Many clinical disciplines require its employees to participate in a specified number of continuing education units (CEUs) through various courses and programs.  Doing so helps to ensure that those providing care remain up-to-date with some of the latest advances in their fields, in turn helping the system provide exceptional care to the community.  This September, North Fulton Hospital will offer such a course.

“Family and patients are always looking for the latest in treatment options after a stroke or brain injury,” explains Dr. Alan Harben, Medical Director for Rehabilitation Services at North Fulton Hospital.  “This course will provide therapists with updates on some of the most innovative treatments available today.”

On Friday, September 17^th, North Fulton Hospital will present ‘Winning Strategies – Playing the Neurological Rehab Game,’ a CEU course geared toward physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, case managers, and others who wish to learn about the topic.  The course will span the majority of the day and will feature various sessions with respected leaders in the healthcare industry and physicians.

Course Description

The Upper Motor Neuron Syndrome presents with many difficult problems for the Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapist, Rehabilitation Nurse, Physician, and Case Manager. Paresis, sensory loss, incoordination, hypertonia, and contracture development are barriers to functional recovery which must be addressed in each phase of rehabilitation.

A variety of therapeutic options exist, some more appropriate than others, for a given patient, or for a given stage of recovery.

Goals of this course are to:

1.      Recognize neurologic, biomechanical, and functional manifestations of the UMN Syndrome

2.      Select appropriate treatment strategies based on signs and symptoms, stage of recovery, and functional goals

3.      Recognize the limitations of particular treatments, and when/when not indicated

4.      Coordinate treatment using multiple modalities across diverse disciplines to optimize functional outcome

5.      Set appropriate short and long term goals, based on recovery, degree of disability, and limitations of treatments

For more information about the course and to register, please click here. 

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

# # #

Whether you need conservative treatment or advanced surgical procedures, NFH is prepared to provide you with some of the highest quality care possible.  And now you have an option for minimally invasive surgery, right here in your backyard.

§         Laura Rivers, MD: Breast Surgery

§         Jose Torres, MD: Cardiology

§         Fred Lim, MD: Family Medicine

§         Amit Dua, MD: Internal Medicine

§         Thomas Belknap, MD: Neurosurgery

§         Robert Modugno, MD: Obstetrics and Gynecology

§         Kristy A. Ruis, MD: Obstetrics and Gynecology

§         Michelle Wallace, MD: Pediatric Cardiology

§         Patricia Yugueros, MD: Plastic Surgery

§         Usha Nayak, MD: Pulmonary/Critical Care

§         Jagindra Mangru, MD: Rheumatology

§         Brooks Whitney, MD: Vascular Surgery

§         Joseph I. Zarge, MD: Vascular Surgery

The success of North Fulton Hospital depends heavily on the relationships forged with members of the medical staff.  We thank them for all they do and look forward to continuing these relationships in the future. 

For a referral to a physician, please call 770-751-2600 or visit www.nfultonhospital.com and select the ‘Find a Physician’ tab on the left.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Topics to include:

• Personal Health Records: what are they, and why are they useful?
• Preparing for a potential hospital stay and your care afterward
• Long-term care planning
• Longevity insurance

Tracy Wilkinson comes to NFH after working at several Atlanta facilities in the field of Imaging Services.  These positions include Manager of Imaging Services at Gwinnett Hospital, Director of Imaging Services at Emory Dunwoody Medical Center, and most recently Operations Manager at Decatur Heath Imaging.

A graduate of Emory University and Shorter College, Tracy spends time working with various professional organizations.  She is a certified facilitator for Development Dimensions International (DDI) Continuing Education Programs and a member of the advisory committee for the Radiology Technology Program at Gwinnett Technical College.  Tracy also serves the Duluth Kiwanis Club.

The new agreement covers Tenet’s five acute care hospitals in Georgia (Atlanta Medical Center, North Fulton Hospital, South Fulton Medical Center, Spalding Regional Medical Center and Sylvan Grove Hospital) as well as freestanding outpatient centers.  Tenet Physicians, Inc., which contracts for physicians employed by various Tenet subsidiaries, also is part of the new agreement.

