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Just before Thanksgiving, St. Mary’s Health Care System and its colleagues and volunteers donated 250 turkeys – weighing about 4,000 pounds – to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and the Greene County Food Pantry to help families in need this holiday season.

Each year, St. Mary’s partners with its food service provider, Metz Culinary, to give a free turkey to each colleague and volunteer as a token of appreciation for their dedication and service. During the weeks before Thanksgiving, St. Mary’s leaders personally hand out frozen turkeys at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, and St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro, as well as at ancillary facilities in Athens, Bogart and Watkinsville.

St. Mary’s makes it easy for colleagues to donate their turkey to those in need, if they wish to do so, by letting Human Resources know they want to donate their turkey or by simply not picking it up. The Food Bank and Food Pantry pick up the donated turkeys in time to distribute them to families in need before the holiday.

“Every year I’m amazed and moved by the number of colleagues who choose to donate their turkey,” said Montez Carter, St. Mary’s President and CEO. “We are keenly aware that the pandemic has left many people struggling with food insecurity. We’re thrilled that so many colleagues and volunteers love getting these turkeys, and we’re just as thrilled that so many donate them to help others who are in need. It’s a true testament to our commitment to our core values.”

Of the 250 turkeys donated, 192 went to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia from St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens and St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia.

“St. Mary’s has gone above and beyond guiding and serving our region through unprecedented challenges to our public health, which is an incredible feat alone,” said Erin Barger, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia CEO. “They have gone the extra mile on behalf of our neighbors to bless hundreds of families through the donation of turkeys for Thanksgiving.”

Barger noted that the Food Bank continues to see higher-than-normal need. “God bless all of you and thank you for working through the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia to work toward ending food insecurity in Northeast Georgia,” she added.

Each year, the food bank provides more than 12 million pounds of food to families through around 200 soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, churches and other non-profit hunger relief organizations in 14 counties: Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Rabun, Stephens, Towns and White.

In Greene County, colleagues and volunteers with St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital donated 58 turkeys to the Greene County Food Pantry. Since its founding in 2007, the charity has served more than 5,500 families – nearly 15,000 individuals – with each family receiving more than 30 pounds of feed each month. More than 30 percent of the Food Pantry’s clients are senior citizens living below the poverty level.

Hospitals are ranked based on scores calculated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Georgia Trend, a regional business publication offering business analysis to more than 50,000 subscribers, recently released its “Georgia Trend 2021 Top Hospitals” listing, including Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center as one of the top teaching hospitals in Georgia.

Hospitals were ranked based on their Total Performance Score, a measure calculated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and based on clinical outcomes, person and community engagement, safety, and efficiency and cost reduction

“In addition to providing excellent patient care and bridging barriers to health care, we are proud to play such an important role in training the next generation of physicians and clinicians. The experiences these students, residents and fellows have at Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center will have an impact not only on their future careers, but on patients for decades to come,” said Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley. “Thanks to the many physicians and clinicians whose work led to this recognition.”

According to its website, Georgia Trend groups hospitals into four categories – Teaching Hospitals, regardless of bed count; Large Hospitals (250 or more patient beds); Medium Hospitals (100-249 patient beds); and Small Hospitals (fewer than 100 patient beds). Georgia Trend defines teaching hospitals as hospitals whose primary mission includes teaching and are certified by the Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems.

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center offers five accredited physician residency programs and five fellowship programs. In addition, the hospital partners with a number of colleges, universities technical schools and high school career programs to offer training to students entering various health care fields.

“Since its founding as Macon Hospital in 1895, Atrium Health Navicent has incorporated education as part of its mission and service to Macon and the surrounding communities. Every year, more than 100 residents and fellows and countless other healthcare learners receive excellent clinical training within our flagship hospital,” said Dr. Patrice Walker, Chief Medical Officer for Atrium Health Navicent. “We’re proud to partner with area schools and career programs to help shape the future of health care.”

Georgia Trend’s December issue also featured Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital in an article spotlighting pediatric care. To read the article, visit www.georgiatrend.com.

Georgia Trend is a statewide business publication reaching more than 50,000 subscribers. The monthly publication offers analysis of business and political trends around the state and economic development at the local level; creates a forum for leaders to voice their opinions on critical issues; and recognizes individuals who make a positive impact on the state.

Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and well-being through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.

South Georgia Medical Center’s Sleep Center recently became accredited by the American Commission for Health Care (ACHC). ACHC offers a patient-focused approach to sleep accreditation with principles developed with direct input from industry professionals to ensure relevant and realistic standards. The accreditation ensures a higher quality of patient care is provided while also enhancing business efficiencies.

