair all types of aneurysms. From screening to treatment, our team uses a coordinated approach to care which includes comprehensive diagnostic testing. When urgent care is warranted, we can treat aortic emergencies quickly.

Care that never skips a beat

If an on-going heart condition, such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), is keeping you down, Wellstar has a team of experts who can help.

When Frank Ryan’s heart had trouble keeping pace and kept him from playing the tuba, he felt off-beat in everyday life. After getting specialized care at Wellstar, he’s back in the band again.

Wellstar Cardiac Electrophysiologist Dr. Narendra Kanuru shared state-of-the-art treatments available for heart rhythm disorders.

“Along with advanced medical therapies, we have numerous interventional or surgical therapies, including pacemakers, defibrillators and other advanced cardiac devices as well as cardiac catheter ablation,” Dr. Kanuru said.

Cardiac catheter ablation is a non-surgical procedure available at Wellstar that helps restore a regular heart rhythm by blocking abnormal electrical signals.

With the latest advances in electrophysiology at Wellstar, we’re keeping hearts going strong.

Hope for heart failure

Wellstar also provides expert care for people with congestive heart failure like Bow Matthews. The husband and father-of-two found support from our Heart Failure Academy and learned how to take care of his well-being for the long haul.

To help prevent heart failure flare-ups, Wellstar offers a remote heart monitoring technology that provides real-time health information to our providers.

“With heart failure, as with all health issues, it’s best to take preventative action and stop problems from occurring,” said Dr. Hans Lee, medical director for the Wellstar congestive heart failure program. “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.”

For those whose hearts need extra assistance like Mike Clements, a left ventricular assistance device (LVAD) can be a game-changer. An LVAD is a battery-powered pump that is surgically implanted to help the heart more effectively pump blood.

"An LVAD gives patients with severe heart failure the opportunity to get their lives back,” said Dr. Brian Howard, medical director of the advanced heart failure and LVAD program at Wellstar Kennestone. “These life-saving devices are powerful enough to take over for the failing heart. They allow patients to enjoy life with their loved ones as they await a heart transplant, and in some cases, they even serve as an alternate to a heart transplant entirely.”

At the Heart Failure Clinic at Wellstar Cobb Medical Center and the Advanced Heart Failure Program at Wellstar Kennestone, trained experts provide specialized care for those with heart failure and LVAD implants, helping to improve quality of life.

After Mike received his LVAD implant, he was able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding. Thanks to advanced technology available at Wellstar, patients with heart failure can keep doing what matters most.

Specialized support services

Wellstar has dedicated resources to help people with cardiac conditions find support.

Following a medical event like a heart attack or other serious cardiac problem, Wellstar offers cardiac rehabilitation to get people back on track.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically monitored program that provides education, support and lifestyle modifications. Our team helps you learn heart-healthy behaviors and lower your risk for future heart issues.

However, we understand health journeys aren’t just about physical healing. Dealing with heart issues can also cause many difficult mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.

“At Wellstar, we wanted to build out a program just for our cardiovascular patients because behavioral health and cardiac health are really closely connected,” said Dr. Shawn Coyne, Wellstar director of health psychology and cardiac psychologist. “In fact, cardiac patients are three times more likely to be depressed than the general population.”

After living with three chronic heart conditions for years, John Petrick found solace in meeting with a Wellstar cardiac psychologist. Now, he’s learned new coping skills and how to prioritize his mental well-being.

With support services at the ready, patients with complex conditions can better understand themselves and their overall health.

Care to keep your heart healthy

No matter what your cardiovascular concerns may be, Wellstar is dedicated to helping people with heart conditions live life to the fullest.

Learn more about how Wellstar is protecting heart health in Georgia, and how you can take control of your cardiovascular health.

This article was originally published on Atlanta Business Chronicle on April 12, 2024.

Orthopedic care has evolved from injury treatment and corrective surgery into a critical component of modern healthcare. As primary care remains foundational in managing overall health, the demand for orthopedic services has surged, reflecting changing lifestyles, demographics and expectations. In any given year, 12% to 14% of the adult population will visit their physician for back pain, according to the United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI).

Against this backdrop of widespread musculoskeletal issues, Wellstar recently convened with the Atlanta Business Chronicle for a panel discussion to delve into the changing landscape of orthopedic care. This insightful forum explored key trends, challenges and innovations shaping the field, with leading healthcare professionals offering valuable perspectives. These discussions unraveled the complexities of orthopedic care, ranging from preventive strategies to cutting-edge treatments. Among the panelists was Steve Quehl, a former college football player for Notre Dame, who started as a tight end before transitioning to a center. Other panelists were Dr. Hodari Brooks, orthopedic surgeon, Wellstar Health System; Dr. Joseph Burns, chief musculoskeletal officer, Wellstar Health System; Dr. Timothy Oswald, pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Wellstar Pediatric Orthopedics. Moderator was David Rubinger, market president and publisher, Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The rise of orthopedics and interventions

David Rubinger:  There’s an uptick in the demand for orthopedic services and these specialists have become increasingly essential to healthcare. What societal changes drive this heightened need for specialized ortho care?

