DALTON, Ga. — When the Atlanta Business Chronicle sought to honor the most influential individuals in Georgia health care, it looked toward northwest Georgia.

In its recent health-care quarterly, the Chronicle named Dr. John Antalis, of Dalton Family Practice, to its Who’s Who in Georgia health care.

“I had no idea they were doing that,” Antalis said. “A neurology associate of mine in the Georgia Medical Association texted me. I was very honored. I think it means the work I do at the state medical board is being recognized. I always take any job I do very seriously and try to do the best I can. I’m very pleased that they chose to honor me that way.”

Antalis has served on the Georgia Composite Medical Board since March 2011 and has been its chairman since July 2016.

The board governs all physicians in the state.

“Our first responsibility is to protect and serve the citizens of Georgia. Every decision that we make at the medical board, that’s always the underlying goal,” Antalis said. “The state Legislature creates the laws, then we interpret the laws and create rules within the legal framework that the Legislature passes. We license over 44,000 physicians. Not all of them are active. Some work academically. Some work in administration. Some are retired but maintain their licenses. We are the ninth largest in the country.”

The board handles all complaints made against physicians.

“When complaints are made — by patients, by other physicians or by others — against particular physicians, then we have an investigative arm that investigates that complaint. Then it comes to a subcommittee of the board,” he said.

The board also develops policies for physicians and is consulted by the Legislature when it develops laws that affect health care.

“I created a subcommittee to look at cases in Georgia to see if there was anything we can do to protect the citizens of Georgia. That subcommittee will come out with a report, probably within a month. I believe that getting a medical license and seeing patients is a sacred trust and it really upsets me when someone violates that trust,” Antalis said.

A graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine, Antalis has been in practice for some 30 years.

He is a past-president of both the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP). The GAFP named him physician of the year in 1996. And MAG gave him its distinguished service award in 2013.