WellStar Appoints Vice President, Chief of Hospitalist Services

has appointed Val Akopov, M.D., as vice president and chief of hospitalist services.

In his new role, which begins Tuesday, Akopov will oversee 35 hospitalists at , Douglas, , Paulding and Windy Hill Hospitals. 

WellStar’s hospitalists play an important role in inpatient care and are typically trained in internal medicine. From admission through discharge, they focus exclusively on inpatient care and may order tests, monitor a patient’s recovery from surgery, prescribe medicine and implement treatment options to ensure a patient’s best outcome.

Akopov brings more than 25 years of healthcare experience to WellStar, according to a press release. Most recently, he served as director of hospital medicine services for Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM) where he helped establish the facility’s academic hospitalist program. Under his leadership, EUHM’s hospital medicine program grew from eight full-time employees to more than 30.

“Dr. Akopov brings many years of valuable experience to WellStar,” said Kenneth Kunze, M.D., chief medical officer for WellStar Health System in the press release. “We are confident his leadership will have a positive impact on our hospitalists’ ability to provide the highest quality care to the inpatients at WellStar’s hospitals.”    

In addition to his position as EUHM’s director of hospital medicine, Akopov was the hospital’s director of care coordination, where he oversaw operations of Social Services and the Utilization Review Department. 

Dr. Akopov is board certified in internal medicine. He received his M.D. from Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia) Medical Institute and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Emory University Hospital.