New Partnership Provides Improved Pediatric Care In Southwest Georgia

Phoebe is partnering with a top children’s hospital to expand access to pediatric care and enhance pediatric services for families in southwest Georgia. Leaders from Phoebe and Atrium Health Navicent announced a new clinical affiliation Monday at Phoebe’s main hospital campus in Albany.

“We want to ensure children in our area have easy access to the best inpatient and specialty care, and this partnership will make that happen,” said Dr. William Sewell, medical director for women and children’s services at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. “It broadens the resources at our disposal, allowing more families to stay here in southwest Georgia when children need care, and it opens direct lines to expert pediatric specialty care.”

Through this innovative children’s care relationship with Atrium Health Navicent and Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital in Macon, Phoebe will be able to provide a deeper level of care and coordination, when needed, for children’s specialties. Phoebe physicians and pediatric patients will have access to expanded services, including virtual and in-person pediatric specialty consultations, and the most advanced pediatric diagnostics available, along with the latest state-of-the-art medical treatments close to home.

“As a leader in pediatric care, we are excited for our providers to bring their experience and clinical expertise to southwest Georgia,” said Dr. Stacy Nicholson, president of Atrium Health children’s service line. “We want parents and pediatricians to know we are committed to working with Phoebe to provide the best possible care for pediatric patients in the region. Our physicians will support Phoebe’s pediatric unit at its main hospital and offer in-person and telehealth services for outpatient and follow-up care.”

Atrium Health Navicent specialists will see patients in person on the Phoebe North Campus at the Phoebe Pediatric Specialty Clinic, 810 13 th Ave., Suite 108.

“Our surgeons, neurologists, hematologist/oncologists and endocrinologists will regularly visit the Phoebe Pediatric Specialty Clinic to ensure pediatric patients are getting the follow-up and ongoing care management they need,” said Dr. Mitch Rodriguez, business development officer for Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital. “We plan to add pediatric orthopaedic care to our rotation in the future. Our intensivists are also providing telehealth services, working with pediatric hospitalists at Phoebe to provide acute and intensive care for pediatric inpatients.”

In conjunction with the new partnership, Phoebe has opened a new pediatric inpatient unit on its main campus.

“We invested significant resources to move our pediatric unit to a more conveniently-located part of the hospital and help it operate more efficiently and effectively,” said Joe Austin, chief executive officer of Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. “Our compassionate pediatric team will provide outstanding care in that unit, and if a young patient needs a level of care that can more appropriately be provided at a dedicated children’s hospital, this new partnership means that patient can be seamlessly transferred to Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital. It is the closest children’s hospital to our area, and we know the amazing team there can be entrusted to provide the best available care to our patients who need it.”

Certain specialists from Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta will also continue to see patients at the Phoebe Pediatric Specialty Clinic. Pediatric cardiology patients will continue to be treated at the Sibley Heart Center at Meredyth Place.