Five hospitals affiliated with Marietta, Ga.-based Wellstar Health System have received the state's Emergency Cardiac Care Center designation this year — the most of any healthcare organization in the state.
Georgia created the three-level designation program in 2017 to identify hospitals that have improved survival rates for heart attacks and cardiac arrest.
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta received a level 1 designation in October, the highest available for emergency cardiac care in the state. To receive this recognition, hospitals must offer comprehensive emergency cardiac services 24/7, 365 days a year and perform advanced procedures like implantation of left ventricular assist devices.
Four other WellStar hospitals have received level 2 emergency cardiac care designations. Wellstar North Fulton in Roswell and Wellstar Cobb Hospital in Austell earned the designation in October. Wellstar Douglas Hospital in Douglasville and Wellstar Paulding Hospital in Hiram received theirs in August, becoming the first two hospitals in the state to earn the level 2 designation.