More Than Medicine | How St. Mary's Cares At The Highest Level

St. Mary's Health Care System

At St. Mary’s Health Care System in Athens and northeast Georgia, we are dedicated to our mission to serve together in the spirit of the Gospel to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence in the communities we serve. This podcast is your window into the people, values, and innovation which have been at your service for more than 116 years. On our show you'll hear interviews with physicians and staff about how we're serving you with new procedures, innovative technologies, and above all: high-level care, and higher-level caring. We hope you'll take this opportunity to get to know the folks serving at St. Mary's, who live, work, and serve alongside you here in our home of Athens and northeast Georgia. St. Mary’s is much more than a hospital, this podcast is more than a show, and our mission really does include more than medicine. We are a not-for-profit Catholic health care ministry that cares for all of you: mind, body and spirit. St. Mary’s includes three hospitals, emergency services, numerous physician practices, a family birth center, our region’s first medical residency program, home health and hospice services, a retirement community, extensive outpatient services, and much more. We are proud to offer the region’s leading stroke program, leading-edge robotic surgery capabilities, advanced cardiac care, and a nationally recognized rehabilitation center. Inspired by our Mission and Core Values, our vision is to be the best place to work, practice medicine and receive care in Northeast Georgia. We want to be your trusted health care partner for life.

Episodes

  1. 11/03/2025

    Honoring Our Donors Through The St. Mary's Health Care Foundation

    The St. Mary's Health Care Foundation is the driving force behind fundraising that keeps the hospital going and growing in excellence, technology, and the ability to help all our patients. We're joined by Anneliese Woodall, who shares about why this support is so important, gives details on some exciting upcoming events, and points out how board members are extremely valued volunteers. Links: Attend or sponsor the 2026 Courageous Leaders GalaWhat is a "biplane", and how is it used with regards to neurological conditions? Learn more about Financial Assistance and Charity Care (a.k.a. indigent care) The St. Mary's Foundation website Learn more on the St. Mary's website. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Creators & Guests Brooke Marshall - Host Anneliese Woodall - Guest This podcast is produced by Rooster High, a content marketing agency: https://roosterhigh.com (00:00) - Honoring Our Donors Through The St. Mary's Health Care Foundation (00:14) - Welcome! Meet Anneliese Woodall (00:52) - Role and Importance of Donor Relations (01:41) - The Foundations of St. Mary's Health Care System (03:23) - Upcoming Events and Their Impact (04:35) - The Courageous Leaders Gala 2026 by the St. Mary's Health Care Foundationz (07:46) - Date For The Courageous Leaders Gala 2026: March 28, 2026 (09:18) - Other Foundation Events (09:27) - The Good Samaritan Foundation 2026 Fashion Show (11:07) - Engaging Donors and Community at the St. Mary's Foundation in Athens, GA (12:56) - Employee Giving and Community Support at St. Mary's (16:35) - How The St. Mary's Foundation Makes Excellent Events (18:44) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    Honoring Our Donors Through The St. Mary's Health Care Foundation
  2. 10/20/2025

    You're Safe With Her: Dr. Kathleen Jeffery Of The St. Mary's Breast Health Center

