St. Mary’s Health Care System today announced that it is the first hospital in Northeast Georgia to offer a leadless pacemaker for patients who have bradycardia with atrial fibrillation (a-fib).

The Micra^®Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS)is a new type of heart device, approved for Medicare reimbursement, that provides patients with the most advanced pacing technology at one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker. The first procedure at St. Mary’s was performed by Amit Shah, M.D., a cardiologist with Oconee Heart and Vascular Center, on Wednesday, June 13, in St. Mary’s Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory.

Bradycardia is a condition characterized by a slow or irregular heart rhythm, usually fewer than 60 beats per minute. At low rates, the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body during normal activity or exercise, causing dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or fainting spells. Pacemakers are the most common way to treat bradycardia.

The Micra is comparable in size to a large vitamin pill. Dr. Amit Shah elected to use Medtronic’s Micra TPS because, unlike traditional pacemakers, the device doesnot require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical “pocket” under the skin to deliver pacing therapy. Instead, the leadless pacemaker is small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart with small tines. It provides a safe alternative to conventional pacemakers without the complications associated with leads – all while being cosmetically invisible. The Micra TPS is also designed to automatically adjust pacing therapy based on a patient’s activity levels, enabling patients to lead an active lifestyle.

“Pacemaking is a life-saving technology that has been around for decades, but leadless pacemakers represent a paradigm shift that will change the way we implant cardiac rhythm management devices,” Dr. Shah said after the procedure. “Since these devices alleviate the need for a surgical pocket and leads, we avoid traditional complications such as pneumothorax (collapsed lung), infections, pocket hematoma, and lead fractures. These features will improve our patients’ safety and quality of life while providing equal if not superior pacemaker function.”

The Micra is implanted through a small incision in the groin. In the June 13 procedure, after creating the incision, Dr. Shah carefully threaded a catheter (a long, thin tube) through the patient’s blood vessels to the inside of his heart. With guidance from the cardiac electrophysiology laboratory’s advanced x-ray imaging system, he positioned the catheter at the right location in the patient’s heart and attached the device to the heart wall. He then tested the device to make sure it was properly attached and functioning well before removing the catheter. The entire procedure took only a few minutes, and the patient was able to go home the next day.

The Micra TPS incorporates a feature to enable retrieval of the device when possible; however, the device is designed to be left in the body.  For patients who need more than one heart device over the course of their life, Medtronic designed the miniaturized Micra TPS  with a unique feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction.

The Micra TPS is the first and only transcatheter pacing system to be approved for both 1.5 and 3 Tesla full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. It is also designedto allow patients to be followed by their physicians and send data remotely via the Medtronic CareLink^®Network.

The Micra TPS was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2016 and has been granted Medicare reimbursement, allowing broad patient access to the novel pacing technology. Other companies have their own proprietary technology, and their leadless pacemakers will be commercially available pending FDA approval.

About St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s Health Care System is a faith-based, not-for-profit health care ministry whose mission is to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence in the communities it serves. Part of Trinity Health, St. Mary’s puts special focus on neurosciences, cardiac care, orthopedics, general medicine, general surgery, women’s and children’s health, and care for older adults. St. Mary’s includes hospitals in Athens, Lavonia and Greensboro, as well as physician practices, a retirement community, outpatient care facilities, graduate medical education, and a region-wide home health care/hospice service. St. Mary’s is a certified chest pain center, a gold-plus hospital for stroke care, and was named Georgia’s Large Hospital of the Year in 2006, 2010 and 2015. For more information, visit St. Mary’s website at www.stmarysathens.org.

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ATLANTA— Northside Hospital Cancer Institute is among select centers in the country to offer chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy, for adult patients with certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Yescarta® is the first-ever, FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy to treat adults with certain types of large B-cell lymphoma, who have not responded to or who have relapsed after at least two other kinds of treatment. The treatment is one of several therapies available from Northside Hospital Cancer Institute’s newly launched Immunotherapy Program.

Immunotherapy works by taking immune cells, genetically modifying them to be better tumor-fighting immune cells, multiplying them to great numbers (tens of thousands), and then infusing them into the patient where they can find and attack cancer.

“At Northside Hospital, we have been doing immunotherapy for decades in the form of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, in which a donor’s bone marrow or blood is engineered and transplanted into a patient to cure aggressive blood cancers,” said Scott Solomon, medical director of Northside’s Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Matched Unrelated Donor Program andStem Cell Processing Laboratory.

Northside Hospital is nationally recognized for leukemia treatment and stem cell transplantation. For nine consecutive years, the BMT Program at Northside has exceeded expected one-year survival outcomes for allogeneic transplants and is one of only two centers in the country (the only center in the Southeast) to do that.

Such transplants represented the first definitive proof of the human immune system’s capacity to cure cancer. Now, through studying CAR T-cells, cancer researchers are developing new ways to strengthen and empower a patient’s own immune system.

“It’s really just been over the last 5-10 years that tools are becoming available where we can think about stimulating a patient’s own immune system to attack cancer,” said Dr. Solomon, who added that CAR T-cell therapy is one of the most exciting and most promising cell-based immunotherapies and is giving hope to patients who previously didn’t have it.

“We’re targeting CAR T-cell therapy now to patients who have failed multiple rounds of conventional therapy,” said Dr. Solomon. “These patients historically have had very poor outcomes, very low chances of even brief remissions and certainly no chances of a cure prior to CAR T-cell therapy. And now many of them are alive months or years after therapy.”

To date, Kite Pharma, Inc., which makes Yescarta®, has certified approximately 45 cancer centers nationwide to offer its new treatment. Northside is one of just two facilities in Georgia that has the capacity and facilities to manage the toxicity of immunotherapy agents and that is certified to offer Yescarta®.

Although CAR T-cell therapy only just became available commercially in 2017, Northside participated in novel CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials for years and has the experience to care for patients who may develop mild to severe immunological side effects. Access to state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, facilities, comprehensive patient-centered care and a highly trained team provide immunotherapy patients at Northside with exceptional quality care that results in outstanding survival outcomes and patient satisfaction.

“Northside provides high-quality care in a very personal environment, a very compassionate environment, and our patients are the beneficiary,” said Dr. Solomon. “Patients at Northside Hospital do very well; they have access to high-quality clinical trials and certainly high-quality cancer care, but it’s the compassion of the individuals who work here that make Northside a unique and special place.”

In May 2018, the hospital expanded its state-of-the-art BMT unit from 36 to 56 beds to accommodate anticipated growth of the hospital’s Immunotherapy Program.

“I think we’re just at the beginning of tapping the role of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer,” said Dr. Solomon. “Any cancer can theoretically be targeted with immunotherapy, but there are many new drugs, agents and cell-based therapies that we have now which can target a whole array of different cancers, blood cancers and solid tumors.”

For more information about the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute Immunotherapy Program, visitnorthside.com/immunotherapy or bmtga.com.

About Northside Hospital

The Northside Hospital health care system is one of Georgia’s leading health care providers with more than 150 locations across the state, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Cherokee County and Forsyth County. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries and is among the state’s top providers of cancer care and surgical services. Northside has more than 2,800 physicians and 15,000 employees who serve 3 million patient visits annually across a full range of medical services.

St. Mary’s Hospital has received the Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Gold Award for implementing evidence-based quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer a cardiac arrest in the hospital.

More than 200,000 adults and children have an in-hospital cardiac arrest each year, according to the American Heart Association. The Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation program was developed with the goal of saving lives of those who experience in-hospital cardiac arrests through consistently following the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for treatment. Guidelines include following protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care.

St. Mary’s, the flagship hospital of St. Mary’s Health Care System, received the award for meeting specific measures in treating adult in-hospital cardiac arrest patients. To qualify for the awards, hospitals must comply with the quality measures for two or more consecutive years.

“St. Mary’s is dedicated to helping our patients have the best possible outcomes,” said Montez Carter, St. Mary’s President and CEO. “Implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation program helps us accomplish this by making it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis. Receiving the gold award two years in a row demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing the best, evidence-based care possible for our patients.”

“We are pleased to recognize St. Mary’s for their commitment to following these guidelines,” said Eric E. Smith, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. “Shortening the time to effective resuscitation and maximizing post-resuscitation care is critical to patient survival.”

Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation builds on the work of the American Heart Association’s National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation originally launched in 1999. The program has collected in-hospital cardiac arrest data from more than 500 hospitals. Data from the registry and the quality program give participating hospitals feedback on their resuscitation practice and patient outcomes. In addition, the data help improve research-based guidelines for in-hospital resuscitation.

Northside Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute will offer a free screening to determine your risk for heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, or CVD.

CVD remains the No. 1 killer of Americans, according to the American Heart Association.

There are a range of factors that raise your risk of developing CVD and having a heart attack or stroke. The more factors you have, the greater your risk. It is essential to find out your risk for CVD and make a plan to prevent it.

The free screening takes place:

When: 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 14

Free parking available.

This comprehensive screening is administered by health care professionals and will include a one-on-one consultation, risk assessment, blood pressure reading, total cholesterol (HDL, ratio of TC/HDL) as well as glucose testing and body mass index (BMI) analysis.

The screening is free, but registration is required. Call 404-851-6550 to secure your spot and schedule an appointment.

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About Northside Hospital (www.northside.com)

The Northside Hospital health care system is one of Georgia’s leading health care providers with more than 150 locations across the state, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Canton and Cumming. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries and is among the state’s top providers of cancer care and surgical services. Northside has more than 2,800 physicians and 15,000 employees who serve 3 million patient visits annually across a full range of medical services.

Valdosta, Georgia –South Georgia Medical Center was recognized by the March of Dimes and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for reducing the number of early elective inductions and cesarean deliveries. The hospital recently met the criteria to qualify for this distinction, which includes achieving a rate for elective deliveries before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy of 5 percent or lower and having policies in place to prevent such deliveries.

