COVID vaccine clinic now open at Northide Hospital Forsyth
Featured Stories, News September 22, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputy EMA Director Joey Smith provided a COVID update at the start of Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting. He announced the Department of Public Health (DPH) opened a COVID testing site at Central Park earlier this month in conjunction with Mako Medical Laboratories.
The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and testing is free. Smith said approximately 75-100 tests are administered daily. He also reported that reported cases have been on the decline the past two weeks and that trend is expected to continue.
He also announced that DPH began to conduct a COVID vaccine clinic at the 1800 Building on the Northside Hospital Forsyth campus Monday.
Smith and County Manager Kevin Tanner thanked Chief Operating Officer Lynn Jackson and Northside Hospital for their support and assistance.
“They have been incredible partners,” he said. “They have given the Health Department an 8,000 square feet office building at no charge. They are also prepared to assist with antibodies in that space.”
Chairwoman Cindy Mills asked of a spike in cases could be expected and Tanner said based on an analysis by the IT Department that another spike could be expected by year’s end.
Boosters are not currently available through DPH, but they are available at some pharmacies for those who are immuno-compromised or are over 65 years of age.
Northside first in Georgia to perform intravascular procedure
Press Release August 18, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Northside Vascular Surgery’s Dr. Siddharth Patel has performed Georgia’s first balloon lithotripsy in the carotid artery.
Balloon lithotripsy is an emerging endovascular technology that breaks up calcified plaque within arteries using sonic pressure waves. Lithotripsy has previously been used to treat kidney stones that are too large to pass through the urinary tract. It already has robust data within the coronary and lower extremity circulation to treat blockages.
Always on the forefront of the newest treatments and technologies for vascular disorders, Northside Hospital’s vascular surgeons treat everything from the simplest to most complex arterial conditions utilizing minimally invasive techniques.
Dr. Patel performed the first balloon lithotripsy procedure June 17 at Northside Hospital Forsyth, in conjunction with TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), a minimally-invasive stenting procedure that effectively treats carotid artery disease in older and high-risk patients.
Northside is a TCAR Center of Excellence, and Dr. Patel has performed more TCAR procedures than any other vascular surgeon in Georgia.
“We hope this combination therapy will further open the doors to minimally invasive carotid therapy for many patients who otherwise would not be candidates for critical life-preserving surgery,” said Dr. Patel.
Forsyth County leaders meet to address COVID-19 Delta Variant
Press Release August 12, 2021
Forsyth County Forsyth County, Georgia – Following a recent uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, and reports of the virus’s Delta variant spreading, Forsyth County government leaders met with the County’s Emergency Management Agency Director, Northside Hospital Forsyth administration and officials with District 2 Public Health (D2PH) on Aug. 2.
“Hearing our local health leaders and partners discuss the increase in positive cases is unsettling,” said Forsyth County Chairwoman/District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills. “The data shows a growing number of positive cases in our community, primarily among those who are unvaccinated. We will be closely watching the data and will be growing communication with our health partners.”
Officials with D2PH and Northside Hospital Forsyth urged the importance of being vaccinated. Northside Hospital Forsyth COO Lynn Jackson stressed that the COVID-19 cases admitted to the hospital are primarily from those who are not vaccinated.
“The hospitalized COVID-19 positive cases are significantly on the rise in our hospital,” said Jackson during the meeting. “Of those hospitalized for COVID-19, roughly 85% have not been vaccinated, of those who are positive and vaccinated nearly all have co-morbidities or some other health issues going on.”
D2PH officials inquired about nursing staff availability to which Jackson replied, “there are certainly hiring opportunities for nurses, especially in critical care areas.”
The following statistics are from an Aug. 1, 2021, Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) report: – Forsyth County residents fully vaccinated – 108,482 (48% of residents) – Forsyth County residents with at least one vaccine dose – 117,736 (52% of residents) – Forsyth County COVID-19 confirmed new daily cases – 74% increase from July 1 – * Northside Hospital Forsyth admissions due to COVID-19 – 330% increase since July 26 *Data provided by Northside Hospital Forsyth, 110 E. Main Street, Suite 210 | Cumming, Georgia 30040 | (770) 886-2802 | forsythco.com
According to the DPH report, Georgia had 586 positive COVID-19 cases on July 1. The total number of statewide new cases on Aug. 2 was 2,331, an increase of 75%. COVID-19 vaccines are administered at all D2PH locations, including the Forsyth County Public Health Office (428 Canton Hwy.), during the following date/times (all offices are closed for lunch between 12:30 and 1 p.m. daily):
— Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
— Tuesday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Friday o 8 a.m. to noon
Appointments can be made through the state’s Department of Public Health page, although walk-ins are welcome.