South Georgia Medical Center transitioned its sleep medicine services to the Smith Northview campus in July, under the leadership of Larry Simpson, Program Director.

The location change, provided the opportunity to provide significant enhancements to the program. SGMC’s Sleep Center now offers nine sleep rooms with sleep monitoring equipment, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, nature sound machines, beds and furniture to accommodate pediatrics, adults, bariatric and elderly patients. Patients also have the option to have a sleep study done in the comfort of their homes, if cleared by their medical provider.

One in every three people has a sleep disorder, and 95 percent of them remain undiagnosed. The sleep center helps diagnose sleep disorders that cannot be identified with a normal primary care office visit. Insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy are just some of the conditions that can be identified when participating in a sleep study.

Lena Shelby, Sleep Lab Coordinator states, “The benefits of having sleep studies are not just the treatment of our sleep disorders, it is also the treatment of our entire bodies. Sleep is the number one healer for human beings. Not getting quality sleep affects every bodily function we have. Our hearts, lungs, brains, kidneys, and so on are affected negatively when our sleep cycles are out of sync.”

Sleep Studies are non-invasive procedures covered by most insurances including Medicare and Medicaid. The night of the study patients will report to the sleep lab around 8:30pm for the overnight stay. A specially trained sleep technician will apply small, lightweight electrodes to the skin and scalp. These electrodes are placed to monitor a patient’s muscle, brain and respiratory activity. All the data recorded during the sleep study is then reviewed by a sleep physician. The sleep physician will review this information as well as detail from the patient’s medical history and sleep behavior questionnaire to determine a diagnosis and specialized treatment plan.

“Patient comfort and care is extremely important to us as an organization. We believe our patients deserve the best care possible and with this enhanced service we can help better ensure that those suffering from sleep deprivation will be one step closer to getting those problems fixed for good,” said Simpson.

SGMC’s Sleep Center features three sleep technicians and a board-certified sleep physician. Referrals are required for a sleep study and sleep testing appointments are available.

St. Mary’s Hospital has earned platinum-level recognition for its work in support of organ, eye and tissue donation and public health, while continuing to serve on the frontlines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) program is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the organ donation community with workplaces across the nation in raising awareness of the importance of donation and increasing organ, eye and tissue donor registrations.

Between October 2020 and April 2021, St. Mary’s participated in HRSA’s WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign. The program challenged hospitals and healthcare organizations to partner with their local organ procurement organization, LifeLink of Georgia, to “let life bloom” by educating hospital staff, patients, visitors and surrounding communities about the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donation and by offering the opportunity to register as a donor.

St. Mary’s was one of 1,647 organizations to participate in the 2021 campaign, which helped to add 27,386 new donors to state registries across the country. The campaign has generated 575,000 registrations since its inception in 2011 and unites donation advocates at hospitals with representatives from their local organ procurement organizations.

“Organ donation is the key to helping people all across our region and our country continue to live and live well,” said Montez Carter, St. Mary’s President and CEO. “We appreciate the work of LifeLink and the organ donation community and are honored to be recognized for the dedication and commitment of our colleagues and medical staff in supporting organ donation.”

St. Mary’s worked with LifeLink of Georgia, the state’s organ and tissue recovery program, as well as Donate Life Georgia, the state organ and tissue donor registry, to leverage its outreach efforts. During the 2020-2021 campaign cycle, St. Mary’s was one of 92 hospital partners within the LifeLink service area. For more information about the Hospital Campaign, visit www.organdonor.gov/hospitals.

An individual can make their decision to become a registered organ and tissue donor when obtaining a driver’s license through the Georgia Department of Driver Services, online when purchasing a hunting or fishing license through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, or by going to www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org.

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center has earned its 11th consecutive “Get With the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus” Quality Achievement Award, an annual award presented by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA) for excellence in stroke care.

Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center earned the “Get With the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus” Quality Achievement Award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

In addition, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center has also been named to AHA’s “Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus” for the fourth year. The awards recognize the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

For the second consecutive year, AHA also recognized hospitals who are taking steps to help stroke patients control and manage Type 2 diabetes, a well-established risk factor for stroke. Atrium Health Navicent has been named to AHA’s inaugural “Target Type 2 Diabetes” Honor Roll. The hospital has made great strides in helping central Georgians manage their diabetes, particularly resolving racial and gender disparities for those with this disease. Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center has been honored annually since 2008 for its commitment to stroke care.

“Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is dedicated to using evidence-based protocols to provide patients with advanced stroke care quickly and safely. The tools and resources provided by the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines Initiative help us track and measure our success in meeting evidence-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Sanford Duke, Chief Clinical Officer for Atrium Health Navicent. “Receiving this award for care provided during the pandemic is just one more example of how our teammates live our culture commitments, working as one to make great things happen and driving for excellence always.”

According to AHA, stroke is the fifth cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding recovery times.

“The number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing stroke incidence and an aging population. Atrium Health Navicent remains focused on improving the quality of stroke care by implementing evidence-based guidelines, including Get With The Guidelines – Stroke,” said Denise Goings, a registered nurse and Atrium Health Navicent’s stroke coordinator.

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 9 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org/quality.

Offering convenient access to high-quality care for more than 230,000 area residents

Northside Hospital is pleased to announce its development of a new medical campus, further extending clinical excellence to the residents of Smyrna / Vinings and surrounding communities. The three-story, 60,000 square foot state-of-the-art medical office building is expected to open in January 2023.

“This beautiful facility will be an anchor for Northside in a rapidly growing and diversifying area,” said Lee Echols, vice president of marketing and communications for Northside Hospital. “Northside Medical Cumberland should be a welcome addition to communities like Vinings, Smyrna and the West Cobb region, bringing improved access to health care for all those areas.”

The facility will provide access to renowned physicians and a broad range of services, including imaging, primary care, urgent care, and other specialties. Located at Cumberland Parkway and Atlanta Road in Smyrna, the building will be designed to provide accessible medical care and meet the current and future needs of the community.

Northside Hospital has partnered with Realty Trust Group and Branch Properties in developing the new Northside Medical Cumberland. The architect is HKS and the general contractor is Brasfield & Gorrie.

An official groundbreaking ceremony was recently held Nov. 3 to celebrate the start of construction, which included remarks from Northside and its partners, along with the ceremonial turning of the dirt.

Follow @NorthsideHosp on social media, and for more information visit northside.com.

In observance of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Atrium Health Navicent encourages men and women to know their risks for lung cancer and to get annual screenings if they are at a high risk for developing the disease.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Overall, the chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 15. For a woman, the risk is about 1 in 17. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 235,760 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2021, and an estimated 131,880 people will die of the disease this year.

The impact is no different in central Georgia where there were 43.4 annual average deaths from lung cancer per 100,000 people from 2016-2018, which is higher than the state average of 39.0.

Most lung cancer cases are diagnosed at later stages when the cancer has spread to other organs. At that point, treatment options are less likely to be effective and survival is lower.

In Georgia, 21.1 percent of cases are caught at an early stage. This is thanks, in part, to the availability of low-dose CT scans, such as those offered at Atrium Health Navicent.

A low-dose CT scan is an X-ray that takes multiple pictures as you lie on a table that slides in and out of the machine. A computer then combines these images into a detailed picture of your lungs.

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recently revised its recommendations for lung cancer screenings. Annual low-dose CT screenings are recommended for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack/year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.

A study on early detection of lung cancer found that the low-dose cancer screening test can reduce mortality by 20 percent for those at high risk.

“Patients who are between the ages of 50 and 80 and who have smoked for 20 years, a pack a day, or who are actively smoking, or who have quit less than 15 years ago are encouraged to talk with their doctor about getting screened for lung cancer,” said Dr. Muhammad S. Khan, an Atrium Health Navicent pulmonologist. ”Most of the time, when the patient starts to have symptoms, it’s already too late and the survival rate is much lower. The goal for screening is to detect screening in patients before they develop symptoms.”

Smoking is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer. About 80 percent of lung cancer deaths are thought to result from smoking. The longer you smoke and the more packs a day you smoke, the greater your risk.

November is also Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month. Smoking is the number one risk factor for COPD as well.

The biggest way to reduce your risk of lung cancer and COPD is to quit smoking. Quitting, even for a day, is an important step toward a healthier life. Other ways to reduce risk include limited exposure to cancer-causing agents such as radon and asbestos, and eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

To mark Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Atrium Health Navicent is holding the following community events:

Join us on Facebook Live as we join together to honor lung cancer survivors and remember those who have been lost to the disease. Dr. Frances E. Penn and the Rev. Sean Beck will speak. Participate by visiting the Atrium Health Peyton Anderson Cancer Center Facebook Page.

This is a day for smokers and other tobacco users to “butt out.” Tobacco users are encouraged by the American Cancer Society to use this day to create a plan to quit, or even quit for the day, in hopes of quitting for good. For information about resources for how to quit, including a free Stop Smoking class, call 478-633-2614.

