The Georgia Scroll
October 1998
South Fulton Medical
Center
Uniting tradition and
technology for today’s community
By Dale Davis
This year, South Fulton Medical Center celebrates 35 years of service to south metro Atlanta. Growing from a small community-based hospital to a 369-bed acute care facility, South Fulton has kept pace with the dynamic growth of the region. The commitment of the leadership, staff and physicians to a tradition of excellence and vision has been and will continue to be key to South Fulton’s growth and success.
The heart of the Medical Center is its people. A staff of 1,400 employees, more than 500 physicians and an active auxiliary provide patients with the best possible care regardless of their ability to pay. South Fulton is a not-for-profit hospital.
Technology has come to South Fulton in the form of information systems and state-of-the-art diagnostic and monitoring equipment. A recent addition to the facility is a 6,000 square foot expansion that houses the Information Systems Department. Implementation of all new computer systems, linking patient care, general financial, materials management and human resources is on-going. According to President and CEO Neil Copelan, "This technology is expected to provide us with information that will allow us to better meet the needs of our patients, operate more efficiently and provide us with information that will increase our ability to compete in the fast-moving, ever-changing health care world."
The Intensive and Cardiac Care Units have upgraded their cardiac monitoring system to Marquette Medical Systems’ Solars monitors, a top-of-the-line early warning system that ties in to a central computer, allowing monitoring of the patient throughout the facility. A new CAT scan that reduces the time a patient spends on the table by one-half has recently been added, and in March South Fulton introduced ABBI and Mammotome, revolutionary breast biopsy procedures that are less expensive and less invasive than a traditional biopsy.
South Fulton has positioned itself for success in the realm of managed care. It is a founding member of Network Atlanta, an alliance that brings together six Atlanta-area hospitals and their physician organizations, including South Fulton HealthNet, South Fulton’s PHO. According to Director of Managed Care James H. Piper, Jr., "The partnership is like being part of a ‘Super PHO.’ It is the best vehicle to pull together physicians and hospitals. It offers a fully integrated delivery system of comprehensive services." Piper also recognized the importance of the new technological capabilities, "The information systems will maximize reimbursement, ensure timely and proper payments from payors, provide physician linkage and profiling and allow us to assume and manage more risk."
The Medical Center has expanded services to include comprehensive rehabilitation services, cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation, transitional care, hospice and home health care. South Fulton also has several valuable partnerships to provide health care to its communities, for example, with Fulton County Office of Aging, Fulton County Department of Health, Fulton County Schools, and most recently, a new agreement to affiliate with Morehouse School of Medicine.
Uniting a tradition of compassionate, quality care with the latest in technology will allow South Fulton Medical Center to realize its Vision of improving the total health status of communities.
Last modified: June 22, 2001