Dustin Johnston DO, grew up watching his mom have an impact on her patients and the community through her role as a physical therapist. “From an early age, I saw people in pain and suffering from disease,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be part of a solution.”
Johnston says he has the goal of helping his patients live healthy lifestyles. He aims to discover the root cause of health issues and treat the whole body. As an osteopathic physician, he uses hands-on osteopathic techniques to address multiple medical conditions.
“I enjoy medicine the most when I am able to develop long-term relationships with patients, and continue to follow them throughout their journey to wellness,” Johnston said.
In his spare time, Johnston enjoys playing guitar and spending time outdoors camping with his family.
To schedule an appointment with Johnston, call 706-226-9355.
The patient-centered medical home is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. PCMHs build better relationships between patients and their clinical care teams. In this setting, patients are encouraged to be more involved in their treatment and care, inspiring them to engage in healthy behaviors in their day-to-day activities. Practices that earn recognition have made a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care.
The HPG locations with PCMH certification include Hamilton Primary Care in Dalton, HPG – Murray Campus in Chatsworth and HPG – Calhoun Primary Care in Calhoun.
PCMH facilities within HPG include:
• Team-based care with improved communication and coordination of care
• Enhanced wellness visits, preventative care, referrals and chronic care management with improved long-term outcomes
• Same-day appointments available for acute illnesses like colds, flu, stomach problems and infections
• 24-hour access for medical issues
• Customized treatment plans and goal setting
Some of the main benefits of PCMH are higher quality care, improved patient and provider experience, better prevention and management of disease, and a reduction in the overall costs of care by improving patient outcomes.
PCMH standards are based on five core attributes, including:
• Patient-centered care – PCMH practices are required to educate, support and engage patients in their own care through care plan development, goal setting and family/caregiver participation.
• Comprehensive care – PCMH practices must offer whole person care and be accountable for preventative care, acute care and chronic care management.
• Coordinated care – PCMH practices take the lead on organizing and communicating across all care team members and care settings.
• Accessible care – PCMH practices deliver care that is convenient to their patients.
• Commitment to quality and safety – PCMH practices use analytics and electronic medical records as a resource to identify care needs. They ensure that the patient’s record of care is complete with all of the information needed to provide safe, high-quality care.
Murray Campus: In the front, from left Carley Smith, PA, Alison Peden, NP-C, Kaitlyn Moneymaker, Erica Kennedy, Meredith Reynolds and Lis Ocegueda. In the back are Wayne Straw, Blaine Minor, MD, Holly Lynch, DO, Melissa Whorton, Kacey Thompson and Tina Collins. Not pictured are Breann Young, Kelly Smith, Cynthia Walker, Stacy Smith, Jessica Sanders, FNP, Rachel Goode, NP, and Ashley Franks.Calhoun Primary Care: From left are Tracy Taylor, Michelle Little, MD, and Brittany Davenport. Not pictured are Jennifer Smith, FNP, Mandy Fontaine and Amber Cochran.Hamilton Primary Care: In the front, from left, are Mandy Fontaine, Mariela Hurtadgo, Marie Moore, Rebeca Ortega, Jill Edwards and Danielle Epanchin, DO. In the back are Lisa Thomas, Sydnie Hall, Brittany Rankin, Rod Lewis, FNP and Jeri Fuller. Not pictured are Natalie Bessom, DO, Payton Smith and Amber Cochran.
Angel Brown, MD, says being a pulmonologist is very rewarding because she loves to see her patients get better.
“Something as simple as a cough can keep people from living their lives, like going to church,” Brown said. “Sometimes it’s something very simple such as putting them on medication that costs only a couple of dollars, and their cough goes away. It’s very fulfilling to help people get back to their lives.”
Brown is a board-certified pulmonologist at Hamilton Physician Group – Specialty Care, 1243 Broadrick Drive. She completed fellowship training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
As part of Hamilton Physician Group – Specialty Care, Brown provides treatment for respiratory diseases, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD, occupational lung diseases, lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. Brown joins Vikas Jain, MD, at the practice.
“For the most part, when people are coughing, it’s rarely something that’s contagious, even with all of the viruses and bacterial infections that are going around,” Brown said. “Usually they’re not going to present as an isolated cough.”
The top three reasons for a cough are post-nasal drainage or sinus drainage, asthma and acid reflux disease.
“There’s no infection related to the top three reasons for cough,” said Brown. “Many people feel shunned by their families because of their cough when it likely is not something that’s contagious.”
Brown said being a pulmonologist can be like being a detective.
“Sometimes the issue is in the lungs, and sometimes it’s a different organ altogether,” Brown said. “That’s what makes pulmonary medicine very fun and challenging because you rarely see the same thing twice. You really have to do a lot of thinking and thinking outside of the box. That, to me, is fun. That’s why I was attracted to pulmonary medicine.”
Timothy Snodgrass, DO, says he likes to have patients involved in their care. “I give them information so they can make informed decisions,” Snodgrass says.
He completed his medical training at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Mo.; his internship at the Naval Hospital Pensacola in Pensacola, Fla.; and his residency at the Medical Center of Columbus in Columbus, Ga. He recently provided primary care services in Calhoun and Rome.
His two older sisters are nurses, and his mother was a nurse practitioner, “so I’ve always wanted to be involved in the healthcare field,” Snodgrass says. “I wanted to be in family practice because of the variety. All patients have different needs.”
In his free time, Snodgrass says he enjoys fishing, hiking and water activities.
