The new Wellstar Paulding Hospital is turning five this September. It was our first opportunity to design a hospital from the ground up, and it became one of the first hospitals in the country to use a geothermal energy system, which uses the heat from below the Earth’s surface to heat and cool the facility.
Paulding Hospital features 112 private inpatient rooms, 40 emergency exam and pediatric emergency exam rooms, seven surgical suites, two GI-specific surgical suites, a bronchoscopy suite and decentralized nursing stations.
The hospital recently celebrated an extraordinary accomplishment when it received the coveted Florida Sterling Georgia Oglethorpe Award, which recognizes the hospital’s exceedingly high performance in patient safety, workforce engagement, and financial stewardship.
Over the years, Paulding kept expanding its list of services, bringing much-needed care close to home. One of these offerings is a state-of-the-art catheterization lab, where patients can get treatment for heart attacks and coronary artery disease. The lab opened in 2017, providing care to patients who previously had to travel to either Cobb or Douglas counties for this same life-saving treatment.
“Wellstar’s philosophy has been to deliver high-quality care to the community,” said Harvey Sacks, MD, who served as Paulding County’s sole cardiologist for several decades. “Bringing interventional cardiology here allows people to be treated near home, and makes it easier for their families to be with them at the hospital. Having family with the patient is an important part of healing.”
That same year Wellstar Paulding was also recognized for innovation and excellence in clinical care for patients with COPD and diabetes. The hospital won second place for its focus on diabetes care, which led to better controlling blood sugar for patients with diabetes while in the hospital. Wellstar Paulding Hospital also won third place for lowering readmission rates for patients with COPD.
Wellstar Paulding Hospital Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
Paulding Hospital Turns Five and Receives Important Award
Published on September 15, 2019
Last updated 05:35 PM August 11, 2020
Wellstar Paulding Hospital was built in 2014 and features 112 private inpatient rooms.
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Highlights
A Recipe for Success: Heart-healthy Dishes to Reduce Stroke Risk
If you’ve had a stroke, you don’t have to replace flavorful cuisine with bland foods on your journey to recovery.
There are easy, delicious meal options that follow American Heart Association nutrition guidelines for lowering your risk of another stroke. More fiber, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein, with less trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar are key to supporting your recovery efforts. Rehabilitation care teams and dietitians at Wellstar recommend keeping meals and snacks interesting with variety and new recipes like these.
Coconut Truffles satisfy your sweet tooth without any added sugar.
Ingredients:
12 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup puffed brown rice
½ cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut
Directions:
- Using a blender or food processor, puree dates and water until a sticky paste forms.
- Add cocoa powder and pulse until a solid dough forms.
- Stir in puffed brown rice.
- Using a small scoop, form mixture into 14 tablespoon size balls.
- Roll each ball in the shredded coconut for a light coating.
- Refrigerate for one hour.
- Enjoy!
Southwestern-Style Breakfast Casserole is a great way to start your morning.
Ingredients:
6 slices hearty whole-grain bread, cut into cubes
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (or 1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped)
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) Mexican-style cheese
3 cups non-fat milk
8 ounces egg substitute
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Layer the bread in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle evenly with the spinach, red peppers and cheese into baking dish.
- Combine the non-fat milk, egg substitute, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and salt, then pour into baking dish.
- Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
For more heart-healthy recipes, visit American Heart Association Recipes.
To learn more about how you can partner with Wellstar rehabilitation care teams to reduce your risk of another stroke, visit https://www.wellstar.org/medical-services/treatments-procedures/rehabilitation-services/neuro-rehabilitation..
Highlights
Honor Cancer Survivors Day with Wellstar
Wellstar supports people with cancer throughout their journeys, from early screenings to diagnosis to treatment. But our encouragement and dedication to delivering world-class, compassionate care doesn’t end in remission.
Across our system, Wellstar honors the bravery and strength of survivors every day, rejoicing in each milestone. This National Cancer Survivors Day, June 2, we are proud to pay tribute to the people who have conquered cancer and offer hope to those still fighting.
This year’s Cancer Survivors Day theme—In the Joy of Living, Hope Grows—exemplifies our commitment to being a steadfast source of encouragement for cancer survivors and fighters across Georgia.
