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Mariha Spencer of Warner Robins, Ga. was approximately six months pregnant with her first child, Amillia, when she learned her daughter had a rare congenital defect, known as esophageal atresia, which is characterized by an improper or absent connection between the esophagus and stomach that makes feeding impossible. The abnormality makes it impossible for the affected child to eat, and often requires a series of corrective surgeries to be performed soon after the birth of the child.

Trusting Amillia’s care to the physicians and staff at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health (BKO), Spencer had no idea her daughter would become one of just 26 infants globally, and the first in Georgia, to undergo an innovative new procedure designed to repair the abnormality.

“With esophageal atresia, the esophagus doesn’t develop or connect to the stomach correctly. The baby ends up having an upper pouch that connects to the mouth, and a lower pouch that connects to the stomach and possibly the airway, with nothing in between. This makes it impossible for the baby to eat. Amillia’s case was especially rare, because there was a connection from the upper pouch to her airway, so if she ate, food would go straight into her lungs,” said Josh Glenn, MD, pediatric surgeon with BKO.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), esophageal atresia affects approximately 1 in 4,100 infants in the U.S. Baby Amillia’s rare form of this rare condition required quick intervention and innovation.

“The distance between the two pouches was too great to pull the two ends together. Normally, we would take a piece of the large intestine to connect the two. This method comes with a lot of complications and risk,” said Dr. Glenn. “Amillia was a very complicated case because of the added challenge of separating the esophagus and airway, so we chose to try a recently developed, minimally invasive procedure that we thought would work well for her.”

The new approach, which uses magnets to close the gap between the two pouches for the treatment of esophageal atresia, received a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 and was reviewed through the Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) pathway. Dr. Glenn and his team worked with Navicent Health’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to gain access through a humanitarian exemption and received permission to perform this rare procedure at BKO.

With a feeding tube already in place in her stomach from a previous procedure, the repair of Amillia’s esophagus required separate, staged procedures. First, Dr. Glenn and his team separated the upper pouch of Amillia’s esophagus from her trachea. Once the incision healed, Dr. Glenn and his team then used the Flourish Esophageal Atresia Device from Cook Medical to place two special magnets in the upper and lower pouches of her esophagus.

The magnets pulled together inside Amillia’s tiny body closed a gap of approximately four centimeters, connecting the two ends of her esophagus to make it whole. Once both ends of the esophagus were connected, the magnets were removed.

“We were all for it, and we were excited that it was not very invasive. They inserted the magnets, and after two weeks, they pulled them out. Everything grew back together. It was an amazing feeling, and we were so grateful that we could stay in Macon, right here so close to home,” said Mariha Spencer, baby Amillia’s mother.

In an interview with Macon CBS affiliate WMAZ-TV, Amillia’s father Austin Spencer said, “It’s so simple. It’s truly awesome, just using magnets.”

Now, at six months of age, Amillia is doing well and has been discharged from BKO’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is home with her family learning how to eat on her own, and she continues to visit BKO on an outpatient basis as teams work to strengthen and shape her esophagus.

“The surgical team at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health is on the forefront of innovative care, providing the highest level of treatment for families. We applaud Dr. Glenn and our surgical team for their quick thinking, and for the extra steps to receive a humanitarian exemption from the FDA, to provide this infant the right care, at the right time, and in the right place – close to home,” said Tom Oliver, MD, Chief Clinical Officer for Navicent Health.

Serving Georgia families since 1987, BKO opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Macon on February 25, 2019. The new hospital includes four pediatric operating rooms, designed specifically for patients with smaller bodies, and a 66-bed Level III NNICU that provides care for families from across the state. For more information on BKO, please visit www.childrenshospitalmacon.org.

In the attached photo: Josh Glenn, MD, holds Amillia Spencer at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health in Macon, Ga.

About Navicent Health
Navicent Health, the leading provider of healthcare 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, Navicent Health provides care for healthcare 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. Navicent Health is dedicated enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally-recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visitwww.navicenthealth.org.