Tenet Healthcare Corporation is a health care services company whose subsidiaries and affiliates own and operate acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and diagnostic imaging centers.  Tenet’s hospitals and related health care facilities are committed to providing high quality care to patients in the communities they serve.  For more information, please visit www.tenethealth.com.

Media:                                                            Investors:

David Matthews (469) 893-2640                     Thomas Rice (469) 893-2522

David.Matthews@tenethealth.com                    Thomas.Rice@tenethealth.com

# # #

Some of the statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements.  Such statements are based on our current expectations and could be affected by numerous factors and are subject to various risks and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and periodic reports on Form 8-K.  Do not rely on any forward-looking statement, as we cannot predict or control many of the factors that ultimately may affect our ability to achieve the results estimated.  We make no promise to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of changes in underlying factors, new information, future events or otherwise.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Stuart most recently served as the CNO and Vice President of Nursing and Quality Services at Rockdale Medical Center in Conyers, Georgia, where he has served in various positions since 1998.  While in this role, Stuart was responsible for the clinical care off all patients in addition to the nursing budget, staffing, and marketing, among other areas.

Prior to serving in this capacity, Stuart worked as a director of critical care, telemetry and medical services; a nurse manager of critical care, telemetry and medical services; a patient care supervisor, and a registered nurse for a critical care unit.  His experience in both the patient care setting as well as operations has prepared him to be an effective leader in the hospital.

Stuart holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southeastern University in Hammond, Louisiana and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. He is currently pursuing his MSN from Vanderbilt University.

Stuart is also involved in several professional organizations, including the Georgia Association of Healthcare Executives, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and the national Association for healthcare Quality, among others.  He is currently the Vice President of the Georgia Organization of Nurse Leaders, a role he has held since 2008.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

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 2009 to December 2009.

“This is a great accomplishment for North Fulton Hospital,” said Joseph Parker, president of GHA. “This recognition further underscores the commitment of the North Fulton Hospital staff to ensuring that every patient receives the best, most effective health care possible.”

All acute care hospitals are required to submit care data to CMS. This data details how well a hospital’s caregivers adhere to a list of eight Appropriate Care Measures (ACM), which are the clinical processes of care that are known to be the most effective methods of treatment for patients who have suffered heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia. The ACM is a composite measure that determines whether or not a patient received the right care at the right time.

For instance, a recommended treatment to help prevent a heart attack is to take aspirin either before or upon arrival at the hospital, as well as at discharge. A suggested treatment for pneumonia is to administer an antibiotic within four hours of a patient’s arrival. A hospital’s adherence to these recommended clinical practices usually leads to better outcomes.

“It is our mission to ensure that each of our patients receives the right care at the right time and this recognition validates this,” said Debbie Keel, chief executive officer of North Fulton Hospital. “This honor is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our staff who are constantly working to make excellent care even better.”

About NFH

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

About PHA

The Partnership for Health and Accountability, formed in January 2000 and sponsored by the Georgia Hospital Association, is a unique statewide collaborative that brings together health care providers with community agencies and individuals to achieve healthy communities. PHA includes representation from groups like hospitals, physicians, state health officials, legislators and businesses.

So what are these risk factors?  According to the Mayo Clinic, these factors below may increase your risk of skin cancer include:

