2021 Accomplishments | Northeast Georgia Physicians Group

NORTHEAST GEORGIA PHYSICIANS GROUP

ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL. What a year 2021 was and we are now well into 2022. Northeast Georgia Physicians Group has been through a lot as the COVID-19 pandemic has slowly eased up — and through it all, I think we learned some very valuable lessons and have seen some amazing work. You’ve been running on all cylinders trying to keep up with the demands of our community, all the while making sure patients didn’t see the stress you were under.

The accomplishments included in this book are proof of that hard work and resilience. They are proof that even in the tough times, when you were all feeling the burnout of the day-to-day grind, you chose to persevere to take care of those who needed it.

Daniel Tuffy, MBA, FACHE, CMPE, NGPG President & Chief Administrative Officer

It is truly an honor to see you all do what you do every day. We’ve said it for the past couple of years — One Team. One Goal. I’ve never seen that sentiment displayed more obviously and proudly in a group of people than through this NGPG team.

The truth is this isn’t just work or a job. This is a passion. It is a passion you don’t find in everybody, but it is found in all of you and I’m grateful that it has led you to and kept you with NGPG. We don’t know what’s to come in the days, months and years ahead, but I know that we have the best team to take on whatever it may be.

I’m thankful as I see all these accomplishments from 2021 and I’m thrilled to see what this book is filled with at the end of this year as we accomplish even more together and continue improving the health of our community in all we do.

ONE

COVID-19 VACCINE

TWO

ADMINISTRATION • Staff Development grew from 2 staff educators to 4 staff educators and a coordinator.

261

new employees attended NGPG University in FY21

NGPG University is an expanded clinical training program that was created to meet the needs of the clinic, this included an additional Epic workflow day which gave new hires a hands-on approach to learning the ambulatory workflow.

• Launched NGPG preceptor program for employees to train to be preceptors to new and transferring staff.

Eighteen classes offered with 67 fully trained preceptors working throughout NGPG clinics.

• Completed design and nearly completed construction of new NGPG Buford offices on the new Medical Plaza. Practices will begin opening in May 2022.

• Completed design and broke ground on the new NGPG Jefferson location. Will include Urgent Care, Primary Care, Orthopedic Surgery and General Surgery.

• Nearly completed full design for new NGPG Bethlehem location in new Medical Plaza. Will include NGPG Urgent Care, OB/ GYN, Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Urology, General Surgery and Family Medicine.

THREE

BUFORD

JEFFERSON

TRANSFORMATION AND CLINICAL QUALITY • Supported or facilitated over 18 committees and teams.

• Developed and implemented eight new evidence-based guidelines, six clinical algorithms and five clinical protocols.

• Served as Pandemic Partners throughout COVID Surge.

• Reported data to Department of Health.

• Built the new NGPG Connect site.

• MSSP Quality Score of 100%.

• Provided over 1,100 free psychotherapy sessions for patients.

• Established new care management program for CIGNA COVID Care commercial patients.

• Continued expansion of • Created data abstracts for over 30,000 charts for care gap ambulatory pharmacy services closure. to Toccoa region including a Hepatitis C service line.

• Completed over 1,000 patient calls for medication adherence • Expanded social services staff outreach which increased to address social determinants STAR ratings for medication of health. adherence.

• Support PITCH (Paramedics • Over $2.63 million earned for Improving the Community’s pay for performance.

Health) Program getting patients established with a PCP and providing transport for appointments.

• Three years in a row of positive pay adjustments (almost 2%) on Medicare Part B Fee for Service Claims.

• Annual Wellness Exams score of 80%.

• Redesigned and launched a new care management model.

• Created over 60 new standard work to reduce variance processes.

• Published 12 medication safety newsletters.

• Georgia Food Bank Partner distributing approximately 20 • Published 13 How-To videos for food boxes a month. maximizing care gap closures.

$3.2 MILLION

in FREE MEDICATION TO PATIENTS • $3.2 million in free medications provided to patients.

