Northside Hospital has expanded its radiology services with the opening of a new outpatient medical imaging center, Northside/Sugar Hill, in Buford, Ga.

All images are read and interpreted by an on site, board-certified radiologist, assisted by Northside’s staff of registered technologists. Through the hospital’s Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS), additional radiologists and physicians can view images from any location, in order to consult on a case, resulting in faster diagnosis and treatment.

Northside/Sugar Hill Imaging provides high-quality advanced imaging services including digital x-ray, digital screening mammography with computer-aided detection (CAD), bone densitometry and computed tomography (CT) services for patients of all ages, with a shorter commute and free parking. The facility began seeing patients Feb. 20..

Said Elshihabi, MD, has joined WellStar Medical Group, Neurosurgery.

Dr. Elshihabi earned his doctorate of medicine from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, he completed an internship in general surgery and neurosurgical residency. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Prior to joining Wellstar Neurosurgery, Dr. Elshihabi spent four years as a partner at Columbus Neurological Institute, where he most recently served as Chairman of Surgery and Chief of Neurosurgery. He is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and his professional interests include general neurosurgery with an emphasis on minimally invasive and complex spinal surgery as well as neuro-trauma and brain tumors.

Dr. Elshihabi is a member of the American Medical Association, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Rajesh Laungani, M.D., director of robotic urology, and Nikhil Shah, D.O., chief of minimal access and robotic surgery, have opened a new practice, Piedmont Physicians Urology Specialists, at Piedmont West Medical Office Park. The practice is part of Piedmont Physicians Group.

Dr. Laungani specializes in laparoscopic and robotic oncology, robotic prostatectomy, robotic cystectomy, prostate cancer, urolithiasis and sepsis. He is a member of the American Board of Urology, American Urological Association and is a reviewer for the Journal of Endourology. He is board certified in urology, received his medical degree from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, and completed his internship in general surgery and residency in urology at the Henry Ford Hospital.

Dr. Shah is board-certified in urology. He received his doctor of osteopathic medicine from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine earned a master’s in health management and policy from the University of Michigan. Dr. Shah completed his internship at Michigan State University and his residency in general surgery through the Henry Ford Health System. He is a member of numerous academic societies and professional organizations including the Minimally Invasive Robotic Association, Medical Association of Georgia and the American College of Surgeons.

The two physicians share the goals of focusing on preventive medicine, patient education and community outreach. They also stress personalized patient communication and providing highly individualized, minimally invasive care.

Doctors Laungani and Shah provide treatment for BPH (enlarged prostate), urinary symptoms, hematuria (blood in the urine), kidney stones, incontinence, urinary tract infection and obstruction, as well as kidney, bladder, prostate and testicular cancers.

Piedmont Henry Hospital launched its coronary angioplasty program a year ago under the direction of cardiologist Muthusamy Sekar, M.D.

On February 28, 2011, staff at Piedmont Henry Hospital performed the first coronary angioplasty. Since that day, more than 487 coronary angioplasties have taken place at Piedmont Henry Hospital. That is nearly double the number of procedures expected to occur in the hospital’s first year.

Piedmont Henry Hospital’s coronary angioplasty program already tops the accepted gold standard of 90 minutes for getting patients from their first intervention when they arrive at the hospital until they have balloon(s) inserted to widen blocked coronary arteries. Only one year after introducing the coronary angioplasty program, the average time for these patients at Piedmont Henry Hospital is 53 minutes.

The following physicians were recently re-elected as Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s medical staff officers for the year 2012: Tim Scully, MD, chief of staff; and Ron Lewis, MD, vice chief of staff.

Dr. Scully is a cardiologist with Northeast Georgia Heart Center and has been on staff since 1991. Dr. Lewis a general surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Surgical Associates and has been on staff since 2001.

The 2012 department chiefs were also announced. They include Victor Zubar, MD, Chief of Anesthesiology; Mark Leimbach, MD, Chief of Cardiology; John Lewellen, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine; Robert Hummer, MD, Chief of Medicine; Greg Martin, MD, Chief of OB/GYN; Linton Kuchler, MD, Chief of Pathology; Stephen Klacik, MD, Chief of Pediatrics; Jeffery Black, MD, Chief of Psychiatry; Julie Presley, MD, Chief of Radiology; and Bruce Nixon, MD, Chief of Surgery.

