AdventHealth Redmond is marking 50 years since it began providing advanced heart care to Northwest Georgia. The hospital first opened its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) in 1975, which was the region’s initial facility of its kind and allowed local patients to receive diagnostic heart procedures without traveling to Atlanta.
Before the Cath Lab, Redmond Regional Park Hospital, as it was then known, offered only basic noninvasive tests for cardiac issues. Marsha Colwell, a cardiology technician and one of the original team members who later became vice president of cardiovascular services, said, “At that point, we couldn’t diagnose or treat coronary disease. If we found something concerning, we had to send patients to Atlanta.”
The opening of the Cath Lab enabled physicians to directly examine heart arteries and accurately identify blockages. Riley Benter, director of Heart, Lung and Vascular Services for the AdventHealth Georgia market, stated, “In Northwest Georgia, there was no Cath Lab near patients who needed it. Having one here was a big deal. It was the first step in becoming a leader in heart health care for this region.”
Initially staffed by two cardiologists and three team members who manually developed procedure films in a darkroom, the lab represented a significant advancement for local healthcare.
The hospital expanded its capabilities over time. In 1986, Daniel Goldfaden, MD arrived and established an open-heart surgery program at Redmond Regional Medical Center—another regional first. This transition enabled both diagnosis and treatment of coronary disease locally. New procedures such as balloon angioplasty and coronary stents were added soon after.
“They did a wonderful job keeping up with the latest technologies,” Colwell said. “The public was amazed they could get the same kind of care as Atlanta, right here at home.”
Redmond’s program continued evolving with milestones including its 100,000th catheterization procedure in 2014 and its first transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in 2016—a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery. Most recently, AdventHealth Redmond became Georgia’s first hospital to use a medicated balloon designed to prevent arterial scar tissue from returning.
Mike Ware, MD, FACC—interventional cardiologist and director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory—said: “We’ve been among the first to do new procedures with new technology through the years. Each step gives patients better outcomes and faster recoveries.”
Staff members emphasize that their culture prioritizes patient care beyond technical expertise. Dr. Ware noted: “It’s our culture… They’ll come in at three or four in the morning or stay late when the schedule is full because they put patients first.” Benter added: “The team treats every patient as a person, not a number… That intentionality makes all the difference.”
Colwell reflected on her nearly five decades at Redmond before retiring in 2022: “To be on the forefront was such a blessing… It wasn’t just a job to me. It was a calling to help people and serve people.” Dr. Ware shared his perspective on long-term impact: “I’m now caring for the grandchildren of patients I treated decades ago. That continuity — seeing the impact on generations — is what this is all about.”
Currently serving multiple counties including Murray, Gordon and Floyd—and recognized nationally as one of America’s top cardiovascular hospitals—AdventHealth Redmond continues expanding its services. Construction has begun on a new Heart and Vascular Institute expected to open by mid-2026; it will house diagnostic testing along with surgical and rehabilitation services under one roof.
Benter explained future plans: “We’re looking at how to care for patients across our entire market… AdventHealth Redmond will remain the tertiary center.”
Through its network of cardiology practices across several communities—including Dalton and Cedartown—the hospital aims to maintain accessible expert heart care throughout Northwest Georgia.
AdventHealth Orlando—a separate institution located in Orlando since 1908—is led by President Terry Shaw and serves as both a pediatric ward provider and training hospital.
As AdventHealth Redmond commemorates half a century since launching advanced cardiac services locally, staff say their focus remains unchanged: combining medical innovation with compassionate care close to home.