• Established a unified virtual NGPG Patient Advisory Committee (from many individual groups), active since March 2021.

• Redesigned and launched a new care management model.

FOUR

FIVE

• NCQA PCMH Recognized Practice Sites: 29/31

• NCQA PCCC Recognized Urgent Cares: 6/6

• NCQA Diabetes Recognition Program recognized sites: 24/30

94%

100%

80%

• NGPG Administration developed • Toccoa: opened two COVID Sick clinics, began Regeneron and implemented a new Employee, APP and Physician of Clinics and established a remote training room that has been the Month program. utilized almost on a daily basis.

• With many supply chain Established a remote training room that has been utilized distribution challenges, NGPG maintained an emergency almost on a daily basis. medical supply room at Corporate Plaza to meet the needs of all NGPG clinics and the multiple community vaccination clinics.

NGPG Administration along with multiple volunteers from numerous departments came together to successfully execute multiple community COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

SIX

• Cash Applications - Correspondence automation through OnBase implementation!

• PB Coding - COVID HRSA Workflow Implementation & many improvements over this last fiscal year!

• PB AR - Educated and retrained staff on a workqueue prioritization project that resulted in a 77% reduction in aged claims!

PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT

52 physicians

We have recruited

49

advanced practice providers

101 total new providers to the health system

• Beat the national average time to fill physician positions by 23.6% and advanced practice providers by 22.4%.

• 86% of the 212 searches that the Physician Recruitment team worked on for fiscal year 2021 were considered a growth strategy.

PHYSICIAN SERVICE AGREEMENT (PSA) • Onboarded our second PSA Gastroenterology Associates of Gainesville on 10/1/20.

SEVEN

• Onboarded our third PSA Northeast Georgia Plastic Surgery Aesthetic Center of Gainesville on 11/1/20.

ALLERGY & ASTHMA • Our practice created COVID vaccine evaluation testing to encourage our community in feeling safe to get vaccinated.

• Completed the expansion in our Braselton location to better serve our community to care for a higher volume of patients.

• Implemented the use of Dr. Khan’s educational videos she created in both clinics.

CARDIOVASCULAR & THORACIC SURGERY • Successfully added an additional surgeon to our practice.

• With the addition of our new surgeon we can expand our services provided to include esophageal surgery.

• Our front desk won the NGPG quality star award!

CRITICAL CARE • Supported NGHS and our community through multiple COVID surges. Opened and staffed two additional COVID ICUs, to accommodate the influx of the sickest COVID patients in our region. Several providers represented NGHS and the Critical Care team in media and community outreach opportunities, giving a glimpse of our reality during the COVID surges.

• Research related to COVID led by Dr. Gagan Kumar was published in medical journals and will be presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Congress in February 2022.

• Dr. Sri Radhakrishnan was named the NGMC Braselton Physician of the Year, nominated by Nursing staff.

EIGHT

FAMILY MEDICINE NGPG Auburn Primary Care • We managed to hit budget even with COVID. • We implemented parking lot visits and creative ways to safely see patients in the office.

NGPG Buford • We successfully started both a COVID vaccine clinic and Regeneron Infusion Clinic.

• We exemplified teamwork by crossing-training and covering in both the sick and well clinic.

• We enrolled many patients in MyChart in effort to safely and effectively communicate results and collect copays in both the sick and well clinics.

NGPG Chestnut Mountain • We successfully implemented retinal eye exams to screen for diabetic retinopathy.

• We implemented an efficient workflow for sick visits by utilizing a hybrid “parking lot” video visit to keep staff safe while still performing needed tests.

• The Obesity Medicine service line has had continued growth, offering patient appointments at NGPG Chestnut Mountain and Medical Park II.

NGPG Clayton Primary Care • Our office successfully implemented video visit appointments.

• We successfully gave Regeneron therapy when available.