Seven physicians from Resurgens Orthopaedics—Georgia’s largest orthopaedic practice—were named as Top Docs in orthopaedics on U.S. News & World Report’s  health website. Drs. Erroll J. Bailey, Tapan K. Daftari, Robert A. Kelly, Kenneth J. Kress, Douglas W. Lundy, Byron D. Rosenstein, and Yvonne E. Satterwhite were included in the listing.

U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Doctors was compiled in partnership with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., an established healthcare research company based in New York. Castle Connolly based its Top Doctors selections on nominations submitted by other doctors and reviewed by its physician-led research team.

Dr. Bailey practices at the Resurgens Decatur, Midtown, and St. Joseph’s offices. His areas of expertise include adult reconstruction of the foot and ankle, sports medicine of the foot and ankle, general orthopaedics, and diabetic feet. Dr. Bailey is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and is a member of the American Foot & Ankle Society, the Atlanta Orthopaedic Society, and the Atlanta Medical Association.

Dr. Daftari practices at the Resurgens Austell, Kennesaw, and Marietta offices. His areas of expertise include reconstructive spine surgery, cervical spine surgery, minimally invasive spinal techniques, lumbar spine surgery, cervical and lumbar artificial disc, and kyphoplasty. Dr. Daftari is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Atlanta Orthopaedic Society, American Medical Association, and Cobb County Medical Society.

Dr. Kelly practices at the Resurgens Canton, Kennesaw, and Woodstock offices. His areas of expertise include arthroscopy, joint replacement, and joint resurfacing/restoration. Dr. Kelly is board certified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, the Atlanta Orthopaedic Society, and the Cobb County Medical Society.

Dr. Kress practices at the Resurgens St. Joseph’s office. His areas of expertise include adult reconstructive surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Kress is board certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Southern Medical Association, the Southern Orthopaedic Association, the Medical Association of Atlanta, the Medical Association of Georgia, and the Atlanta Orthopaedic Society.

Dr. Lundy practices at the Resurgens Marietta and Roswell offices. His areas of expertise include orthopaedic trauma surgery, fractures, and fracture reconstructive surgery. Dr. Lundy is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Lundy is a member of the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, the Georgia Orthopaedic Society, the Southeastern Fracture Consortium, the ACS Committee on Trauma, the AO Alumni Association, the Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Society, the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, the Atlanta Orthopaedic Society, the Arthroscopy Association of North America, the Georgia Orthopaedic Society, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Rosenstein practices at the Resurgens St. Joseph’s office. His areas of expertise include sports medicine and total joint replacement. Dr. Rosenstein is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is on the board of the Resurgens Charitable Foundation and a member of the Georgia Orthopaedic Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Dr. Satterwhite practices at the Resurgens Johns Creek office. Her areas of expertise include general orthopaedics, sports medicine, surgery of the shoulder, knee, and elbow, and arthroscopic surgery. Dr. Satterwhite is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and has a certificate of added qualification in orthopedic sports medicine. She is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the Olympic Sports Medicine Society, the American Sports Medicine Fellowship Society, the Hughston Society, the Tulane Caldwell Society, and the FORUM Women’s Orthopaedic Society.

A new acute care surgical program designed and administered by surgeons is now providing both emergency room and inpatient care to patients at Piedmont Hospital. The program’s objective is to expedite the surgical evaluation of patients in the hospital setting. A team of acute care surgeons from Piedmont Physicians Surgical Specialists group is now available in house at all times to take referrals from any physician.

“For patients with no primary care physician, or those who do not have a general surgeon, this program provides faster access to surgical care with improved safety and quality ” explains Bryant Wilson, M.D., medical director of Piedmont Acute Care Surgery program. “This team is dedicated to providing surgical care 24 hours a day. Patients and physicians now have an immediate referral option to surgeons with a vested interest in maintaining the highest standard of care at our hospital.”

The program provides an added benefit to surgical specialists on staff at Piedmont Hospital as they may choose to concentrate on their specialty practices while leaving on call evaluations to the new acute care surgical team.

Each year, Kaiser Permanente recognizes individuals and groups, from within its own ranks, who have made extraordinary efforts to improve the health of communities. Two physicians from The Southeast Permanente Medical Group are among 15 recipients of the 2011 David Lawrence Community Service Award (DLCSA). Each will receive a $10,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente to support their community service initiatives.

