St. Joseph's/Candler

St. Joseph's/Candler More than 300 years of medical expertise and today's latest technology. At St. Simply put, St. Joseph's/Candler is smart medicine. Whether you are visiting St.

Joseph's/Candler, our physicians, nurses, medical researchers and other clinical staff take great pride in being on the cutting-edge of health care, offering the most advanced medical procedures and breakthrough technology available nearly anywhere. Joseph's Hospital, Candler Hospital, one of our St. Joseph's/Candler medical group locations, any of our community outreach programs or our Web site,

you instantly become part of a historic tradition of distinguished health care excellence. It is one that has been an integral part of the Savannah landscape for more than 325 cumulative years. Our faith-based mission is to treat illness and promote wellness for all people and we diligently strive to provide the highest quality health care and service to all who may need it. Yet, we also know that great care involves more than just great medicine. It involves being pro-active about one's own health, taking charge on the preventive front, educating oneself and others, and using all the available tools to ensure one's own health and that of their family. In an effort to enhance the available tools, we have provided this beneficial Web site and healthcare portal. As you navigate, please use the information provided to learn more about the services and resources that we offer to our patients and visitors, as well as the educational resources and interactive opportunities that we have designed for you.

It’s always a pleasure to be recognized by such a dedicated group of local gardeners! Thank you for the kind post, Winds...
05/04/2026

It’s always a pleasure to be recognized by such a dedicated group of local gardeners! Thank you for the kind post, Windsor Forest Garden Club. We’re honored to be a part of this beautiful community.

There are two words that physicians, nurses and staff in emergency medicine want everyone to know: BE FAST.This phrase i...
05/03/2026

There are two words that physicians, nurses and staff in emergency medicine want everyone to know: BE FAST.

This phrase is an acronym which helps people remember the signs of a stroke and how to respond. It stands for:
B - Balance: Loss of balance or coordination.
E - Eyes: Loss of vision or double vision.
F - Face: One side of the face droops or is numb.
A - Arm: Weakness or numbness in one arm.
S - Speech: Slurred speech or difficulty speaking.
T - Time: Time to call 911 immediately.

The emphasis on time is deliberate because “time is brain,” meaning that every second counts when it comes to saving brain tissue from the debilitating effects of a stroke.

“The sooner you can get to the emergency department after the onset of your symptoms, the better,” says Spencer Adoff, MD, of Georgia Emergency Associates (pictured above on the left). “If you recognize that something is off, don’t wait to talk to family or friends. Call 911 so that EMS can bring you to the ED. They will call us ahead so that our team is ready for the interventions we need to perform.”

Learn about the two main types of stroke -- ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic -- at the link in the comments.

An ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot stops blood flow to the brain, does not cause pain, but it can cause unique an...
05/01/2026

An ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot stops blood flow to the brain, does not cause pain, but it can cause unique and sudden symptoms. How can spouses, family members or even friends help people respond appropriately to symptoms of a stroke?

Learn about symptoms in the link in the comments.

St. Joseph’s/Candler and the Medical College of Georgia have officially received accreditation for the health system’s f...
04/30/2026

St. Joseph’s/Candler and the Medical College of Georgia have officially received accreditation for the health system’s first Internal Medicine residency program.

It is the first step of an unprecedented ramp up for a program that aims to relieve the doctor shortage in the Savannah region and throughout Georgia.

With this news, St. Joseph's/Candler moves full-steam ahead to form the inaugural class of residents focused on Internal Medicine. The first class will start July 1, 2027. When at full capacity, the residency program will accommodate 103 residents across Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease fellowship and General Surgery.

The program received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Prospective residents can learn more at sjcresidency.org.

St. Joseph's/Candler recently received expanded Georgia state Graduate Medical Education funding to form the health system’s first physician residency program. The additional funding will allow the program to reach 103 residents by 2031. While the inaugural class for Internal Medicine is forming now, Family Medicine, General Surgery and Cardiology Fellowships will be added in coming years.

The Internal Medicine and Family Medicine tracks are specifically aimed at addressing the vital need for primary care physicians, particularly in rural and Southeast Georgia.

