Dr. Hernan Posas Jr. of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Sleep Center of South Georgia which received laboratory accreditation with exemplary status from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

SGMC Welcomes gastroenterologist

VALDOSTA – South Georgia Medical Center has welcomed Dr. Saikiran “Sai” Raghavapuram, board certified gastroenterologist.

“Dr. Sai” will see patients at SGMC and at his practice, SGMC Gastroenterology, which is located in the Surgery Center, 2417 N. Patterson St., hospital officials said in a statement.

Raghavapuram is fellowship trained in gastroenterology/hepatology, specializing in colon health issues, gastrointestinal bleed, pancreatic issues, Hepatitis C treatment, polyp removal, liver disorders and stomach/digestive conditions.

Raghavapuram received his medical education from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India, and completed his internal medical residency and gastroenterology/hepatology fellowship at the University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark. 

He is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Gastroenterology Association.

Raghavapuram said his dream to become a physician began as a child. 

“I always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives as a doctor as health issues matter to everyone,” he said. “I believe God creates life and doctors repair it through His grace.”

When choosing to specialize in gastroenterology and liver disorders, he said it wasn’t just interesting to study and diagnose disorders related to the gut but also gratifying to treat and bring smiles to people’s faces who were suffering from such disorders. 

Raghavapuram said patients should be treated as family members and values proper communication regarding disorders and treatment.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Sai join our team. His skillset will allow our health system to provide a full range of GI procedures,” said Dr. Brian Dawson, chief medical officer. “Dr. Sai’s skills and capabilities serve to enhance the services provided to the communities we serve and further enable us to be the region’s destination for high quality specialty care.”

He is married to Dr. Deepthi Gandhari, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor, who is also joining the SGMC team. He said he fell in love with Valdosta the first time he visited. 

“Valdosta has everything, including nice and friendly people. I felt it would be more gratifying for me to offer my services here,” he said. “I also believe this is a place where my family can grow happily.”

The office is accepting patients and will open Monday, July 6. For more information on SGMC Gastroenterology, call (229) 433-4310 or visit sgmc.org/gastroenterology.

Sleep Center accredited

VALDOSTA — Neurology, Neurosurgery and Sleep Center of South Georgia has received laboratory accreditation with exemplary status from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine, according to a statement from the business. 

Dr. Hernan Posas Jr. is the laboratory’s medical director. Posas became a board-certified neurologist in 1992 and has been an associated fellow since 2000.

“I am excited to receive AANEM laboratory accreditation status,” Posas said. “It is a testament to the hard work and tenacity, to follow rules and regulations by the members of the team.” 

The AANEM established laboratory accreditation criteria for electrodiagnostic laboratories to ensure patients receive quality medical care in a safe environment, according to the statement. 

“Laboratory accreditation provides patients, referral sources and payers with a credible measure to differentiate the laboratory’s quality of care. The accreditation standards evaluate the diagnostic services and clinical operations essential to providing quality patient care, which include:

– Clinical staff qualifications and continuing education.

– Physical facilities.

– EDX equipment.

– Protocols for performing EDX studies.

– Patient reports.

– Policies for ensuring the health and safety of every patient.

Exemplary status is the highest level of accreditation an EDX laboratory can achieve under the AANEM accreditation program, according to the statement. To be awarded accreditation with exemplary status, physicians performing studies in the laboratory must:

– Have completed a neurology or physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program; and

– Have completed a minimum of three months of training in EDX medicine as part of a residency or fellowship program; and

– Be certified by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine or by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in clinical neurophysiology, or by the ABPN/American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in neuromuscular disease.