Northeast Georgia Health System’s (NGHS) commitment to giving patients the highest-quality care for heart failure, stroke, diabetes and more is earning national recognition.

The American Heart Association recently presented the system’s Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) hospitals with 17 awards through the national Get With The Guidelines program honoring excellence in quality improvement, which leads to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

“NGHS is committed to improving care and streamlining processes to lead the way in providing timely and high-quality care for heart attacks and strokes,” said Vik Reddy, MD, chief medical officer for NGHS. “The Get With The Guidelines program makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more people in the communities we serve experience longer, healthier lives.”

NGMC hospitals received the following awards from the American Heart Association:

• Get With the Guidelines: Gold Plus Achievement — Heart Failure (Braselton, Gainesville)
• Get With the Guidelines: Gold Plus Achievement — Stroke (Barrow, Braselton, Gainesville and Habersham)
• Get With the Guidelines: Silver Plus Achievement — Neonatal/Infant Resuscitation (Gainesville)
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus (Gainesville, Habersham)
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite (Braselton)
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll (Barrow)
• Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy (Gainesville)
• Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll (Braselton, Gainesville)
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (Barrow, Braselton and Gainesville)

The Get With The Guidelines quality achievement awards are earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association. The program aims to increase healthy days at home and reduce hospital readmissions.

The Get With the Guidelines – Resuscitation recognition underscores NGMC’s commitment to providing the highest standard of care for some of its most vulnerable patients: newborns and infants. NGMC has implemented a range of advanced protocols and training programs aimed at ensuring rapid and effective resuscitation for newborns and infants who require it.

Hospitals on the Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll meet specific criteria that improve medication adherence, provide early follow-up care and coordination, and enhance patient education. The goal is to further reduce hospital readmissions and help patients improve their quality of life in managing this chronic condition. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart disease or stroke.

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ABOUT NORTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM

Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team cares for more than 1 million people across the region through five hospitals and a variety of outpatient locations. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has campuses in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest – with a total of more than 960 beds and more than 1,400 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.

ABOUT NORTHEAST GEORGIA MEDICAL CENTER

Since 1951, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has been on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. With hospitals located in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest, the five NGMC campuses have a total of more than 960 beds and more than 1,400 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties. NGMC is part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit that cares for more than one million people across more than 19 counties. Learn more at nghs.com.

Vitruvian Health (formerly Hamilton Health Care System) Completes Acquisi;on of Tennova Healthcare – Cleveland 2:16 pm

St. Mary’s Hospital has been named by U.S. News & World Report to its 2024-2025 Best Hospitals as a High Performing hospital for heart attack, stroke, hip replacement and knee replacement. This is the highest distinction a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings.

The annual Procedures & Conditions ratings are designed to assist patients and their health care providers in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures. This is the second year in a row that U.S. News & World Report has named St. Mary’s as a High Performing hospital for these four conditions and procedures.

“Patient safety, quality and experience are our top priorities,” said Stonish Pierce, President and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s Hospital.

“Being recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital for two years in a row reflects the tremendous dedication and commitment of our staff and medical staff to delivering quality care to our patients 24/7/365,” Pierce continued. “Our patients can have confidence that they are in good hands at St. Mary’s.”

U.S. News evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions. Hospitals awarded a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, level of nursing care and patient experience.

“For 35 years, U.S. News has been a leading resource for patients navigating their health care decisions,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “The ‘High Performing’ designation acknowledges hospitals that consistently deliver high-quality care for specific medical procedures and conditions. This recognition highlights their expertise and commitment to patient well-being.”

To calculate the Best Hospitals rankings, U.S. News evaluated each hospital’s performance on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals Specialty rankings methodology and Procedures & Conditions ratings methodology measure patient outcomes using data from millions of records provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This year, among other methodology refinements, U.S. News incorporated new data on care provided to patients with Medicare Advantage insurance and on care provided to outpatients, nearly doubling the number of patients included in its annual data analysis. The Procedures & Conditions ratings are based entirely on objective quality measures.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).

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About St. Mary’s Hospital

St. Mary’s Hospital is a faith-based, not-for-profit community hospital that has served Athens and Northeast Georgia for more than 117 years. As part of St. Mary’s Health Care System and Trinity Health, the third largest not-for-profit health system in the U.S., its mission is to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence in the communities it serves. St. Mary’s Hospital is a certified chest pain center, a gold-plus hospital for stroke care, and has a special focus on neurosciences, orthopedics, cardiac care, general medicine/general surgery, and women’s and children’s health.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A  multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and  guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Residents in Dahlonega, Dawsonville and surrounding communities have a new hospital for emergency and inpatient care – and can now have surgery close to home, too. The new Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Lumpkin hospital treated its first patients early this morning.