“On Cancer Survivors Day, we reflect on our patients’ journeys and cherish victories over cancer. We also offer compassion and support for people currently fighting cancer, so they and their loved ones know they’re not alone,” said Wellstar Director of Oncology Melissa Higdon.
Several Wellstar facilities will host events—and you can be a part of the celebration!
Wellstar Cobb Medical Center
May 31
12 to 2 PM
1700 Hospital South Drive, Austell
Behind the building in the garden and parking lot area
To RSVP, contact Ashley Dapremont at
[email protected]
or
(470) 732-4523.
Wellstar Douglas Medical Center
June 1
11 AM to 2 PM
8954 Hospital Drive, Douglasville
Surgical services lobby
To RSVP, contact Diane Harris at
[email protected]
or
(470) 644-6613.
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
June 1
11 AM to 2 PM
320 Kennestone Hospital Blvd., Marietta
First floor
To RSVP, contact Nancy Page at
[email protected]
or
(470) 793-7470.
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center
June 2
1 to 4 PM
144 Bill Carruth Parkway, Hiram
Second floor auditorium
To RSVP, contact Kellie Mitchell at
[email protected]
or
(470) 644-8106.
Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center
June 2
1 to 3 PM
111 Medical Drive, LaGrange
Enoch Callaway Cancer Center
To RSVP, contact Sarah Hersey at
[email protected]
or
(706) 845-3848.
Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center
June 2
2 to 4 PM
3000 Hospital Blvd., Roswell
Main lobby in hospital
To RSVP, contact Pam Plasket at
[email protected]
or
(770) 410-4556.
Wellstar Spalding Medical Center
June 5
12 to 2 PM
Drive-thru event
608 South 8th St., Griffin
Women’s Center
To RSVP, contact Sherry Connell at
[email protected]
or
(470) 935-5526.
Learn more about cancer care at Wellstar.
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Wellstar MCG Health Celebrates Progress on Wellstar Columbia County Hospital with Ceremonial Groundbreaking
With a mound of red dirt piled behind him and wearing a hard hat, Gov. Brian P. Kemp lifted a purple-bowed shovel full of gray dirt Monday, April 1, ceremonially breaking ground on Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center.
Joining him in this symbolic event were First Lady of Georgia Marty Kemp; Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System; University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue; Ralph Turner, president of Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center; Brooks A. Keel, president of Augusta University; Doug Duncan, chairman of the Columbia County Board of Commissioners; and other esteemed dignitaries to commemorate construction of the new hospital and medical office building.
They were among the first to sign a purple beam with a Wellstar logo commemorating the momentous event. The 8-foot-long ceremonial beam will next travel to the Wellstar MCG Health campus so team members who provided input on the facility’s design can also sign it.
“Today’s groundbreaking is a great symbol of the incredible partnership between the state, local and private sector leaders and what is being done every day to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare to Georgians throughout the state,” said Gov. Kemp. “Through this partnership, Columbia County and the surrounding rural area will be able to experience innovative care, and the state will benefit from the generations of new minds that will be molded to provide care in the years to come.”
When Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center and the adjacent medical office building open in 2026, the full-service acute care hospital will feature 100 inpatient beds; an emergency department expected to become a Level II trauma center; a surgical platform that will include operating rooms, catheterization laboratories, and interventional radiology and endoscopy; and a 90,000-square-foot medical office building that will offer primary care, women’s health care and other specialties.
Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center will bring the world-class care already provided at Wellstar MCG Health to the residents of Columbia County and the surrounding areas. The new hospital’s close proximity to I-20 will make accessing that care more convenient and will create more jobs for the community.
“I can’t stress enough how important this partnership is to the people of Columbia County as well as the state of Georgia,” said Perdue. “This facility will expand access to quality healthcare, create more opportunities for students and prove to be a huge turning point in medical provision in Georgia.”
Wellstar is a nonprofit community health system that works to ensure every person has access to personalized, high-quality healthcare. The 11-hospital health system has a deep and long-standing dedication to providing care for diverse communities, those in need and underserved Georgians.
“At Wellstar MCG Health, our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve,” Turner said. “We look forward to continuing to work with our community partners in ensuring the patients and the community we serve have the best care possible.”
Wellstar has committed to invest more than $800 million in capital expansion across Richmond and Columbia counties. Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center will complement and expand the world-class resources that are already provided at Wellstar MCG Health.