New Medical Staff as Approved at August WellStar Governing Board Meeting

New Medical Staff

Name	Specialty	Group Name	Appointment	Current Staff Membership
Akoto, Nanabea O., M.D.	Family Medicine/CDU	Observation Medicine Spec, LLC	CH
Bowers-Zamani, Alyssa C., M.D.	Obstetrics and Gynecology	Kennestone OB/GYN	KH, GRP
Ferroggiaro, Anthony A., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH,PH
Flagge, Michele C., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH, PH
Frias, Patricio A., M.D.	Pediatric Cardiology	Sibley Heart Center Cardiology	CH,DH,KH, PH
Hess, Amy M., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH, PH
Hill, Roman A., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH, PH
Holtz, Daniel J., M.D.	Hand Surgery	Hand Surgery	DH, KH, PH, WH, GRP
Howard, Theltonia Y., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH, PH
Hsu, Tsung M., M.D.	Palliative Medicine	Palliative Medicine	CH, DH, KH, PH, WH, GRP
Krysiak, Holly B., M.D.	Emergency Medicine	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH,DH,KH, PH
Leshnower, Bradley G., M.D.	Cardiothoracic Surgery	Emory Healthcare	KH
Monfared, Hassan H., M.D.	Physical Medicine & Rehab	Emory Rehabilitation Medicine	KH, WH
Paarlberg, Salina, DO	Pediatrics	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, KH
Patel, Kumar R., M.D.	Neurology	Northwest Neurology, PC	CH, DH, PH, WH
Patel, Viralkumar S., M.D.	Hand Surgery	Atlanta Hand Specialist	DH, KH, PH	WH
Petrofski, Jason A., M.D.	Colon & Rectal Surgery	Atlanta Colon & Rectal Surgery	CH, KH
Symbas, John D., M.D.	Plastic Surgery	Marietta Plastic Surgery, P.C.	KH, WH
Waldman, Michael D., M.D.	Sleep Medicine	Acworth Pulmonary and Sleep	WH

Physician Extenders

Name	Specialty	Group Name	Appointment	Current Staff Membership
Adams, Adrienne, PAA	Physician Anesthesia Asst	Georgia Anesthesiologists, PC	KH, PH
Collins, Mary A., PA	Physician Assistant	WellStar Pulmonary Medicine	CH, DH, KH, PH, WH, GRP
Doornbos, Dane J., PA	Physician Assistant	Pain Solutions Treatment Ctrs	KH
Gaskin, Kara L., NP	Nurse Practitioner	James A. Sexson, MD, LLC	CH
Gay, Linda L., NP	Nurse Practitioner	WellStar Kennesaw Medical Center	GRP
Jacob-Pintro, Mirna C., PA	Physician Assistant	WellStar Cardiovascular Medicine	PH	CH, DH, KH, GRP
Johnson, William R., PA	Physician Assistant	Emory Healthcare	KH
Jones, Ashley L., PA	Physician Assistant	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, PH
Knight, Brandi D., NP	Nurse Practitioner	Georgia Urology, P.A.	CH, DH, KH
Lewis, Michael T., PA	Physician Assistant	Pinnacle Orthopaedics & Sports
Locher, Kim E., NP	Nurse Practitioner	WellStar Pulmonary Medicine	CH, DH, KH, PH, WH, GRP
Martin, Jesse Q., PA	Physician Assistant	NW Georgia Oncology Centers	CH, DH, KH, WH
Murray, Traci J., NP	Nurse Practitioner	WellStar Douglasville Medical Center	GRP
Nguyen, Margaret T., PA-A	Physician Anesthesia Asst	Georgia Anesthesiologists, PC	KH. PH
Reeves, LaSonja Saulsberry., PA	Physician Assistant	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH
Roberts, Heather W., NP	Nurse Practitioner	Georgia Breast Care	CH, KH
Robinson, Lisa M., NP	Nurse Practitioner	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH
Sessler, Erica L., PA	Physician Assistant	Pinnacle Orthopaedics & Sports	KH
Sobolik, Kim E., NP	Nurse Practitioner	NW Georgia Oncology Centers	CH, DH, KH
Starnes, Danielle N., PA	Physician Assistant	Georgia Urology, P.A.	CH, DH, KH
Taylor, Lyndsey M., NP	Nurse Practitioner	The Bortolazzo Group, LLC	CH, DH, KH, PH
Thomas-Osuntokun, Heather R., NP	Nurse Practitioner	Southeastern Gynecologic Onc.	KH
Wittenmyer, Emily, PA	Physician Assistant	NW Georgia Oncology Centers	CH, DH, KH, WH

