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South Georgia Medical Center will expand its COVID-19 vaccination efforts to its Berrien and Lanier Campuses beginning Monday, Jan. 25. Vaccinations will be by appointment only and recipients must meet the qualifications outlined by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Appointments can be made online at sgmc.org. Eligibility includes: healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, EMS personnel, environmental services, etc.), adults aged 65 and their caregivers, and law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders. After receiving the first shot, patients will be scheduled for their second shot.

SGMC also offers a Regional Vaccination Drive Thru Site at its main hospital in Valdosta. As of Wednesday, the health system had provided more the 3,000 people with a vaccination.

Since January 11, the effective date of Governor Kemp’s expansion of the COVID-19 vaccine beyond health care workers and long term care facility residents, Southeast Georgia Health System has administered nearly 4,000 vaccine doses.

“We are very pleased at the response of our team members and community to receive the vaccine,” says Michael D. Scherneck, president and CEO. “The vaccine offers the opportunity to stop the spread of COVID-19, so of course we want as many people as possible to get it. It’s our goal to provide no less than 2,500 vaccines per week as long as we continue to receive supplies. Our team members are working tirelessly to call and schedule people as quickly as we receive the vaccine, guide them through the process and administer vaccines. It takes an incredible amount of planning and coordination to make the process as efficient as possible, and I’m very proud of them and how well it is going.”

Since receiving its initial vaccine supply in late-December, the Health System has received a total of 5,421 Pfizer-BioNTech doses and 2,500 Moderna doses. Following CDC guidelines, after offering the vaccine to its highest-risk team members (those who have the most contact for the longest period of time with COVID patients), the Health System began offering the COVID-19 vaccine to Phase 1A+, which includes police officers, firefighters, first responders, and high-risk individuals age 65 and over and their caregivers.

“We recognize that there are many people in our community who wish to receive the vaccine and, as more supplies become available, we will work diligently to ensure that everyone who desires a vaccine can receive one,” says Scherneck. “We know many of you are anxious but we ask you to be understanding. The availability is dependent on the vaccine supplies we receive. Our team is on top of it, they’re placing the orders. We just need to receive the supplies and as soon as we do, people will be able to schedule appointments for a vaccine.”

Scherneck added that once additional vaccine supplies are received, the Health System will activate its online vaccine appointment scheduler at sghs.org/covid-19. Appointments will be available in Brunswick or Kingsland, but will be subject to change based on the Health System’s vaccine supply. Individuals must bring their Medicare card and a form of identification, wear a shirt that gives access to the upper arm and wear a mask. Following the vaccination, recipients will be required to remain in an observation area for 15 minutes to ensure they do not experience any adverse reaction. Recipients must also be available for a second dose 21 or 28 days later, depending on the type of vaccine received.

“We continue to treat COVID-19 patients every day, and it’s not just elderly patients,” Scherneck says. “We have 30 and 40 year olds with COVID-19 on our critical care unit. People who probably thought that they wouldn’t be affected by the virus because they were young and healthy and now they’re fighting for their lives. Now is not the time to let down our guard. We have to get ahead of this terrible virus. Even after receiving the vaccine, it remains extremely important to continue following safety protocols. Wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands and avoid large gatherings for the health and safety of all of us.”

Updated vaccine information will be available on the Health System’s website at sghs.org/covid-19.

About Southeast Georgia Health System
Southeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, two comprehensive Cancer Care Centers and multiple specialty care centers, including orthopaedic and spine care, joint replacement, breast care, maternity, outpatient rehabilitation, sleep management and wound care. The Brunswick Campus Cancer Care Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers the only CyberKnife^®M6 with MLC technology in Georgia. Additionally, the Southeast Georgia Physician Associates medical group includes more than 140 providers working in 20 different medical specialties at more than 50 locations. The Health System is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. For more information, visit sghs.org.

Northside Hospital was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in the last quarter of 2020 by workplace culture and compensation monitoring site Comparably. Among all Top Large employers (more than 500 employees) across the United States, Northside ranked for Best Company Culture, Best Companies for Women and Best Companies for Diversity.

Comparably’s annual “Best” lists showcase companies that receive the highest ratings on Comparably.com throughout the year based on anonymous feedback from employees about work environment, compensation, leadership and more.

“Northside strongly believes in creating an environment where our employees are empowered, appreciated and supported so they can provide the best health care to our patients,” said Bob Quattrocchi, president and CEO of Northside Hospital. “That we rank among such highly respected companies across all industries is no surprise to me; I am honored by and proud of the work that we do.” Comparably awards culture women diversity

Earlier in 2020, Northside also was honored on the Comparably lists for:

Northside Hospital is one of the fastest growing health care organizations in the Southeast and currently employs more than 24000 employees, including physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and support services personnel throughout the Atlanta Region and many parts of Georgia.

For more information about Comparably’s Best Places to Work lists and a complete list of winners, visit: comparably.com.

