Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) continues to invest in advancing heart care in Habersham County, but the foundation was laid long before NGHS took over Habersham Medical Center in 2023. The Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation program at the former HMC, now called NGMC Habersham, is marking 40 years of providing critical support, education and services to help heart patients maintain their health and regain quality of life.
Founded in 1986 by Stuart Sanders, MD, the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation program was among the first of its kind in the nation. In those days, the handful of similar programs were typically part of academic medical centers. So, as the program in Habersham developed, it caught a lot of attention within the healthcare industry – and Dr. Sanders was invited to speaking engagements across the country and overseas.
“I got to be known as the rural doctor who does cardiac rehab,” said Dr. Sanders, an internal medicine physician who treated many heart patients during a time when there were few board-certified cardiologists in rural Georgia. “My message was, ‘This is how you do it in the country on no money and make it work to improve people’s lives.’”
By 1990, more cardiac rehab programs popped up in Georgia, and they began sending teams of patients to compete in an Olympic-style sports competition called the Heart of Gold Games. The Habersham program again took the lead in expanding the concept nationally.
Dr. Sanders was serving as president of the Heart and Lung Foundation of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), and he helped lead the group of nationally known cardiac rehabilitation professionals to establish the International Heart and Lung Games of the AACVPR – which were held in 2003 and 2006.
“The 2006 games were in Chicago, and we were so excited to have teams from as far away as Italy and Scotland participate,” said Dr. Sanders.
After that, the name changed to the World Heart Games, which now take place every three years. The most recent games in 2025 were hosted at Piedmont University in Demorest with financial support from Georgia Heart Institute, which encompasses the cardiovascular services provided by Northeast Georgia Health System (which NGMC Habersham is part of as well).
“Our patients are always very competitive,” said Dr. Sanders. “It gives them something to train and prepare for, and it is gratifying to see how much progress they make in their recovery.”
Much has changed in the past 40 years. The Habersham program became part of Northeast Georgia Health System. It moved into the well-appointed Rehabilitation & Orthopedics Complex on the NGMC Habersham hospital campus. And cardiac rehab has become a standard of care recommended by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. In 2025 alone, the Habersham program helped 423 patients through more than 10,500 visits across three phases of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Earlier this year, the Habersham program was awarded a “Million Hearts Advancing Cardiac Rehabilitation” grant from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. Thanks to the grant, qualifying patients who consistently stick to their rehab plans will have free access to at-home healthcare monitoring and exercise equipment.
“This has been a real team effort,” said Dr. Sanders. “We have had great exercise science professionals, nurses and nutritionists. Also, we appreciate the outstanding support from local, regional and Georgia Heart Institute physicians. The patients can have fun while they are working back to good health, and they love the people who are putting them through the exercise.”
To learn more about cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services offered by Northeast Georgia Health System, go to nghs.com/heart/rehabilitation. To schedule an appointment at the Habersham program, call 706-754-3113.
About NGHS
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team of more than 1,500 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties cares for more than 1 million people across the region through seven hospitals and dozens of other locations and practices. Our acute care hospitals, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC), have a total of more than 1,000 beds across a Level I Trauma Center in Gainesville and other locations in Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest. NGHS’ specialty hospitals also provide individualized rehabilitation programs for medical conditions and injuries through The Rehabilitation Institute in Gainesville, as well as inpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment at Laurelwood on the campus of NGMC Gainesville. Learn more at nghs.com.