Two Major Announcements Made at Aug. 18 Board of Trustees Meeting

During a specially-called Board meeting on Aug. 18, 2011, WellStar Health System Board of Trustees officially appointed Reynold J. Jennings as WellStar President & CEO, and nine Solaris Heart & Vascular physicians signed a letter of intent to join WellStar Medical Group.

Reynold J. Jennings Is Officially WellStar’s New President & CEO
"Over the past two weeks, Mr. Jennings has had the opportunity to meet with many WellStar team members and local community hospital board leaders," said Randall Bentley, Sr., Chairman of the WellStar Board of Trustees, in a memo to team members and medical staff. "We have received an overwhelmingly positive response to his strong ethical values, leadership experience and healthcare expertise. The Board firmly believes he is the right person to lead our System and help us achieve our vision of delivering world-class healthcare." 

Avril Beckford, M.D., FAAP, Named to WellStar Health System Board of Trustees

The WellStar Health System Board of Trustees named Avril Beckford, M.D., FAAP, as the newest member of the Board at its Aug. 4 meeting. With the addition of Dr. Beckford, the Board of Trustees consists of 17 members.

A resident of Atlanta, Dr. Beckford, is a board-certified pediatrician practicing at WellStar Medical Group, Pediatric & Adolescent Center and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is currently the chief pediatrics officer for WellStar Health System.

“We are thrilled to be adding a member to our Board with the credentials and background of Dr. Beckford,” said Randall Bentley, Sr., chairman of the Board. “Dr. Beckford will be the sixth physician currently on the Board and I believe that is a wonderful mix of physicians and business leaders.”

WellStar Breaks Ground on New Tower

On Tuesday, Aug. 16, WellStar broke ground on a new tower at WellStar Kennestone Hospital. The tower, scheduled to open in December 2012 or January 2013, will have 108 rooms, all of which will be private.

Click here to read the full story in the Marietta Daily Journal. 

New WellStar Medical Group Providers

Below is a list of new WellStar Medical Group providers who came on board in August 2011.

Dagim Bekele, M.D. 
Hospitalist, WellStar Kennestone Hospital
Dr. Bekele earned his Doctorate of Medicine from Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he also completed his rotating internship in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics and gynecology-obstetrics. Dr. Bekele completed both his internship and residency in internal medicine at Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta.

Daniel Holtz, M.D.  
New Practice – WellStar Hand Surgery
Dr. Holtz earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Georgia and his Doctorate of Medicine from University of Texas – Houston Medical School.
Before joining WellStar, Dr. Holtz completed his fellowship in hand surgery at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. Prior, he was a resident physician in general surgery at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta.
In his spare time, Dr. Holtz enjoys running, swimming, finance, World War II history and college football.

Tsung “Jonathan” Hsu, M.D.  
WellStar Medical Group, Palliative Medicine
Dr. Hsu obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emory University in Atlanta and his medical degree from the former Medical College of Georgia in Augusta (now Georgia Health Sciences University). In 2007, Dr. Hsu transitioned from obstetrics and gynecology to family medicine, completing the family medicine residency program at Medical College of Georgia. From July 2009 to March 2010, he served as chief resident for the family medicine program. He completed his fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine: Department of Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine.