January 18, 2021 – St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital was awarded an ‘A’ in the fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Gradea national distinction recognizing Sacred Heart’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care.

“I am tremendously proud of our colleagues and medical staff here at Sacred Heart for achieving this level of patient safety. It is truly exceptional,” said Sacred Heart President Jeff English. “It takes tremendous commitment and attention to detail to achieve this recognition. The fact that we have achieved it during the COVID-19 pandemic says even more about our outstanding staff. The Leapfrog ‘A’ award is a great recognition of all they are doing to ensure quality and safety for our patients.”

“We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Sacred Heart Hospital. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”

St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens achieved a ‘B’ in the fall safety grades. St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro is a critical access hospital and is not included in Leapfrog’s review.

Developed under the guidance of a national Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

To see Sacred Heart’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information, they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital serving the greater Franklin County area. Located in Lavonia, Ga., just off I-85, Sacred Heart is part of St. Mary’s Health Care System, a member of Trinity Health. It is accredited by The Joint Commission and guided by the Mission of Trinity Health to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence within the community. Sacred Heart Hospital provides emergency care, inpatient care, critical care, surgical services, a mother/baby unit, numerous outpatient services and a wellness center. St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital is designated by the State of Georgia as a Remote Treatment Stroke Center. www.stmaryshealthcaresystem.org.

South Georgia Medical Center will begin to vaccinate Georgians this week at the new COVID-19 vaccination drive thru. This comes after Georgia expanded its eligibility to include citizens 65 and older, area law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders. Vaccinations will be by appointment only and can be scheduled at sgmc.org.

SGMC’s vaccination site allows citizens to schedule an appointment and utilize a drive thru to receive the vaccine. Recipients will then be monitored for 15 minutes after the vaccination is administered.

“SGMC is excited to be able to offer the region another option to receive their COVID-19 vaccination. Because vaccines are limited, citizens are encouraged to utilize SGMC’s online scheduling tool. This provides users the opportunity to learn more about the vaccine process and schedule their appointment,” says Scarlett Rivera, Director of Infection Prevention.

The site is located at the SGMC Main Campus Surgery Center parking lot at 2417 North Patterson. The vaccination team expects to vaccinate approximately 150 people per day beginning Wednesday, January 13, 2021.

Residents across northeast Georgia who are 65 or older can now schedule an appointment to receive a COVID vaccine at one of several events hosted by Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). Seven COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic events have been planned through the end of January, along with follow-up events at which participants will receive their second dose.

“It’s exciting to finally take this next step in the fight against the pandemic,” said Sakib Maya, MD, medical director of Urgent Care. “I can’t wait to start seeing patients receive their vaccines on Monday morning! We know how anxious they are and we’re proud to offer this service for our community.”

Appointments are required and walk-ins will not be accepted. The event dates and locations are:

“We are offering as many appointments as possible with the vaccine supply and staffing resources we have available,” said Bobby Norris, vice president of operations for Northeast Georgia Physicians Group. “We will add more appointments – at more locations – as soon as we can. In the meantime, we appreciate everyone’s patience.”

St. Mary’s is receiving numerous questions about COVID-19 vaccinations. We want to answer those questions as best we can in this fast-changing situation. The following reflects the best information we have at this moment.

First, most hospitals in Georgia – including all three hospitals in our system – are experiencing the highest number of COVID patients we have seen since the pandemic started. These COVID patients are in addition to our normal patient volumes, which are typically at their peak in the winter months. At the same time, more staff than ever before are out sick due to community exposure. Our team has been outstanding in working through this situation, but it is very challenging, and they are tired. We continue our commitment to meet the health care needs of our community and we will continue to prioritize our resources to care for patients who are ill from COVID and other diseases. We need the community to continue taking actions that prevent the spread of the disease.

The vaccines hold tremendous promise to be the light at the end of the tunnel, and we are encouraged that so many people want to be vaccinated. We share their confidence that the vaccines that have been granted FDA emergency use approval are safe and effective. We urge everyone to get vaccinated when your priority level opens up.

Southeast Georgia Health System has announced it will begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to individuals age 65 and over, as well as police officers, firefighters and other first responders, on Monday, Jan. 11, based on guidelines established by Governor Kemp on Dec. 30, 2020.

Vaccines are only available by appointment. Due to the current limited vaccine supply, prioritization will be given to first responders and high risk individuals. Those receiving the vaccine must be available for a second dose 21 or 28 days later, depending on the type of vaccine received. The vaccine is produced by private manufacturers and supplies are dependent on those manufacturers.

“The vaccine gives us the opportunity to stop the spread, so of course we want as many people as possible to get the vaccine,” says Michael D. Scherneck, president and CEO. “Our Health System team members have been given the opportunity to be vaccinated and now, based on the governor’s order, we are making plans to offer the vaccine to as many patients and first responders as possible given the number of vaccines available. We recognize that there are many people in our community who wish to receive the vaccine and, as more supplies become available, we will work diligently to ensure that everyone who desires a vaccine will receive one.”