“We are delighted to receive this commemorative banner for adhering to standards that directly benefit the health of babies in this community,” said Dr. Hank Moseley, Chief of the OB-GYN service at South Georgia Medical Center. “The last few weeks of pregnancy are extremely important for the baby’s brain and lung development, among other organs. This is a significant achievement.”

According to SGMC Neonatologist Dr. Corne Maydell, since more mothers are reaching a full term gestation of at least 39 weeks, SGMC has seen a decrease in the number of babies admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for problems related to being born early, which can include respiratory problems, low blood sugar, and jaundice most commonly.

Peggy Knight, Associate Unit Director of Women and Children’s Services, states “The Labor and Delivery staff works carefully with our team of providers to help offer a positive birth experience for all our families. Moms who wait until the 39 week mark do tend to have a more satisfying experience. There is also a decreased incidence of cesarean sections for moms greater than 39 weeks. We are excited to receive this recognition promoting the overall well-being of mom and baby.”

SGMC CEO Ross Berry echoed the overall sentiment, stating quality is a top priority for the organization, and applauded the leadership from physicians and staff to achieve this recognition.

Reducing early elective deliveries and improving the health of moms and babies is just one of the key focus areas of the March of Dimes and their “Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait” campaign. Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants.

SGMC delivers approximately 2,000 babies annually. For more information about SGMC’s Birthplace, visit sgmc.org/birthplace.

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Jesup, GA – Wayne Memorial Hospital is hosting its next blood drive Tuesday, April 3, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the bloodmobile adjacent to the exterior entrance to The Café at Wayne Memorial.  Appointments may be made by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting www.redcrossblood.org and entering “wmh” when prompted for a sponsor code.  Walk-ins are also welcomed.

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 two-time winner of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Small Hospital of the Year Award.
 

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St. Mary’s Hospice Services is now accepting applications for its Healing Grief workshop, a free 7-week program for adults who have lost a loved one through death.

The group will meet from 2-4 p.m. each Thursday from April 5 through May 24 at Chapelwood United Methodist Church, 100 Janice Drive, Athens. In this private setting, participants will learn ways to better cope with the death of their loved one in a supportive group environment.

The professionally facilitated group takes an educational and supportive approach to healing. Topics will include understanding grief; remembering, accepting and expressing feelings; stress and coping; anniversaries, and memorializing.

Healing Grief is free but participants need to complete an application in order to enroll. To request an application or for more information, call St. Mary’s Hospice at 706.389.2273 or, toll-free, 1.800.822.3381.

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Jesup, GA – A free class on childbirth is offered at Wayne Memorial Hospital Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria conference room. The 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 two-time winner of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals Small Hospital of the Year Award.

Did you know that skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer?

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), more than 2,000 cases of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, will be diagnosed in Georgia this year. As with other cancers, early detection is important. The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute would like to help you get ready for the sun with a skin cancer screening. Medical professionals will provide skin assessments in a private setting. Registration is now open and everyone is invited to attend.

The skin cancer screening takes place:

Thursday, April 19, from 6-8 p.m.

Northside Hospital Cherokee

450 Northside Cherokee Boulevard

Canton, Ga. 30115

Qualified Spanish interpreters available free of charge, by request.

Recommended Screening Attire: Shorts and T-Shirt

Appointments are required. Call 404-531-4444.

Northside Hospital is one of the largest and most respected providers of comprehensive cancer services in the Southeast, combining the latest in technology and research with compassionate patient-centered care. The hospital offers a full continuum of care that encompasses the entire cancer experience, including education, screening, diagnosis, treatment, research, support and survivorship.

Northside’s skin cancer screening should not replace a complete skin exam with a skin specialist.

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About Northside Hospital (www.northside.com)

The Northside Hospital health care system is a 905-bed, not-for-profit health care provider with more than 150 locations across Georgia, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Cherokee County and Forsyth County. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries, diagnoses and treats the most cancer cases in Georgia and performs the most robotic surgeries in Georgia. Northside has more than 2,500 physicians and 15,000 employees who serve nearly 2 million patient visits annually across a full range of medical services.

CUMMING, Ga. — Northside Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Institute will offer a free screening to determine your risk for heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, or CVD.

CVD remains the No. 1 killer of Americans, according to the American Heart Association.

There are a range of factors that raise your risk of developing CVD and having a heart attack or stroke. The more factors you have, the greater your risk. It is essential to find out your risk for CVD and make a plan to prevent it.

The free screening takes place:

When: 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 14

Free parking available.

This comprehensive screening is administered by health care professionals and will include a one-on-one consultation, risk assessment, blood pressure reading, total cholesterol (HDL, ratio of TC/HDL) as well as glucose testing and body mass index (BMI) analysis.

The screening is free, but registration is required. Call 404-851-6550 to secure your spot and schedule an appointment.

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About Northside Hospital (www.northside.com)

The Northside Hospital health care system is one of Georgia’s leading health care providers with more than 150 locations across the state, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Canton and Cumming. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries and is among the state’s top providers of cancer care and surgical services. Northside has more than 2,800 physicians and 15,000 employees who serve 3 million patient visits annually across a full range of medical services.