    We're joined by Dr. Kathleen Jeffery, a breast surgeon at St. Mary's Breast Health Center who is a storied leader and breast cancer expert. She shares her journey to Athens, the comprehensive services provided by the Breast Health Center, the importance of mammograms and what age women should start getting them, and so much more. Links Learn more about the St. Mary's Breast Health Center here in Northeast Georgia.Click here to watch a video of this episode. Creators & Guests Brooke Marshall - Host Kathleen Jeffrey, MD - Guest This podcast is produced by Rooster High, a content marketing agency: https://roosterhigh.com (00:00) - You're Safe With Her: Interviewing Dr. Kathleen Jeffery About The St. Mary's Breast Health Center (00:14) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:49) - Creating the Breast Health Program at St. Mary's (01:48) - Understanding St. Mary's Breast Health Center in Athens, Georgia (03:03) - Importance Of Early Detection For Breast Health (04:04) - When To Get A Mammogram, And How Often (07:04) - Genetic Counseling And Testing For Breast Health (08:08) - Dr. Jeffery On Trends In Imaging And Treatment For Breast Health (09:21) - Navigators Are A Crucial Part Of Our Patient Journey (10:55) - Stories from Dr. Jeffery's Work With Families Fighting Breast Cancer (11:57) - Community Initiatives and Financial Support (13:19) - Why Dr. Kathleen Jeffery Saves Lives (14:46) - Year-Round Breast Health Awareness (16:55) - Key Takeaways and Contact Information (18:31) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    You're Safe With Her: Dr. Kathleen Jeffery Of The St. Mary's Breast Health Center
  3. 10/06/2025

    Better Bariatric Surgery Through Safety And Innovation

    The bariatric surgery program here at St. Mary's of northeast Georgia is comprehensive and everyone takes a team approach in giving you the best health journey possible. Julie Richardson, our Bariatric Program Coordinator, joins us on the show as she and our host Brooke Marshall discuss our patient support approach, how we use multidisciplinary care to acheive the best outcomes for patients, and innovations the team is working on. We know you have many questions regarding bariatric surgery (also called weight loss surgery), and we are here to answer them! Links to helpful blog posts: Learn more about bariatric surgery at St. Mary'sCriteria for bariatric surgerySee illustrations of Roux-en-Y and gastric sleeve proceduresRead Julie's blog post on the bariatric surgery dietLearn more on the St. Mary's website. Click here to watch a video of this episode. Creators & Guests Brooke Marshall - Host Julie Richardson - Guest This podcast is produced by Rooster High, a content marketing agency: https://roosterhigh.com (00:00) - Better Bariatric Surgery through Safety and Innovation (00:14) - Introduction (00:59) - Overview of St. Mary's Bariatric Program (01:43) - Why Choose St. Mary's Bariatric Program? (03:10) - Building a Successful Bariatric Program (03:32) - Patient Selection Criteria and Pathways (04:22) - Criteria for Bariatric Surgery (06:29) - Surgical Procedures Explained (08:47) - Patient Resources and Support (11:32) - Team Roles in the Bariatric Program (12:21) - Day in the Life of a Bariatric Program Coordinator (13:03) - Communication and Coordinated Care at St. Mary's Bariatric (14:25) - Post-Surgery Support and Follow-Up (15:28) - Patient Success Stories (16:41) - Wellness Center and Community Support (18:03) - Future Goals and Initiatives (20:36) - The Future of Bariatric Surgery (22:51) - Conclusion and Next Steps

    Better Bariatric Surgery Through Safety And Innovation

About

At St. Mary’s Health Care System in Athens and northeast Georgia, we are dedicated to our mission to serve together in the spirit of the Gospel to be a compassionate and transforming healing presence in the communities we serve. This podcast is your window into the people, values, and innovation which have been at your service for more than 116 years. On our show you'll hear interviews with physicians and staff about how we're serving you with new procedures, innovative technologies, and above all: high-level care, and higher-level caring. We hope you'll take this opportunity to get to know the folks serving at St. Mary's, who live, work, and serve alongside you here in our home of Athens and northeast Georgia. St. Mary’s is much more than a hospital, this podcast is more than a show, and our mission really does include more than medicine. We are a not-for-profit Catholic health care ministry that cares for all of you: mind, body and spirit. St. Mary’s includes three hospitals, emergency services, numerous physician practices, a family birth center, our region’s first medical residency program, home health and hospice services, a retirement community, extensive outpatient services, and much more. We are proud to offer the region’s leading stroke program, leading-edge robotic surgery capabilities, advanced cardiac care, and a nationally recognized rehabilitation center. Inspired by our Mission and Core Values, our vision is to be the best place to work, practice medicine and receive care in Northeast Georgia. We want to be your trusted health care partner for life.