• Fair skin. Having less pigment (melanin) in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair and light-colored eyes, and you freckle or sunburn easily, you're much more likely to develop skin cancer than is a person with darker features.
• A history of sunburns. Every time you get sunburned, you damage your skin cells and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. After sunburn, your body works to repair the damage. Having multiple blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor.
• Excessive sun exposure. Anyone who spends considerable time in the sun may develop skin cancer, especially if the skin isn't protected by sunscreen or clothing. Tanning, including exposure to tanning lamps and beds, also puts you at risk. A tan is your skin's injury response to excessive UV radiation.
• Sunny or high-altitude climates. People who live in sunny, warm climates are exposed to more sunlight than are people who live in colder climates. Living at higher elevations, where the sunlight is strongest, also exposes you to more radiation.
• Moles. People who have many moles or abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi are at increased risk of skin cancer. These abnormal moles — which look irregular and are generally larger than normal moles — are more likely than others to become cancerous. If you have a history of abnormal moles, watch them regularly for changes.
• Precancerous skin lesions. Having skin lesions known as actinic keratoses can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. These precancerous skin growths typically appear as rough, scaly patches that range in color from brown to dark pink. They're most common on the face, lower arms and hands of fair-skinned people whose skin has been sun damaged.
• A family history of skin cancer. If one of your parents or a sibling has had skin cancer, you may have an increased risk of the disease.
• A personal history of skin cancer. If you developed skin cancer once, you're at risk of developing it again. Even basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas that have been successfully removed can recur.
• A weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems have a greater risk of developing skin cancer. This includes people living with HIV/AIDS or leukemia and those taking immunosuppressant drugs after an organ transplant.
• Exposure to certain substances. Exposure to certain substances, such as arsenic, may increase your risk of skin cancer.
• Increasing age. The risk of developing skin cancer increases with age, primarily because many skin cancers develop slowly. The damage that occurs during childhood or adolescence may not become apparent until middle age. Still, skin cancer isn't limited to older people and can occur at any age.

“Each year as part of the Community Awards, the President of the CVB presents the President's Award to those he feels has given support to the Roswell CVB as it strives to increase economic impact to the Roswell area through tourism programs and community activities,” explains Dotty Etris, Executive Director of the Roswell CVB.  “He cited Ron and North Fulton Hospital for their efforts in holding the first Find It All Roswell social/networking event and helping the CVB and the city in the promotion of doing business in Roswell.”

Ron currently serves North Fulton Hospital as the Business Development Officer, a position he has held for 2 ½ years.  During this time, Ron also became a member of the Roswell CVB Board. 

North Fulton Hospital proudly supports the Roswell Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the City of Roswell.  Such community partners help to enable all parties to prosper.

Learn more about North Fulton Hospital, your health, and the many programs and services available at NFH at www.nfultonhospital.com.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

This month North Fulton Hospital began its valet parking service.  This service is currently available on weekdays and will enable visitors to access the entrance to the hospital facing Alpharetta Highway.  This entrance, which was formerly a physician and employee entrance only, is now open to valet parkers during the day.

The opening of this entrance will also benefit our labor and delivery patients.  Two parking spots are now reserved in the driveway so that OB patients can park and enter close to the obstetrics unit when they are coming to deliver.  After hours, these patients will gain access via use of a security camera system to open the door.

Both the valet parking service and the reserved OB spots will serve to provide more convenient access into the facility.  North Fulton Hospital will continue to pursue ways in which we can best meet the needs of the community.

For more information about these and other North Fulton Hospital services, please visit www.nfultonhospital.com.  Learn more about upcoming classes and events by calling 770-751-2660.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Specifically, the results of the food drive are as follows:

•  6,561 pounds worth of food collected
• $6,138.70 worth of monetary donations collected

With every dollar donation equaling two pounds worth of food, the total “poundage” came to 18,838.4.

When people are in need of hospital care but aren’t experiencing symptoms severe enough to require immediate attention, InQuickER can help them avoid waiting in the ER. This Web-based program allows users to view current ER wait times and schedule a time for a visit. Think of your ER appointment as a placeholder—rather than having to physically wait in the ER, you’re given the opportunity to wait in the comfort of your own home.

“Nobody likes to wait—patients don’t like waiting, and their physicians and nurses don’t want them to wait either,” says Michael Lipscomb, MD, medical director of the ER at NFH. “We’ve begun using this program to improve upon already excellent wait times and enhance patient satisfaction.”

How to Access InQuickER

To use InQuickER, people can simply logon to www.nfultonhospital.com and select the “InQuickER” link. This will allow them to view current wait times as well as openings for appointments.

“When scheduling an appointment through InQuickER, we ask that patients fill out information about their medical history and symptoms,” says Lindsey Harber, director of marketing and physician services at NFH. “Not only does this eliminate a portion of the paperwork you’ll have to fill out once you arrive, but it also allows our nurses and physicians to know what to expect before you arrive.”

