Community members of Spalding County recently had the opportunity to meet Kevin Smith, senior vice president and president of Wellstar Spalding Medical Center and Wellstar Sylvan Grove Medical Center. Smith, selected late last year, brings a wealth of experience spanning over 20 years in healthcare operations, organizational leadership, and community engagement.

Wellstar continues to increase access to care in Spalding and Butts counties, opening new primary care and neurology clinics in 2024 and previously opening or expanding clinics for cardiology, oncology, orthopedics and gastroenterology. Last year, Wellstar’s Spalding and Sylvan Grove hospitals provided $16.7 million in uncompensated care, and nearly 3,000 people in Spalding and Butts counties benefited from a Wellstar Community Health program. Wellstar also recently expanded its graduate medical education program at the hospitals, knowing that new physicians are more likely to stay in the communities where they begin their careers.

Along with various community stakeholders, members of the Spalding Regional Board, and Wellstar Foundation staff members attended the event. The intimate setting allowed everyone to engage with Smith and for him to share his vision for the future of healthcare in Spalding county.

Julie Teer, senior vice president of Wellstar and president of the Wellstar Foundation spoke during the meeting about some of the initiatives the Foundation is working on. “For too many women in communities around our state, there is a lack of access to care, especially preventative care and screenings that can be lifesaving. At Wellstar, we’re doing something about it,” Teer said. She described the recent award of a $5.5 million Healthy Start grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through which Wellstar will be able to expand to a more collaborative approach that will convene a community consortium composed of more than 20 diverse, multisector partners to advise and inform activities. The group will also develop and implement plans to improve perinatal outcomes. Furthermore, the program will integrate into the OB/GYN care delivery model at Wellstar to directly impact the communities with the greatest need, including Spalding, Butts, and Troup counties.

With the various initiatives, the goal is to create a healthier, stronger Spalding County and ensure that everyone has access to high-quality care when they need it. Smith’s experience in both small rural and larger urban markets makes him ideal to lead Wellstar’s continued commitments to PeopleCare in Spalding and Butts counties.