Effingham Health System took a big step forward in patient care this week with the addition of a group of board-certified emergency medicine specialists.
The group, Georgia Emergency Physician Specialists, are the same doctors used at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah.
The team was introduced Monday morning at a welcoming reception in the emergency department. The group started working in the Effingham emergency department on Feb. 15.
Dr. Jay D. Goldstein, the team leader, said the group was “overwhelmed” by the reception they have received.
“We feel like we are at home,” Goldstein said.
Goldstein also said the group was excited about working here and confident in the staff at Effingham Health.
“We would not put ourselves in an environment where we didn’t expect the highest level of care,” Goldstein said.
Effingham Health System CEO Norma Jean Morgan said the hospital was “better prepared today” than ever to serve the community.
“We’ve moved from planning, to growing and innovation,” Morgan said.
Emergency patients in Effingham can now receive care from the same physicians they would see in Savannah, Morgan said.
Morgan also said the quality of care available, along with short wait times, exceptional customer service and the convenience of being close to home, is a plus for the community.
Morgan also stressed the hiring of GEPS does not mean Effingham is affiliated with Memorial. GEPS is an independent group.
GEPS will provide emergency physicians at Effingham 24-hours a day, seven days a week. All the physicians are board-certified emergency medicine specialists.
“It’s a momentous occasion for Effingham,” Hospital Authority Board Chairman Rick Rafter said. “It shows the commitment Norma Jean has to this community.”
Rafter also said the old excuse of patients always heading to Memorial for their emergency doctors no longer works.
“Those doctors are here,” Morgan said.
The emergency medicine physicians who will be serving the EHS emergency department include: Jay Goldstein, MD, Director, Colm Acuff, DO, Kerry Bachista, MD
Christopher Campbell, MD, Joseph Hogan, MD, Mike Koehler, MD, Sanjay Iyer, MD, Jason Lowe, DO, Bruce Marshall, MD, Jason Pope, MD, Bradley Post, MD, Andrew Ross, MD, Jared Shell, MD, Jason Stillwagon, MD, Johnny Sy, DO, Allan Taaca, MD, Jonathan Williams, DO, and Jonathan Winstead, MD.
For more information on the new physicians and all of the services available at Effingham Health System, visit EffinghamHealth.org.