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Grand Rounds October
Florida Hospital Deland Announces New Emergency Department DirectorDeLand — Florida Hospital DeLand is pleased to announce Beth Hooks, RN, BSN, MBA as the new Emergency Department Director.
Hooks comes to DeLand from Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center and Gulf Coast Hospital in Ft. Myers, FL, where she was the Director of Emergency Services.
"I came to Florida Hospital DeLand because I felt everyone here truly walks the walk of the mission statement," said Hooks. "The staff is very engaged in the department and is enthusiastic about doing whatever it takes to improve and grow. I believe in striving for excellence and feel this environment fosters that journey."
As the Emergency Department Director, Hooks is involved in ensuring the department functions as a No Wait ER and that every patient receives the highest quality care possible in the most efficient manner. With over 24 years experience as a dedicated health care leader; expertise in strategic planning, operations improvement, team building and change management; and extensive ED nursing experience, she comes prepared for her new role.
"My goal is to make this the best ED to come to as a patient and to work in," said Hooks.
Prior to Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center and Gulf Coast Hospital, she was the Director of Emergency Services at University Community Hospital, Tampa, FL. Before moving to Florida, Hooks was a Clinical Manager and Charge Nurse in the Emergency Department at Carroll Hospital Center, Westminster, MD, as well as the Executive Director of Access Carroll, Inc., a not-for-profit free clinic.
Hooks received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and her Masters of Business Administration from Mount St. Mary's College in Maryland.
Seminole County Health Department Issues Public Health Advisory For Mosquito-Borne DiseaseSANFORD — The Seminole County Health Department is advising residents that Seminole County is currently under a Public Health Advisory for mosquito-borne illness. Residents are urged to take precautions against mosquito bites.
Due to a confirmed positive test result from one of our sentinel chickens for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, we will step up monitoring to weekly and have performed multiple treatments in the area where the positive result was obtained. The increased mosquito-borne disease activity in the area suggests there is a potential public health threat.
No human cases of Eastern equine encephalitis are reported in Seminole County or in the state at this time.
We are asking residents to be diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts at this time" said Karl Henry, environmental health manager for the Seminole County Health Department. "It is important to be aware of mosquito-borne illnesses, how to prevent them, and to act accordingly."
Personal mosquito protection efforts should include the "5 D's" for prevention:
The Department of Health continues to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito borne illnesses, including West Nile virus infections, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, and dengue.
Florida Hospital Apopka Welcomes Dr. R. David Willis to Family Practice ProgramFlorida Hospital Apopka is pleased to welcome Dr. R. David Willis, DO, who recently joined Apopka Family Practice.
Dr. Willis has extensive training and educational background in family practice. He earned his medical degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. He then completed his two-year residency in Family Practice at Florida Hospital. Most recently before joining Florida Hospital Apopka, Dr. Willis practiced as a lead physician at Central Florida Family Health Center in Orlando, Fla. He also worked at a number of family practices and clinics throughout Central Florida including Hospice of the Comforter in Altamonte Springs and New Smyrna Beach Family Practice in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. He also received his master's degree in business administration from Florida Institute of Technology in 1990.
Dr. Willis has been published nationally regarding topics such as acute low back pain. In recent years, Dr. Willis has also participated in medical mission trips to Columbia and Guatemala. His special interests include community service, computer science and bio-science.
Florida Hospital DeLand Announces Physicians to Provide Health Services to Members of Humana GoldDeLand — Florida Hospital DeLand announces physicians who will be providing health care services to Medicare recipients participating in Humana Gold.
The collaboration between Humana and Florida Hospital DeLand adds an additional seven physicians to the network available to members of Humana Gold, a Medicare Advantage plan. The agreement is effective immediately.
Physicians affiliated with Florida Hospital DeLand include general surgery, gastroenterology and primary care specialties.
The following physicians are now participating with Humana Gold Plus Medicare HMO as well as Humana Choice Medicare PPO include:
South Lake Health Clinic Seeing Increase In Need For HealthcareClermont —The South Lake Health Clinic has seen an increase in need for primary health care for uninsured residents of south Lake County over the past few years.
The purpose of the South Lake Health Clinic is to provide primary health care, including prescription assistance programs, at no cost to uninsured residents of south Lake County whose income is at 100 to 150 percent of the poverty level. Due to the continually increasing population in south Lake County and the number of uninsured residents, the number of patients served has grown over 30 percent in the past two years.
Many individuals have been unable to find employment that provides health benefits, continuing the need for primary health care through volunteer primary health clinics.
The clinic, sponsored by South Lake Hospital, is a not for profit entity and participates with licensed health care providers under contract with the Department of Health Volunteer Health Care Provider Program. The clinic is a volunteer primary care clinic, meaning it relies on physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and clerical volunteers to be able to treat patients.
