Atrium Health Navicent Women’s Care Urogynecology Recognized for Treatment of Urinary Incontinence and Bowel Dysfunction
Atrium Health Navicent Women’s Care Urogynecology has been named an Axonics Center of Excellence by Axonics, Inc. The designation recognizes Atrium Health Navicent, and specifically Dr. David Lovejoy for his expertise with sacral neuromodulation and his sincere commitment to changing the lives of women suffering from urinary incontinence and bowel dysfunction.
About 13 million Americans experience loss of bladder control, called urinary incontinence, with 24% to 45% of women reporting some degree of urinary incontinence, according to the National Library of Medicine. The two most common types of urinary incontinence that affect women are stress incontinence and urge incontinence, also called overactive bladder.
Sacral neuromodulation is a type of medical therapy which, using a programmable implant, delivers gentle electrical stimulation to the sacral nerves that control the bladder and bowel. This can help restore normal communication between the brain and the bladder and bowel, resulting in an improvement of symptoms. Axonics, a sacral neuromodulation manufacturer, reports that 93% of treated patients receive clinically significant improvements.
“Urinary incontinence is not a normal part of aging, and it can be treated,” Lovejoy said. “Sacral neuromodulation has proven to be a life-changer for many women in central Georgia suffering from overactive bladder, and we’re honored to be the only Axonics Center of Excellence in central and southeast Georgia.”
The best candidates for sacral neuromodulation are women whose symptoms have not responded to conventional therapy, and for whom a nerve stimulation test decreases symptoms by at least 50%.
The Axonics Center of Excellence program recognizes highly trained and experienced physicians and clinical practices that are committed to patient education and providing exemplary care to achieve optimal clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Lovejoy has been performing sacral neuromodulation for five years at Atrium Health Navicent Women’s CareUrogynecology, and reports outcomes and patient satisfaction levels are well above national averages and industry standards. Lovejoy is double board certified in gynecology and urogynecology/FPMRS, and is the only Axonics faculty trainer in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Atrium Health Navicent Women’s Care Urogynecology provides care for women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, fistulas from obstetric injuries, as well as those who need hysterectomies and vaginal reconstruction. Patients are seen with and without referrals. The office is located at 682 Hemlock St., Suite 210, in Macon and can be reached by calling 478-633-5300.
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and well-being through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent is part of Advocate Health, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 team members across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits.