Joy Solomita, RN, Ph.D., MSN, MPH, NEA-BC has joined Dr. Phillips Hospital as Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). In her prior role, Joy served as CNO for Inova Health Systems, in Falls Church, Virginia. Joy attained a doctorate in nursing at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, a Master in Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina.

 

Florida Hospital Cancer Institute is one of five cancer programs selected to participate in the Association of Community Cancer Centers' (ACCC's) Prostate Cancer "Best Practices" Project. Florida Hospital Cancer Institute will receive on-site education about the process and structures that "model" community-based prostate-specific cancer programs have used to initiate and grow successful prostate cancer programs. Also, as part of ACCC's Prostate Cancer "Best Practices" Project, information about the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute's prostate cancer program will be shared with cancer centers across the country.

 

The Prostate Cancer "Best Practices" Project is funded by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis U.S. Education is provided in consultation with The Pritchard Group.

 

OCOEE — Dr. Muqeet Siddiqui was recently named Director of Tazkiah Shepherd's Hope Health Center in Ocoee. Shepherd's Hope Health Centers are a series of clinics offering healthcare for uninsured, low-income individuals in Central Florida. Dr. Siddiqui volunteers his expertise twice a month at the Shepard's Hope Clinic while splitting his day as an attending physician at Health Central and his own Family Medicine practice. This year, Dr. Siddiqui celebrated a 20 year career milestone at Health Central.

 

Nemours recently began construction on the Nemours Children's Hospital in Lake Nona's medical city. Once complete, the 630,000-square-foot facility will include 95 beds and serve as the core of a 60-acre pediatric health campus featuring a children's clinic, emergency department, diagnostic and ambulatory programs along with education and research centers.

 

Nemours engaged construction manager, Skanska USA Building Inc., to begin site and foundation work. Nemours received the permit from the City of Orlando on Tuesday, June 9 to move forward on this phase of the project, which includes paving, grading, drainage and utilities.

 

Over the course of the next few weeks a construction fence, sign and temporary trailer will be placed on the work site. Nemours is on schedule to meet the mandated Agency for Health Care Administration deadline of August 19, 2009 for progress toward completion of the hospital's physical foundation.

 

The new Nemours Children's Hospital, along with the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, will play a vital role in achieving the strategic goal of being ranked in the top five percent of child health institutions in the nation by 2015.

 

Florida Hospital Cancer Institute is pleased to welcome Tarek Mekhail, M.D., as the newest member of the Cancer Institute of Florida. Mekhail will serve as the Medical Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program for Florida Hospital Cancer Institute.

 

Prior to joining Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, Mekhail served as Director of the Lung Cancer Medical Oncology Program at Cleveland Clinic's Taussig Cancer Center since 2002. Mekhail is board certified in hematology, medical oncology and internal medicine.

 

Dr. Mekhail received his medical degree from Cairo University, Egypt, in 1984. He completed ear, nose and throat (ENT) and head and neck surgery training at Cairo University and subsequently in the United Kingdom. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in Scotland. Mekhail completed his internal medicine residency and fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at the Cleveland Clinic.

 

Nationally recognized and well-respected pediatric surgeon, Dr. W. Raleigh Thompson, recently joined the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children as Medical Director of the Pediatric Surgical Program, to help develop it as a destination program with an emphasis on laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery. He will also serve in a leadership and training role as Medical Director of Pediatric Surgery for the Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement. Dr. Thompson joins Dr. Christopher Anderson and Dr. Bryan Weidner as part of the Advanced Pediatric Surgical Specialists practice in Florida Physicians Medical Group.

 

Dr. Thompson completed his general surgery residency at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., in 1987 and his pediatric surgery fellowship at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in 1990. During his career, he served at several Navy hospitals before beginning his tenure in Miami. Before joining the Florida Hospital team, he was an Associate Professor of Surgery and Chief for the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, and was active at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Holtz Children's Hospital, Baptist Children's Hospital and Miami Children's Hospital.

 

Pediatric rheumatologist Renee Modica, MD, has joined the medical staff at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. She will care for children with rheumatic diseases such as juvenile arthritis, lupus and autoimmune disorders.

 

Dr. Modica received her medical degree from the State University of New York's Health Science Center. She completed her pediatric residency program at Arnold Palmer Hospital and her pediatric rheumatology fellowship at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Modica is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric rheumatology. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Rheumatology.

 

BREVARD COUNTY — Mina Zeini, M.D. was recently awarded her board certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine from the American Board of Medical Specialties. She also holds certifications in Geriatrics and Family Medicine. Dr. Zeini received her Medical Degree from the University of Florida in 2001 and completed her Family Medicine Residency for which she served as a Chief Resident in 2004. She then completed her Geriatric Fellowship training at Florida Hospital and remains a preceptor to Residents and Fellows. 

 

Dr. Zeini is one of four full-time physicians at Hospice of St. Francis and is passionate about achieving excellence in end-of-life care. She enjoys teaching, and for the third year, holds a position at Florida State University as an Assistant Clinical professor in the Department of Geriatrics. 

 

DeLand — By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety, Florida Hospital DeLand has once again earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™.