Grand Rounds March on Orlando Medical News

Grand Rounds March

Florida Hospital Altamonte Welcomes Expert Laparoscopic General and Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Atif Iqbal

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Dr. Atif Iqbal, a fellowship trained bariatric surgeon, was recently appointed as medical director of Florida Hospital Altamonte’s Center for Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery. In addition to his responsibilities as medical director, Dr. Iqbal will perform a variety of laparoscopic general surgery and bariatric procedures.

Educated at the University of Punjab in Pakistan, Dr. Iqbal moved to the United States and completed his surgical residency at the Weir College of Medicine in Brooklyn, New York. He then pursued his interest in minimally invasive surgery at the University of Nebraska where he completed his fellowship in advanced laparoscopic surgery and worked as senior fellow and clinical instructor in the division of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery.

Anthony Allotta, D.O., earns the “Partners in the Business of Education Award”

TITUSVILLE — Anthony Allotta, D.O., earned the “Partners in the Business of Education Award” from the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce.

He was nominated by Space Coast Junior/Senior High School Athletic Director Sharon Travis for his outstanding contribution as the school’s team physician.

Dr. Allotta is board certified in Family Practice Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), and fellowship trained in Sports Medicine.

Florida Hospital DeLand Welcomes New Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician

Tymesia Hudson, MD has joined the medical staff at Florida Hospital DeLand.

Dr. Hudson will be opening a new practice, Women’s Wellness Center, in Deltona, FL with Anita Chait, MD.

Previously, Dr. Hudson was in private practice at Women’s HealthCare Associates, Annapolis, Maryland, and Triad Women’s Center, High Point, North Carolina.

She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Cooper University Hospital. She received her medical degree from Medical University of South Carolina after receiving her bachelor of science with Honors in biochemisty from Clemson University.

She is currently a Junior Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

T. Denny Sanford Donates $50 Million to Burnham Institute for Medical Research

LA JOLLA, Calif., – Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) announced that philanthropist T. Denny Sanford has pledged $50 million to support and further expand and accelerate the Institute’s leading-edge medical research. To honor Sanford, Burnham, has been renamed the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. This is the second gift Sanford has made to Burnham. In 2007, he directed $20 million through Sanford Health to create the Sanford Children’s Health Research Center at Burnham.

In less than two and a half years, Denny Sanford has invested $100 million in San Diego life-science organizations. Sanford has given Burnham, both individually and through Sanford Health, $70 million. In 2008, Sanford donated $30 million to the San Diego Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, now known as the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, to construct its state-of-the-art stem cell research facility. Burnham is a member of the Consortium.

ORMC electrophysiologists use new device to support the heart while performing procedures

ORLANDO - Electrophysiologists at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are using Impella®, a new device to help hearts beat more efficiently, providing improved circulation, in order to perform procedures to treat cardiac conditions. ORMC is the first in Central Florida to use the device during electrophysiology procedures.

The Impella device, by Abiomed, Inc., is a minimally invasive catheter-based pump that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for partial circulatory support for up to 6 hours. The pump is approximately the size of a pencil with a small catheter, which drives up to two and a half liters of blood flow per minute. This is about half of a normal heart’s pumping capacity while at rest.

Using a small tube or catheter, the device is temporarily placed in the heart, making blood circulation more effective and improving the overall cardiac function.

Before the Impella device doctors used adrenaline like medicines and other devices such as a balloon-based pump for support.

The device is currently an option for ORMC patients with advanced heart failure during electrophysiology and other cardiac procedures. It is also used to help stabilize patients during heart attacks.

Parrish Medical Center Ranked in Top Five Percent In the Nation for Quality and Service

Titusville — Parrish Medical Center announced recently that a new study ranks its clinical quality among the top five percent in the nation. The study by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization in the country, analyzed patient outcomes at each of the nation’s 5,000 nonfederal hospitals over the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 and named hospitals in the top five percent as HealthGrades Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence™.

According to HealthGrades, of the more than 5,000 American hospitals only 30 total and three in Florida (Baptist Hospital of Miami, Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville and Parrish Medical Center) received the 2010 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ and the 2009/2010 Outstanding Patient Satisfaction Award™.

