The Covington News received the following op-ed from Lindsey Petrini, CEO of Piedmont Newton Hospital.

Just as individuals are setting goals to improve their health in this new year, we at Piedmont Newton have just set goals to improve the health care landscape in Newton County. As part of a non-profit health system, every three years, we undergo a formal process of identifying what the community needs from us. This is known as a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), and we just completed a new one in the last few months. 

Based on input from many community and hospital leaders, we will focus over the next three years on (1) ensuring access to appropriate and affordable care, (2) promoting healthy behaviors to reduce preventable conditions and diseases, (3) reducing preventable instances of deaths from cancer, and (4) reducing preventable instances of and deaths from chronic conditions, especially heart disease.

We got a head start in 2025 making a positive difference in these areas. Overall, Piedmont Newton was involved in 193 community-based health activities last year. I want to share some of the progress made with you as we embark on a new year.

Ensuring Access 

One of the most direct ways we ensure health care access for all is supporting Willing Helpers, the free clinic serving Newton County. We provide them space on the Piedmont Newton campus, along with lab and imaging services. These resources helped nearly 1,000 people without health insurance manage chronic conditions last year.

Additionally, we covered nearly $100 million in care for patients who did not have insurance, and either could not pay or paid at a reduced rate themselves.

We worked tirelessly to recruit new providers, at the same time. In 2025, we welcomed 10 new providers to Piedmont Newton, including four specializing in Primary Care. 

With an eye toward the future and building a pipeline of future health care workers, we also offered internships and scholarships to high school students in Newton County with an interest in health care. Over the last two years, thanks to our partnership with Newton County Schools, we had 180 students intern at the hospital over the summer and 30 during the school year through the Junior Volunteer and Work-Based Learning Programs. On top of this, annually, we award up to 10 Health Career Scholarships of $1,500 each for students to pursue higher education related to health care.

Promoting Healthy Behaviors

According to Feeding America, 10,000 people in Newton County are food insecure. Since good health starts with access to good food, we also took opportunities last year to support residents in obtaining, learning about and preparing nutritious meals. We once again tag-teamed with Newton County Schools on their annual Can-A-Thon. As part of this drive, Piedmont Newton employees donated 1,250 canned and non-perishable food items to the Newton Community Food Pantry. Additionally, we worked with students from the Newton College & Career Academy culinary arts and health care programs to offer a free healthy cooking class. Likewise, we supported Willing Helpers and the Diabetes Association of Atlanta in offering a diabetes education class at Piedmont Newton that included healthy cooking demonstrations and discussion of how nutrition affects blood sugar. 

Reduce Preventable Cancer Deaths 

Education to empower people to catch cancer early has always been a priority. During Colon Cancer Awareness Month, for example, Piedmont Newton gastroenterologist Taiwo Ajose, M.D., toured the community raising awareness. She spoke with City of Covington employees as well as members of the local Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs about screening criteria, risk factors and what to expect with a colonoscopy.

Reduce Preventable Deaths from Heart Disease, Other Chronic Conditions

One of our biggest accomplishments of 2025 was opening a heart failure clinic at Piedmont Newton. The clinic offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for advanced heart disease. A dedicated advanced practice provider and nurse help patients and caregivers optimize and stick to medication regimens, plus recognize symptoms and track progress. 

Along with the grand opening of the heart failure clinic, Piedmont Newton acquired a new computed tomography (CT) machine capable of scanning the heart to help cardiologists spot potential problems in a non-invasive way. Local resident Sandra Hodges summed up the impact of this new technology best when she wrote on Facebook:  “That is great news, we have been traveling to Piedmont Atlanta for the past 4 years for testing!” 

Happy New Year!

We wish every Covington resident good health in this new year. Thanks to our recent CHNA, we have a clear vision of what you need from us to achieve that. Please know your community hospital is hard at work on our New Year’s Resolution: another year of delivering high-quality care, close to home.

Happy New Year! 

Lindsey Petrini 

Chief Executive Officer

Piedmont Newton Hospital