Currently, the largest need is for physicians and nurse practitioners that practice family medicine, internal medicine and primary care. While the hope is to have a physician pledge to volunteer two hours per week, the scheduling is flexible and physicians can choose how many hours they wish to volunteer, either a certain amount per week, every other week or per month. Specialty physicians are also needed in every field including cardiologists, neurologists, women's health and orthopedics and can be utilized once a month or even once a quarter. Specialists can have the patients come directly to their offices for treatment as well for ease of scheduling.
Osceola Regional Medical Center First Hospital In Florida To Use Thermosuit® For Heart Attack PatientsKISSIMMEE — As Emergency Department Medical Director for Osceola Regional Medical Center, Brian Baxter, MD, FACEP, doesn't mind giving heart attack patients an icy reception—if it means improving their chances of a full recovery. Dr. Baxter is enthusiastic about the Center's new ThermoSuit® System, introduced in August of this year. "The ThermoSuit allows us to advance the standard of care for cardiac arrest patients who have spontaneous return of circulation and to reduce their neurological impairment," he said. The technology is used only with patients who have been successfully resuscitated after their heart has stopped.
When a cardiac arrest patient arrives at Osceola Regional, the hospital initiates an ICE Alert. If deemed appropriate, the patient is placed in the ThermoSuit, a non-invasive, portable cooling system that resembles a plastic raft. The FDA-approved device drops the body's core temperature to between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius within 10 to 30 minutes.
This rapid cooling improves recovery by minimizing brain and tissue damage.
Before launching the ThermoSuit program, Osceola Regional staff members underwent specialized training. The hospital also collaborated with emergency medical service agencies in Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Osceola County to ensure a smooth transition between emergency transport and the Medical Center. we can immediately begin the cooling process," Dr. Baxter commented.
Currently, Osceola Regional is the only hospital in Florida using this technology.
Health Central Senior VP Receives Fhca's Highest HonorDavid Sylvester, Health Central Senior Vice President and President of Health Central Foundation, was awarded Florida Health Care Association's (FHCA) highest honor, the Walter M. Johnson, Jr. Circle of Excellence Award in Hollywood recently. The Circle of Excellence Award is presented annually to a member of FHCA who has made significant contributions in the past year and has worked toward the growth and development of the Association through the years. Sylvester, FHCA President from 2006 to 2008, was recognized for his leadership and pursuit of advocating for the coexistence of funding, quality and customer satisfaction as the cornerstone of the long term care profession.
As a member of FHCA's Management Committee from 2000 through 2008 and current President of the Quality Credentialing Foundation, Sylvester has challenged health care professionals to embrace the continual process of quality improvement. His leadership in advocating for a fair and balanced system ensured providers had a voice when Senate Bill 1202 was crafted and passed. Sylvester's platform since has been to ensure the coexistence of funding, quality and customer satisfaction. He shares his passion for the Association by helping FHCA cultivate future leaders and remains a strong advocate for the values of long term care.
The award was presented by 2008 Circle of Excellence winner and FHCA Secretary, Scott Bell.
Download of Clinical Environmental Monitoring Guide Now Available from www.DicksonData.com"Hospital Environmental Monitoring --- What You Need to Know About Critical Storage Regulations, Liabilities, Audits, Instrument Selection and Cost Controls", which details the environmental monitoring issues that impact clinicians among others working in healthcare settings and responsible for patient safety, is now available via download from http://www.dicksondata.com/upload/1249418111_Dickson_White_Paper_Finalerrata052209.pdf.
Dickson's Hospital Environmental Monitoring Guide includes reviews and summaries of: the regulatory landscape; liability concerns and regulatory compliance audits; monitoring instrument options; step-by-step guides to matching instruments to application requirements; calibration requirements; environmental monitoring to defray rising energy costs, and purchasing tips.
Quick reference guides from this white paper include:
Nemours Meets Ahca Milestone For Certificates Of NeedNemours, one of the nation's premier pediatric health systems, today announced that Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) officially determined that the organization successfully met its statutory obligation to demonstrate continuous construction of Nemours Children's Hospital within 18 months of receiving its Certificates of Need (CON). The CONs issued in February 2008 gave Nemours an 18-month window to begin continuous construction on the facility with a deadline of August 18, 2009. The AHCA notification allows Nemours to continue construction as the organization works toward opening the $380 million top-tier pediatric health campus in 2012.
Nemours began construction on the project in June with the foundation work beginning in early August. The 630,000-square-foot children's hospital 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.
The new top-tier pediatric health care system will focus on the unique and varied needs of medically complex children – and bring a comprehensive depth of specialized health care that isn't offered today in Central Florida. Nemours' campus will provide access to a full-line of specialty services and will also improve pediatric care to the region through coordinated patient-centered medical services, biomedical research, medical and allied health training, educational programs as well as pediatric prevention services and child advocacy programs.
Health Central Administrator Appointed To Ucf Advisory BoardOcoee — As a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a UCF Alumni, Dewane Pace has accepted a position on the Community Advisory Board for the Master of Health Informatics program at the University of Central Florida. Pace is extremely qualified for this position due to his extensive work in the emerging field of Health Care Informatics and as a current Administrator of Clinical Information at Health Central. Pace and other members of the board will develop the initial curriculum and make recommendations for direction of the new program.
