NGMC Gainesville is the first and only hospital in the state of Georgia to earn designation as a Center of Excellence for Endocrine Surgery.
Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville has become the first and only hospital inGeorgia to earn designation as a Center of Excellence in Endocrine Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), just as the hospital offers a new and advanced thyroid procedure.
SRC accreditations are awarded only to hospitals and surgeons who meet rigorous, internationally recognized standards for safety, outcomes, patient experience and continuous quality improvement. The Center of Excellence for Endocrine Surgery designation highlights Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS)’s commitment to providing safe and effective treatment options for conditions affecting the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands.
“For our patients, this designation means they can receive nationally recognized endocrine care without driving to Atlanta or beyond,” said Ronald Lewis, MD, FACS, medical director of Perioperative Services at NGHS and a general surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG). “It reflects the skill of our team and our dedication to offering treatments that improve people’s lives.”
Nikita Machado, MD, FACS, an endocrine surgeon with NGPG and the program director for the Endocrine Surgery Center of Excellence at NGHS, and Derek Pendarvis, MD, FACS, a general surgeon with Longstreet Clinic, have been named Surgeons of Excellence in Endocrine Surgery.
As part of its ongoing effort to expand advanced treatment options for the endocrine system, NGMC Gainesville recently completed its first Thyroid Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) procedure. This minimally invasive treatment gives patients with benign thyroid nodules a way to relieve symptoms without surgery, stitches or a long recovery. RFA uses precisely delivered radiofrequency energy to shrink nodules while preserving healthy thyroid tissue, allowing most patients to return home the same day.
“We’re excited to bring this option to our community,” said Dr. Machado, who performed the first RFA procedure. “For many patients, RFA offers meaningful relief from pressure, discomfort or difficulty swallowing while avoiding the risks and downtime of traditional surgery.”
For more information about surgical services offered at NGHS, visit nghs.com/surgery.