The Internal Medicine residents will start their training at Candler Hospital and a community health center at The Georgia Infirmary, which has a rich legacy of providing healthcare and education to the region’s most vulnerable populations. By year three, internal medicine residents will also practice at St. Joseph's Hospital.

St. Joseph's/Candler will also completely renovate the Executive Court complex next to the Candler Hospital Campus to accommodate additional training facilities, clinical space and on-call beds for residents.

Learn more about the new Internal Medicine Residency Program at the link in the comments.

Congratulations to our latest TULIP Award winner at Candler Hospital, Chandayle "CiCi" Griffin, a CNA on the Rehab Unit....
04/29/2026

Congratulations to our latest TULIP Award winner at Candler Hospital, Chandayle "CiCi" Griffin, a CNA on the Rehab Unit. CiCi was nominated by a former patient.

"From day one, CiCi has made me feel like a part of her family instead of like a patient of the hospital. There has never been a time when I needed something and she did not provide. She has the most beautiful vibe and energy that it is hard just to stay in a bad mood whenever she is around you. I have cried at least three times knowing that I am not going to see her when I wake up tomorrow morning or hear her voice in and out of rooms, taking care of other patients. I pray every day and every night for someone like her, being in the situation that I am in. She makes me forget how hard I have to work. “Just get it done,” she always says.

"I am going to miss her beautiful curly red hair, her nose and her beautifully traced and colored red lips that she takes a lot of pride in doing every morning before coming to work. I am thankful I was able to cross paths with such a beautiful soul, a patient soul. I have someone I can call family. It is my personal opinion that she deserves a raise for her consistent and beautiful connection she has displayed with all of her patients."

Congratulations and well deserved, CiCi!

Meet all our TULIP winners at the link in the comments.

So how do you control your blood pressure? It starts by knowing what your blood pressure consistently measures.“Hyperten...
04/28/2026

So how do you control your blood pressure? It starts by knowing what your blood pressure consistently measures.

“Hypertension is known as the ‘silent killer’ because when someone has high blood pressure often there are not many signs or symptoms,” says Grace Geiger, community nurse educator at the African-American Health Information & Resource Center (AAHIRC). “Someone could be in stage one or two hypertension without knowing. This is why it is important to have your blood pressure checked.”

That’s one reason why the AAHIRC offers free blood pressure checks twice a week – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays. Geiger also leads a monthly hypertension management class for those with high blood pressure or those who want to reduce their risk. All services are free.

Learn more at the link in the comments.

As patients heal during their hospital stay, it’s important that they get plenty of rest. But you also try to get each p...
04/27/2026

As patients heal during their hospital stay, it’s important that they get plenty of rest. But you also try to get each patient as mobile as they can be while keeping safety as the top priority. Laura Samuels, RN, explains why mobility is important.

Learn more about how nurses help patients with safe mobility at the link in the comments.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest performing arts festival, featuring theater, dance, and music in mo...
04/26/2026

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest performing arts festival, featuring theater, dance, and music in more than 300 venues across Edinburgh, Scotland. Last year, artists from 68 countries brought their work to the festival.

This year, Savannah’s own JinHi Soucy Rand will take her solo show to the festival.

“When I was first writing it, my brother Christopher said, ‘You should take this to Edinburgh,’” Rand recalls. “And I loved the idea of presenting my story to the world. And I also love the idea of representing Savannah when I am there.”

Her solo show, Bella, is an autobiographical journey through the life of a woman surviving multiple illnesses and how arts and theater helped her through the darker and more difficult times.

Rand is currently undergoing treatment for stage four lung cancer, and the side effects from treatment were debilitating to both Rand’s daily life and her creativity. But when her oncologist was able to scale back her chemotherapy regimen and still have the treatment be effective, Rand was able to feel more like herself again.

“When my dose was lowered, I felt like I could breathe again,” she says. “And I said to myself, ‘If I can breathe, I can create.’”

Read JinHi's story at the link in the comments.

Actress, author and entrepreneur Patricia Heaton has a second act to share in Savannah as the keynote speaker at the 24t...
04/24/2026

Actress, author and entrepreneur Patricia Heaton has a second act to share in Savannah as the keynote speaker at the 24th annual St. Joseph’s/Candler SmartWomen Luncheon & Expo on September 30, 2026.