Millions of breast cancer survivors are alive and thriving today because of innovations in the detection and treatment of the disease — technologies that are continuously improved for safety and effectiveness.

A recent innovation – deep inspiration breath hold – introduced earlier this year at Tanner’s Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center, protects women from a potential side effect of their life-saving radiation treatments: heart damage.

Radiation therapy is a critical component in fighting cancer and has a solid risk/benefit profile in treating breast cancer, said Tanner’s chief radiation oncologist Anil Dhople, MD.

Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is often combined with surgery and chemotherapy to provide the best possible outcomes for women diagnosed with the disease, which still ranks second among cancer killers of women. But radiation treatments can affect healthy tissue and organs, too. This is especially true for women undergoing cancer treatment for the left breast — on the same side of the body as the heart.

“Radiation therapy for cancer of the left breast brings the radiotherapy in close proximity to the heart,” said Dr. Dhople, who also serves as quality advisor for radiation oncology at Tanner. “Deep inspiration breath hold harnesses the natural movement of the lungs and heart during deep breaths to move the heart farther away from the targeted treatment area, reducing exposure.”

The procedure has become especially valuable as women are living longer after breast cancer treatments. Longer survivorship means patients’ heart health becomes much more important.

But the process isn’t as simple as asking a patient to hold their breath while they receive a dose of radiation.

“The technique combines a network of scans and sensors, which create a map of the patient’s body, with a breathing technique that involves the patient holding her breath for about 20 seconds while the radiation is delivered,” said Dr. Dhople. “By carefully coaching our patients on their breathing during the treatment process with the deep inspiration breath hold technique, we significantly reduce their risk of heart complications later in life.”

For Christa Smith of Bremen, who was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in January 2021 during a routine screening mammogram, the coaching around her breathing during her radiation treatments was consistent with the overall focus on her comfort and experience throughout her radiation — and her Tanner diagnosis and treatment journey overall.

Her treatment plan called for a lumpectomy, followed by 21 radiation treatments and cancer-blocking hormone therapy for five years.

Her care team includes breast surgeon Raul Zunzunegui, MD; oncologist Brad Larson, MD; and Dr. Dhople, as well as family member and advocate, Bremen physician Allison Key, MD.

“Dr. Dhople explained the deep breathing process to me and why it was so important,” said Smith. “He encouraged me to practice at home so I could find that sweet spot where I was breathing deeply enough. When it was time, I was not scared at all and I did it! Dr. Dhople and his team were always there, holding my hand and encouraging me. My treatments were only about 15 minutes, but I never felt rushed.”

The assistant superintendent of Bremen City Schools, Smith said she “remained optimistic and focused on my treatments,” always intent on following doctors’ orders throughout her process.

She understood she had the benefit of some new technology with deep inspiration breath hold, but the true significance hit home when the sister of a friend began experiencing heart issues years after her cancer treatment.

Smith, married and a mother of two daughters, began running two years ago and working out about six years ago, but missed very few days due to her breast cancer treatment. To mark a turning point in her cancer journey, she and one of her daughters participated in the It’s a Journey Georgia 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer in early October, walking 10 miles during this year’s one-day event abbreviated due to COVID-19.

“Everyone knows someone — a mother, friend, sister — who has gone through breast cancer. I am just so grateful that we have doctors, facilities and expertise like this to care for us, just a few minutes from home. I didn’t have to go to Atlanta, and I was able to keep up with my job and life,” said Smith.

Dr. Dhople introduced the deep inspiration breath hold technique at Tanner Cancer Care shortly after his arrival in Fall 2020.

“One of the big reasons I decided I wanted to come to Tanner is the commitment Tanner has to patient care as it relates to our cancer patients,” said Dr. Dhople. “From the 3-Day program, where we commit to getting a patient treatment options within three days of their referral, to treatments like this where it took a lot of effort to implement this technology, Tanner was committed to it and empowered us to provide this service to our patients.”

Learn more about this new innovation in Dr. Dhople’s deep inspiration breath hold video at https://youtu.be/N2snUxUwys0.

For more information on Tanner’s 3-Day Cancer Care Promise, visit TannerCancerCare.org.

Join Atrium Health Navicent in recognizing November as Prematurity Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about the 380,000 babies born premature in the United States each year, and what we can do to help prevent premature births.

Each year, 1 in 10 babies is born premature, which means they are born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. These babies miss out on important development that happens in the final weeks of pregnancy. Preterm babies can have short- and long-term health problems, or even die.

