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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.

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.

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.

The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals gave its first-ever Eagle Award to Governor Brian Kemp for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introducing Governor Kemp, WellStar Health System Executive Vice President and General Counsel Leo Reichert said, “When Governor Kemp was elected, I’m sure he didn’t think he’d be spending as much time on healthcare related issues as he has. We’ve all been through 18 months far different than anything we’ve ever seen, and as part of the Georgia hospital community, I want to thank Governor Kemp for the partnership we’ve had over the last 18 months, working together to help Georgians and our communities get through the pandemic. He set the tone from the very top, doing regular calls with our hospital leadership group and leadership at individual hospitals. At the end of every call, he’d say, ‘here’s my cell phone, call me if you need something’ and it’s actually his cell phone number and he answers it. We look forward to building on that partnership so that Georgia’s community hospitals can thrive so that we can better serve our communities and our patients.”

Georgia Alliance President and CEO Monty Veazey said, “we appreciate you, Governor Kemp, and thank you for the personal attention you’ve given to ensuring that Georgia’s not-for-profit community hospitals had the resources – from nursing and other skilled positions, to PPE and supplies, and assistance from the men and women of the Georgia National Guard – to faithfully serve our patients. During this period, you have been unfailingly accessible to us when we needed help serving our patients, and we truly appreciate your help with so many important issues,” said Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Alliance.

“We at the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals want to present you this Eagle statue. I know your faith is important to you and a source of strength for you and your family. I’m reminded of Isaiah 40:31, where it is written, ‘But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’ I cannot imagine the weariness you must have felt during this pandemic, but I know where you went to renew your strength, and I know that you helped us and the staff at our hospitals keep going when we too felt weary,” said Mr. Veazey.

Incoming Alliance Board Chair Joe Ierardi, CEO of Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jesup, Georgia, said, “As the leader of a hospital serving patients in rural South Georgia, the ability to speak personally to Governor Kemp when we faced problems and the assistance we received from him, his staff, and the state agencies under his Administration was instrumental in helping our community and our patients make it through the pandemic.

The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, based in Tifton, Georgia represents not-for-profit hospitals ranging in size from the largest multi-campus, statewide hospital systems, to the smallest independent rural hospitals, and seeks to ensure the availability of high quality patient care for all Georgians, regardless of their ability to pay.

Loy Howard, CEO of Tanner Health System and outgoing Chairman of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals passed the gavel to incoming Chairman Joe Ierardi, CEO of Wayne Memorial Hospital at the 38th GACH Annual Conference last week.

“The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals has been blessed with the steady leadership of Loy Howard during the past year of the pandemic, and I have full confidence that Joe Ierardi will continue to lead us forward as we combat the COVID-19 pandemic and work to strengthen Georgia’s network of not-for-profit community hospitals,” said Monty Veazey, President and CEO of the Alliance.

“The pandemic and the role our hospitals played in serving our patients and communities highlights the importance of protecting Georgia’s network of non-profit hospitals. I am proud to have served as Chairman while our member hospitals and their staffs went to heroic lengths to put Georgia Patients First and deliver the high-quality health care Georgians deserve,” said Mr. Howard.

“We will continue the fight against COVID-19 and to ensure that Georgia’s hospitals are equipped to go the extra mile in providing care to all our patients. I’m thankful to Loy Howard and the Alliance Board of Directors and staff for their efforts that have gotten us this far. More than anything, I hope we all share a greater understanding of the important work that all of our staff do every day, to keep our patients healthy. I am honored to lead the Alliance as we advocate for better healthcare for all our patients,” said Mr. Ierardi.

Loy Howard serves as CEO of Tanner Health System, which includes Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton, Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica, Higgins General Hospital in Bremen, the Willowbrooke at Tanner behavioral health facility in Villa Rica, management and daily operations of Wedowee Hospital in Wedowee, Alabama and operations of Tanner Medical Group with 35 locations.

Joe Ierardi serves as CEO of Wayne Memorial Hospital in Jesup, Georgia, where he has served since 2007 and previously served as Vice Chairman of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals.

Building on its commitment to strengthen health care resources in the Gwinnett region, Northside Hospital Gwinnett has completed a major expansion of its emergency department, begun work on a new patient tower, and is deepening its already significant community partnerships.

On Oct. 18, Northside Hospital Gwinnett cut the ribbon on its newly expanded emergency department in Lawrenceville. The hospital’s emergency department consistently ranks among the highest volume facilities in Georgia, with more than 100,000 visits annually. It also recently received the critical approval from the Georgia Department of Community Health to build 10-story, 162-inpatient bed tower, which will be located on the Northside Gwinnett campus.

Debbie Mitcham, president and CEO of Northside Hospital in Gwinnett and Duluth, said that the pace of growth in the region demands a similar pace for health care access.

“Northside believes that access to care is of the utmost importance and realized that a county with close to a million residents needed a bigger emergency department footprint,” said Ms. Mitcham. “With the completion of this project, emergency room capacity will double, thus increasing the ability to not only take care of more Gwinnett County residents, but take care of them more efficiently.”

Ms. Mitcham said that plans for the patient tower and bed additions also include a five-story, 143,828-square-foot medical office building to house outpatient imaging, ambulatory surgery and a variety of physician practices. The project site preparation has begun – completion is expected in 2023.

The expanded emergency department has a completely redesigned trauma area to address access and patient flow challenges, as well as a two-story addition with more exam rooms and observation beds. Work already is underway on the second phase, which is a renovation of the original emergency facilities.

The health system is broadening its community partnership programs with many of region’s non-profit organizations and events. On Oct. 23, Northside will serve as the presenting sponsor of Paint Gwinnett Pink, the largest breast cancer 5K in Gwinnett County. This year’s virtual event has already raised nearly $900,000 toward the purchase of new 3D mammography for the Breast Care Centers at Northside Gwinnett and Northside Duluth.

The Northside Hospital system is one of Georgia’s leading health care providers, with five acute-care hospitals in Lawrenceville, Duluth, Atlanta, Canton and Cumming, and more than 250 outpatient locations across the state. Throughout Gwinnett, patients have access to Northside providers and specialty services, including cancer care, cardiovascular care, maternity and women’s services, sports medicine and orthopedics, weight management, rehabilitation, pediatric and adult imaging, primary care, urgent care, and other specialty care services.

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