While InQuickER can be a valuable tool, it’s not intended to take the place of a visit to the ER when emergency care is needed. “InQuickER can be a great solution in times when you’re unsure if you’ve sprained a wrist or ankle or are feeling ill but can’t get an appointment at your physician’s office,” says Joan Birzes, RN, MSN, director of the ER at NFH. “However, there are certain symptoms that always call for emergency attention. If you’re experiencing trauma, chest pain, or stroke symptoms, call an ambulance or have someone bring you to the ER immediately.”

 Cost to Schedule through InQuickER

Each use of InQuickER costs $24.99. Currently, InQuickER is backed by a 15-minute guarantee, meaning that if you arrive on time to your scheduled visit and aren’t taken back within 15 minutes, the cost of the InQuickER service will be refunded.

For more information about this new service or to use InQuickER, visit www.InQuickERRoswell.com.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Utilizing a Cinco de Mayo theme, the Quality Management Team set up displays in the cafeteria from 11am – 1pm on May 5^th, educating the staff on the importance of hand hygiene and asking everyone to pledge to clean their hands and save lives.  Employees enjoyed chips, salsa, and non-alcoholic margaritas as they were reminded of the importance of good hand hygiene.

In order to be cleared for participation in certain physically-demanding activities, local high school students are required to be cleared by a physician.  North Fulton Hospital along with Resurgens Orthopaedics hosted this event on Saturday, April 24^th, which gave students the chance to be seen by an orthopedist, an ophthalmologist, a primary care physician, and North Fulton Hospital nurses.

This new agreement builds upon a longstanding relationship with SJHA in which NFH has transferred its high level cardiology patients for treatment.  Identifying an emerging need for advanced onsite cardiology care, NFH and SJHA believe this new relationship will better accommodate the large number of aging North Fulton residents.  Within the hospital’s service area, the 55+ age demographic has seen the most significant growth—indicating a more comprehensive cardiac service line would better meet the current and future needs of the North Fulton patient population.  “This expanded cardiac service line will greatly benefit our community,” explains Vicky Carroll, Director of Cardiology Services at North Fulton Hospital.  “As our patient population grows as a result of this expansion, so will the number of patients that will be transported to Saint Joseph’s for higher level cardiac needs such as cardiac intervention and cardiac surgery.” 

Because heart disease is the number one killer of women, the first project the two facilities are exploring is the development of a Women’s Cardiology Program at North Fulton Hospital.  Saint Joseph’s, having the only Heart Center for Women in the state, will guide NFH with this implementation.  “Saint Joseph's has entered into this agreement with NFH to enhance quality patient care, educational and health-related services to meet the individual needs of those patients served by SJHA and NFH” says Patrice Villemure, VP Heart and Vascular Institute “This agreement allows SJHA and NFH to ensure continuity of care from primary cardiac services to tertiary services between the two facilities.”

 # # #

About North Fulton Hospital

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

About Saint Joseph's Health System

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1880, Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta is now a 410-bed, acute-care hospital recognized as one of the leading specialty-referral hospitals in the Southeast.  Saint Joseph's is one of the region's premier providers of cardiac, vascular oncology and orthopaedic services and home to the most comprehensive minimally invasive robotic surgery program in the world.   Saint Joseph's is one of the 50 top hospitals and one of the few hospitals in the world to receive Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence.  Saint Joseph's medical staff is comprised of over 750 physicians.  Saint Joseph's Health System is based in Atlanta and has several subsidiaries including indigent care services, employed physician group, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Greensboro, GA, and research facilities.   Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Saint Joseph's is a member of Catholic Health East.  For more information, please visit www.saintjosephsatlanta.org.

Note the New Date and Time!

Tuesday, July 13th starting at 5:30 pm

Planning a fun summer outside?  You might want to make some plans for your skin care in the process...

No, we're not referring to cosmetics and beauty products.  While these items have a place in socety, what we're referring to here is the skin care that can help prevent skin cancer.  As the days get longer, the sun gets hotter, and our time outside extends, we have an even greater responsibility to be attentive to our largest organ: our skin.