Dr. Joseph Burns: We’re facing an aging population alongside a growing desire for an active, pain-free lifestyle. In the past, individuals had to endure their limitations and pain for life. Today, people have more options. Technology, techniques and training advancements now provide surgical alternatives that significantly enhance quality of life well beyond middle age. 

Wellstar conducts numerous community campaigns through various channels, including community events, the media and in our offices and hospitals, highlighting the value of maintaining health and establishing a relationship with a primary care physician.

Dr. Hodari Brooks: Societal changes for both our youth as well as adults have resulted in the increased need for orthopedic care. Physical activity has decreased, with fewer kids participating in physical education. This leads to more injuries related to obesity and lack of activity. The need for joint replacements is soaring, driven by both baby boomers aging and younger individuals seeking treatment earlier. Half of my practice is caring for patients under 55, a shift from when people would wait years for treatment. Now, we prioritize improving quality of life sooner rather than later.

Patients, including those seeking joint replacements, are opting for earlier interventions. They are less inclined to wait for treatment, indicating a shift within the healthcare system towards promptly addressing patient needs.

Rubinger: What new injury trends are emerging in sports due to changing physical activity patterns, especially with the rise of extreme sports and diverse workout routines?

Dr. Burns: The rise in overuse injuries among our younger population is disheartening. Young athletes don’t diversify their sports as they once did, leading to year-round specialization and an increased risk of injury. This relentless pursuit of success often comes at the cost of rest and diversity in physical activities.

We’re also encountering complex medical issues that require specialized treatment, reflecting both advancements in medical care and the aging population’s evolving healthcare needs. Conditions once considered untreatable are now within our reach, marking a significant shift in the scope of orthopedic care over the years.

Rubinger: Dr. Oswald, as a pediatric orthopedic specialist, have you frequently observed the concept of subspecialization and the decline in diversification among young athletes?

Dr. Timothy Oswald: It’s a significant area of concern for us, and we’re conducting more research. Recent studies have highlighted the insufficient breaks and rest periods given to children, as well as the trend of starting high-level athletics too young, which aligns with the issue of subspecialization. Kids are not miniature adults. Their orthopedic stresses differ due to growth plates and differing stress responses.

We’re educating the community, including coaches and parents, about the importance of rest periods during training through channels like social media. We aim to implement better training methods so young athletes can continue playing into their college years, as we’re noticing a concerning trend where many high-level athletes quit sports as early as eighth grade.

Rubinger: Steve, as a former college athlete yourself, what’s your observation of the sports world’s changes regarding how injuries are approached, especially compared to when we were younger?

Steve Quehl: I view this issue through the lens of my grandchildren and their friends, and I agree with the insights shared by these doctors. Their perspectives must influence parents’ decisions, particularly regarding the early specialization trend. Parents often have unrealistic expectations of their children becoming professional athletes, which can lead to overtraining and injuries. Kids should have a balanced approach to sports. I’m grateful my daughters chose activities like swimming over contact sports for their children, considering the risks to growing bones and muscles.

Prior to my enrollment at Notre Dame, I appreciated the joy of playing multiple sports during each season for fun, without the pressure of turning it into a professional pursuit.

Efficient outpatient care benefits

Rubinger: I’ve noticed remarkable changes in my lifetime regarding the duration of procedures and the efficiency of hospital stays or visits to outpatient surgery centers. I’m curious about your perspective on this shift away from extended hospital stays. Do you believe it’s ultimately beneficial or detrimental to patients? What are your thoughts on this evolution of the time spent in hospitals or surgery centers?

Dr. Brooks: There’s been a significant shift in the duration of hospital stays, especially concerning joint procedures. In the past, patients would typically spend several days in the hospital before and after surgery. In my practice, around 90% of primary joint patients can return home the same day, which is remarkable. This change is not only due to patient preferences for quicker recovery but also has medical benefits, such as reducing the risk of infection. Outpatient joint replacement is not done everywhere, however, and it is important to discuss this option with your individual surgeon.

Insurance companies have started incentivizing shorter hospital stays. While this trend has clear advantages, it also comes with challenges, such as pressure to discharge patients quickly. The ability to expedite recovery and minimize specific complications is a positive development I believe will continue.

Rubinger: Do we have data showing a decrease in complications due to the trend of shorter hospital stays, particularly for joint procedures?

Dr. Burns: Evidence indicates improved outcomes for outpatient procedures, with data supporting this trend. The shift involves a comprehensive approach beyond simply performing the surgery and discharging the patient. It requires a multidisciplinary effort, with investments in establishing preoperative optimization programs, patient education classes and a coordinated team approach on the day of surgery.

Patients undergo physical therapy before returning home, but the care doesn’t stop there. We must ensure effective pain management, minimize infection risks and create a safe home environment to support their recovery. This process goes beyond safely discharging patients. It’s about ensuring their complete and safe recovery. I’m proud of the extensive teamwork and complex processes that Wellstar has implemented to support these programs.

Quehl: When it was time to correct my right shoulder this past year, I went in the morning and came back home in the evening. Dr. Burns assured me that I’d be home the same day, and it was a wonderful experience. I didn’t want any overnight stays. It was well-planned and executed, with proper anticipation and expectations set. The follow-up was excellent, too.