“In 2020, the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card gave the U.S. a letter grade of C with a prematurity rate of 10.2 percent. This same year, Georgia’s prematurity rate was 11.7 percent. Prematurity is one of the leading causes of infant mortality,” said Dr. Mitch Rodriguez, a neonatologist and medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and business development officer for Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and doctors at Atrium Health Navicent, risk factors that contribute to premature births include:

Although pregnant women do not have a greater chance than the general population of becoming infected with COVID-19, if they do become ill with the virus, they have poorer outcomes, said Dr. Padmashree “Champa” Chaudhury Woodham, director of the Regional Perinatal Center and director of Atrium Health Navicent Women’s Care Maternal Fetal Medicine.

“Studies have shown higher risk for preterm birth as a result of serious COVID-19 illness in pregnant women. In addition, these women have a greater than 50 percent chance of needing a cesarean section. Over half of their babies end up going to the NICU. In addition, pregnant women with COVID-19 infection are 4 times as likely to require invasive ventilation and twice as likely to die,” Dr. Woodham said.

The CDC encourages all pregnant women, those thinking about becoming pregnant, and those breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19. CDC studies did not find any safety concerns for pregnant women who were vaccinated late in pregnancy or for their babies, and indicated that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women outweigh any known or potential risks.

Preconception care and prenatal care with doctors at Atrium Health Navicent are key in helping to prevent premature births. Preventative measures include lifestyle modification, supplementation with progesterone during future pregnancies, and management of chronic medical conditions.

“Preconception care is the care you receive before you get pregnant. This period allows for improving access to health care, providing for interventions that are in place to identify and modify medical, behavioral, and social health risks to the woman’s health that could impact pregnancy outcomes with the goal of having a healthy pregnancy,” said Dr. Rodriguez.

Atrium Health Navicent, the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia, is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Providing more than 1,000 beds and offering care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region, Atrium Health Navicent provides care for health care consumers’ through an academic medical center; community, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals; urgent care centers; physician practices; diagnostic centers; home health; hospice and palliative care; and a life plan community. Atrium Health Navicent is dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.

New branding reflects integration, opportunity with Southeast’s leading health system

a new brand resulting from the strategic combination of the Floyd health system and Charlotte, North

The new Atrium Health Floyd brand reflects and acknowledges the importance of each organization’s

legacy and strength, as well as Floyd’s and Atrium Health’s joint commitment to be the preeminent health

“This is another milestone in our strategic combination,” said Kurt Stuenkel, executive vice president of

Atrium Health and CEO of Atrium Health Floyd. “We are pleased our legacy brand name, Floyd, will

remain part of our identity, given its significance which is so important to our region. At the same time, the

addition of Atrium Health to our name underscores the investment Atrium Health is making into our

communities and the wealth of resources now available to our patients and our community. Together,

with our colleagues at Atrium Health, we will work to address disparities of care and add new services

and technologies that will further enhance the already great health care services available.”

“In just a few short months since our official combination, we’ve already shown just how extraordinary we

can be together,” said Michael Parkerson, chief marketing and communications officer for Atrium Health.

“As rural health care faces many challenges, together, as one, we have a unique opportunity to enrich the

lives of people in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama by ensuring continued access to outstanding

clinical care. We’re just getting started on a mission that will improve health, elevate hope and advance

Patients, Atrium Health Floyd teammates and members of the community will see a measured rollout of

the new brand in the communities across our service area, beginning with a series of public

communications and changes to the health system’s website, www.floyd.org. Over the course of the next

year, signage, fleet identification, identification badges and promotional materials will also begin to reflect

Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education

and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is an integrated, nonprofit health

system with more than 70,000 teammates serving patients at 40 hospitals and more than 1,400 care locations. It pro-

vides care under the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist name in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, region, as well

as Atrium Health Navicent and Atrium Health Floyd in Georgia and Alabama. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-

ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskele-

tal programs. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest

School of Medicine is the academic core of the enterprise, including Wake Forest Innovations, which is advancing

new medical technologies and biomedical discoveries. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care

and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World

Report’s Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the Ameri-

can Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well

as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic

disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing more than $2 billion per year in free and uncompensated care and other

Atrium Health Floyd is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.

As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the na-

tion’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home –

including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. At the hub of these services is Floyd Medical Center, a

304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center. Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,400

employees who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Geor-

gia; Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia, as well

as Floyd Behavioral Health Center, a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility, also in Rome; and a primary care

and urgent care network with locations throughout the service area of northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.