NINE

NGPG Cleveland

NGPG Cumming

NGPG Dahlonega

• Successfully implemented Video visits.

• Passed recertification for NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home.

• We successfully participated in repurposing our office into a COVID clinic after normal working days to help the needs of our community during rises in COVID.

• Successfully implemented after hours sick clinics taking some of the patient load off Urgent Care.

• Maintained MyChart enrollments at around 75% throughout the year.

• Received Highest Performing Patient Experience Award for Primary Care.

• Increased MyChart enrollment to above 70%.

• Our staff excelled in administering Regeneron and caring for COVID cases.

• We have made it through one of the toughest years we have had! Everyone stepped up and continued to put our patients first through unprecedented times.

NGPG Dacula

NGPG Dawsonville

• Providers all pitched in and helped to support UC Dacula during last couple of surges.

• Maintained patient volume and exceeded budget while caring for patients in a safe and effective way.

• All PC Staff (front and back) jumped in to cross-train and assist Urgent Care during the high-volume COVID surge.

• Staff has gone above and • beyond to ensure patient care is not affected during our current staffing shortage.

• Julie Thach took over as Nurse Practitioner for Arbor Trace Assisted Living Facility.

• MyChart activation rate increased by 35%.

TEN

FAMILY MEDICINE NGPG Family Family Health Health Associates Associates (Winder) (Winder) NGPG • Our Our staff staff was was able able to to adapt adapt quickly quickly to to changes changes • in this this fluid fluid environment environment -- from from seeing seeing sick sick in patients in the office to having our own mass patients in the office to having our own mass vaccine clinics. vaccine clinics.

• We We were were one one of of the the first first ambulatory ambulatory clinics clinics to to • provide Regeneron in an ambulatory setting provide Regeneron in an ambulatory setting and we we were were instrumental instrumental in in trying trying out out methods methods and and implementing implementing new new policies policies and and work work flows. flows. and • We We were were recertified recertified with with NCQA. NCQA. •

NGPG Family Family Medicine Medicine (Gainesville) (Gainesville) NGPG • Our Our practice practice received received continued continued ACGME ACGME accreditation. accreditation. Our Our core core faculty faculty • have accomplished accomplished many many milestones. milestones. Dr. Dr. Amy Amy Bailey Bailey has has taken taken on on have an added role as the Family Medicine Clerkship Director of AU/UGA. an added role as the Family Medicine Clerkship Director of AU/UGA. Dr. Linu Linu Joseph Joseph received received her her fellowship fellowship in in clinical clinical transformation. transformation. Dr. Dr. Dr. Monica Newton Newton won won the the Georgia Georgia Family Family Medicine Medicine Educator Educator of of the the Monica Year award.

Dr. Leslie David received the NGPG Provider of the Month Year award. Dr. Leslie David received the NGPG Provider of the Month award. award.

• To To help help support support the the COVID-19 COVID-19 surge, surge, we we created created aa second second inpatient inpatient • service, regional sick clinic, and a COVID vaccination walk-in site. Our Our service, regional sick clinic, and a COVID vaccination walk-in site. access to care has increased due to adding 12 more family medicine access to care has increased due to adding 12 more family medicine residents (24 (24 family family medicine medicine residents residents total). total). residents

NGPG Flowery Flowery Branch Branch NGPG • Our Our office office passed passed the the VFC VFC and and CLIA CLIA • inspections with with zero zero deficiencies. deficiencies. inspections • AA Play Play Therapist Therapist began began seeing seeing • patients in our office. patients in our office.

• Despite Despite the the year’s year’s challenges, challenges, our our • staff remained fully engaged.

Our staff remained fully engaged. Our office held held staff staff activities activities such such as as office a summer cookout and a pumpkin a summer cookout and a pumpkin decorating contest. contest. decorating ELEVEN

• Our Our program program has has created created aa women’s women’s cervical cervical cancer cancer screening screening • clinic at at Good Good News News Clinic, Clinic, physician physician support support for for the the Hall Hall County County Jail Jail clinic population, participation in community sports physicals, medical population, participation in community sports physicals, medical mission trips, trips, and and Prosalud.

