Erlanger at Hutcheson has added new physicians specializing in Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Emergency Medicine at the North Georgia medical facility.  The announcement comes shortly after the hospital released much improved financial reports for the month of June, including a one million dollar bottom line improvement over June 2011.

Cardiologist Kendrick Mills, MD is the newest physician to join the Erlanger at Hutcheson medical staff.  Dr. Mills is a member of the UT Erlanger Cardiology group and has a North Georgia-based practice located in the Physician Office Building at Hutcheson.  His scope of practice includes outpatient adult cardiology, inpatient consultations, exercise and pharmacologic stress tests, echocardiograms, pacemaker implantation, diagnostic coronary angiography, and lipid and hypertension management.  Dr. Mills graduated from Harvard Medical School and obtained his Fellowship in Cardiology at Yale School of Medicine. 

Hutcheson officials also announced the employment of pulmonologist Timothy Ashburn, MD.  Dr. Ashburn graduated from the UT College of Medicine in Memphis, where he also obtained his Fellowship in Pulmonary Critical Care.  He was chief resident during his residency at the University of Tennessee College Of Medicine Chattanooga (UTCOMC), where he served on the faculty last year.  Dr. Ashburn’s outpatient pulmonology practice will open November 1 at Hutcheson on the Parkway.  He will also provide inpatient critical care services at the hospital.

In addition, hospital officials report that EmCare is now the official provider of emergency medicine at Hutcheson.  Emcare specialists also staff the emergency rooms at both the Erlanger Baroness and Erlanger North campuses.  Dr. Anuj Parikh now serves as the medical director of Hutcheson’s Emergency Department. “Our contract with EmCare has significantly increased the number of board-certified Emergency Medicine physicians within our ER,” said Roger Forgey, president and CEO of Erlanger at Hutcheson.  “This means residents of North Georgia have access to high-level emergency care without having to leave their community.”

Mr. Forgey also reiterated that Erlanger at Hutcheson is in network with BlueCross BlueShield of Georgia and Tennessee.  “We want to be sure that those living in our service area are fully aware that Hutcheson is part of the BlueCross Blue Shield network and welcome those with BCBS coverage,” he said.