Best of Savannah Doctors 2024

Between perfecting the latest technological advances and building compassionate lifelong bonds with their patients, these Best of Doctors winners are charting a new path toward a healthier future.

Written by ZACHARY HAYES

RICHARD R. SCHULZE JR., MD

Schulze Eye & Surgery Center

BEST OPHTHALMOLOGIST

In the time since Dr. Richard Schulze Jr. first began practicing ophthalmology, he has witnessed firsthand a technological revolution that has fundamentally redefined the field.

"We've gone from an analog to a digital world," says Schulze. "My career started in the early 'gos, when the Internet wasn't even a thing." Now, he explains, technology has become a crucial component of nearly every step of treatment, from diagnosis to surgical prep — a leap in progress Schulze likens to a jump from the Wright brothers to the space shuttle in just a few years' time.

Technological advancements impact every corner of the medical world, but where some fields are merely tweaked or optimized with the passage of time, ophthalmology has undergone a seismic shift, incorporating everything from advanced imaging techniques to artificial intelligence.

"When we evaluate patients for surgery, we measure their eyes in many different ways," says Schulze. And we're gathering so much data now that it's pushing the boundaries of what anyone can reasonably do."

Previously, the power and strength of a new artificial lens for cataract surgery would have been calculated using a number of different formulas, a time-tested yet imperfect method. Now, machine learning combined with ultraprecise data collection has refined the process to an exponential degree, resulting in improved patient outcomes across the board. But these advancements go beyond precision and refinement to also offer patients a clearer understanding of their own treatment.

"It used to be that I would examine patients under a microscope and say, 'This is what's going on with your eye," says Schulze. "And people may or may not understand what I'm telling them. Now, I look under the microscope and snap pictures or video. And it's true, a picture is worth a thousand words. So it's all part of patient education in getting people to understand their conditions, so that when they go to surgery, they're no longer afraid."

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AKINNIRAN A. ABISOGUN, MD, FACC, RPVI

SouthCoast Health

BEST CARDIOLOGIST

THROUGH HIS THOUGHTFUL words, his selfless actions and his indomitable spirit, it becomes clear that Dr. Akinniran Abisogun is quintessentially a people person. Yes, he specializes in high-risk cardiovascular procedures, bringing expert care to patients through technical mastery and a keen eye for detail, but what really gets him going in the mornings is that crucial sense of connection.

"I'm an emotional guy," says Abisogun. " I love people, and the reason I chose cardiology is that right now, I'm sitting in my office talking to a bunch of patients all day. I don't only want to do procedures or read imaging. I need to have a role where I feel like I'm an important part of someone's life, counseling them through that crisis to get to know them as best I can so I can really offer them the help they need."

Over the last year, Abisogun has turned this perspective into an opportunity for expansion, helping to create the Mom's Heart Matters program, now being piloted at his Hinesville office. Through this program, Abisogun and his team identify pregnant women with cardiac risk factors and monitor them throughout their pregnancy, significantly reducing negative outcomes during this critical period.

"It's been a really remarkable sort of procedure," says Abisogun. "It has reduced the rates of admission for congestive heart failure in patients after they deliver their babies, it's reduced the issues with high blood pressure and it's improved the outcomes of those expecting and new mothers during and after their pregnancies."

While Abisogun's work has provided countless patients with life-saving outcomes, he also stresses the key importance of balance when approaching a patient for potential treatment.

"Sometimes we need the highest risk and complexity procedure to open up an artery," says Abisogun. "But the risk might be too great and the patient might not want to put up with that risk. Making sure you present both sides of that coin and realizing it's OK sometimes to not do something, to just lend your ear or a shoulder to cry on, sometimes it's more important to provide that support if that's what the patient needs.

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TIMOTHY J. MINTON, MD, FACS

Savannah Facial Plastic Surgery

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON — FACE AND NECK & BEST HAIR RESTORATION SURGEON/SPECIALIST

AFTER YEARS OF HARD WORK and growth at their practice on the campus of St. Joseph's/Candler Hospital, Dr. Timothy Minton and the staff at Savannah Facial Plastic Surgery have broken ground on their new home on Waters Avenue: a bespoke, state-of-the-art facility set to open by the end of this year that will provide patients with compassionate care and enhanced recovery.