Patricia Heaton has been working in TV steadily for the past 25 years. She is best known for her role on Everybody Loves Raymond where she won two Emmy® Awards with seven nominations. She also starred on The Middle. Her recent comedy, Carol’s Second Act, helped inspire her best-selling book, “Your Second Act.”

The SmartWomen Luncheon & Expo is an annual fundraiser that helps St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Telfair Mammography Fund to ensure all women have access to mammography and other breast health services, regardless of insurance status. In our region, approximately 25 percent of the population are under- or uninsured.

Over the last several years, the Telfair Mammography Fund has seen an increase in utilization. The SmartWomen Luncheon & Expo has raised more than $2.5 million since its inception to provide much needed, additional monetary support. Last year, SmartWomen raised yet another record-breaking amount of over $280,000.

The SmartWomen media sponsors are WTOC, The Savannah Morning News and 98.7 The River.

We proudly and graciously welcome back Chatham Parkway Lexus and Hilton Head Lexus as our presenting sponsor. The company has been a strong supporter and longtime contributor to the Telfair Mammography Fund.

Reserve your table or explore sponsorship opportunities at the link in the comments.

If you have Parkinson’s disease or another movement disorder, you may find daily tasks difficult, such as getting in and...
04/24/2026

If you have Parkinson’s disease or another movement disorder, you may find daily tasks difficult, such as getting in and out of a car or even opening a cabinet door.

What you may not realize – but family and friends start to point out – is that you are also moving slower and taking smaller steps to get from point A to point B.

Because Parkinson’s and other movement disorders are progressive, neuro-degenerative disorders, movement is one area that is commonly affected because your muscles tend to get weaker.

“Some people with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders don’t understand or realize they are moving slower or taking small steps. To them, it feels normal,” says Chandler Royal, certified physical therapist at Candler Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation Center.

That’s where Royal can help. In addition to her doctorate in physical therapy, she is also certified in a national physical therapy program designed for Parkinson’s and movement disorder patients called LSVT BIG®. LSVT BIG helps train people with movement disorders to use their body more normally.

“We cue them to make bigger movements, whether that’s bigger steps or swinging their arms more,” Royal says. “LSVT BIG also targets postural stability that people with Parkinson’s also have difficulty with. This program also helps with freezing episodes and getting over hurdles that affect daily activity.”

Learn about LSVT BIG in the comments.

It’s a great relief to come to the other side of a bad cold or the flu. Except when that cough lingers. Or your nose sti...
04/22/2026

It’s a great relief to come to the other side of a bad cold or the flu. Except when that cough lingers. Or your nose still runs. Or you speak to someone at work and they look concerned and say, “You sound awful.”

You don’t feel awful, so what’s going on?

Francisco Fantauzzi, MD, who shares a practice with Dr. Jose Rendon in Savannah, says that even if the virus is done, your immune system might not be.

In some cases, symptoms like coughing and a runny nose can last up to six weeks. Sometimes a nagging cough is due to residual airway inflammation from an upper respiratory tract infection. Clogged sinuses from a cold could lead to a secondary infection from bacteria.

“Viruses come in like an attack, whether it’s the flu, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, or COVID,” Dr. Fantauzzi says. “They are the infantry that comes in and breaks down the immune system, and after that comes the bacteria and germs that can make you really sick.”

Dr. Fantauzzi recommends that anyone experiencing symptoms for more than 7-10 days see a doctor. Very severe coughing or shortness of breath are also reasons to get checked out by a physician.

Looking for a primary care physician? Search by name, specialty, zip code or preferred language at the link in the comments.

Ninety degrees can’t stop us! The Angels of Mercy had a blast helping to build wall frames at the Habitat for Humanity R...
04/21/2026

Ninety degrees can’t stop us! The Angels of Mercy had a blast helping to build wall frames at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore facility last weekend. We unloaded wood, pounded many, many nails (some weaker nails didn’t survive the project), completed different configurations of wall frames and then loaded our handiwork back onto the truck.

We’re sweaty but feeling proud. Thanks to Habitat for having us!

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Savannah, GA

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+19128196000

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