Northeast Georgia Medical Center continues with its week of “firsts” for the brand new Green Tower at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville.
The first patient arrived at the emergency department at 6:47 a.m. on Saturday, February 8, and now surgeries and other procedures are being performed in the new tower.
Patsy Lance of Blairsville became the first surgery patient on Monday, February 10. She needed coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, which improves blood flow to the heart by bypassing narrowed or blocked arteries. Dr.Matthew Janko is a cardiothoracic surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group's (NGPG) Cardiovascular and Thoracic department through the Georgia Heart Institute who successfully completed the surgery. Dr. Janko said in a release, "Performing one of the first surgeries in the Green Tower is a milestone, but what matters most is how this space will improve the experience and outcomes for our patients. With advanced technology and greater capacity, we’re able to continue providing life-saving care more efficiently and effectively than ever before.”
Also on Monday, February 10, Darrell Farmer of Clermont became the first patient in the procedural area on the first floor. He needed a left atrial appendage closure. The procedure, also called a WATCHMAN procedure – helps prevent strokes in patients with an irregular heartbeat. Joon Ahn, MD, an electrophysiologist with Georgia Heart Institute, successfully completed the procedure. Dr. Ahn later said, “Our team is thrilled to be in this new space, where we can continue delivering the highest level of care in an environment designed for innovation and healing.”
The 927,000-square-foot, 11-story Green Tower features a new emergency department on the ground floor and is home to the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, and is just one of only six Level I Trauma Centers in the state of Georgia. Since opening, more than 1,400 patients have visited the new emergency department in Gainesville.
To learn more about the Green Tower and other ways Northeast Georgia Health Systems is Growing the Greater Good, visit nghs.com/growing.
