17th Magnolia Ball raises $501,000 to help build Tanner Heart Center

For the sixth consecutive year, proceeds from the annual Magnolia Ball have been earmarked to assist with the construction of Tanner Heart Center on the campus of Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton. Ava Bland and Diane McConahy, co-chairs of the 2007 Magnolia Ball, along with more than 200 community volunteers, worked diligently to stage the black-tie gala, “The Emerald City – Follow the Yellow Brick Road”. Held on May 5, 2007, on the Carrollton estate of Mrs. Alice Richards, the honorary chairs of the seventeenth Magnolia Ball were Dr. and Mrs. Joe Parrish. More than $501,000 was raised this year, which brought the six-year fundraising total for cardiac services to more than $2.5 million.

Hospital Construction Underway
Since construction began in 2006, good weather and steady work have helped keep the Dixie Street expansion project at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton on course. By the middle of next year, the hospital will feature a new atrium, a new four-level parking deck with more than 600 parking spaces, and the new Tanner Heart Center, consolidating all of Tanner’s cardiac services.

By far, one of the biggest and most important additions to the Carrollton hospital will be the 45,000-square-foot Tanner Heart Center. “This center will allow Tanner to consolidate all of its cardiac services under one roof,” says Loy Howard, President and CEO of Tanner Health System. “Heart patients and their loved ones will have easier access to Tanner’s expansive cardiac program as many diagnostic tests and medical procedures will be performed in the same location.”

In 2003, a new 12-bed intensive care unit was opened at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton. This ICU has come to serve – literally – as the foundation of Tanner’s cardiac service expansion as the new Tanner Heart Center is erected atop the ICU. Opening the new ICU unit and the addition of Medical Director, William Waters, IV, MD, an intensivist board-certified in internal medicine and nephrology, set the stage for the expansion of Tanner’s cardiac services and facilities.

Expanded Cardiac Services
Tanner’s cardiac services continue to grow, and with five cardiologists, an intensivist, and six hospitalists on the medical staff, the system is well-positioned to meet patients’ needs. Part of that growth during the last couple of years includes PET/CT testing, which gives physicians a clearer image of a patient’s heart and vessels to check for physical anomalies and other heart problems, and tilt-table testing, which allows physicians to test for a medical condition that can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure resulting in the patient feeling lightheaded or passing out.

Cardiac angioplasty and angioplasty with stenting are also available through cardiac services at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton. These procedures are performed both on a primary basis, for patients who come to the hospital needing the treatment right away, and on an elective basis for patients who may benefit from the procedure in the long run.

“There’s such a severe need for this service in our community,” says John Burson, MD, chairman of the Tanner Medical Center, Inc., Board of Directors, a board-certified ear, nose and throat specialist and CEO of Chattahoochee Healthcare, LLC. “Many people in west Georgia are dying due to heart disease, more than the state or national average. Bringing procedures like this to Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton is saving lives in our community and in our region. Cardiac angioplasty and angioplasty with stenting allows Tanner to provide the level of care patients have traditionally looked to hospitals in Atlanta to provide.”

The availability of cardiac angioplasty and angioplasty with stenting in Carrollton also saves patients and their families the long drive into Atlanta for the procedures – an especially important advantage when time is of the essence.

The heart is a muscle, and like all muscles it needs oxygen-rich blood. Without it, the tissue that comprises the heart muscle will die. The longer the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen, the more tissue dies, and the weaker the heart becomes. Quickly reopening arteries and restoring the flow of blood to the heart is critical.

“Angioplasty is emerging as one of the best treatments for heart attack patients,” says Dr. Burson. “It’s minimally invasive, meaning it requires only a small incision, and it quickly opens blocked arteries and restores blood flow to the heart.”

Parking Pains to be Relieved
A new parking deck under construction will have four levels, attached at each level to a floor of the hospital, and totaling 600 parking spaces. This new parking and all parking at Tanner will continue to be offered at no charge.

Currently, parking is still available in a four-level parking deck across from the hospital’s Emergency Department, as well as in a parking lot along Clinic Avenue in front of the hospital’s Outpatient/Short Stay entrance.

New Maternity Center Entrance and Education Center
The construction project is also giving Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton a new entrance to the W. Steve Worthy Maternity Center as well as a new atrium and education center. The atrium will be not only a waiting area, but also a place for adults and children to participate in interactive health exhibits that will change periodically. These exhibits will provide an opportunity for patients and visitors to learn more about prevention and healthy lifestyles.

The new health education center will house seven classrooms, including a 300-seat auditorium for members of the community to attend seminars presented by physicians and other health professionals. This health education center, as well as the atrium, will allow Tanner to continue with its mission of improving public health through prevention and education.

Community Involvement is Key to Success
Tanner Medical Foundation has embarked on a fundraising campaign to raise a minimum of $10 million to assist with the current Dixie Street expansion project, and community involvement will be the key to the campaign’s success.

Named gift opportunities within the newly constructed space will allow individuals to honor loved ones. In fact, helping to build Tanner Heart Center is already a personal goal for some families who have been touched by heart disease.

“Leaving a life-long legacy by helping to provide quality healthcare for present and future generations through a named gift is a special way to honor family members and friends,” says Denise Taylor, President and CEO of Tanner Medical Foundation.

The Finished Product
By the middle of 2008, Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton will have a whole new look. Dixie Street will again be the main access point to the hospital, just as it was when the original Tanner Memorial Hospital opened in 1949. Parking will be more plentiful and easier than ever before. Visitors to the W. Steve Worthy Maternity Center will have a separate entrance, and more community health education classes will be available through the expanded education facility.

“As the area’s leading healthcare provider, we are determined to ensure that this new facility directly meets the needs of the community,” says Howard. “A great deal of time and preparation has been invested to raise the bar for regional healthcare delivery in a modern, first-class setting. We are confident that the community will be proud of not just the facility itself, but the new level of service offered at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton.”