About Cook Medical
Since 1963, Cook Medical has worked closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials and cellular therapies to help the world’s healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: our patients, our employees, and our communities. Find out more at cookmedical.com, and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Hamilton Medical Center’s Peeples Cancer Institute began welcoming patients Jan. 6. A community open house is planned for Saturday, Feb. 1 from 1 to 3 p.m.

With an entrance on Memorial Drive, off Thornton Avenue, the 64,000 square-foot facility, estimated at $46.5 million, houses outpatient cancer diagnostic and treatment services in one location. The team of medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons and clinical support staff work collaboratively in shared spaces to provide state-of-the-art care in a healing, nurturing environment.

“Every aspect of Peeples Cancer Institute is focused on the needs of our patients and families so that we provide an outstanding patient experience and the best clinical outcomes,” said Jeff Myers, president and CEO of Hamilton Health Care System. “Our goal is to foster collaboration, communication and education among physicians and our medical teams to advance and enhance our care for patients. They are our number one priority.”

The design and development of the facility incorporated direct feedback from focus groups including cancer survivors treated at Hamilton, cancer survivors treated elsewhere, local caregivers and community volunteers.

Patient navigators assist newly diagnosed patients to obtain the resources they need, having their questions answered, and receiving necessary emotional support along their journey, from diagnosis to survivorship.

In addition to updated design features, Peeples Cancer Institute showcases the talents of local and regional artists, with several cancer survivors represented. The Whitfield Healthcare Foundation and Hamilton Health Care System have partnered locally with the Creative Arts Guild to develop a healing arts program, with visual arts being the initial phase of the program.

“We are embracing the arts in healthcare to enhance the health and well-being of patients,” said Jane Snipes, Whitfield Healthcare Foundation executive director. “The latest research is finally backing up what we have known all along regarding the therapeutic benefits of the arts. Through a strategic partnership, we can create a stronger, healthier, more vibrant community for all of us.”

Radiation oncology services in the Institute are being provided by Arif Ali, MD, and Nick Galanopoulus, MD, with Northwest Georgia Radiation Oncology. Lisa Duhaime, MD, and Freda Hoffman, APRN, are providing medical oncology services.

Local philanthropists Shelby and Willena Peeples have provided a legacy gift toward the development of the cancer institute and furthered Hamilton’s vision for transformational care.

“We are indebted to the Peeples for their commitment to this project, not only financially, but as they advocate and provide leadership and inspiration for our community,” said Snipes. “Like the Peeples, our Foundation is committed to supporting what our patients and families need. The care provided in Peeples Cancer Institute will impact thousands of lives in northwest Georgia. We will continue with our fundraising efforts to develop innovative programs and services, and we encourage individuals and businesses to join our efforts.”

Hamilton’s cancer program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer (COC), a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.

“There are no secrets to success,” said former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. “It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”

His description could apply to the individuals included in Georgia Trend’s 22nd annual listing of the 100 Most Influential Georgians. It’s a remarkable assemblage of people who prepare, work hard and have contributed to making life better for Georgians.

In this year’s list, you’ll find CEOs, politicians, college presidents and economic development leaders, among others, who have challenged, inspired and spearheaded efforts to bring about positive change in virtually every corner of the Peach State. Some are very public figures, while others work quietly behind the scenes. Many have helmed private businesses and helped shape industries, while some are leaders of government, healthcare and nonprofit organizations. All are tireless and passionate in pursuit of their vision for a better Georgia.

Selecting the most influential leaders is a daunting task and one that involves much discussion, mulling and refinement by the Georgia Trend staff. Our initial list typically contains many more than 100 names, and there are always last minute changes as a result of retirements, power shifts and late-in-the-year hirings. However, we believe this year’s final group represents the best qualities of leadership, power, character and influence the state has to offer.

Along with the most influential, we’ve included a list of Notable Georgians on page 52. These are individuals who’ve also made a significant impact on residents’ lives.

Profiles of the 100 Most Influential Georgians were written by Anna Bentley, Amy Bonesteel, Katie Gantt, Karen Kirkpatrick, Brian Lee, Michele Cohen Marill, Patty Rasmussen, K.K. Snyder, Adina Solomon and Randy Southerland. – The Editors

Carol Burrell

Under Burrell’s leadership, NGHS has expanded across North Georgia. Last year, it entered an agreement to take over Habersham Medical Center. The facility would join locations in Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow and Lumpkin counties. The system’s Northeast Georgia Medical Center is part of a group of five cancer programs that received $11 million to improve cancer care. – R. Southerlan

Kevin Brown

In Brown’s six years leading the 11-hospital Piedmont Healthcare, it has become one of the largest systems in Georgia, serving more than 2 million patients each year, with 2,300 physicians and 23,000 employees. In the last three years, the system has reduced hospital-acquired infections by 69 percent, resulting in A safety ratings for six of its hospitals. – A. Solomon

John Haupert

Since 2011, Haupert has set Grady Health System on an innovative and award-winning course. Grady was the first hospital in Georgia to introduce BrainScope One, which can diagnose possible brain bleeds, and the system helped established the state’s first mobile stroke unit. GHS also earned the 2019 CHIME HealthCare’s Most Wired recognition and in 2018 opened an Albany headquarters for its South Georgia EMS fleet. – B. Le

Robert Quattrocchi

Quattrocchi has held finance roles with Atlanta-based Northside Hospital healthcare system for more than 30 years, becoming its president and CEO in 2004. Since then, he’s been named a top CEO by Forbes and Glassdoor, and he’s led Northside through continual expansion – the latest, in Gwinnett County, was completed last year. – A. Bentley

Candice Saunders

Under Saunders’ leadership, WellStar now includes 11 hospitals and is consistently recognized as one of the best companies to work for in the nation. It made Working Mother magazine’s 2019 100 Best Companies, among other honors. It’s flagship Kennestone Hospital is building a new $126-million emergency department that should open later this year. – R. Southerlan

Ninfa M. Saunders

Saunders continues to steer Navicent Health in Central Georgia, the hospital system that now operates as a hub of Atrium Health, another not-for-profit health system out of North Carolina. In 2019, Navicent opened the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital to address the growing demand in the region for children’s care. – K. Kirkpatrick

In an effort to address the needs of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in South Georgia and North Florida, a free educational seminar is being offered by South Georgia Medical Center’s Dogwood Senior Health Center.

This free community lecture on the diagnosis and treatment of dementia will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center in Valdosta.

Joel L. Morgan, MD, director of the SGMC DSHC, will share information on dementia, a general term used to describe a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.

While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia: memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment and visual perception, according to organizers.

People with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or traveling out of the neighborhood.

Seating is limited and dinner is provided. Registration is required by visiting sgmc.org or calling 229-433-4022.

The SGMC Dogwood Senior Health Center is a short term facility, located at SGMC Berrien Campus, designed to help those 55 and older who are struggling with behavioral health issues.

BRUNSWICK, Georgia: Jan. 7, 2020 – Every New Year, many women resolve to be proactive about their health, whether it be improving their diet, exercising more, or being more mindful about health screenings. It’s no coincidence, then, that Cervical Health Awareness Month falls in January. With nearly 13,000 women diagnosed annually, Southeast Georgia Health System encourages women to take the necessary steps to prevent cervical cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly half of the women diagnosed with cervical cancer never had a Pap test; another 10% hadn’t been tested within the past five years.

There’s no need to become a statistic. Cervical cancer from the human papillomavirus (HPV) is highly preventable. “Follow the screening guidelines and protect yourself against HPV by getting vaccinated. Make it part of your routine health care,” says Jason Joseph, M.D., chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus, and a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Obstetrics & Gynecology.

o After 65, stop screening if no history of abnormal cervical cells and if three consecutive tests or two co-tests were negative

If your cervix was removed during a hysterectomy, you can skip screenings, unless you’ve had precancerous lesions.

