Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Wins Best in Real Estate Award
Wellstar Kennestone Emergency Department recognized for top deal in Atlanta commercial real estate
Published on April 15, 2021
Last updated 04:53 PM April 15, 2021
Tags
Kennestone Regional Medical Center Emergency Medicine KH - Emergency DepartmentMedia Room Emergency Care
Read related articles
Newsroom
Improving Health Through Collaboration: Health Connect South 2024
Each year, leaders and innovators from across the Southeast come together at Health Connect South to discuss the health needs of our communities and how local systems and organizations can collaborate to address these needs. This year's event, held on September 18 at the Georgia Aquarium, convened healthcare, finance and community leaders to discuss shared solutions for challenges like healthcare accessibility, workforce shortages and health outcomes.
During a panel discussion with other healthcare leaders, Wellstar Health System President and CEO Candice L. Saunders explained how healthcare collaborations can improve access to care and workforce development, and the importance of leveraging technology and innovation to improve the lives of our communities.
"As we look at the future of healthcare, where we're going, what's happening in the healthcare industry from an overall cultural transformation and all the other opportunities and challenges that we face, we see a different future for healthcare— one that is much more holistic, more proactive," said Saunders.
Wellstar knows the importance of collaboration and has long worked with community partners and local systems to enhance the health and well-being of every person it serves across the region.
Last August, Wellstar announced a partnership with the University System of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta to create Wellstar MCG Health. The organizations' shared vision for effectively addressing the unique needs of people and communities across Georgia has inspired several programs and initiatives to expand access to care and develop the healthcare workforce of the future.
"As we focus on our biggest problems and opportunities, we must use technology, including AI, to augment care and help our caregivers. But we also want to make sure we can make it more human. We can't forget the important human connection in health care, which we all need to protect," she continued.
Saunders also shared how leveraging innovative technology to advance telehealth has presented significant opportunities for Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health to reach patients and clinicians in every corner of the state. Through the Rural Hospital Virtual Care Network, pioneered by Augusta University Health, rural hospitals can receive support from local systems like Wellstar for particularly challenging procedures. The network also helps address significant health disparities across rural Georgia, such as maternal and cardiovascular health.
The panelists also discussed the issue of recruiting and retaining clinicians to address the shortages health systems and hospitals have faced in recent years. According to the federal Health Resources Service Administration, Georgia currently has 21% fewer registered nurses than the state needs. The state is expected to see the second-highest shortage in the country by 2035. That's why, as Saunders shared, the Wellstar College of Nursing at Kennesaw State University, in partnership with Wellstar, is working to double the number of students in the next four years, ensuring a strong pipeline of new nurses to address the shortages we continue to see.
"You must have partners; the health systems cannot do this alone. And how do we help people continue to learn and grow? We know that it is not only really good for patient care but also good for business," Saunders continued.
Through Wellstar's partnership with MCG and other state medical colleges and universities, work is underway to expand residency programs to educate hundreds of future clinicians statewide. Students at MCG will also be trained to use Epic, ensuring they are prepared to use the latest digital tools as technology continues to evolve and drive innovation in care delivery.
Wellstar team members also have significant opportunities for professional development and advancement, such as the CareerCare program, which provides funding for tuition in select healthcare career pathways and expands professional development, education and growth opportunities.
Wellstar is proud to partner with organizations across the state to meet Georgians' healthcare needs now and for years to come. Together, these organizations can create the healthcare workforce of the future, leverage technology to increase affordability and accessibility of care, and improve the health of the patients and communities they serve.
Newsroom
Wellstar MCG Health, Doctors Hospital, Piedmont Augusta, and VA Unite in New Healthcare Leadership Council
Leading healthcare institutions in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) have joined forces to enhance collaboration and address critical healthcare needs in the region. The inaugural meeting of the CSRA Healthcare Leadership Council convened Dec. 12, 2023.