"We're super excited," says Minton. "It's going to be a much more concierge sort of experience for the patients. It'll have our practice, plus the medical spa and a fully functioning ambulatory surgery center, so all of our surgeries will be done on site."

Privacy and quality care are the lifeblood of the new facility, and few things illustrate this more than the facility's rapid recovery center. In addition to their suite of pre-surgical nutrition and skincare, Savannah Facial Plastic Surgery is introducing a hyperbaric chamber that increases the amount of oxygen in healing tissues and red light therapies that help reduce swelling and inflammation.

"It's all designed to really get patients back out into public faster," says Minton. "And we have also set it up so that there's a completely separate waiting room and entrance for our recovering patients, so there's a lot of privacy."

Whether he's performing cosmetic procedures or helping patients experiencing a deformity caused by cancer, Minton is driven by the drastic improvements in quality of life and self-confidence that he can provide through his practice.

"I love doing the surgery; it's very rewarding and technical," says Minton, though he adds that it's equally as rewarding when he's been with his patients throughout the ups and downs of healing, and seeing just how grateful and happy they are in the end.

"I have patients that say, 'My life is completely different now. I'm much more self-confident, I feel younger, I feel like I fit in," says Minton. "And I love that part of my job."

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JENNIFER YANNUCCI, MD

Low Country Cancer Care

BEST ONCOLOGIST

FOR DECADES, ONCOLOGISTS have fielded questions about their hunt for the Holy Grail: a cure for cancer. But while many patients have been eagerly watching for that headline, a deluge of new treatments and knowledge in recent years has led experts to no longer view the future of cancer treatment as the search for one blanket cure, but rather as highly personalized, targeted therapies. It's a huge change in perspective.

"It's crazy," says Dr. Jennifer Yannucci. "Oncology is the fastest-changing field. There may be four or five new drugs approved every month for a certain kind of cancer." Nearly every day brings a new development, she explains, as a steady stream of drug approvals for all manner of specific cancer types is constantly expanding their arsenal.

Part of the reason for these rapid changes has been the advent of molecular profiling, allowing doctors to perform a battery of tests on tumors that yields a highly personalized profile detailing their unique genetic makeup. From here, oncologists can focus on specific mutations that can be targeted with an array of specialized therapies.

In the past, general chemotherapy reigned supreme as the go-to treatment of nearly all types of cancer, but this torrent of innovation and the focus on individually tailored treatments has created a new standard of care.

"Chemotherapy is essentially like a hammer," says Yannucci. "It kills all rapidly dividing cells, and so it's not specific. That's why you get the side effects. If you have a targeted therapy, most of the time, the response rates are better, and they have less toxicity."

Between the rise in immunotherapies and medications targeting specific mutations, oncologists like Yannucci have seen patients who would have previously been handed a difficult prognosis now living long, healthy lives in remission.

"It's very gratifying," says Yannucci. "We have patients with metastatic cancer, whether it's breast or lung cancer, that are living so much longer because of all of these new advances. It's come so far, and they've helped tremendously, both for patients and oncologists."

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JAMES W. WILSON JR., MD

Optim Orthopedics

BEST ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON — SHOULDER AND ELBOW

FOR DR. JAMES WILSON JR., orthopedics is a surgical field unlike any other. The work itself is satisfying, yes, but what really sells it for him is being able to witness firsthand the dramatic differences he is able to make in his patients' lives.

"I was drawn to orthopedics because I like musculoskeletal anatomy," says Wilson. "But also, I like interacting with people and being able to help them become functional and active again. Being able to help people in my area, and then seeing them interact in the community and participate in all sorts of activities, that's very enjoyable."

According to Wilson, being a physician can open up doors to human interaction in a way that's unlike nearly any other profession. Patients often come to their doctors in states of pain and fear, sometimes to a startling degree, and as practitioners who are uniquely suited to assuage those concerns, orthopedic surgeons have the power to transform patients' darkest moments into times of hope and opportunity

"Sometimes when you see people who have been traumatically hurt, and they're not in a good place," says Wilson. "[I] can come in as a caring person and have the privilege and the ability to help them. I think that's one of the great aspects of being a physician."