The first patient arrived in the emergency department at 7:18 this morning. Heather Hughes, of Dahlonega, was treated by emergency medicine physician Kristin Halligan, MD, for an ear complaint. Hughes was released around 7:40 a.m.

“I’m so proud to start this new chapter for Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS),” said Kevin Matson, vice president of regional hospitals for NGHS. “Everything has gone smoothly today, all because so many people have been planning for this for years. Now, I’m looking forward to our first surgery scheduled for Thursday.”

NGHS moved NGMC Lumpkin from the old Chestatee Regional Hospital building on Mountain Drive to its new home along Georgia 400, just south of Highway 60, which is easier to access. The single-story, 66,000-square-foot building is located at 495 GA-400 in Dahlonega. Services include 24/7 emergency care, advanced surgery, inpatient care and on-site imaging, lab and pharmacy support.

Surgeons with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group will provide orthopedic surgery at NGMC Lumpkin starting this week. In the following months, the types of surgery offered will expand to include gynecologic and general surgery as well.

It’s estimated that more than 1,500 people attended a grand opening celebration at the new hospital on Saturday, April 13. The emergency department, inpatient rooms, operating rooms, procedural suite, Jackson EMC Community Room, Marie Webb Faulkner Memorial Chapel, café and dining area were open for tours.

“The response to the grand opening was overwhelmingly positive and far exceeded the number of people we expected, which we know led to some challenges with parking and concessions,” Matson said. “We take that as a sign of how much our services are needed in this community, and we look forward to caring for anyone who comes through our doors.”

After being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, NGMC Lumpkin was built on 53 acres, which includes plenty of space for future expansion to grow along with the surrounding population

“We couldn’t be more excited to have this hospital complete,” said Carol Burrell, president and CEO of NGHS. “We have dreamed of a brand-new hospital here to serve this beautiful community for so long, and I hope people will agree it was worth the wait.”

The NGMC Lumpkin campus backs up to the Chestatee River, and that tie to nature has been incorporated inside the hospital, thanks to the work of three local artists: Lily Payne, an open impressionism landscape artist based in Dahlonega; Deb Nadelhoffer, a landscape artist from Dawsonville; and Anna Elrod, a potter from Dahlonega. Their art was selected to be featured near the hospital’s main entrance, bringing the spirit of the surrounding landscape indoors.

“Of all the great things I’ve been blessed to participate in through serving in an elected office, I may be most proud of the group that came together to save health care in Lumpkin County – including Northeast Georgia Health System,” said Sen. Steve Gooch, who spoke during the grand opening celebration. “I’m looking forward to seeing this campus continue to grow and be a beacon of hope and healing.”

To learn more or find a surgeon operating at NGMC Lumpkin, visit nghs.com/lumpkin.

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SGMC Health is the newest clinical campus for Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM). Beginning this Summer, SGMC Health will welcome its first class of third- and fourth-year medical students.

According to Mercer, the goal of developing a clinical site in Valdosta is to allow medical students to experience the high-quality care offered by a tertiary medical center that serves rural communities. MUSM only admits Georgia residents and favors students from rural areas. Opening a clinical site in Valdosta expands the School’s reach to a critical medically underserved region.

Clerkship Directors are responsible for guiding clinical curriculum and rotations at SGMC Health include Meghan Gallagher, DO (Internal Medicine); Brian Griner, MD (Pediatrics); Anthony Johnson, MD (Family Medicine); Paresh Thanki, MD (Psychiatry); Ene Grace Morgan, MD (OBGYN); and James Davis, MD (Surgery).

SGMC Health President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald E. Dean shared, “SGMC Health is very proud of our partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to partner in the development of the MUSM Valdosta clinical campus.”

SGMC Health and MUSM’s partnership began in 2020 with the establishment of an ACGME-accredited internal medicine residency program. Since its first class the program has been fully matched and now hosts 24 interns.

“What began as a strategic affiliation to develop residency training programs at SGMC Health has given way to an even greater opportunity to expand the pipeline of well-trained physicians for South Georgia. The dedication of our medical staff, employees and volunteers to support this endeavor is commendable and will shape the physician work force for our health system for years to come.”

The MUSM Valdosta campus will be located in a dedicated Medical Education Unit within the main campus at 2501 N Patterson Street. Beginning in July 2024, the site will offer all required clerkships and electives of Year 3, as well as the sub-internship, elective, and required elective rotations for Year 4 of the MD program. SGMC has a 15-county service area, much of which is rural so this affiliation offers an opportunity to advance the mission of MUSM by adding more rural clinical experiences to the clerkship and post-clerkship phases.