Susan Reines, M.D., a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente’s Panola, Stonecrest and Conyers medical centers, is being honored for her work with one of metro Atlanta’s most vulnerable populations—child refugees. Reines is the driving force behind the Refugee Pediatric Clinic at the DeKalb County Board of Health clinic, which she helped establish after a local clinic serving child refugees closed its doors.

Many of Reines’ patients were deprived of health care in their native countries and, as a result, have neglected serious medical conditions. The Pediatric Refugee Clinic’s staff reflects the diversity of its patients and translators are available on-site. From providing transportation to and from appointments to delivering prescriptions to patients’ homes, Reines and her team go above and beyond the call of duty to care for their patients. In addition to meeting their health care needs, Reines is promoting literacy among young refugees by donating new books to her patients through the Reach Out and Read program.

James Toth, M.D., who specializes in ambulatory medicine at the Kaiser Permanente Sugar Hill-Buford Medical Center, is being honored for more than a decade of community service abroad. Long before the devastating earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, Toth was making medical mission trips to the poverty-stricken country. After realizing that many people in the rural town of Hinche could not receive health care due to the local hospital’s pre-pay policy, Toth helped establish the Whitney Clinic with his church.

Toth serves as the medical director of the year-round clinic, which provides free or low-cost primary, pediatric and dental care to thousands of Haitians. He travels to the clinic 2-3 times a year, often accompanied by other physicians he has encouraged to volunteer. From teaching parents how to feed babies born with cleft palates to treating malnourished, diabetic and hypertensive patients, Toth is committed to improving the health of the Haitian population. The clinic has established programs to address malnutrition, cholera, contaminated drinking water and homelessness.

Toth and Reines were selected from 180 DLSCA nominees in Kaiser Permanente’s eight regions. “This distinction reflects the exemplary work of Drs. Susan Reines and James Toth in the community, “ said Rob Schreiner, M.D., executive medical director of The Southeast Permanente Medical Group. “Their dedication to serving not only Kaiser Permanente members, but also underserved populations in metro Atlanta and beyond is an inspiration to us all.”

Cardiac and thoracic surgeons Alexander G. Justicz, MD, and David A. Langford, MD, recently completed four successful cardiact surgeries over a period of less than 48 hours at Gwinnett Medical Center’s Strickland Heart Center. With over 35 years of experienced combined, Justicz and Langford are the lead surgeons at the new heart center.

Dr. Justicz, an employee of the newly-formed Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons – Gwinnett Medical Group, is board certified in thoracic surgery.

Dr. Langford is board certified in thoracic surgery. An affiliate with the hospital system for nearly two years, Dr. Langford served GMC in an administrative capacity as the medical director for cardiovascular surgery. He was highly involved in the development of GMC’s open heart surgery program.

Three of the four recent cases involved coronary bypass surgery. The fourth case was unexpected.  As the patient was arriving at GMC, she went into cardiac arrest.

“We quickly stabilized the patient, who is now due for follow-up cardiac procedures,” said Dr. Justicz.  “However, if the open heart surgery program were not here, the results could have been less favorable.”

The future of breast surgery was the topic of the recent Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (SESPRS) Breast Surgery Symposium in Atlanta. The SESPRS assembled an outstanding faculty and program for its 28th Annual Breast Surgery, titled “Shaping the Future of Breast Surgery.”

Approximately 400 physicians attended the symposium, which featured faculty who shared their knowledge, insight and experience on the full range of aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery. The meeting included an expanded format for live surgical demonstrations performed by world class breast surgeons and a “Hot Topics” session on innovative breast surgery techniques and products.  Topics relevant to all plastic surgeons were discussed, with an emphasis on practical solutions for common problems including analysis, decision making and treatment options.

As part of the Southeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Foreign Scholarship Program, a group of young surgeons from Russia were in attendance to learn from the symposium’s faculty. The Russian surgeons were eager to take what they learned at the symposium home to their native countries, where they could translate this knowledge into improved patient care and improved surgical outcomes.

Northside Hospital has sponsored the symposium each year since 1999, providing availability of the most innovative, comprehensive and scholarly plastic and reconstructive surgical techniques to the Atlanta community.