Scherneck added, “We are exploring how we might partner with the Georgia Department of Public Health, Coastal Health District to increase access to the vaccine. As our supplies increase, we will offer an expanded vaccine schedule to the community, including weekends. We want to remind everyone, including those who receive the vaccine, that it’s extremely important to continue to wear a mask, social distance and avoid large gatherings for the health and safety of all of us.”

The Health System is currently contacting high risk individuals age 65 and older to schedule vaccine appointments—individuals do not need to contact the hospital or physician’s office. Scheduled individuals will be required to show identification. Due to the structured vaccine process, the Health System is not able to accommodate walk-ins and vaccines are not available at physician offices. A second dose will be provided 21 to 28 days later, based on the type of vaccine received.

Updated vaccine information will be available on the Health System’s website at sghs.org/covid-19.

Jesup – An early Christmas present arrived this year for healthcare workers at Wayne Memorial – the first installment of Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine. Among the first in the group to receive the vaccine was Dr. Bill Headley. He shares he has experienced no real side effects, lest a sore arm for a couple of days. “I encourage folks to get the vaccine, so that we can beat this virus quickly.” Headley will return 28 days from the shot date for his second dose of the vaccine. He added it was the “best early Christmas gift EVER!!”

Hospital Employee Beth Gorse also received the first of the two-part vaccine. She experienced soreness in her arm the next day, similar to a flu shot. She shared, “I have a sense of relief knowing that I’ve started this vaccine process.”

Fellow employee Janet Keith joins her coworkers in their excitement on receiving the vaccine. “All is well. Feeling appreciative! I pray it is available to everyone who wants the vaccine soon. I am more afraid of getting Covid-19 than I am of taking this new vaccine. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a Covid-free 2021 for all. Roll your sleeves up…and get ready!” Keith also shared she has experienced no side effects.

Angie Jones, Assistant Chief Nursing Officer for the hospital, said, “We are excited to have the vaccine available for our healthcare providers and first responders. The vaccine gives us all hope in a better year coming. We have had no serious reactions or issues reported in anyone who has received the vaccine to date.”

Wayne Memorial Hospital, whose mission is to provide high quality health care services to all patients, built a state-of-the-art facility in 2007. It is the third largest employer in Wayne County with 500 employees, 84 beds and is a three-time winner of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Small Hospital of the Year Award.

Southeast Georgia Health System’s Camden Campus was recently named one of the 2020 Top Hospitals in the state by Georgia Trend. This leading business and lifestyle magazine featured the hospital rankings in the December 2020 issue; the Camden Campus ranked 14^th in the small hospital category (fewer than 100 patient beds).

“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of Georgia Trend’s Top Hospitals,” says Glenn Gann, R.N., MSN, vice president and administrator, Southeast Georgia Health System Camden Campus. “We strive to meet the health care needs of the people we serve and are committed to bringing leading-edge technology to our community. This ranking affirms the hard work and commitment of our team members, especially after the challenging year we’ve all faced due to COVID-19.”

Located in St. Marys, the Camden Campus is a 40-bed hospital with extensive quality services in a friendly, warm setting. Recent additions to the Camden Campus include a new Wound Care Center and ROSA® Knee robotic surgery technology for knee replacements.

The Camden Campus medical staff includes over 130 community and employed physicians representing many major medical specialties. In addition to an emergency room with private rooms and HAZMAT decontamination units, services include bariatrics, breast care with 3D mammography, cancer care with radiation and medical oncology, cardiopulmonary, gastroenterology and endoscopy, intensive care, labor and delivery, orthopaedic surgery and joint replacement, outpatient rehabilitation (physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy), radiology, sleep management and surgical services.

For the 2020 Top Hospitals list, which includes hospitals that provide a range of services, Georgia Trend evaluated each hospital in Georgia that participates in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Value Based Purchasing program. A total performance score based on information that included clinical process, patient experience, outcome and efficiency (CMS data downloaded on August 19, 2020) was used to rank hospitals of similar size and mission.

Date	Times	City	Location	Second Dose*
January 11	8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Oakwood	Corporate Plaza 3137 Frontage Road	February 8
January 14	8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Oakwood	Corporate Plaza 3137 Frontage Road	February 11
January 16	8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Oakwood	Corporate Plaza 3137 Frontage Road	February 13
January 18	8 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Dawsonville	Veteran’s Park 186 Recreation Road	February 15
January 23	8 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Winder	NGPG Family Health Associates 63 West Candler Street	February 20
January 27	8 a.m. to 8 p.m.	Gainesville	NGPG Family Medicine Medical Park 2, Suite 102 1439 Jesse Jewell Parkway	February 24
January 30	8 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Toccoa	NGPG Toccoa Clinic 58 Big A Road	February 27