Phoebe Sumter Medical Center

Daniel Hale Williams earned a medical degree and started working as a surgeon in Chicago in 1884. He opened the nation’s first Black-owned interracial hospital. In 1893, he repaired a patient’s pericardium in the first documented successful open-heart surgery on a human. Dr. Williams is regarded as the first Black cardiologist. He co-founded the National Medical Association and became the first Black physician admitted to the American College of Surgeons. #BlackHistoryMonth #HeartMonth

#COVID_19 Update: As of noon Friday (2/19), there are 52 COVID-19 patients in Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and 12 in Phoebe Sumter Medical Center. Even as our admissions go down, the virus continues to take the lives of more patients. An increase in deaths generally lags several weeks behind an increase in hospitalizations, and unfortunately, we lost nine patients in the last week. We know we can prevent deaths and hospital admissions by getting more people vaccinated." -Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System President and CEO. Georgians can register for a vaccination appointment at the state site by going to myvaccinegeorgia.com. Southwest Georgia residents can schedule a vaccination appointment at multiple Phoebe vaccination sites throughout the region by calling 229-312-1919. https://bit.ly/37wL0mP

REMINDER! #DonateBlood tomorrow in memory of Josh Willis. The Blood Drive is being held at Americus First Baptist Church from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can schedule your appointment online at redcrossblood.org, use sponsor code PSMC. Blood is needed for many different kinds of patients. Donate tomorrow to help ensure that patients have a supply ready and waiting before an emergency occurs.

Phoebe is having amazing success treating #COVID_19 patients with monoclonal antibody therapy. While the therapy isn’t approved for all patients, those who qualify and receive it often start feeling better almost immediately. Go #InsidePhoebe to learn more about this promising COVID-19 treatment.

Mrs. Emma Minter, of Ellaville, Ga., celebrated her 103rd birthday on February 6. Last week she received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at our vaccination site in Americus. My children suggested that I get the vaccine, so I decided to get it done. The process was quick and easy, and everyone was very nice," said Mrs. Minter. #CombatCOVID #RollUpYourSleeve

The support we have received near and far during this pandemic is amazing. Recently, we received a special 'thank you' from a group of kindergarten students at Friendship Elementary School in Buford, Ga. Mrs. Shanda Millwood, the kindergarten teacher, said the goal of the project was to bring a little laughter and joy to our team during this crazy season of COVID. Mrs. Millwood's son, Beau, works at Phoebe Sumter in the Critical Care Unit. This definitely put a smile on all our faces. Thank you for sharing this video with us!