Prosalud. mission

NGPG Hamilton Mill

NGPG Jefferson

NGPG Lavonia Clinic

• Successfully implemented video visit appointments at our practice.

• We broke ground on a new building that will open in 2022 with the addition of Urgent Care and several specialties.

• We worked as a team to provide quality care to our patients.

• Successfully partnered with Arbor Terrace Assisted and Independent to provide care to patients onsite.

• Successfully now seeing patients 7 days a week, primary care based.

• We offered extended hours to our patients so that we could accommodate sick patients from • We are working on building our having to go to the emergency patient panel in order to continue room. to grow our practice as we transition to the new building.

• We have continued to offer video visits to help make access to our patients more convenient.

NGPG Primary Care at HCHD NGPG Oakwood • In October 2020 we became one of the system’s six regional sick clinics.

• In August of 2021 we pivoted and trained staff to become one of the systems regeneron clinics.

• All Staff and Providers accepted the challenge of all the changes and we went on to have a very productive year and finished FY2021 with a positive variance to the budget.

• Awarded Most Improved Primary Care winner of Depression Screening Contest with 3.9% increase FYTD. • Through outstanding preparation and teamwork on our first vaccine clinic day, we successfully vaccinated 125 eligible patients in addition to the average daily patient volume of around 50 patient visits.

• Mychart activation rates rose to 47.73% in 2021 allowing patients to interact with their healthcare team to improve quality of care and health outcomes. We were able to overcome common obstacles of transportation and access to affordable medications while addressing food insecurity and mental health during unprecedentedly difficult times in our community.

TWELVE

FAMILY MEDICINE NGPG Thompson Bridge

NGPG Toccoa Clinic Family Medicine

• Providers went out to patient’s cars to complete exams and collect specimens during the “peak times” of COVID.

• Dr. William Mills voted the best physician in General Practice by the community.

• Identified a sick room with a separate entrance and exit for patients to be seen at the practice.

• Exceeded productivity metrics for FY21.

• Continuing to operate a daily sick clinic with providers rotating coverage.

• Maintained a high level of Annual Wellness exams during the pandemic.

NGPG Toccoa Clinic MedAccess- After Hours • Meeting the needs of the community by operating an after-hours and weekend clinic.

NGPG Wauka Mountain

NGPG West Jackson

• We are seeing patients sick and well. We see televisit when needed and in office.

• Our staff and providers implemented creative ways to continue seeing patients in the office via video visits and parking lot visits.

• Our staff has pulled together to help with whatever it takes to get the job done.

THIRTEEN

GENERAL SURGERY Surgeon. In addition to GME research, Dr Chambers also completed 40 hours hyperbaric training to provide coverage and surgeon support to NGMC wound care at Barrow.

• Maintained patient volumes with fully cross-trained staff in office during pandemic year.

Group of 4 surgeons also maintained surgical volume during September COVID peak with a total of 138 cases for the month.

• Dr James Chambers’ GME research publication “Patients‘ Perception of Residents involved in their care in a General • Dr. Travelyan “Tre’” Walker Surgery Practice” presented completed his first year with the at a regional meeting, the group exceeding his surgical Southeastern Surgical Congress volume goals by 2% with a total was subsequently profiled in of 465 cases.

Oct issue of General Surgery News, and has been accepted for publication in The American • In addition to her work in

community outreach & continual involvement as the GME Braselton Site Director, Dr Sujata Gill moderated a panel on Disaster Hernia at the Georgia Society of the American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting.

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY • Moved to a larger space in • We participated in Relay for Medical Park 1. The NGHS Life and helped raise money for Satellite Chemo Infusion Center cancer patients. We sponsored moved with us as well into a a tent that we gave out prizes and souvenirs. new space that was built for them across the hall from NGPG Gynecologic Oncology.

