Georgia Health Sciences University News and Events
Battaglia named nursing supervisor at GHS Medical Center
Gerald Battaglia, a charge nurse with two decades of experience, has been named Nursing (House) Supervisor at Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center. He will oversee clinical and administrative patient care activities throughout all nursing units during the “night shift.”
Battaglia, who joined the nursing staff at GHS in 1992, has served as a Charge Nurse in the medical intensive care unit since 1998. He is a member of the hospital’s Rapid Response Team, a group of critical care specialists who rush to the bedside and intervene when a non-ICU patient’s condition seems to be heading for trouble.
Battaglia served in the U.S. Army from 1984-88 and received his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Georgia Health Sciences University in 1992.
He is certified in Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
The 478-bed Georgia Health Sciences Medical Center is operated by the Georgia Health Sciences Health System, a not-for-profit corporation that manages the clinical operations of Georgia Health Sciences University. The health system also includes a Critical Care Center, housing the region’s only Level I trauma center ; the 154-bed Children’s Medical Center, providing the highest level of pediatric critical care and neonatal intensive care; and more than 80 outpatient clinics that provide primary and specialty care inside the Medical Office Building.
GHSU announces new Institute of Public and Preventive Health
The United States spends more on health care than any other nation, yet its citizens have lower overall health and life expectancy than that of many developed nations. In Georgia, 30 counties have lower life expectancy than Third World countries such as El Salvador, Thailand and the Gaza Strip. In addition, chronic conditions account for more than 75 percent of U.S. health care expenditures.
To address these and other public health challenges, Georgia Health Sciences University has established an Institute of Public and Preventive Health integrating the enterprise’s public health research initiatives, hosting community programs and cultivating a public health fellowship program.
“Georgia is ranked near the bottom nationwide in type 2 diabetes, infant mortality, pre-term, low-birth and teen-birth rates, obesity, tuberculosis, hepatitis and AIDS,” said GHSU President Ricardo Azziz in announcing the institute. “We must address these health inequities and examine the social, racial and economic causes of poor health in order to provide better health for our citizens, with greater cost-effectiveness and economic benefit for our state.”
Initially, the institute will focus on community-related service activities and on interdisciplinary research programs that concentrate on health management and administration, epidemiology, behavioral health and health education, environmental and occupational health, and biostatistics.
Nearly 40 faculty scholars from GHSU’s five colleges will staff the institute, and additional research faculty are being recruited.
Researchers of the new institute already receive more than $6 million in external grant support annually.
“The GHSU Institute of Public and Preventive Health will conduct cutting edge research and provide services responsive to emerging community health needs,” said College of Allied Health Sciences Dean Andrew Balas, who will serve as founding Director of the institute. “The new institute will bring great energy and new scientific evidence to our efforts at improving public and preventive health in Georgia.”
The Georgia Prevention Institute will integrate with the new institute and be renamed the Georgia Prevention Center. It will continue its focus on behavioral health and health education research and childhood obesity.
A health management and information studies component will build on expertise and resources in the College of Allied Health Sciences Department of Health Management and Informatics. Population studies will be supported by the College of Graduate Studies Department of Biostatistics.
The new institute will also establish a community health network group to respond to emerging public health needs, support new networks and provide population data management infrastructure.
An advisory board of community stakeholders will support and counsel the institute to ensure quality, relevance and progress.
Ultimately, the institute will develop innovative multidisciplinary public health research, apply and test novel public health strategies and technologies, and advocate for effective public health policy and law, Balas added.
Illustrative 2012 activities include:
• Grant program for research addressing community health needs
• Health behavior screening and education to address needs of the elderly
• Forum focused on health issues of teens and young adults
• Community health updates for public and private stakeholders
• Public health seminar series
• Consortium of regional employee health benefits managers
• Collaboration with Ft. Gordon on health issues of military personnel
For more information, call 855-TAKESTAND (855-825-3782) or visit http://www.georgiahealth.edu/ipph/.
