Southwell announced the recently-elected officers for the Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) Medical Staff for fiscal year 2021. 

Dr. William Hancock with Tiftarea Cardiology will be serving as President and Chief of Staff. Dr. Hancock specializes in invasive cardiology. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He then completed his residency at the University of Florida and his fellowship at the University of Florida Health Science Center. 

Dr. Eric Paulk will be the Vice President and Vice Chief of Staff for the year. Dr. Paulk specializes in emergency medicine and practices at TRMC in the Emergency Department. He attended medical school at the Medical College of Georgia, and completed his residency at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC. 

Department chairpersons were also named. Dr. David Banks will chair the Surgery Department; Dr. Thomas Fausett, Southwell Medical; Channing Hampton, Medicine; Dr. Todd Lilje, Emergency Department; Dr. Shannon Price, OB/GYN; Dr. Carl Stalvey, Radiology; Dr. Rebecca Staub, Pediatrics.

The medical staff at Southwell has 275 physicians, which includes Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton, Southwell Medical in Adel, and all ancillary services and departments which span across the South Georgia region. The medical staff provides expertise in over 33 specialties. The medical staff leadership is elected for one-year terms by the active medical staff to represent their collective voice and interests.  The medical staff leadership is responsible for the overall organization of the medical staff, its self-governance and to work in collaboration with Southwell administration, nursing and the hospital board to ensure quality of care and patient safety.