“With the COVID-19 Delta variant here and cases on the rise, I made the decision to get the vaccine even after having the virus. We know the vaccine is doing its job, so I did it and you can do it too,” said Mills. Information on COVID-19 vaccines, provided by Georgia DPH.
Board to award bid for water main improvements on Bentley Road, Tuesday
Featured Stories May 24, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The Board of Commissioners is expected to award the bid for construction of water main improvements on Bentley Road and Derby Drive to Strickland & Sons Pipeline, Inc. in the amount of $1,321,432.25 when it meets in a work session Tuesday (May 25) at 2 p.m. in the County Administration Building 110 EAST MAIN STREET, SUITE 220 Cumming.
Other items for consideration and discussion include:
- Reappoint Richard Hamilton as the County’s Region 2 EMS Council Representative;
- Approval of a General Easement with Sawnee EMC for the purpose of providing electrical service to the new severe weather siren located in Lanierland Park;
- Approval of revised Agreement with Northside Hospital-Forsyth;
- Approval to lease a 2,400 square foot suite in the new 500 Building at 514 West Maple for the new Department of Capital Projects. The estimated lease rate is $16.50 per square foot with a monthly expense of $3,300 and annual expense of $39,600; additional expenses for new furniture, fixtures, and equipment and pulling fiber is estimated at $50,000;
- Approval to proceed with detailed design for the Old Matt Schoolhouse. Phase I construction came in below budget and funding is available to proceed with architectural and engineering services for design and site planning to include completion of the building construction, civil work including water, and sewer, as well as the parking lot at both the existing site and adjacent lot;
- Approval of the additional right of way along Milford Trail for the additional length as shown on the plat per the Road Improvement Policy for Non-County Maintained Roads;
- Possible direction regarding amendments to Chapters 3, 12, 14, and 16 related to vehicle sales and repair within the Unified Development Code of Forsyth County;
- Possible direction regarding amendments to the Unified Development Code related to Dumpsters in Residential Districts within Chapters 3 and 11;
- Possible direction regarding proposed Commercial Corridors;
- Possible direction regarding proposed amendments to the Unified Development Code regarding Administrative Variances within Chapter 8;
- Possible action regarding amending the County’s Property Surplus Policy;
- Possible direction regarding accepting Thunder River Way as a County-maintained roadway with authorization to extend funds to run County waterlines;
- Authorization of execution and recording of a Quit Claim Deed in favor of Ryan David Bertrand and Leticia Ifeanyi Bertrand to extinguish liens placed by Waterscape Services LLC;
- A proposed Consent Order and Judgment in connection with Civil Action File No. 20CV-2071 in the amount of $30,000.00 (Old Atlanta Road, Phase 4, Parcel 6, owners: Yufei Liu and Saie Zhao);
- Appointing the next Chief Registrar to the Forsyth County Board of Registrations and Elections;
- Possible direction regarding the Forsyth County/City of Cumming Land Bank and appointment of members.
Northside announces expansion of health care network
News February 13, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Northside Hospital is committed to expanding access to leading health care across Georgia. The health system announces the following network updates.
Advanced Neurosurgery Associates joins the Northside Network
Northside is pleased to welcome Advanced Neurosurgery Associates to its network of providers. Drs. Harlan Bruner, Christopher Comey, Matthew Hazard and Evan Winograd will see patients in the practice’s Lawrenceville office.
Advanced Neurosurgery Associates specializes in the treatment of disorders of the brain, spine and peripheral nerves in adults. To learn more about the physicians or to make an appointment, please call 678-312-2700 or visit advancedneuroassoc.com.
Dr. Bryan Whitfield
Chattahoochee Surgical Group is pleased to announce that Dr. Bryan Whitfield has joined its practice. Dr. Whitfield specializes in endocrine surgery: thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal gland. He will see patients in the practice’s Cumming and Dawsonville offices.
Chattahoochee Surgical Group specializes in the wide scope of general surgery, and uses state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques to a variety of disorders. They have locations in Alpharetta, Cumming, Dawsonville and Sugar Hill. To learn more or to make an appointment please call 770-886-1074 or visit chattahoocheesurgical.com.
Northside Suwanee Primary Care is pleased to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Noyes to its practice. Dr. Noyes has over 10 years of experience in family medicine. Her clinical interests include women’s health, geriatrics and home visits.
Dr. Noyes’ philosophy of care includes caring for her patients as if they are her own family. “Learning about their lives and helping them with their health issues is what gives me joy in seeing my patients daily,” she said.