Whether he is performing complex reverse total shoulder replacements or helping patients create a comprehensive recovery plan, Wilson sees his work as fundamental to helping people get back to living healthier, more active lives.

"So much of life is about doing and being physically active," says Wilson. "And getting people to be able to function and to be able to participate in life's endeavors without pain, that's one of the most important privileges I have."

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GEORGETOWN DRUG COMPANY

Neal Hollis, PharmD, RPh, Owner

BEST PHARMACY

HAVING GROWN UP in the small town of Blackshear, Georgia, Dr. Neal Hollis, pharmacist and owner of Georgetown Drug Company, came to appreciate the sense of community that comes with knowing and caring for your neighbors.

"We had two independent pharmacies in Blackshear when I was growing up," Hollis recalls. "We knew both pharmacists really well, and we had great relationships with both of them. Just knowing the impact that they had on the community, that kind of sealed my fate of wanting to be in healthcare."

A pharmacist is like a community friend, he explains, a readily available source of healthcare that anyone can access by walking into a pharmacy - no copay required. Strong community relationships like this are built on trust and compassion, especially when people are not feeling at the top of their game.

"People go to pharmacies for a few reasons," says Hollis. "Most of the time, it's because they're sick or they have a chronic condition that they have to get medication for. So anytime they go to a pharmacy, they're automatically uncomfortable because of those reasons. And so what we like to do is break that barrier down as soon as they walk in the door."

For Georgetown Drug Company, this means learning every patient's name, giving each patient the time and respect they deserve and even encouraging them to just stop by for a chat sometime. This, Hollis explains, is where the magic of an independent pharmacy truly comes to light.

"We have an older man that comes in whose wife passed away towards the end of last year," says Hollis. "He comes in at least once a day just to have a conversation, just to have somebody to talk to you, and we look forward to it every day. It's what makes us so different. That guy could walk anywhere with his dog, and no one would say a word to him. But just having that small little encounter with them could completely change your outlook."

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SUSAN TIMNA, AUD, CCC-A

Expert Hearing

BEST AUDIOLOGIST

WHEN DR. SUSAN TIMNA and Dr. Cori Palmer opened Expert Hearing in September 2023, they set out for the front lines, working hard to provide more personalized care for patients while also incorporating cutting-edge technology and knowledge stemming from the latest research about what is referred to as "brain hearing." This concept, which focuses less on the ear and more on how our brains process sound, has unlocked a fundamentally different perspective for audiologists to approach our hearing problems.

"It's not as new as you would think," says Timna. "It's just that it's finally starting to be accepted. What the documentation now shows is that untreated hearing loss can cause cognitive decline or dementia three to four years earlier. So we decided that we wanted to be able to focus on that, because that's the future."

As Timna explains, in the past, the practice of improving hearing was centered around creating clearer, louder sound through the use of hearing devices. But now, researchers have come to understand the importance of the role our brains play in creating the sound we experience, such as separating key sounds from background noise or recognizing what a certain sound is. And when our brains are deprived of what Timna calls "quality sound," all sorts of negative consequences — from increased isolation to a higher risk of falls - can significantly diminish a patient's quality of life. To tackle this, Timna and Expert Hearing have developed a suite of advanced screening techniques to provide patients with far more precise solutions.

"You remember those old hearing tests? Raise your hand when you hear the beat?" asks Timna. "It's not like that anymore. It's more comprehensive as far as how you hear speech and noise. Can you keep up with it? How do you process it? And that changes as you age, whether you have hearing loss or not. It really helps us identify what parts are causing the problem for that person and be able to guide them toward a better outcome."

After the success of their first year, Timna and Expert Hearing plan to open another location by the end of the year, with hopes of bringing their growing expertise to an even greater number of patients.

"It's all evolving, and we are on the cutting edge of it," says Timna. "And I like being on the cutting edge."

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CHAD BROCK, MD

Shrink Savannah

BEST PSYCHIATRIST

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, psychiatry has been on the precipice of transformative change thanks to some exciting new revelations and treatments that have practitioners like Dr. Chad Brock fundamentally reconsidering how they approach mental healthcare.

"All the new medicines in the last 30 years, they all had some combination of serotonin, dopamine or norepinephrine," says Brock. "But now, there are some things that are changing."