Comprising the top executives from the area’s foremost hospitals, the council includes Ralph Turner, president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center; Joanna Conley, chief executive officer of Doctors Hospital; Lily Henson, chief executive officer of Piedmont Augusta; and Robin Jackson, medical center director of the VA Augusta Health Care System.
Wellstar MCG Health’s Ralph Turner emphasized the significance of collaboration among healthcare leaders. “Sometimes there’s a focus on competition among hospitals, but we have a common goal of wanting to take care of the people in our community.”
Joanna Conley added: “At Doctors Hospital, our mission is that, above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. By convening regularly, we can strengthen our partnership and elevate the level of care across the CSRA.”
Robin Jackson of VA Augusta Health Care System said the council is about sharing resources, knowledge and best practices. “Quality healthcare doesn’t happen in isolation. It starts with partnership. The communication and collaboration coming out of the CSRA Healthcare Leadership Council will only strengthen the quality of care we deliver to local veterans and the wider community.”
The group’s monthly meetings will focus on recurring topics such as community health and emergency preparedness for the area.
“Piedmont Augsuta is creating real change across Georgia, in part through partnerships that empower our communities with education and access to seamless, hassle-free, high-quality care,” said Lily Henson. “By embracing the future and exemplifying teamwork and connections, we can make a positive difference in every life we touch.”
The council’s monthly meetings will rotate among participating facilities, fostering inclusivity and equitable engagement. These gatherings will serve as forums for discussing pressing healthcare issues and identifying collaborative opportunities to enhance patient care and community well-being.
Newsroom
Hyundai Hope on Wheels Awards $400,000 Grant for Pediatric Cancer Research at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center & Children's Hospital
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Aug. 8, 2024) – With courage that belies her 15 years, Harper Mathis stepped to the podium at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia and spoke to visitors from Hyundai, Wellstar Health System, Wellstar Children’s, Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center and Augusta University. When she finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
“This is my second chance at life,” she told them. “Without this trial, I don’t know if I would be here today. I just got the best MRI I’ve gotten in a while.”
On Thursday, Harper and other patients at Wellstar Children’s made their mark for kids battling cancer across the country by pressing their paint-covered hands onto white stickers, which were then placed on a new white Hyundai Santa Fe. The effect is a custom handprinted paint job to commemorate Hyundai Hope on Wheels’ $400,000 grant for pediatric cancer research.
Each year, Hyundai Hope on Wheels visits children’s hospitals across the U.S. to donate a two-year Scholar Hope grant to researchers working to improve outcomes and treatments for children diagnosed with cancer. The annual event also raises awareness for pediatric cancer research.
The $400,000 Scholar Hope grant will fund Dr. Ted Johnson’s research project titled, “Novel measurement of molecular immune activation to predict response to pediatric immunotherapy.” Dr. Johnson is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Wellstar Children’s and co-director of the Pediatric Immunotherapy Program at Wellstar Children’s and Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center.
Dr. Johnson and his research team are working to define the mechanisms that suppress the body’s immune response and allow tumor survival, so they can identify ways to counteract those processes and fortify the immune system to fight the tumor instead.
“This grant represents another critical pledge in our fight against pediatric brain tumors,” Dr. Johnson said. “This investigation is important because the more we understand about how these tumors quietly advance, the closer we will get to developing better treatments and therapies. This could positively impact care for children with brain tumors by improving their quality of life.”
This is the fourth Hyundai grant awarded to Dr. Johnson, who has received a total of $925,000 in Hope on Wheels funding since 2011 for his pediatric immunotherapy studies. The current Scholar Hope grant will fund research to measure the immune system’s activation and response to pediatric immunotherapy.
Harper and her family, who are from Michigan, have spent nearly six months at Wellstar Children’s to participate in the study.
“It means the world to me that Dr. Johnson has made his life all about this trial because I needed it so badly and so do other kids,” Harper said. “So many people don’t understand how meaningful this all is and how grateful and thankful we are."
Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a nonprofit organization committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. The organization provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives.
We use cookies for booking and general analytics. Learn more about or internet privacy policy.