Northside Suwanee Primary Care is located at 1120 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite 208 in Suwanee. Call 678-312-8400 to make an appointment.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Forsyth County to administer COVID-19 vaccines in February
Featured Stories February 1, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Pfizer vaccines will be administered over four days at two locations
Forsyth County, in partnership with Northside Hospital Forsyth and other community partners, will be administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination to eligible residents, by appointment only, Feb. 4, 8, 9 and 10.
Currently, residents that qualify for Group 1A+ (healthcare workers, long-term care facility staff/residents, adults 65+ and their caregivers, and law enforcement personnel) are eligible to make an appointment at the following locations/dates and times:
- Thursday and Wednesday, Feb. 4 and 10, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Browns Bridge Church (3860 Browns Bridge Road);
- Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 8 and 9, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. First Redeemer Church (2100 Peachtree Pkwy.)
- To make an appointment for the vaccine, visit the main page of Forsyth County government website, forsythco.com.
“After our successful vaccine events held in January, we have been working to be able to provide this opportunity for residents again,” said County Manager Kevin Tanner. “Now that we have available vaccines provided by the Health Department, we encourage those residents that are eligible to receive the vaccine to register for an appointment.”
The vaccine provided at the events will be for those seeking their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Residents that received their first Moderna vaccine dose in January have already been scheduled for their second dose appointment.
The vaccination events in February will be utilizing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which requires a second dose to be administered 21 days following the first. A return appointment for the second dose will be made when residents receive the first dose.
The County’s vaccine distribution is intended to supplement that of Public Health. Vaccines will continue to be provided by private physicians, pharmacies and Public Health, as available.
Information regarding the Georgia Department of Public Health’s vaccine distribution phase plan, including the criteria for each phase group, can be found by clicking here, or by visiting the Georgia Department of Public Health’s website, dph.georgia.gov.
Visit forsythco.com for more county news and information.
Northside Hospital ranks among Best Places to Work in the nation
News, Press Release January 18, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Northside Hospital was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in the last quarter of 2020 by workplace culture and compensation monitoring site Comparably.
Among all Top Large employers (more than 500 employees) across the United States, Northside ranked for Best Company Culture, Best Companies for Women and Best Companies for Diversity.
Comparably’s annual “Best” lists showcase companies that receive the highest ratings on Comparably.com throughout the year based on anonymous feedback from employees about work environment, compensation, leadership and more.
“Northside strongly believes in creating an environment where our employees are empowered, appreciated and supported so they can provide the best health care to our patients,” said Bob Quattrocchi, president and CEO of Northside Hospital. “That we rank among such highly respected companies across all industries is no surprise to me; I am honored by and proud of the work that we do.”
Comparably awards culture women diversity. Earlier in 2020, Northside also was honored on the Comparably lists for:
- Best Company Work-Life Balance
- Best Company Perks & Benefits
- Best Company Compensation
- Best Company Happiness
- Best Professional Development
- Best Leadership Teams
- Best CEOs for Women
Northside Hospital is one of the fastest growing health care organizations in the Southeast and currently employs more than 24,000 employees, including physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and support services personnel throughout the Atlanta Region and many parts of Georgia.
For more information about Comparably’s Best Places to Work lists and a complete list of winners, visit: comparably.com.
Forsyth County to administer COVID-19 Vaccines
News, Press Release January 13, 2021
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Forsyth County, in partnership with Northside Hospital Forsyth and other community partners, will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to residents, by appointment only, that are eligible for the vaccine according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s vaccine distribution plan.
Currently, residents that qualify for Group 1A+ (healthcare workers, long-term care facility staff/residents, adults 65+ and caregivers, and law enforcement personnel) are eligible to make an appointment at the following locations/dates and times:
Tuesday, Jan. 19 and 26, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- First Redeemer Church (2100 Peachtree Pkwy.)
Wednesday, Jan. 20 and 27, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Browns Bridge Church (3860 Browns Bridge Road)
The County anticipates having 600 vaccination appointments available each day, based on the current supply. To make an appointment for the vaccine visit the main page of Forsyth County website, forsythco.com.
“Our Forsyth County Board of Commissioners recognized the need to make more appointments available so residents could sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccines,” said County Manager Kevin Tanner.
“Our Emergency Management Director Chris Grimes pulled together resources from the County’s Information Systems & Technologies, Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office, as well our partners at Northside Hospital and Public Health, to make these appointments available. We also greatly appreciate the two organizations from our faith community who are allowing us to use their facilities.”
The County’s vaccine distribution is intended to supplement that of Public Health. Vaccines will continue to be provided by private physicians, pharmacies and Public Health, as available.
Information regarding the Georgia Department of Public Health’s vaccine distribution phase plan, including the criteria for each phase group, can be found by clicking here, or by visiting the Georgia Department of Public Health’s website, dph.georgia.gov.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com