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This
story of success begins in
Johannesburg, South Africa
where Dr. Manfred Sandler
obtained his medical degree and began his
journey to Gwinnett. It continues with each
life that is saved at GwinnettMedical Center’s
(GMC) Strickland Heart Center. In 1994,
when Dr. Sandler came to Gwinnett County
to practice cardiology, little did he know
that his journey was just beginning. During
his initial 10 years
of establishing a
successful cardiology
practice –The
Cardiovascular
Group, PC – he and
his colleagues realized the need for a full-
service cardiac facility in Gwinnett County.
And over the last decade, Dr. Sandler helped
lead GwinnettMedical Center’s Open Heart
efforts. He currently serves as Director of
Cardiology at GMC, Vice Chairman of the
Board of the Gwinnett Hospital System and
as Chairman of GMC’s Foundation Board of
Directors – a position he’s held since 2008.
As the Foundation Chair, Manfred began
a Physician Partners Organization that has
inspired more than 150 doctors to financially
support the hospital’s philanthropic vision.
Dedicated to the local community,
Dr. Sandler volunteers in his “spare” time
by conducting annual cardiac physicals
for Norcross High School athletes and the
Georgia Force players. He has also worked
with the American Heart Association,
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Medical
Association of Georgia, the American
College of Cardiology, Gwinnett Chapter
of the American Heart Association and
Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. In 2010, he
was recognized by the Gwinnet Chamber of
Commerce as the “Citizen of the Year.”
Also notable is the fact that Dr. Sandler
has been voted as one of Atlanta’s top
cardiologists by his peers since 2005 in
Atlanta Magazine’s annual Top Doctors issue.
In addition, he was listed in US News and
World Report as one of the top 10 percent of
cardiologists in the nation in 2011.
As an integral part of the Gwinnett
community and respected cardiologist, it did
not take long for Dr. Sandler to embrace the
challenge of bringing open heart services to
the county. He became GwinnettMedical
Center’s physician champion for the
acquisition of the open heart Certificate of
Need and the campaign to help raise more
than $8 million to fund the new Heart &
Vascular Center.
“Gwinnett was the largest county in the
nation that could not offer open heart surgery
to its citizens,” recapped Dr. Sandler. “With
the size of our county, combined with the
burdened traffic situation, lives were at risk.
In our line of business, time is muscle. Any
delays in providing timely care can impact the
heart’s ability to recover from a heart attack.”
With the interests of the over 800,000
citizens of Gwinnett in mind, Dr. Sandler
led GwinnettMedical Center’s effort to
bring open heart services to the county.
Thanks to Dr. Sandler’s tireless efforts and
solid community support, approximately
18 months after the initial filing, with the
withdrawal of all opposing hospitals, the
Department of Community Health ruled in
favor of GwinnettMedical Center.
“This is the most exciting healthcare
advancement and will change lives forever
in our community,” said Dr. Sandler. “In
addition to saving lives, it will also improve
the quality of life in Gwinnett by creating
more jobs in the targeted field of healthcare.
This serves as an added attraction for
companies looking to expand in or relocate to
Gwinnett.”
Giving credit to the community, Dr.
Sandler commented, “I knew this vision
was attainable, not only because of the
need, but also because of the fortitude and
Dr. Manfred Sandler & Gwinnett Medical
Center’s Strickland Heart Center
THE EXECUTIVE – WINTER 2012
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