Dr. Hsu is a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Medical Association and Medical Association of Georgia. He is fluent in Mandarin.

Carolina Hsu, M.D. 
WellStar Medical Group, East Paulding Pediatrics
Dr. Hsu obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emory University and her Doctorate of Medicine from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, where she also completed her pediatric residency. She served as pediatric chief resident from 2009-2010 at Medical College of Georgia.
Dr. Hsu is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Asian-Pacific American Medical Student Association, American Medical Association, Health Students Taking Action Together, American Medical Student Association and American Medical Women’s Association.

Eva Montgomery-McGuire, M.D.  
WellStar Medical Group, Pediatrics - East Cobb (New practice)
Dr. Montgomery-McGuire earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. She completed her internship and residency in pediatrics at the Health Sciences Center at the University of Colorado.
She has been a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics since 1985.



 

Mark Salsberry, M.D.   
WellStar Medical Group, Family Medicine - Acworth
Dr. Salsberry obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Biology/Chemistry from Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky., and his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine. He completed his residency at The Washington Hospital in Washington, Penn. Before joining WellStar, Dr. Salsberry was a family physician at Medical Associates of North Georgia in Canton, Ga.

Dr. Salsberry is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is married and has two sons, a daughter and one daughter-in-law. He regularly hikes and jogs at Kennesaw Mountain, and leads an adult Sunday school class at Piedmont Church in Marietta, Ga. He is also a member of the board of directors for Fountain Gate Counseling Center in Kennesaw, Ga.

Alsadek Sultan, M.D.  
WellStar Medical Group, Douglas Hospitalist Group
Dr. Sultan obtained his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine. Throughout his career at the Department of Medicine, he has acquired considerable experience in the management of general medical emergencies, and day-to-day inpatient care and follow up including ICU patients as well as outpatient clinic. Dr. Sultan’s hobbies and interests include traveling, camping and photography.

U.S. News Top Doctors

Congratulations to the WellStar physicians who made U.S. News and World Report’s Top Doctors list. U.S. News determined which physicians qualified as Top Doctors by teaming up with Castle Connolly, a New York City-based company that has worked for nearly two decades to identify the nation's top doctors. Castle Connolly bases its Top Doctors selections on nominations submitted by other doctors and reviewed by its physician-led research team.

Lower Extremity Paresis Patients Regain Mobility Using Advanced Foot Drop Treatment System

WellStar Kennestone Outpatient Rehabilitation Services recently acquired the Bioness L300 Foot Drop System, which is designed to aid patients who have lower extremity paresis following a stroke, brain or spinal cord injury improve their ability to walk more normally.

Using an advanced functional electrical stimulation (FES) system that sends low-level stimulation to the common peroneal nerve in the patient’s leg, the L300 system actually stimulates muscles to lift the foot during walking.  It also senses the patient’s foot positions, terrain changes and walking speed, allowing them to walk faster and farther.

How UpToDate Can Improve Patient Care

Hundreds of facilities across the country are already beginning to see the direct impact UpToDate can have on improving patient care when integrated into the clinical workflow.

In fact, a recent user survey showed*:

• 89% agreed having UpToDate embedded within their EMR system enhanced satisfaction
• 91% strongly agreed having UpToDate accessible within their EMR is important for patient care

Click here to read an article about how UpToDate drives better decision making when embedded in the EMR.

UpToDate is available on the Physician Portal under the UpToDate tab. It is free to all WellStar providers.

Graduates of the Physician Leadership Academy

To paraphrase a 2010 Harvard Business Review article, what medicine needs now is a new kind of leader. Clinical practitioners are more often being called on to lead teams and organizations; knowledge of disease and technical skills are no longer sufficient to lead a healthcare team.
Many physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants have the will and the desire, but not the necessary tools to be good leaders. The WellStar Physician Leadership Academy seeks to bring that toolkit to the motivated provider.