• Implemented video visits appointments for all of our providers at our office.

INFECTIOUS DISEASE • Expanded coverage area to provide telehealth support for the Barrow and Lumpkin Campuses and onsite support for Braselton inpatient and ambulatory.

• Provided large support for the • Increased focus hospital system and surrounding on antibiotic counties with educational stewardship with events related to the COVID-19 the addition of infection and vaccine initiatives.

Dr. Varghese as physician lead.

FOURTEEN

INPATIENT MEDICINE • Onboarded 30 providers: 12 Physicians, 3 APPs, 15 Disaster state locums.

We were also able to spread subspecialist coverage to NGMC Barrow and NGMC Lumpkin with this program.

• Went live with the NGPG Hospital Medicine Telemedicine • Implemented our physician program. This helped to provide advisor program with Dr. Bauer consistent coverage at NGMC and Dr. McCracken.

Barrow and NGMC Lumpkin.

INTERNAL MEDICINE NGPG Braselton Clinic

NGPG Internal Medicine & Pediatrics - Dawsonville

• Our Providers, and Residents have worked hard on seeing hospital follow up/COVID patients through video visits to ensure patient wellness and to diminish hospital readmittance.

• Maintained patient volume and exceeded budget while caring for patients in a safe and effective way.

• Being shorthanded, our staff stepped up and crossed trained in the lab, learning how to process, run and send out lab draws. In doing so, we were able to continue to have a lab schedule.

• We had been working on getting our patients enrolled in MyChart since inception. As COVID has spread, during our telehealth visits, we helped enroll in MyChart and educated them on how to use it for communications. The patients love the convenience.

• NGPG Dawsonville IM staff have gone above and beyond during our current staffing storage. They have done a wonderful job ensuring patient care has not been affected.

• MyChart activation rates have increased by 20%.

NGPG Internal Medicine Gainesville (Sims Street)

NGPG Internal Medicine - Dahlonega

• Continued to care for patients during the pandemic by getting creative with the entrance and exit strategies for each provider pod.

• We finally hit above 50% on MyChart enrollments.

• Assisted other practices with staffing needs as identified (supporting other clinics).

• All providers hit their goals on quality.

• Had a full staff all year long.

FIFTEEN

INTERNAL MEDICINE NGPG Internal Medicine Gainesville (Jesse Jewell) • One of the first offices to offer Walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic to the public. We also participated in community COVID vaccine clinics.

• We managed to make a fully staffed sick clinic with 48 hours notice to assist with fourth COVID-19 wave seeing sick patients and to administer Regeneron to over 60 pts the first weekend. Until that point, we were not seeing PUI’ s and this was a huge undertaking for the staff.

• We housed 30 residents that will be first class to graduate from NGHS Internal Medicine Residency Program this spring, class of 2022.

NGPG Toccoa Clinic • We kept our office open during the pandemic for the past 2 years and did a few telehealth visits. We also saw our sick patients in a different location of our clinic than the well patients. This let us be able to do our annual wellness visits in which we met our max. We were very proud of reaching our goal on the colorectal screenings the first year at 80%.

• All of our MOA’s are cross-trained to help check in, check out, or answer the phone. The same for the clinical staff.

They can work with all the providers in our department and be an asset.

• We have met our MyChart percentage at 58.6%. A lot of our patients are elderly and do not use Mychart.

INTERVENTIONAL PAIN MEDICINE • Grew our team to six providers.

• Performed 7,800 fluoroscopicguided procedures.

• Victoria Wiley completed her bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership while working full-time as a lead licensed practical nurse in the

Interventional Pain Medicine department, graduating magna cum laude.

SIXTEEN

LAB • Completed 8 CLIA inspections onsite during the pandemic.

• Interfaced with the reference • Installed 23 Cepheid analyzers lab (Progenex) that allows COVID & staff were trained to be able send out test to come back to perform in house COVID , FLU, directly into EPIC. RSV, and Strep.