These changes, Brock explains, have come in two major forms: a return to a more holistic, full-body approach to mental healthcare and a reappraisal of the value that psychedelic drugs can offer patients struggling with treatment-resistant illnesses. For example, clinical studies for treatments like Ketamine-or MDMA-assisted psychotherapy have suggested their ground-breaking potential in treating depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with many patients seeing results that would normally take years with more traditional treatments in just a few sessions.

"The main thing is neuroplasticity," says Brock. "The idea is the brain being able to rewire itself for a changing environment or changing conditions."

Basically, our brains tend to become more rigidly structured as we get older or suffer from a mental disorder, making it difficult to change our thoughts and behaviors, but studies show psychedelic therapy can improve the plasticity of our brains, allowing patients to break out of those rigid patterns of thought in order to examine their life in a new light.

While many of these treatments are still awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration, psychiatrists are now closer than ever to introducing them to their arsenal, with MDMA-assisted therapies seeing a number of high-profile clinical trials over the last few years as it inches towards approval.

"We want to be poised to jump in that space as quickly as possible," says Brock. "We're really excited to have them as an option, but I also think you need a quarterback." These are powerful drugs, he explains, and the importance of mental healthcare professionals in creating a safer, more focused experience for the patient cannot be overstated.

Shrink Savannah is already testing the waters with Ketamine-assisted therapy in their practice right now, but as they prepare for these exciting new treatments on the horizon, Brock has found these changes to be a thrilling, if unexpected, opportunity.

"Never in a million years would I have thought this is where psychiatry would go," he says. "But it's so exciting to see people that had been hopeless cases regain function and get re-engaged in life. That's really all the reinforcement you need to stay up with these changing times."

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YULIANTY D. KUSUMA, MD, FACP

Internal Medicine of Savannah

BEST DOCTOR FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE &

RUNNER UP, FAMILY MEDICINE/GENERAL PRACTITIONER

WITH NEARLY TWO decades of experience under her belt, Dr. Yulianty Kusuma has come to understand that when it comes to treating and diagnosing patients, thoughtful, personalized care makes all the difference.

"We don't treat people like numbers," says Kusuma. "A common practice is seeing probably 30 to 40 patients a day, but because we are smaller, we are more personal and can give the patient the time needed to discuss their issues instead of giving them five minutes and a prescription."

This approach has provided Kusuma and Internal Medicine of Savannah with the opportunity to spot life-threatening illnesses and chronic conditions that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.

"One of the most rewarding things is if you can catch cancer as early as possible or help control some chronic problem that they've been having, and suddenly, you name it and you manage to control it with the patient," says Kusuma. "When you find something that the patient didn't even realize and it was in the early stages and you've helped them recover, you give her more years of life and the highest quality of life they can achieve."

In Kusuma's view, helping patients maintain that high quality of life is crucial, leading her to create a more comprehensive treatment plan that goes beyond your typical primary care experience. Recently, she has added an in-house nutritionist to the practice, helping her to create thoughtful and effective diets and exercise routines that give patients a leg up on living a healthier life.

"Change is hard," says Kusuma. "But if you don't change your lifestyle, you are going to be dependent on medicine for the rest of your life. I'm trying to see if I can help patients to move toward making new, healthier habits. I can help you diagnose your symptoms right now, but I also want to be your best advocate that can prevent your disease from progressing or from developing into something more detrimental in the future."

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J. SHEPPARD MONDY III, MD, RVT, FACS

Savannah Vascular Institute

BEST VASCULAR SURGEON

UNLIKE MANY SURGICAL SPECIALTIES, vascular surgeons often end up working with patients long after their initial diagnosis and treatment. These practitioners are specially trained to treat the wide range of issues that can impact the nearly 60,000 miles of blood vessels in our bodies, such as blood clots or atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries due to the collection of plaque. But vascular diseases often have high rates of recurrence and progression, meaning practitioners like Dr. J. Sheppard Mondy III have the opportunity to get to know their patients in a way that is unique in the surgical world.

"We essentially treat patients for the rest of their lives," says Mondy. "Atherosclerosis is the primary disease we treat, and there's really no treatment for that, so we help to manage the medical aspects of the disease, and we develop very deep relationships with the patients, which is the most rewarding thing for us."

