A patient has just heard that treatment is no longer working. Their family is searching for another option. The room is quiet, but the physician may feel pressure to explain everything at once. This is where communication becomes part of the care itself. Conversations about terminal illness require more than clinical accuracy. Patients and families are processing ... Continue Reading
A Better End-of-Life Conversation Starts With One Question
CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz to Join Health Connect South 2026
Health Connect South announced that Dr. Erica Schwartz, newly confirmed Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will participate in a fireside chat along with Samantha Brown-Parks, MD, MPH Regional Director HHS during the healthcare conference taking place on September 16 at the Georgia Aquarium. Dr. Schwartz will be one of the 45 healthcare leaders to ... Continue Reading
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital Treats First Patients in PIANO Trial for Brain Aneurysms
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital has successfully treated the first patients in the Southeast in the PIANO IDE Trial. The study is testing two devices used to help treat brain aneurysms. Piedmont is the third site in the United States to join the PIANO Trial and the first in the Southeast to perform these procedures. The first two cases were led by Michael F. Stiefel, MD, PhD, ... Continue Reading
Zachary Senders, MD Joins Northeast Georgia Physicians Group
Zachary Senders, MD, a fellowship-trained surgical oncologist, has joined Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG). Dr. Senders provides surgical care for patients with a wide range of cancers, including those affecting the liver, pancreas, biliary system, gastrointestinal tract, skin and soft tissue. Dr. Senders most recently worked with Penn Highlands Healthcare, caring ... Continue Reading
Dr. Eric Wagner Introduces Total Thumb Arthroplasty for Advanced Thumb Arthritis
Georgians and those living in the Southeast now have access to a new surgical option for advanced thumb arthritis through Emory Healthcare, the first health system in the region to offer total thumb arthroplasty. Thumb arthritis is the second most common site of arthritis in the hand, according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. The condition typically affects ... Continue Reading
Interventional Pain Procedures for Neck and Back Pain
By V.K. Puppala, MD
Chronic neck and back pain remain among the most common reasons patients present to primary care, and a substantial subset will fail conservative management with physical therapy, pharmacotherapy, and activity modification. For these patients, interventional pain procedures offer a middle path between conservative care and surgery. Familiarity with the available options — their ... Continue Reading
Back Pain in Children and Adolescents
By Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD
Back pain is something most adults expect to experience at some point in their lives, but it can be surprising—and often concerning—when a child or teenager begins to complain of it. Many parents understandably worry that back pain in a young person may signal a serious underlying problem. Fortunately, this is rarely the case. The vast majority of back pain in children and ... Continue Reading
Neck and Back Pain
By Joshua Wewel, MD, FAANS
Back and neck pain are among the most common complaints in clinical practice, affecting up to 80% of adults at some point in their lives. Despite its prevalence, the causes and presentations of these conditions are diverse, ranging from benign mechanical strain to serious structural pathology and possible neurologic compromise. From a surgical perspective, understanding the ... Continue Reading
Ending the Physician-Patient Relationship: A Patient Dismissal Letter Isn’t Enough
By MyAdvice, By MagMutual
Ending a physician-patient relationship is rarely a decision healthcare providers make lightly. While continuity of care is the goal, situations such as repeated missed appointments, disruptive behavior, ongoing noncompliance or a breakdown in trust can make it difficult to provide safe, effective care. In these circumstances, practices may determine that terminating the ... Continue Reading
HIV Prevention Clinical Trial in Atlanta Enrolling Now
By Colleen Kelley, MD
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health challenge in the United States.1 Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, and an estimated 13% do not know they have it.2 The Atlanta metro area had the third-highest rate of new HIV diagnosis among U.S. metro areas in 2021, accounting for more than half of all new HIV diagnoses in Georgia ... Continue Reading
Dr. Shamie Das Named Medical Association of Atlanta President
Dr. Shamie Das, an emergency physician, educator, and policy leader, was installed as President of the Medical Association of Atlanta (MAA) for 2026 – 2027 at the MAA Summer Gala at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Dr. Das received a Bachelor of Science from Emory University, a Master of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health, and both ... Continue Reading
Northside Hospital Launches Fetal Therapy Center Partnership
Northside Hospital and Georgia Perinatal Consultants announce expanded access to highly specialized care for high-risk pregnancies through the Northside Hospital Center for Advanced Fetal Intervention, in partnership with Georgia Perinatal Consultants. The program brings together nationally recognized expertise in maternal-fetal medicine to care for some of the most complex ... Continue Reading
Lung Cancer Surgeon Dr. Matthew Schuchert Joins Northeast Georgia Physicians Group
The lung cancer treatment program at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) has added renowned expert thoracic surgeon Matthew Schuchert, MD, who recently joined Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery to see patients in Gainesville. Dr. Schuchert joins NGPG after a distinguished career in academic and clinical practice at the ... Continue Reading
Northeast Georgia Health System Expands Access To Advanced Noninvasive Cardiovascular Care
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) and Flow Therapy have established a joint venture to expand access to advanced noninvasive cardiovascular care in Gainesville and the surrounding region. The partnership introduces counterpulsation therapy (also known as external counterpulsation, ECP), a noninvasive outpatient treatment for patients living with persistent symptoms of ... Continue Reading
Dr. John Layher Launches Advanced Cardiology at Morgan Medical Center
Morgan Medical Center now offers advanced cardiology services led by board-certified cardiologist Dr. John Layher and his team. With nearly 30 years of cardiovascular expertise, Dr. Layher has practiced in Georgia’s Piedmont region since 1999. He is perhaps best known for co-establishing the Oconee Heart & Vascular Center in 2008, which was founded in partnership with ... Continue Reading