NEUROINTERVENTIONAL SURGERY • Dr. Stani did his first awake craniotomy with the help of Dr. Mullins.

• Dr. Lee completed well over 100 thrombectomies this past year.

• Inpatient Neurology started a 24/7 Stroke Team on the Gainesville Campus.

• Received Comprehensive Stroke Designation in September.

NEUROLOGY • Completed over 3,000 patient visits via video/telehealth due to the pandemic and safety needs .

• Designed the NGPG Neurology Buford location for future growth and expansion.

• Added a dedicated Nurse Navigator and an office based Social Worker to the NGPG Neurology program.

SEVENTEEN

NEUROPSYCOLOGY • Neuropsychology was recognized for the most improved Press Ganey scores in April 2021.

OB/GYN NGPG OB/GYN Braselton

NGPG OB/GYN Dahlonega

NGPG OB/GYN Dawsonville

• Collected $1.5 million in Point of Service Collections.

• Increased Video visits to accommodate more patients.

• Improved Employee Engagement Scores.

• Remained strong financially profiting $300,000 in FY21.

• Beat 2021 Budget.

• Beat 2021 Budget Goal.

• Improved Employee Engagement Scores.

• Started Planning Phase for the new Dawsonville Building to accommodate our growing practice.

• Now offers COVID Vaccines to all of our patients.

NGPG Gynecology Gainesville • Acted promptly on the effects of COVID and pregnancy loss and came up with a protocol on how to care for these patients and be hopeful of preventing third trimester Fetal Demise.

• Excelled on the new clinical competency process and all completed before the deadline.

• Received approval to build out shell space on the second floor of Med Park II.

OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE • Trinell Robertson FNP-C gained Workers’ Compensation Professional Certification.

• Luke Lenahan, PA-C nominated to the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health.

• Occupational Medicine partnered with NGPG Oakwood Primary Care to lead the Oakwood Regeneron Clinic.

• Recruited new business that equated to a 34% increase in patient volume, over FY20.

• Expanded services, including “lunch and learns” with local employers to improve employee health and employee vaccination rates.

• Occupational Medicine provided 385 offsite medical evaluations at local employers.

EIGHTEEN

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY & SPORTS MEDICINE • Completed design of new Orthopedic Surgery offices in Buford, Jefferson, Bethlehem and Dawsonville.

• Alisa Gaskill joined the group as a new Practice Manager for Orthopedic Surgery Gainesville and Northern locations.

• Expanded the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Scheduling and Call Center.

• Dr. Sharif was named NGPG Doctor of the month for NGPG.

• Scott Blair was named Physician Assistant of the month for NGPG.

• Dr. Chris Huckle lead the way to establishing a new Athletic Trainer and Provider coverage • Completed relationship over 3,000 free Sports with Riverside Military Academy Medicine physicals for local high and UNG. school and college athletes .

• Opened new Sports Medicine • Provided MD/PA coverage for offices in Buford, Dacula and Toccoa. over 100 Friday Night Football games in the region.

• Established a new Sports Medicine and Athletic Trainer coverage relationship with Buford High School Athletics and Mill Creek High School.

ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMA & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY • Approved, recruited and hired 7 new clinical positions to our outpatient practice.

PALLIATIVE CARE • Relocated the outpatient Palliative & Supportive care clinic into their new space in Medical Park 2 allowing for further growth.

NINETEEN

• Implemented dual clinics (PA • Exceeded our surgical budget post op clinic in addition to despite COVID surges, a PA/MD clinic) every day to restrictions and staffing improve patient throughput and shortages in the OR. workflow.

PEDIATRICS • At least one of our five Pediatric locations was a Highest Performer for Patient Experience 10 out of 12 months in FY21.

• Increased MyChart activations above 55% in all 5 Pediatric locations, with 3 of those locations being above 60%.

