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Multiple Wellstar facilities closing in southwest Atlanta
In just a few weeks thousands of people will no longer be able to receive care from Wellstar properties on Atlanta’s southwest side. Atlanta Medical Center closing, making Grady Memorial Hospital the only level one trauma center in the city, but there are other branches that will no longer serve patients in Atlanta.
ATLANTA - The impending closure of Atlanta Medical Center will make Grady Memorial Hospital the only level one trauma center in Atlanta, but it is not the only facility facing closures. Other Wellstar branches will no longer serve people. More than a dozen facilities are closing or relocating to Cobb County in a matter of weeks.
Several patients who didn't want to be identified say they’re worried about what this means for southwest Atlanta — a predominately Black community.
Some patients have until Nov. 1, others until Nov.18, to find a new health care facility that meets their needs.
The problem is there are only so many alternate options, most being outside the city. Not everyone has access to reliable transportation and public transport doesn’t always reach the outer counties.
Atlanta City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet, whose husband is a Wellstar physician, says this is a major blow to the Black community which makes up 49% of Atlanta's population, according to 2021 US Census data.
"It has been very intentional that we live in southwest Atlanta, that he’s worked in southwest Atlanta and started practice here. It’s a bitter pill to swallow to have to pick a whole new pathway," Collier Overstreet said.
Here’s the full breakdown of what facilities will close or relocate, according to Wellstar:
Offices at AMC Medical Office buildings
- Wellstar Global Orthopedics at 285 Boulevard NE – Converting to a private practice on Nov. 30
- Wellstar Internal Medicine at 285 Boulevard NE – Relocating to Cobb on Oct. 28
- Wellstar Surgical Specialists of Atlanta at 315 Boulevard NE – Relocating to Kennestone on Nov. 18
- Wellstar Orthopedic Surgery at 320 Parkway Dr. NE – Relocating to Kennestone on Nov. 1
- Wellstar Neurosurgery at 285 Boulevard NE – Closing Nov. 18
- Wellstar OB/GYN at 285 Boulevard NE – Closing Nov. 1
- Wellstar Rheumatology at 285 Boulevard NE – Closing Nov. 18
Offices at other locations
- Wellstar Family Medicine at 1136 Cleveland Ave. – Closing on Nov. 18
- Wellstar General Surgery at 1136 Cleveland Ave. – Closing Nov. 18
- Wellstar Family Medicine at 560 Amsterdam Ave. – Closing Nov. 18
- Wellstar Cardiovascular Medicine at 229 Peachtree St. NE – Closing Nov. 18
- Wellstar Cardiovascular Surgery at 229 Peachtree St. NE – Closing Nov. 18
- Wellstar Urogynecology at 3886 Princeton Lakes Way SW – Closing Nov. 18
"It's kind of sad. It makes you ask the question of: 'Why? Why they're leaving this community," a patient, who only wanted to go by the name Courtney said.
She didn’t even know her family medicine location on Cascade Road will close for good November 18 until FOX 5 crews told her.
Others say they know time is running out, they just don’t know what’s next.
"It’s a health care crisis at this point. If I’m only receiving calls from the Black community about needing help," she said. "They’re calling with simple questions; 'what am I supposed to do now,'" Collier Overstreet said.
"I put in legislation that has been ratified for us to have a moratorium for the actual AMC spot. To make sure the zoning is carefully planned, so we are at the table when we decide what to do with that huge void in our city," she said.
That move essentially extends Mayor Andre Dickens’ executive order.
Wellstar sent FOX 5 a comment that reads in part:
"Patients can continue to receive care from many of these physicians at new Wellstar locations, as nearly 70% of WMG physicians have accepted new roles at another Wellstar location."