Doctors

Of the eight top hospitals in Atlanta according to U.S. News & World Report, two of them have nationally ranked specialties. Emory University Hospital and Shepherd Center, the top ranked local hospitals on the list, have national areas of expertise.

Georgia Regents Medical Center is the first hospital in Georgia—and one of only 20 hospitals in the country—to be named an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. That gives the Augusta hospital serious bragging rights over its counterparts in metro Atlanta.

Going into the hospital for a routine procedure could have other risks—especially in Georgia. Because germs spread easily in a hospital setting, patients can pick up infections when sanitary practices aren't followed.

A study of more than 6 million seniors in the U.S. found that 21 percent are prescribed at least one "high risk" medication. These prescriptions are a lot more common in the South, among women, and in poorer areas.

For the third year, Emory cardiologist Laurence Sperling helped U.S. News & World Report rate the country’s top diets. Sperling joined a panel of 20 experts to evaluate 29 diets from Atkins to Zone. Fortunately for Sperling, medical director of Emory's Center for Heart Disease Prevention, he didn’t have to actually try all the diets.

Thanks to a new online survey process, more physicians voted than ever. Plus, we share a few doctors recommended by patients.

Childhood cancer is like a journey that starts when you meet a new family, a new patient. Nobody expects children to have cancer. It’s literally unbelievable. So there’s this big element of shock and fear and grief. These truly are diseases that threaten the life of their beautiful child.

Every patient and [every delivery] is just a little bit different. It does not ever get boring, because it’s never the same.