Every year since opening its leading-edge healing environment in 2002, PMC has earned a steady stream of national recognitions for clinical, service and workplace excellence proving they are among the best-of-the-best hospitals in the industry.

This newest accomplishment places Parrish Medical Center in the top five percent of hospitals in the nation, according to the eighth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence study.

Florida Hospital Apopka Expands Services

APOPKA — Dr. Joseph Layson recently opened a branch of his practice, Layson Surgical Associates, at Florida Hospital Apopka. Dr. Layson is a general surgeon who will be available for surgical consultations and follow-ups so patients can recover close to home.

Dr. Layson was educated at the Bicol Christian College of Medicine in the Philippines and began his residency in general surgery at the Manila Sanitarium and Hospital before moving to the United States. He then completed his residency at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Layson pursued his surgical interests by completing a fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

Following his move to Florida, Dr. Layson opened his own practice at Florida Hospital Kissimmee in 2006.

Awards luncheon celebrates Seniors competitive spirit

Over 200 “winners” participated in Kissimmee’s local version of the Senior Games. Sponsored by the Good Samaritan Society, the weeklong series culminated with a health-conscious awards luncheon catered at Village’s community center. All week, heroes ranging from 55 to 96 years of age enjoyed friendly competition and camaraderie amid peers. Other sports events included table tennis, shuffleboard, billiards, backstroke and freestyle in the heated indoor pool, Wii bowling, and a comfortable 9 holes on the Village’s private golf course. Anytime the greater community comes together, magic happens in the personal interactions – especially with a friendly bunch, according to Franca Gilmore, Good Samaritan’s Life Enrichment Director. Good Samaritan Society – Kissimmee Village has provided housing and supportive services to those 55 and better for more than 30 years.

Seminole State nursing students achieve highest pass rate in Central Florida

SANFORD, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2010) – Graduates of Seminole State College of Florida achieved the highest pass rate of all Central Florida graduates in Associate Degree Nursing Programs.

For the last quarter of 2009, 95 percent of Seminole State’s RN nursing students passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). For the year, 93.38 percent passed the exam, exceeding the state and national averages of 88 percent.

NCLEX is the state-required exam that determines whether graduates are prepared for entry-level nursing practice.

Seminole State’s nursing programs are based at the Altamonte Springs Campus, which features 16 state-of-the-art health-care labs and high-tech patient simulators. For more information, please visit www.seminolestate.edu/nursing.

Central Florida Regional Hospital Appoints New Board Members

Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford recently announced its 2010 Board of Trustees. Udita R. Jahagirdar, M.D., a gynecologist practicing in Sanford, will serve as chairman of the board for 2010 and 2011. Dr. Jahagirdar has served on the board of directors since 2006 and has been a member of Central Florida Regional Hospital’s medical staff since 1984. Angela M. Kersenbrock, Dean, Seminole State College, will serve as Vice Chairman and Wendy H. Brandon, Chief Executive Officer of Central Florida Regional Hospital is Secretary/Treasurer.

New board members serving three-year terms are Trustees David A. Felker, Executive Vice President, BankFIRST; James J. Partlow, Esquire of Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert, Whigham & Partlow, P.A. and E. Kevin Scanlon, M.D., Pulmonary Practice Associates, Sanford and Chief of Staff Ashwinkumar R. Patel, MD, Internal Medicine Specialist, Sanford.

Returning board members include Trustees Sampathkumar Shanmugham, M.D., Florida Neurology; Paul A. Thompson, M.D., Cardiovascular Surgeons, P.A. and Annetta Wilson, President, Your Coach for Success.

Dr. Richard Dumois welcomes a new Physician Assistant.

Dr.Dumois and Central Florida Gastroenterology welcomes Tina Bruefach,PA to our practice. Tina has 20+ years experience working in her field as a physician assistant at local hospital emergency departments, private practice and departments of surgery.

She attended Touro College,New York Division of Health Sciences and is certified in Primary Care and Surgery. She is a member of Amercian Academy of Physician Assistants and the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants. She will be practicing in Ocoee.