Dr. Brooks: Patients are shocked or hesitant when I inform them that they’ll go home the same day. It’s about managing expectations and explaining the benefits, especially as it relates to improved outcomes. Involvement in these programs gives physicians more control over the process. It’s a serious undertaking but rewarding because we can provide more input, especially in an outpatient setting. Collaboration with anesthesia colleagues has improved, particularly with techniques like regional blocks, as patients need to be up and about after surgery. Almost universally in my experience, patients prefer their outpatient surgical experience to any previous hospital stays.

Multimodal pain management success

Rubinger: This leads me to my next question regarding opioids and pharmacology. Has pharmacology evolved over the last decade to improve patient treatment?

Dr. Burns: Most of us are employing what we refer to as multimodal pain control, which involves a process aimed at sparing, if not entirely eliminating, the need for opioids as a primary method of pain management. By utilizing different medications that target distinct pain receptors, we can effectively manage pain while minimizing potential side effects that may arise from relying solely on opioids or multiple doses of the same medication. Advancements in regional blocks, administered by anesthesiologists, allow injections that can provide numbing effects in the affected areas for several days, alleviating initial post-operative pain and reducing patients’ overall need for pain medication over time.

Dr. Oswald: The opioid crisis in the greater Atlanta area is a significant concern for both children and adults, and it’s something we’re all acutely aware of. We’ve initiated extensive research efforts at Wellstar to address this issue and lead advancements in pain management that don’t rely on narcotics. Similar to the approach described in the total joint experience, we’ve been observing this trend for some time now, even in pediatric cases.

When I trained for pediatric spine surgery 20 years ago, patients stayed in the hospital for at least a week post-surgery. By implementing multimodal approaches, we’ve managed to reduce narcotic use by nearly 90% while also transitioning from a week-long hospital stay to just a 23-hour observation period for certain procedures.

Patient satisfaction is higher with these approaches, directly correlating with their overall experience. Are we expediting discharge solely for the sake of pushing people out? Actually, no. It’s about ensuring patients feel empowered in their recovery process, with their pain managed effectively, and their ability to return to the quality of life they desire. These patient-centered care programs optimize outcomes and enhance the overall healthcare experience.

Wellstar’s Comprehensive Aortic Program has identified thousands of hidden aneurysms in the past two years. The goal of the program is to help people before their conditions become life-threatening.

Aortic aneurysms are bulges in the body’s largest blood vessel. They can burst and cause severe damage or death if they become too big. Unfortunately, most people never know they have one because they are typically asymptomatic until they rupture.

However, the aortic experts at Wellstar found a way to help people before they have an emergency.

“When patients have CT scans at Wellstar for other reasons, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through them and find images of someone who may have aneurysm,” said Wellstar Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. James Ryan Burke. “That allows us to proactively contact them and bring them in if appropriate for evaluation to discuss that diagnosis.”

Since the program launch in July 2022, more than 4,700 people with aneurysms have been placed under surveillance—a protocol to monitor people who have a risk. Surveillance allows people to avoid undergoing unnecessary surgery but to know when the aneurysm grows larger and becomes a greater concern.

For people who had large, potentially life-threatening aneurysms, cardiovascular surgeons and vascular surgeons performed more than 700 advanced procedures at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center since the program began.

“These are major cardiac operations only performed in centers that offer complex aortic surgery,” Dr. Burke said. “The outcomes are best when done in experienced centers that do a high volume of procedures, like Wellstar Kennestone.”

Patient-centered aortic care

“This program is very patient-oriented. We have an excellent team of dedicated physicians at Wellstar to accomplish our mission and I think it’s very beneficial for both patients and physicians,” said Vascular Surgeon Dr. Michael Corey.

The aortic program at Wellstar provides a higher level of aortic care than a patient would typically find in a local hospital. What makes the program unique is:

• The multispecialty team of aortic experts working together
• The cutting-edge AI technology used to identify patients who are unaware they have an aneurysm
• A high-tech hybrid operating room (OR) for open or minimally invasive procedures
• The latest surgical techniques and technology
• A high volume of procedures performed

“The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It runs from the heart, through the chest and abdomen and down to the legs,” said Dr. Burke. “When you have a disease process involving the aorta, it requires multiple specialties.”

Wellstar’s specialized aortic team includes cardiovascular surgeons, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

There is also a cardiac hybrid OR that brings a catheterization lab and surgery suite together in one space, making aortic aneurysm treatment more efficient and encouraging collaboration between our expert providers.

“The hybrid OR is a state-of-the-art, innovative, open operating room where patients can receive complex aortic reconstructions—procedures that have open surgery components to them—as well as endovascular (or minimally invasive) aortic reconstructions. This all can take place in one nice operating room,” Dr. Corey said.

The aortic program is part of a larger heart care program at Wellstar, based at Wellstar Kennestone, the first in Georgia and the fourth in the nation to receive Comprehensive Cardiac Care Center Certification by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association. This is the highest certification in cardiovascular care.

Learn more or schedule an appointment with an aortic disease specialist.