MCG HEALTHCARE PHYSICIANS NAMED "BEST DOCTORS" IN AUGUSTA AREA

January 7, 2002

Each year Best Doctors, Inc. of Aiken, S.C., surveys tens of thousands of leading medical specialists worldwide and asks them what doctors they themselves would go to for treatment in their specialty. More than 1 million individual evaluations of doctors by other doctors are processed. Best Doctors, Inc. selects approximately 30,000 doctors in the U.S, about 4% of all U.S. doctors, as outstanding doctors.

Of the 107 Augusta area physicians named among the "Best Doctors in America" for 2001-2002, roughly half are at MCG. The MCG HealthCare physicians named among the "Best Doctors" are:

Allergy and Immunology: Dr. William K. Dolen, Dr. Dennis R. Ownby and Dr. Betty B. Wray

Anesthesiology: Dr. Eugene Betts

Child Neurology: Dr. James E. Carroll

Dermatology: Dr. Jack L. Lesher, Jr. and Dr. John Louis Ratz

Endocrinology and Metabolism: Dr. Maximillian E. Stachura

Family Medicine: Dr. Paul Forney, Dr. John Gore, Dr. Julia Hendrich, Dr. Joseph Hobbs and Dr. Mason P. Thompson

Infectious Disease: Dr. John F. Fisher and Dr. J. Peter Rissing

Nephrology: Dr. Ralph John Caruana and Dr. Laura L. Mulloy

Neurology: Dr. Robert J. Adams, Dr. Don W. King, Dr. Kimford Jay Meador, Dr. Michael H. Rivner and Dr. Kapil D. Sethi

Obstetrics and Gynecology: Dr. Lawrence D. Devoe, Dr. Mike Macfee, Dr. O. Eduardo Talledo and Dr. Debra J. Ware

Orthopaedic Surgery: Dr. Les Bertrand

Pediatric Specialist: Dr. Margaret Guill, Dr. William Kanto and Dr. William Bryan Strong

Pediatric (General): Dr. John Benjamin

Plastic Surgery: Dr. Kenna S. Given and Dr. Jack C. Yu

Psychiatry: Dr. Jeffrey L. Rausch

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine: Dr. W. Bruce Davis

Radiation Oncology: Dr. Arlie Eugene Fiveash

Rheumatology: Dr. Joseph P. Bailey, Jr.

Surgery: Dr. T. A. Bowden, Dr. Thomas R. Gadacz, Dr. Charles G. Howell and Dr. James J. Wynn

Thoracic Surgery: Dr. H. Victor Moore

Urology: Dr. Ronald W. Lewis

MCG HealthCare is the health system of the Medical College of Georgia and is comprised of MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty of the School of Medicine and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Hospitals and Clinics, Children's Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by offering the highest level of primary and specialty health care.

For more information, contact:
Steven Padgett
Media Relations Manager
MCG Health, Inc.
(706) 721-9566