September Department Meetings

For a list of upcoming department meetings, click "Read more>>."

September CME Events

• Breast Tumor Board – Sept. 7, 14 and 28; 7 p.m.; Post Stat Cancer Clinic; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
• Cardiothoracic Case Conference – Sept. 20; 7 a.m.; Radiology Conference Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
• Cardiology Case Conference – Sept. 27; 7 a.m.; Kennesaw Mountain Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
• Cobb Cancer Conference – Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28; 12 p.m.; Wisteria/Jasmine Room; WellStar Cobb Hospital
• Cobb Surgical M&M – Sept. 22; 7 a.m.; Wisteria/Jasmine Room; WellStar Cobb Hospital
• GI Tumor Board – Sept. 1, 15, 22 and 29; 7 a.m.; Azalea/Camellia Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
• Kennestone Surgical M&M - Sept. 28; 7:30 a.m.; Azalea/Camellia Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital 
• PCP Cardiovascular Services (new quarterly primary care event) - Sept. 17; 8 a.m. - noon; WellStar Development Center
  
• Thoracic Clinic - Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28; 5 p.m.; Post Stat Cancer Clinic; WellStar Kennestone Hospital

General Medical Staff Meeting - Save the Date!

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011

Cobb Galleria Centre
Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Dinner/Meeting: 6:30 p.m.

All medical staff members and mid-levels and their spouse/guest are invited. Please RSVP to Medical Staff Services at 770-732-5570.

Journey to Become a Tobacco-Free Environment

As you know, a decision was made last year to become a completely tobacco free environment at all our facilities by Jan. 1, 2012. We began this process by implementing the Absence from the Unit procedure in February 2011, which restricts patients from leaving their units for non-therapeutic reasons, such as smoking.

The next step in the journey will be the implementation of the Tobacco-Free Environment policy effective Jan. 1, 2012. This policy prohibits the use of tobacco products by anyone, anywhere on WellStar facilities. Residents of the WellStar hospice facilities, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are excluded from this policy. Please review it carefully and understand your responsibilities regarding the new policy.

Monthly Patient Satisfaction Graphs

COPD Support Group and Education Class

Four WellStar Hospitals Place on Quality Honor Roll

WellStar Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone and Paulding hospitals were named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) Quality Honor Roll. These are four of 61 hospitals in Georgia to be placed in the Presidential category, one of the highest on the list. The honor roll is based on clinical data provided by the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), which administers the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. The data was collected from January 2010 to December 2010.

Speaking About Wellness for the Family

We Can!, or Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition, is a program developed by the National Institutes of Health to help children between the ages of 8 and 13 maintain a healthy weight by increasing physical activity, decreasing TV time and improving food choices.
WellStar's first Speaking about Wellness for the Family- We Can! series was held at the Paulding County Chamber of Commerce and was taught by  Diane Follmer, NP and Nicole Fishman, NP, who are both pediatric providers with WellStar Medical Group. Twenty one families attended this program each Monday in July.

Please join us for the next Speaking about Wellness for the Family- We Can! series that will be held at WellStar Health Place on Thursday, Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 6:30-8 p.m. This program is a FREE four-part series.

Physician & Provider Education (CME) Newsletter

Click here to view the summer edition of the Continuing Medical Education and Library Services newsletter regarding Physician and Provider Education.

WellStar Named Supply Chain Management Department of the Year

Healthcare Purchasing News chose WellStar as the recipient of its 8th Annual Supply Chain Management Department of the Year Award. HPN, which has covered the people, places, processes and products that influence the supply chain for more than 34 years, selected WellStar for its supply chain division’s emergence as an integrated group striving for world-class status from a “fragmented and unsophisticated” function.

WellStar Health System Teams With Paulding County School District to Provide Concussion Testing for Student Athletes

WellStar Health System will fund concussion testing for approximately 1,000 student athletes at North Paulding and Hiram High Schools. The tests will be administered prior to the start of the 2011-2012 athletic season.