Georgia hospitals form clinical partnership for specialized surgeries

MACON, Ga. — Two hospitals in Georgia are collaborating for a clinical partnership to specialize in surgeries.

The Macon Telegraph reported that Navicent Health in Macon and Emory Healthcare in Atlanta agreed on the partnership last week. The agreement includes a restructuring of Navicent cardiothoracic surgery service line, extending the range of CT procedures available to patients in Macon and the surrounding region.

Cardiothoracic procedures involve the heart and chest.

The direction of the collaboration will be under cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Robert Guyton and Charles Ross Hatcher Jr., professor of surgery at the Emory University School of Medicine.

Guyton served as chief of Emory’s division of cardiothoracic surgery from 1990 until earlier this year. The program achieved national recognition as one of the country’s top five programs in a number of areas.

Guyton, along with Emory Healthcare colleagues, will work with Navicent’s current CT surgical team, including Drs. Peter Bolan, Laura Reed and James Foster, who has a combined 35 years of clinical care to patients in Middle Georgia.

“This partnership will provide valuable access to additional heart services for patients throughout our region, while allowing them to stay close to home, close to the care and support of friends and loved ones,” Bolan said.

Guyton said the clinical partnership with Navicent is already underway.