According to UCF, this unique Health Care Informatics program will focus on providing students with a thorough grounding in the clinical, management and business aspects of the health informatics field. The program will begin with 20 students in fall 2009 and enrollment is projected to increase to 40 students by the fifth year.
Pace explained, "This program will be designed to prepare students for a career in Informatics with an intense focus on healthcare reform. Good people, with good information can make good decisions. These graduates will be equipped with the appropriate education and tools needed to provide good information and create a foundation for the future of healthcare."
Orlando Regional Medical Center Implements PNA FISH® Tests to Help Provide Better Care for Patients with Bloodstream InfectionsORLANDO — AdvanDx and bioMérieux, Inc. recently announced Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), which is part of Orlando Health, has implemented the PNA FISH® tests from AdvanDx to identify bloodstream pathogens 1 to 2 days earlier to help their physicians, pharmacists and nurses improve care and outcomes for patients with bloodstream infections.
Every year, 350,000 patients contract bloodstream infections in the United States causing over 90,000 deaths and significant costs to the healthcare system. Rapid and accurate identification of the causative pathogen is crucial to ensuring appropriate antibiotic therapy and improving patient outcomes in this critical situation. Conventional diagnostic methods can take 48 hours or longer forcing physicians to treat patients empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics that may prove to be ineffective or unnecessary and can lead to long-term resistance and mortality.
AdvanDx's PNA FISH tests employ unique technology that detects bacteria's genetic material to provide identification results in just over 2 hours. "The fast tests have enabled the microbiology lab to provide results 1 to 2 days sooner for such serious pathogens as Staphylococcus aureus, other staphylococci, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata," said Valerie Hoover, Microbiology Supervisor at ORMC.
Clinical trials conducted at hospitals in the United States have shown that implementing PNA FISH and delivering fast results to clinicians directed earlier, effective antibiotic therapy, reduced mortality rates and improved hospital operational efficiency by reducing hospital length of stay, bed utilization, and pharmacy and lab costs related to unnecessary antibiotic use.
Florida Hospital Celebration Health Doctor Published for Expertise in Robotic Technique for Prostatectomy SurgeryDr. Vipul R. Patel, a world-renowned urologist and prostate cancer surgeon at Florida Hospital Celebration Health, was recently published in the official medical journal of the European Association of Urology (EAU), European Urology. The article in this respectable urologic forum focused on Dr. Patel's experience and expertise in using a revolutionary stitch during a robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
During the procedure, Dr. Patel manipulates the da Vinci® robot that allows him to transfer his skills into a laparoscopic environment that employs highly precise instruments and magnified vision. While operating, Dr. Patel utilizes the periurethral suspension stitch that results in a significantly shorter recovery of urinary continence for his patients. This minimally invasive procedure is the most preferred cancer treatment for surgical removal of the prostate.
Dr. Patel serves as the medical director of the Global Robotics Institute and is the most experienced robotic surgeon in the world. Prior to joining Florida Hospital, Dr. Patel practiced at Ohio State University where he served as the director of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery.
Cardiologist Joins Florida Hospital DeLandDeLand — Rodolfo Aldir, MD has joined the medical staff of Florida Hospital DeLand and the Daytona Heart Group practice.
Some of the services Dr. Aldir will provide include cardiac rhythm and device management including all aspects of pacemakers, which includes defibrillator and biventricular defibrillator implantation with long term follow up. He will also provide preventative men and women's cardiovascular health, as well as cardiac cath, nuclear cardiology and echocardiology.
Previously, Dr. Aldir was in private cardiology practice with Cardiovascular Associates, Inc. in Kissimmee, FL. He also served as the Chief of Cardiopulmonary at Osceola Regional Medical Center; Director of Noninvasive Cardiology at Orlando Health; attending cardiologist at Florida Hospital Orlando; and Section Chairman for Critical Care at Florida Hospital Celebration.
Dr. Aldir is board-certified and recertified in both cardiovascular disease and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology, American Society of Echocardiology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Pan American Medical Association, Florida State Medical Association and Universidad Central Del Este Medical Alumni Association.
Dr. Aldir fulfilled his medical training at the Universidad Central de Este of the Dominican Republic, following undergraduate work at Florida International University. He has received post graduate specialty training in cardiovascular disease from Case Western Reserve University and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.
Arnold Palmer Hospital Pediatric Specialists Open Satellite Office in Seminole CountyChildren in the Sanford/Lake Mary area of Seminole County can now see pediatric specialists from Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children's Pediatric Specialty Practice close to home. The specialists are now available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1481 WP Ball Boulevard at the corner of 417 and Rinehart Road near the Marketplace at Seminole Town Center. This satellite office is located in the After Hours Pediatric Urgent Care Center office prior to it opening for urgent care services.
The following specialty services will be available by appointment: endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, orthopedics, nephrology, rheumatology, hematology/oncology and craniomaxillofacial. Tags:NoneBookmark:
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