“Mercer University School of Medicine is honored to partner with SGMC Health,” stated Dr. Jean Sumner, dean of School of Medicine. “The opportunity to partner with SGMC gives our students a chance to experience a comprehensive rural hospital environment with excellent physicians, other highly trained professionals and the latest equipment and technology. Also, the spirit of commitment to the region and the patients who use SGMC’s services is impressive. Our students are all from Georgia and many are from south Georgia. Our expectation is with this experience they will choose to stay in the region to practice.”

MUSM graduate Joseph Hayes, MD, and current Designated Institutional Official at SGMC, will lead the Valdosta campus as associate dean. Dr. Hayes shared, “We are proud to take this next step in supporting and propelling medical education in South Georgia. SGMC Health has assembled an esteemed team of faculty who truly considers it an honor to serve in this capacity, inspiring and leading our next generation of doctors.”

Amari Evans is a rising third-year medical student from Valdosta and will be transferring from the MUSM Columbus campus to complete her medical education at the new clinical site within SGMC Health.

“My first job in healthcare was at SGMC Health as a medical scribe in the emergency department, so this is a full-circle moment for me. I am very excited to be able to complete my clinical years in Valdosta and to serve the community that has raised me,” said Evans. “Having a clinical campus in Valdosta contributes to Mercer students’ journey of becoming a successful Georgia physician by giving us an opportunity to serve a wide demographic of patients. I believe that the culture of Valdosta and the mission of MUSM will be a beautiful blend and will attract students to practice in the area.”

SGMC Health is currently constructing a medical simulation center to allow medical practice activities, including standardized patient encounters, to be provided on-site in Valdosta. This simulation center will also offer interdisciplinary training sessions in partnership with health professions programs at nearby Valdosta State University. Clinical partners provide all facilities including clinical skills exam rooms and simulation lab space. SGMC has allocated $250,000 for virtual reality and high-fidelity models for ultrasound and procedural training, which are comparable to those available on the other MUSM campuses.

For more information visit sgmc.org.

The Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership Internal Medicine Residency Program (IMRP) at St. Mary’s has announced another successful Match Day. The program filled all residency positions to welcome its ninth class of internal medicine residents in Athens.

“We are honored once again to have received so many truly exceptional applicants to our program,” said Dr. Lela Ward, program director for the IMRP. “The supportive medical community, dedicated volunteer faculty, exceptional staff, and commitment of St. Mary’s Health Care System to quality care truly make this an excellent program to learn and to train physicians in Northeast Georgia.”

The IMRP, which received full accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education in October 2016, is a joint effort by the AU/UGA Medical Partnership and St. Mary’s. Residents are medical school graduates who are entering the final stage of their medical education: a three-year, hands-on program with progressive levels of responsibility that ends in certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

“While we have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of COVID hospitalizations and deaths, the Class of 2026 will be facing new and unprecedented challenges in the healthcare world,” said Dr. Eric Schuck, St. Mary’s chief medical officer. “Continued post-pandemic-related health challenges, along with the need to continue to provide ever-higher levels of quality and satisfaction for patients with more and more chronic illnesses, will be a significant challenge for these new physicians. I have no doubt that this outstanding class of physicians is up to the task.”

The IMRP Class of 2027 and the schools at which they completed their medical education are:

• Safurah Bharwani, MD: Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine in Katwoice
• Luis Cardenas, MD: University of South Carolina, School of Medicine Greenville
• Graham Ferguson, MD: St. George’s University
• Timothy Le, DO: Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Batul Momin, DO: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Sheena Mondeddu, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Marisela Plascencia, DO: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Stephane Rivard, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Aswin Sembu, DO: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Kinjal Suthar, MD: American University of Antigua College of Medicine
• Noah Tollin, MD: St. George’s University

In addition, the program matched a preliminary year intern, Frank Merlino, MD. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia.

The new residents will begin practicing at St. Mary’s Health Care System on July 1.

“This is another exciting year in the history of the Internal Medicine Residency Program,” said Stonish Pierce, president and CEO, Trinity Health of Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s. “We are confident this next class will continue the tradition of compassion and excellence demonstrated by their predecessors. St. Mary’s is proud to be an integral part of the IMRP and its success in bringing more medical doctors to Georgia and to the Athens region.”

“I am so excited to have this group of residents join us. Their experiences, diversity, and talent will continue to strengthen the Internal Medicine Program,” said Medical Partnership campus dean, Dr. Shelley Nuss. “I look forward to seeing what these young physicians will do in our community over the next three years.”