Depending on your results, you may need additional screenings or procedures. Don’t be alarmed. “An abnormal pap smear is usually related to an HPV viral infection that clears up in most people. Just have your doctor monitor it,” says Joseph. If you have HPV, you’re not alone. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, approximately 75-80% of men and women are infected with HPV at some point in their lives.

According to Joseph, it takes HPV five to eight years to become cancerous. Symptoms such as bleeding, discharge or pain don’t appear until the later stages. “We can usually catch it early with regular screenings.”

Abnormal results may require a repeat Pap or a colposcopy (a biopsy of cervical tissue) for further testing.

Don’t Hesitate, Vaccinate
Men and women can protect themselves and their children from HPV by getting vaccinated, which is given in a series of shots. The Centers for Disease Control recommend:

For people age 27 and older, Joseph recommends they talk with their health care provider for more information. Although the vaccine is deemed safe, it is not likely to provide much, if any, benefit as people get older.

Joseph recommends more frequent Pap and HPV testing if you have any of these risk factors:

To schedule an appointment with Joseph, call Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Obstetrics & Gynecology at 912-466-7250. To learn more about services provided at Southeast Georgia Health System, visit sghs.org.

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, three immediate care centers, five family medicine centers and numerous employed physician practices. The Health System has multiple outpatient specialty care centers, including the only CyberKnife^®M6 Program in the state of Georgia, and a Cancer Care Center accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. For more information, call 855-ASK-SGHS (855-275-7447) or visit sghs.org. ###

Jesup, GA – With the convergence of whole organ coverage, image quality, and speed found in GE Healthcare’s Revolution* CT scanner, Wayne Memorial’s physicians are now able to diagnose in even the most challenging situations. This innovative technology can help enable clinicians to diagnose more patients with erratic or high heart beats and also provide pediatric patients with sedation free and low-dose scanning capabilities, among other clinical advances.

“Technology is continuously changing and improving. It’s important for us to do that as well with the equipment we utilize to provide world class care to our patients every day,” states John MCCullough, Director of Radiology at Wayne Memorial.

Today, more than 70 million computed tomography (CT) scans are done per year in the U.S. with tremendous clinical value in helping physicians to provide a fast and definitive diagnosis across a wide range of applications. CT is a non-invasive and expedient way to look inside the body at organs, soft tissues, vascular structures and bones using x-rays to generate very high resolution images of the body. It does this by rotating an x-ray source and detector around the patient as the patient is moved through the device.

The wide coverage of Revolution CT allows healthcare providers to scan entire organs such as the brain, heart, liver and pancreas, in a single 0.28 sec rotation reducing breath hold times for patients. Also, the speed of this new technology allows providers to gather information about function as well as anatomy, enabling a comprehensive stroke assessment of the brain in a single exam.

The hospital’s Revolution CT comes equipped with ASiR-V*, GE’s next generation of low dose technology which routinely reduces dose up to 82% with the same image quality⁰. Furthermore, clinicians can help reduce patient anxiety with Revolution CT as:

Revolution CT delivers high definition imaging across the entire body, helping physicians make a confident diagnosis across all applications:

Wayne Memorial had the system installed this week and is currently scanning patients. 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.

⁰ In clinical practice, the use of ASiR-V may reduce CT patient dose depending on the clinical task, patient size, anatomical location and clinical practice. A consultation with a radiologist and a physicist should be made to determine the appropriate dose to obtain diagnostic image quality for the particular clinical task.

A free class on childbirth is offered at Wayne Memorial Hospital Saturday, January 25th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria conference room. This class is ideal for those expectant mothers 25 weeks pregnant or later by the class date. Those interested in registering may do so by calling (912) 530-3118 or (912) 530-3117.

Topics of the class will include the normal process of pregnancy, labor and delivery with an emphasis on conscious prepared childbirth. Stress is placed on a medically safe delivery in the hospital under the direction of a physician. Additional topics covered are infant care and infant feeding. Attendees are encouraged to invite a support person to the class.

