Cassandra Barnette Donnelly, DO

Regional Medical Director Piedmont Urgent Care
Piedmont Urgent Care by Wellstreet

Education
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Organizational Description 

Piedmont Urgent Care by Wellstreet is an urgent care company based in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Previous Involvement with Boards

Member, Board of Directors Physicians for a National Health Program, Vice Chair Sis Circles

Prior Contributions to UCA and the Urgent Care Industry 

Participant UCA Clinical Consortium (2018, 2019) Speaker 2021

Chair Urgent Care Association Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Awards, Honors, Community Involvement 

Heroes in Healthcare Award recipient, Mentor for high school girls in SW Atlanta, Member, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

What is your vision for the future of Urgent Care?

Urgent care must continue to serve the needs of the patients and the communities where we have established a presence. My vision for urgent care in the short term, is that we would continue to provide service to those most in need during this pandemic. This service is in the form of vaccine education, treatment of COVID-19 related illnesses and the identification of persons most at risk for complications. As we move beyond the pandemic urgent care has the unique position of remaining a trusted access point for patients seeking relief from the overcrowded emergency departments and closed primary care offices.

This expanded care can also focus on ambulatory services not traditionally seen in the UC (preliminary ultrasounds, minor cosmetics, diabetic education, medication management and chronic care education post hospital discharge to reduce the 30 day or less readmission rates. As an organization, the UCA we would partner with the Health and Human Services to understand the healthcare resources and the needs of the United States and internationally. This focused approach and broader audience positions our specialty for long term success in the future.

Brief Biography 

Dr. Cassandra Barnette Donnelly is an emergency medicine physician.  She is a current director of both the UCA Board and the Urgent Care College of Physicians Board.  This Spring, she will become the newest host of the Inside Urgent Caring podcast. 

Over the past 3 years, Dr Donnelly has been an active and engaged director!  Her efforts have been in the areas of advocacy, the clinical consortium, and the collaborations to advance urgent care as a subspecialty.  She is an annual attendee of the Advocacy Conference on Capitol Hill in Washington DC., engaging legislators on the importance of urgent care centers, appropriate reimbursement, and patient access concerns.  Locally, she has served as a volunteer Doctor of the Day during the active sessions of the Georgia legislature, a role that assists with any medical concerns of the group and offers an opportunity to address these law makers on the current urgent care agenda.

Dr. Donnelly’s career began as a pediatric nurse practitioner in home care and the emergency department. She received her MSN at Emory University, where she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society.  She served as Nurse Director of the Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Pediatric Hematology /Oncology in Newark, New Jersey until entering medical school.  She earned her medical degree from Rowan University, School of Osteopathic Medicine (formerly University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ).  Dr. Donnelly completed an Emergency Medicine residency at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and served as Chief Resident.  Upon graduation, she returned to Emory University and completed a fellowship in EMS/Disaster Medicine. 

Dr D., as she prefers to be called, is the Regional Medical Director of WellStreet Urgent Care in Atlanta, GA.  She joined the company in 2013 and has served in various leadership roles.  There she is a member of the Clinical Governance Council of the Piedmont Healthcare Organization and serves as Lead Physician on the Urgent Care Task Force.  Her focus is clinical quality, medical education and developing clinician leaders in healthcare. 

Dr. Donnelly resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband and their twins.  She volunteers for many causes and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Disclosures

None