Twelve physicians who abruptly left a cardiac practice at Northeast Georgia Medical Center over the weekend are all joining Northside Hospital, a spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday morning.
The physicians are all expected to help Northside grow its cardiac care unit, said Katherine Watson, spokeswoman for Northside Hospital Healthcare System.
“As we prepare to merge with Gwinnett Medical Center, Northside Hospital continues to expand our cardiovascular services program,” Watson said. “We are pleased that these 12 physicians have decided to join our team.”
Neither hospital named the 12 physicians, but patients of The Heart Center at Northeast Georgia Medical Center can view the Heart Center’s website to see which doctors are remaining with the practice.
The departure of the physicians is a blow for The Heart Center, as nearly a third of the physicians on staff notified the hospital Saturday afternoon they would not be renewing their employment agreements.
But a hospital official said Monday that operations would continue normally. A memo was sent to hospital staff on Monday announcing the changes. Patients of The Heart Center are being notified of the changes.
“Patients of these physicians are receiving phone calls and/or a letter notifying them of the practice changes and providing options for continued care with The Heart Center of NGMC providers,” Louis Smith, president of system acute and post-acute operations at Northeast Georgia Medical Center said Monday.
Smith said The Heart Center has 26 cardiologists who remain with the practice, in addition to 41 advanced practice providers. The Heart Center has offices in 15 cities around Northeast Georgia.
“Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville is providing the heart services people have come to know and trust,” Smith said. “Active recruitment has been ongoing for The Heart Center as we continue to grow this practice, so we plan to backfill needed specialties as soon as possible in order to meet the needs of our patients in all locations.”
The NGMC Braselton location will temporarily cease cardiac catheterizations but is offering many other heart services as they have in the past, including electrophysiology, he said.
Northside Hospital has hospitals in Atlanta, Cumming and Canton, as well as outpatient services throughout North Georgia, including in Hall County
In February, Northside and Gwinnett Medical received federal approve to merge their operations.