Make plans to attend the 2nd Annual Skin Cancer Screening and Health Night at North Fulton Hospital.  Taking place on Tuesday, July 13th, at the hospital, this event will feature a free head-to-toe skin screening by a physician.  In addition, attendees can also have other screenings that will include: blood pressure, body mass index, vision, hearing, and vein.

While this event is free of charge, registration is required for the skin screening.  Space is limited and time slots are quickly filling.  Call today to reserve your spot!  For more information and to register, call 770-751-2660 or click here.

•  Madhavi Devaraju, MD – Family Medicine
• John Gouldman, MD – Thoracic Surgery
• Uma Jamched, MD – Internal Medicine
•  Faiz Niaz, MD – Neurology
•  Sowmya Reddy, MD – Obstetrics and Gynecology
•  Ranvir Singh, MD – Gastroenterology
• Steven Weiskopf, MD – Podiatry
• Karen Weiss, MD - Gynecology

The success of North Fulton Hospital depends heavily on the relationships forged with members of the medical staff.  We thank them for all they do and look forward to continuing these relationships in the future. 

For a referral to a physician, please call 770-751-2600 or visit www.nfultonhospital.com and select the ‘Find a Physician’ tab on the left.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

On friday, March 26^th, North Fulton Hospital hosted a celebration to thank the many on our medical staff who tirelessly work to care for our patients.  In past years, Doctors enjoyed an elegantly catered lunch in the physician’s lounge, a comfortably furnished room in the main hall of the hospital.  This year, organizers of the event took a different approach.

“When the staff found out about the anniversary, they jumped on it,” explained Cathy Tilbury, the Hollanders’ daughter who has been visiting from Tallahassee, Florida where she works as a Nurse Practitioner. “The entire dietary team worked to have a special meal prepared of steak, potatoes, fresh vegetables, salad, cheesecake with strawberries, and sparkling cider served from nice goblets.  The chef really outdid himself!”

Staff on the floors arranged for the couple to celebrate their special day away from their hospital rooms.  With the help of some flowers, lace, balloons, and honeymoon pictures provided by Tilbury, an unoccupied nurse’s station was turned into a private dining area fit for a celebration.

Blue Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery demonstrate their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for spine surgery patients. North Fulton Hospital meets evidence-based clinical criteria, developed in collaboration with expert physicians’ and medical organizations, and is subject to periodic re-evaluation as criteria continue to evolve.

“North Fulton Hospital is very proud to be a leader in surgical spine,” said Debbie Keel, CEO of North Fulton Hospital.  “Our physicians and staff work hard to ensure that we deliver the highest quality care possible to these and all of our surgical patients.”

“Blue Distinction will assist members in choosing a facility or physician that best meets their medical needs,” said Dr. Bob McCormack, medical director, BCBSGA. “This program provides easy access to evidence-based health information about physicians and institutions that meet clinically-validated, quality standards, and deliver better overall outcomes in patient care – giving members the confidence needed to make important decisions surrounding their health.”

To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery, North Fulton Hospital met the selection criteria posted at www.BCBS.com, which includes:

• An established spine surgery program, performing required annual volumes for certain procedures
• An experienced spine surgery team, including spine surgeons with board certification and case volumes meeting specified requirements
• Maintaining full accreditation by a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-deemed national accreditation organization
• Processes for patient selection and appropriateness of surgery
• Participation in the Surgical Care Improvement Project with ≥ 90 percent performance on process measures

The full list of Blue Distinction selection criteria is available to the public at www.BCBS.com/bluedistinction.

Blue Distinction is a designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The designation is based on rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria established in collaboration with expert physicians’ and medical organizations’ recommendations. Today, more than 1,000 Blue Distinction Center designations have been awarded to facilities nationwide, providing consumers with a framework for making informed decisions on where to go for specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, transplants, and now spine surgery and knee and hip replacement.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc. and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association^® . The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.  Additional information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia is available at www.bcbsga.com

Note: Designation as Blue Distinction Centers means these facilities' overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians' and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.