• • Increased patient volumes using safeguards and special scheduling times to allow well and sick children to be seen each day.

PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH • Behavioral Health Specialists were successfully transitioned to the psychiatry department.

• Added a Practice Coordinator position to our team due to the ever increasing number of psychiatry providers.

PULMONOLOGY • Opened PFT lab embedded within the clinic allowing patients to reduce the number of trips needed for appointments increasing patient satisfaction and real-time test result delivery.

• Provided much needed support and staffing for COVID Critical Care Units during each surge.

• Implemented a streamlined process to better utilize NGPG Pharmacy resources to assist patients in getting financial support for their inhaler medications.

TWENTY

RADIATION ONCOLOGY • Completed 1358 consults, 2820 follow up visits and 691 telehealth visits. Procedures: 250 brachytherapy procedures, and 595 STER. • • The Cancer center opened in Braselton - this facility provides medical and radiation oncology

cancer care in one location making it easier for patients who need cancer treatment.

Enhanced our imaging capability for out stereotactic treatments. We have added the following new treatment options: Purchased new

brachytherapy planning software to allow us to start treating prostate cancer using high dose rate brachytherapy using the Elekta system. We partnered with the neurosurgeons to treat benign lesions in the brainarteriovenous malformations.

TRAUMA & ACUTE CARE SURGERY • The Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (TACS) Clinic moved to Medical Park 2 and added a Practice Coordinator.

facilities through a Rural Trauma Team Development Course (RTTDC)

• Hosted another successful trauma symposium with an in-person and virtual audience over 550 attendees from across the county

• Dr. Nathan Creel and TACS APP Kyle Gibson represented TACS with poster abstracts at the national Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) annual conference.

• Took trauma education on the road to our regional referring

• Developed and implemented a Venous Thromboembolism

TWENTY-ONE

(VTE) Prophylaxis guideline to decrease trauma patient risk for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

• Dr. Brian Gibson became an ATLS Course Director.

URGENT CARE Urgent Care Braselton

Urgent Care Cleveland

• We treated over 4,500 COVID positive patients at Urgent Care Braselton and were 34% over budget.

• Supported the community with the increased volume of COVID and assisted with Regeneron as needed.

• With our continued increased volume, we were able to increase staffing by 6 employees (Nursing and MOA) via utilization of S-BAR. • We were one of the first NGPG sites to perform BAM/ Regeneron infusions for the system’s COVID patients, providing hundreds of infusion this past FY.

• Used 5s to organize the Supply Chain Process.

• Through staff and Provider teamwork we turned the clinic’s financials from red to black during a very trying time.

Urgent Care Dahlonega

Urgent Care Dacula • We trained and performed Antibody Infusion therapy in our clinic during high volume needs.

• We added full time CMA positions to our staffing model to accommodate the higher volume pace.

• We had two nurses graduate with their RN degree.

• Highest Patient Satisfaction two months in a row.

• All staff were cross trained to help with the surge of COVID. • Supported the community with the increased volume of COVID and managed to do financially well during this trying time.

Urgent Care Dawsonville • We successfully implemented Antibody Infusion Therapy (Regeneron) in our clinic and continue to provide this therapy to our community.

• We began receiving residents from our GME program and have had three complete their Urgent Care clinical rotations.

Urgent Care Gainesville • Treated 37,967 patients.

• Tested over 18,000 COVID. • We were the first NGPG site to begin antibody infusions, and were able to more than double the amount of patients that we saw for regenerons (antibody infusions).

TWENTY-TWO

UROLOGY • Added a new MD to our Gainesville location and expanded our services to Toccoa.

• Expanded our practice into the Buford market as a satellite clinic until the new building opens up.

• Worked together as a team to improve many aspects of Urology. MyChart rates are up, Close the loop rates are up, patient satisfaction is up, teamwork has improved and overall staff satisfaction is better.

VASCULAR • Dr. Sumona Smith exceeded her surgical volume budget by 130% with 607 cases for the year!

scheduling to better serve our patients.

