AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s been over a year since Wellstar Health System and Augusta University Health System merged.

Since then, they have seen an increase in medical students.

Augusta University says MCG’s class size is one of the top five in the country with more than 300 students in each class.

We spoke with a doctor about how this growth is helping Georgians.

The Medical College of Georgia is the 13th oldest medical school in the country.

After years of maturing, the college’s current first year class is projected to be the fifth largest in the country.

MCG officials say the growth is positive for pipelining more medical professionals in Georgia.

From the lab to communities, Wellstar MCG is making headway into the future of investing in Georgia’s medical workforce.

Dr. Natasha Savage with the Medical College of Georgia says her journey through the medical field has come full circle, now being able to educate the next generation.

“I’m a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia. I know how much our faculty cares about our residents, about our students and about our patients,” said Savage.

She says expanding specialty programs is what’s keeping MCG competitive in critical areas of healthcare like their newest program, maternal-fetal medicine.

“That is a three-year fellowship under the state under the program of OB/GYN and is fully supported by the state. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists help ensure that we have great care for our moms and their children,” she said.

MCG says they’re not slowing down because the need to grow the medical pipeline is more important than ever.

“Whether that be pediatricians or OB/GYNs or pathologists, etc. There’s many areas of the state of Georgia that have no OB/GYN or no psychiatrist and so we’re really working to fill that void,” said Savage.

Savage says MCG retains about 50% of its students each year, which is a positive sign for the future landscape of Georgia healthcare.

“We hope to maintain them, keep them here and continue to improve healthcare through optimal teaching, research and excellence in care,” she said.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Health, more than 140 counties in Georgia are medically underserved.

With a high retention rate, officials hope to continue to bridge that gap in healthcare.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Days after announcing a 4.5% rate increase just before Christmas, Augusta Utilities announced another change that will raise costs for some customers.

Beginning Jan. 1 when the rate increase takes effect, customers paying online using a credit card will also be responsible for credit card processing fees, the city announced Friday – two days after the holiday.

“This policy change reflects an effort to manage rising operational costs while maintaining our commitment to providing quality service to our customers,” the city said in an announcement.

The rate hike and credit card fee come three months after the water system was shut down for days in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene so the system could be repaired.

“The credit card processing fee will appear as a separate line item at checkout, ensuring full transparency,” the city said in its announcement.

There is no fee for paying by check, money order, or cash.

The rate hike, approved by the Augusta Commission, “is necessary to address rising operational costs, infrastructure upgrades, and ongoing investments to ensure the long-term reliability of Augusta’s water system,” the city said Monday in a news release issued just before the Christmas holiday.

For the average residential customer using 5,000 gallons of water per month, the change will mean an increase of about $2.23 each month, the city said.

CITY STATEMENT

Rate increase: You can go online to learn more

1. “Augusta Utilities values transparency and is committed to keeping customers informed,” the city of Augusta said in a news release. “Additional details about the rate adjustment, including FAQs and resources to help manage water use and reduce costs, are available at https://www.augustaga.gov/2771/Utilities or by contacting our customer service team at 706-821-1851.”

“This rate adjustment reflects our dedication to sustaining a solid water system for current and future generations,” said Utilities Director Wes Byne. “The funds will support critical projects such as pipeline replacements, water treatment upgrades, and emergency preparedness to better serve our growing community.”

A couple of days after Helene hit the city on Sept. 27, city officials said the water system had to be shut down because too much debris was clogging the intake lines. It didn’t help that the pumps were running on generators because the electric service was out.

The outage lasted anywhere from 24 hours to days, depending on a customer’s location, and was followed by a boil order in case dirt and bacteria had seeped into pipes that were under low pressure.

The hike also comes as electric customers are dealing with a series of rate increases from Georgia Power, including a 3.5% hike that takes effect Jan. 1 – on top of separate increases when Unit 3 and Unit 4 went online at Plant Vogtle. There was also an increase in summer 2023 that was blamed on higher fuel costs.

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