In the two years since Augusta University and Wellstar Health System signed their formal agreement on August 30, 2023, leaders from both organizations say the partnership has continued to develop as a collaborative effort focused on improving health care in Georgia and training future providers.
At the recent Health Connect South conference at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Augusta University President Russell T. Keen, Medical College of Georgia (MCG) Dean David C. Hess, MD, and former Wellstar President and CEO Candice L. Saunders discussed the alliance during a panel titled “Advancing Healthcare Through Public-Private Partnerships.” The event drew nearly 1,100 attendees.
Keen highlighted the role of state leadership in facilitating the partnership: “The partnership really is just beginning in so many ways, and we are very thankful for the forward thinking of University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue and the Board of Regents, Gov. Brian P. Kemp and the General Assembly for helping to facilitate this,” he said. “It took a huge effort to make this happen and it has helped us approach things differently in terms of how we’re going to deliver health care and health care training across the board to the entire state.”
Panelists pointed out new developments such as a hospital planned for Columbia County and expanded training opportunities at Wellstar hospitals statewide. These include programs at MCG Atlanta at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta.
Saunders described her view of the collaboration: “We really do see this as a partnership that’s grounded in our shared mission of improving the health and wellbeing of those we serve. We see a different future for health care, and we believe that this partnership will allow us to create a healthier future for all Georgians,” she said. “I think that’s a very important component here, that by working together and leveraging all of our strengths, that we will be able to see improvement in the health outcomes for our fellow Georgians, as well as continuing to ensure that we have the physicians and the health care workers to take care of our families, our neighbors and our community.”
Wellstar Health System was formed through hospital mergers in 1993; it now operates an extensive network including 11 hospitals across Georgia along with numerous medical offices, cancer centers, rehabilitation centers, imaging centers, urgent care locations, hospice facilities, retirement villages and more.
MCG is recognized as one of the largest medical schools by class size nationally. It provides students with experiences ranging from large hospitals to small-town practices through regional clinical campuses throughout Georgia.
The MCG 3+ Program offers students tailored educational paths into primary care or other specialties while aiming to keep physicians practicing within Georgia communities where they are most needed.
Saunders emphasized access: “It really centers around access, but it’s not just access to care because what we continue to learn is that you also have to have access to expertise in communities throughout Georgia,” she said. She added that expanding pathways into healthcare professions remains essential.
Georgia ranks low nationally for physicians per capita—a challenge Hess addressed by noting efforts like undergraduate medical education (UME) expansion through partnerships with organizations such as Wellstar: “Much of South Georgia is severely short of physicians… There’s good data that if you go to medical school here, and you do your residency in Georgia, the chance of you staying is over 70%… So we really wanted to look for a partner that had GME slots because we really want our students to do their residency training in Georgia.”
Hess cited current figures showing Wellstar hosts about 270 residents while MCG trains approximately 620; Emory University Hospital/Grady Health System train another 900 combined—totaling roughly 1,800 resident physicians statewide.
Augusta University and Wellstar are also expanding telehealth services aimed at rural areas lacking primary care providers. Keen explained ongoing work using electronic medical records data for research purposes: “How can we transform how we deliver health care? That’s something that both Augusta University and Wellstar have been working on… Our goal is to deliver more clinical trials to Georgians… Through this partnership we can offer them the latest and best in medicine.”
Ten Augusta University students attended Health Connect South—five first-year MCG Savannah campus students plus five from AU’s School of Public Health—experiencing benefits firsthand.
Anna Jackson commented on learning about changes facing healthcare professionals: “The opportunity is really unique… The ability to get a better understanding of what’s going on in terms of business partnerships… it’s a good foundation for our learning,” she said.
Abbey Giesler added: “It’s kind of planting seeds… so when we advance…we have tools…the resources…and capabilities…to solve those problems.”
Albert Okrah from AU’s PhD program noted networking opportunities between academia/researchers/industry at events like these; Theophilus Gabriel emphasized connecting practice with research toward community prevention goals.
Keen concluded by summarizing their mission: “At Augusta University and Wellstar our culture is about never being satisfied — always looking for ways to improve patient care education research… As healthcare workforce ages it’s our mission prepare next generation meet those challenges make life better Georgians beyond.”