• Sarah Perkins, PA-C successful implementation of clinic to • Staff continues cross-training, provide an additional 545 LPN learning to schedule cases appointments! to provide on-site, in-person

X-RAY • NGPG performed a total of 66,781 x-ray exams and the overall Quality Assurance percentage was 1.75%.

• NGPG performed 7,777 C-arm Procedures, 997 CT exams, 537 Bone Density exams and 15,671 ultrasound exams.

Overall performed imaging study total for NGPG in FY21 is 91,763.

TWENTY-THREE

• In FY21, NGPG Radiology started planning and working with contractors on x-ray room designs for the new Buford and Jefferson MOBs. In FY21, Oakwood Occupational Medicine received a new Philips x-ray machine that has allowed for improved image quality, efficiency, radiation safety and overall quality care to our patients.

WELCOME NEW PROVIDERS Cardiothoracic Surgery Megan Gerrells, PA-C

Internal Medicine Rachana Mendpara, MD

Pediatrics Mary Lovett Anderson, FNP-C

Critical Care Haneen Elder, PA-C Brent Fiechter, MD Paul Kelly, ARNP Hisham Qutob, MD Vijaya S. Ramalingam, MD Krishna Thandra, MD

Interventional Pain Medicine Cody Rowan, MD

Psychiatry Fazal Khan, MD Mahitha Kolli, MD Naveed Merchant, MD Deola Saheed, MD Gowri Padma (Mounica) Thummala, MD

Family Medicine Katherine Bergdale, PCPNP William Bostock, DO Kayla Joplin, FNP Amanda Meeks, FNP Nathan Smith, MD Michael Timmel, MD Samantha Wilson, PA Sarah Yu, MD

Nephrology Muhammad Ali, MD Neurology Olanrewaju Agbe-Davies, MD Tarek Dakakni, MD Yolanda Kimani, ACNP Neurointerventional Surgery Abigail Blauvelt, AGACNP Carmen Prater, AGACNP Jessika Villedrouin, AGACNP Kelsey Weir, AGACNP

General Surgery Corey Barron, AGACNP

Neurosurgery Zain Boghani, MD Tristan Stani, MD

Hospice Thomas Fields, AGACNP Emily Holbrook, FNP Laura Jenkins, FNP Brittney Kirkpatrick, AGACNP

Obstetrics & Gynecology Chelsea Chandler, MD Parker Long, DO Renee Moss, MD Beverly Tanner, CNM

Infectious Disease Vetriselvi Moorthy, MD

Occupational Medicine Sateesh Devagupthapu, MD Trinell Robertson, FNP

Inpatient Medicine Martin Austin, MD Rohin Chand, DO Bandish Chudasama, DO Irvine Duplan, MD Thomas Ellington, MD Sileshi Fenta, MD Sonthonax Gay, PA-C Hemalata Mandiga, DO Mark McCracken, MD Elsie-Solange Nkoi-Mimba, AGACNP Nishant Patel, DO Parag Patel, DO Samir Patel, MD Tyler Putnam, MD Shriya Reddy, DO Tyler Reed, MD Yuveeka Shrestha, MD Suman Thapa, MD

Orthopedic Hand & Upper Extremity Meredith Brown, FNP Carly Threlkeld, PA-C

Pulmonology Dellinia Burgess, FNP Urology David Stanley, MD Sports Medicine John Alsobrook, MD John Buchanan, DO Trauma & Acute Care Surgery Juan Asensio, MD Leah Williams, NP Jennifer Wood, AGACNP Urgent Care Cynthia Brand, PA Joslin John, FNP Urology Anisha Patel, PA-C Vascular Surgery Brendan Shaw, PA-C

Orthopedic Trauma & Reconstructive Surgery Erica West, PA Palliative Care Syed Abid, MD Feather Holbrook, AGACNP

TWENTY-FOUR