For Kathy Jossey, the idea that Elbert Memorial Hospital could one day close its doors is troubling both professionally and personally. Born and raised in Elberton — billed as “the Granite Capital of the World” — she has a long history with Elbert County’s only hospital. Jossey retired in May 2016 after serving as a…
Separate bills seeking to improve Georgia health care cruised through legislative panel hearings Thursday, with the sponsors working together to head off any possible conflicts on details that might prevent approval. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously approved a House bill focused on boosting rural health care in Georgia. House Bill 769, sponsored…
Georgia has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. Of preventable infant deaths, most are sleep-related, the GBI says. “The biggest problem is not only not sleeping on their back, but also bed-sharing,” said Dr. Gary Freed, longtime director of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta apnea center. “We are losing babies who…
Dr. Eddie Richardson practices medicine in two different physician worlds. On the one hand, he’s an independent doctor working in a family medicine practice in Eatonton, east of Atlanta. Meanwhile, Richardson also is employed part time by a local hospital as a “hospitalist,’’ working 20 shifts a month. So, working both as an employed physician…
Since 2015, America’s leading sports medicine doctor and his investment partners have sought to build a $100 million facility in Alpharetta that would create 500 jobs. But Georgia appears to be running out of time to get the project done. The surgery center and training center, envisioned as the leading destination for sports injury treatment…
The effort to reduce “surprise’’ medical bills in Georgia took another key step Thursday with legislation passing a Senate health committee. Senate Bill 359 is similar to but broader than a proposal that has already passed the House. The Senate version has provisions on payment for non-network medical services that the insurance industry opposes. Sen….
The original proposal would have let advanced nurses work more independently in rural areas of Georgia. But by the time Senate Bill 351 passed a legislative committee Tuesday, the rural focus had been dropped entirely. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved legislation relating to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), yet it was much narrower…
Dr. Patrick Pulliam, a Stockbridge pediatrician, moved to a new, bigger medical office last year. The new site is in the same town as the old one, and in fact the two locations are only a half-mile apart. But the switch is costing Pulliam money. He’s getting paid substantially less to treat Medicaid patients in…
Surprise medical bills have long puzzled – and angered – patients in Georgia and elsewhere. This billing occurs when consumers have procedures or visit ERs at hospitals in their insurance network, then get separate bills for hundreds or even thousands of dollars from non-network doctors who were involved. These bills can come from ER doctors, anesthesiologists and…
Seven more Georgians have died from the flu, bringing the total to 12 deaths across the state this influenza season, Public Health officials said Friday. There were 40 hospitalizations in metro Atlanta due to influenza infection during the week of Jan. 7 through Jan. 13, the state Department of Public Health said. So far this…