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It’s a Match: SGMC Health Celebrates Full Class of Internal Medicine Resident Physicians 2:02 pm

Patients across several states in the southeast now have an innovative, non-invasive treatment option for liver cancer tumors. In a groundbreaking leap forward, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has become the only hospital in Georgia and one of the few in the United States to offer a new, progressive form of cancer treatment known as histotripsy.

“Histotripsy represents the latest advancement in cancer care, using soundwaves – not surgery – to eliminate cancerous tissue,” said Nelson Royall, MD, Northeast Georgia Physicians Group, “The focused ultrasound waves precisely break down targeted tissues, and eliminate tumors, through sonic beam therapy.”

NGMC’s physicians perform histotripsy by using The Edison System, a sophisticated platform that delivers pulsed sound energy into the body, without any incisions or needles, and can destroy tumors at the sub-cellular level. Histotripsy has been FDA-approved for the treatment of liver cancerous tissue since October 2023.

“One of the key advantages of histotripsy is its ability to achieve precise tissue destruction without the need for incisions or invasive procedures,” said Terence Jackson, MD, Northeast Georgia Physicians Group. “Histotripsy allows patients to have a quicker and easier recovery. I look forward to performing histotripsy on patients, along with Dr. Royall, later this year.”

Any patient with liver tumors is a potential candidate for histotripsy. This includes tumors that have formed within the liver or those that have spread to the liver from other organs. NGMC is the first and only health system in Georgia, and most of the southeast, to offer histotripsy. Before now, the next nearest treatment locations for patients with liver cancer were Cleveland Clinic, University of Michigan, and AdventHealth in Orlando.

For more information about histotripsy at NGMC, visit nghs.com/histotripsy.

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Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer (BBBC), their benefactors, and their partners at St. Mary’s Health Care System came together in celebration recently at St. Mary’s Breast Health Center, located in Resource Medical Park at 1500 Oglethorpe Ave., Athens.

They celebrated two big milestones: the unveiling of the center’s newly named waiting area in honor of BBBC and BBBC’s largest gift to date: a check in the amount of $275,000 to St. Mary’s breast health services. Afterwards, the guests were invited to a “sneak peek” tour of the beautifully remodeled facility. A public ribbon-cutting will be held March 22 to kick-off the entire host of services available to women in our community and surrounding counties, including a new mammography suite.

“We continue to receive deep blessings and transformational support from Jay and Teresa Abbott and their incredibly generous team at Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer,” said Aaron James, St. Mary’s Foundation director. “This donation brings their cumulative giving to St. Mary’s Breast Health Services Fund to $1,534,000. The honor and trust BBBC has bestowed upon St. Mary’s inspires us to think big and boldly about how we can continue to spread our work to those throughout the community who are afflicted with this devastating disease.”

“This kind of community support is a tremendous asset to our center and the patients we serve,” said Dr. Kathleen Jeffery, medical director of St. Mary’s Breast Health Center and the region’s first female surgeon dedicated exclusively to breast health. “We are passionate about this cause, and together, we are saving and improving lives throughout our entire region.”

“Teresa and I are humbled by and grateful for the outpouring of love we continue to receive,” said Jay Abbott. “We send our deepest thanks to all those who lift us up in prayer and who support Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer in so many ways, especially our good friends Dwight and Leslie. We can’t tell you how much it means to us that you care. Let’s get out there and beat cancer for good.”

BBBC began in October 2003 when Teresa Abbott was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Stage 3 breast cancer. Over the next 18 months, Teresa endured surgeries and countless numbers of chemotherapy and radiation sessions. It was grueling, but at the end of her treatment journey, Teresa was pronounced cancer-free.

Inspired and grateful, the Abbott family chose to share Teresa’s story and thank all their friends and family who supported them during those long months. They wanted to do something to help others battle the disease, especially those who had fewer resources. At the time, the Abbott’s youngest son, Chris, was playing football at the University of Georgia. With the help of then- head football coach Mark Richt and the UGA football team, the first annual Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer Charity Golf Tournament was organized, and BBBC was born.

In 2009, the Abbotts chose St. Mary’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Foundation as their partners and beneficiaries in the fight against breast cancer. Over the years, with BBBC’s financial support, St. Mary’s has provided hundreds of no-cost mammograms to uninsured women. In addition, BBBC’s support has helped St. Mary’s acquire state-of-the-art imaging equipment – including 3-D mammography systems – at the main hospital in Athens, its rural hospital in Lavonia, and its outpatient imaging center in Oconee County.

To learn more about BBBC, visit Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer. To learn more about St. Mary’s breast health services, visit St. Mary’s Breast Health Center – Dr. Kathleen Jeffery – Athens, GA (stmaryshealthcaresystem.org).

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