As Savannah Vascular Institute celebrates their 30th anniversary this year, Mondy reflects on the multitude of newer, non-invasive procedures that have been developed during his time in the field that have been instrumental in providing patients with more personalized options to treat their illnesses. But according to Mondy, what really makes the practice stand out is their melding of two specialties uniquely tailored toward treating vascular patients: vascular surgery and interventional radiology, a union of high-tech imaging with a range of minimally invasive procedures like stent placement or catheter insertions

"Most vascular practices are surgical only," says Mondy. "But the fact that we have interventional radiologists, we have both skill sets and both sets of eyes in the operating room together."

With the combined surgical prowess of the vascular surgeons and the imagery-guided procedures perfected by the interventional radiologists, patients at Savannah Vascular Institute have one of the most comprehensive treatment opportunities available to them in all of Georgia.

"Back when I was in training, the diagnostics were all done by interventional radiology, and then the vascular surgeon would do the open surgery to repair whatever the problem was," says Mondy. "They're so complementary, and so combining the two specialties makes great sense. For the patients, it's the best care model out there."

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ANTHONY B. ROYEK, MD

Memorial Health

BEST PERINATOLOGIST

THANKS TO MYRIAD advancements across the medical community, the opportunity for a safe pregnancy is now possible for more women than ever, leaving those in the field of perinatology - also known as maternal-fetal medicine - with quite the busy schedule.

"I have my phone on 24 hours a day," says Dr. Anthony Royek. "You cannot dip your toe in the water and do this job successfully. But helping to guide families through this joyous but often very stressful time is really what it's all about for me."

As a perinatologist, Royek specializes in treating high-risk pregnancies, placing him in a unique position to work not only with the mother and her child, but also with practitioners from a variety of other medical fields that he often enlists to provide his patients with the specialized care they need.

"What people don't realize is that my job requires collaboration with so many different specialties like neonatology, cardiology and anesthesiology," says Royek. "I'm really like the quarterback. For example, if I have a patient who has a congenital heart abnormality, I have to make sure that she sees a cardiologist first and that we're all on the same page in terms of delivery management. It's very complex sometimes."

Despite these hurdles, Royek takes great pride in his ability to treat patients who might otherwise feel like they have nowhere else to turn. Whether that means treating mothers with chronic conditions, organizing complicated treatment plans or delivering sextuplets, Royek and his team are always up to the challenge.

"We take care of patients with medical diseases and fetal conditions that no one else feels comfortable taking care of, and we turn no one away," says Royek.

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EVAN M. SIEGALL, MD

Chatham Orthopaedic Associates

BEST PEDIATRIC SPECIALIST

AS A SPECIALIST in pediatric orthopedics, Dr. Evan Siegall faces a number of challenges in his practice that are eminently unique in the broader field of orthopedics. According to him, many patients assume that children are basically just small adults, receptive to the same procedures that would benefit an adult patient, but this is simply not the case.

"They're certainly very different," says Siegall. "Their muscles, ligaments, bones, all of it is very different from a more mature patient. Also, their bones are still growing, so you have to worry about not interfering with that growth and how they're going to change over time. They generally also heal a bit faster than adults, though, so while it introduces some challenges, there are also some benefits."

As important as this knowledge is to providing the right care for the right patients, the differences in treating younger and older orthopedic patients often goes beyond the physical. While education is crucial when approaching any patient with a surgical procedure, pediatric patients require an especially deft touch to help prepare them for what's to come.

"There's a lot of time spent counseling younger patients," says Siegall. "Making sure they have the right expectations, making sure they're not too anxious. And the better they understand it, the better they do. If they don't know what to expect, it can be overwhelming for them during recovery, so it's really an important part of their treatment."

This kind of specialized counseling allows pediatric specialists like Siegall to form strong relationships with their patients and their families over the years, fostering an atmosphere of trust and compassion that can turn even the most stressful procedures into lifelong success stories.

"Taking care of kids is rewarding in and of itself," says Siegall. "I see kids who have been hurt or are having some kind of problem and we can get it fixed and see them progress back into their activities. And the longer I'm here, I'm seeing patients now who I saw when they were kids and toddlers, and I get to see them grow and develop and feel like part of the family."

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