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.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) closed out 2019 by marking off a major milestone: more than 10,000 NGMC patients have now benefitted from robotic surgery, thanks to specially trained surgeons and state-of-the-art technology known as the da Vinci Surgical System.

NGMC offers patients a robust robotic surgical program that includes more than 30 surgeons representing a multitude of specialties: bariatric, colorectal, gynecology, gynecologic oncology, thoracic, urology and general surgery, including hernia repair.

“Patients typically benefit tremendously from robotic surgery when compared to traditional procedures which often require larger, open incisions,” says Andrew Green, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group and medical director of the Robotic Surgical Program at NGMC. “Common advantages include smaller incisions and less blood loss, which can also decrease the need for narcotic pain medicine. These benefits often translate to a shorter hospital stay and, in general, a quicker return to normal activities for our patients.”

Together, NGMC’s Gainesville and Braselton hospital campuses house four da Vinci Surgical Systems – with a fifth robot on the way. The robots allow surgeons to perform delicate and complex operations through tiny incisions with breakthrough vision, precision, dexterity and control. In some cases, surgeons can even use the robot to perform procedures through the patient’s navel, resulting in virtually no scarring.

In addition to providing robotic surgical services for its patients, NGMC also serves as one of the leading teaching facilities for other surgeons and staff from across the U.S. who want to learn and fine-tune these techniques.

Jesup – In lieu of buying Christmas gifts for their physicians, Wayne Memorial Hospital donated $1,000 to the Wayne County Toy Drive. Employees joined the effort by donating 268 new, unwrapped toys. A physician donated an additional $150. Gathering for the check presentation were, from left to right: Jesup Mayor and Hospital Authority Member David Earl Keith, City Employee and Toy Drive Coordinator Tracy Smith, Hospital Employee Lori Crews, Jesup City Manager Mike Deal, Hospital Employee Josh Harris and Hospital CEO Joe Ierardi.

Since 2009, the hospital has been donating money and/or toys to the cause spearheaded by the city. All money and gifts stay local for the benefit of local children, ages 0-18. For some children, the gifts from the toy drive may be the only ones received for Christmas. Smith said, “We are so thankful for the toys and monetary donations. We would not be able to serve as many children as we do were it not for the hospital’s yearly donation.” She added that toy and financial donations are welcome year-round, particularly toys at the $10 price point and above. She also shared that they would welcome more business partners to the project.

St. Mary’s Health Care System colleagues and volunteers on the Monday before Thanksgiving donated 218 turkeys – weighing about 3,700 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 gives a free turkey to each colleague and volunteer as a token of appreciation for their dedication and service. During the week before Thanksgiving, system leaders personally hand out frozen turkeys at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Greensboro, as well as at ancillary facilities in Athens, Bogart and Watkinsville. Each turkey comes with safe cooking information and preparation tips provided by St. Mary’s food service partner, Metz Culinary.

St. Mary’s makes it easy for colleagues to donate their turkey to the Food Bank, if they wish to do so, by simply letting Human Resources know they want to donate their turkey. Then, the Food Bank picks up all the donated turkeys on the Monday before Thanksgiving.

“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’re thrilled that hundreds of colleagues and volunteers love getting these turkeys, and we’re just as thrilled that so many donate them to the Food Bank to help others.”

Chuck Toney, executive director of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, said the Food Bank is distributing the 188 turkeys it received to partner agencies for distribution to people in need in the communities those agencies serve.

“St. Mary’s has blessed the community and hundreds of families for many years through the donation of turkeys for Thanksgiving,” Toney said. “God bless all of you and thank you for working through the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia to feed our struggling neighbors.”

With each turkey weighing 17 pounds on average, St. Mary’s donation represents more than a ton and a half of food that will help families at risk of hunger across Northeast Georgia. The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia provides more than 11 million pounds of food to families through more than 225 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 30 turkeys to the Greene County Food Pantry. Since its founding in 2007, the charity has served more than 5,500 families, and over 60 percent of those assisted are senior citizens living below the poverty level.