The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health News 03/23/2022

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Hospice donation
The Bay Area Bassmasters made its annual donation to Gulfside Hospice from money raised through the Ina Mahoney Hospice Challenge, with a record-setting amount of $10,281.67.

The tradition began when Ina Mahoney passed away on Gulfside’s service in October 2009.

Shortly afterward, the fishing club members rallied around Tom, Ina’s husband and president of the Bay Area Bassmasters, to start the challenge as a way to say thank you for the care provided to Ina and her family.

The Bay Area Bassmasters is a B.A.S.S. Nation “Buddy” Team Tournament Trail Bass Fishing Club.

During the Bassmasters’ season, each angler donates $1 per pound for each fish that is caught.

The club also hosts an annual fundraiser at its meeting in November, raising additional funds through prize drawings. The money is then pooled together and donated to Gulfside after each fishing season.

New pediatric office
BayCare Medical Group has opened a pediatrics office in the New BayCare HealthHub (Land O’ Lakes) at the corner of State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard.

Dr. Nicole Conde and Dr. Mercedez Cruz, both affiliated with St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, have joined the practice, and both are board certified in pediatrics.

The HealthHub opened to the community last December and integrates multiple health care services such as adult and pediatric primary care, urgent care, and imaging, at one convenient location.

The pediatrics office is at 18600 Fernview St., Suite 102, in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, call 813-692-8033.

New practice opens
Phoenix American Medical announced the opening of the practice of Dr. Christian Laman, primary care physician and anesthesiolgist, in Spring Hill and Port Richey.

Dr. Laman served as faculty medical director of anesthesia services at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point from 2017 to 2021.

He currently is board certified in anesthesiology through the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiologists.

Dr. Laman is a member of the Pasco County Medical Society, American Medical Association, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology.

For more information, call 352-691-5050.

Funding approved

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Hillsborough County soon will receive an infusion of mental health support through a $1.99 million investment from the Hillsborough County Commission, according to a news release.

Commissioners unanimously approved a 30-month contract that supports Tampa Bay Thrives in providing mental and behavioral health services to help residents impacted by the ongoing pandemic, which has created or exacerbated mental and behavioral health issues for millions of Americans, the release said.

The funds come from Hillsborough County’s COVID-19 dollars as part of the American Rescue Plan Act – Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARP Funds).

The funding will be used to support a behavioral health program to help residents who are dealing with depression, anxiety, or substance abuse disorder, with a focus on improving early intervention, access, and awareness.

The program will:

  • expand a free and confidential 24-hour Let’s Talk line
  • provide short-term counseling to serve as a bridge to longer-term care
  • create a research and awareness campaign
  • conduct an annual survey
  • deliver a community-wide marketing campaign, providing resources and increasing knowledge of existing resources

Record-setting fundraiser

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Several motorcycle clubs worked to raise money prior to Hittin’ the Road for Hospice, in competition for the Wings & Wheels Award. The Golden Eagles Motorcycle Club took home the trophy for the fifth year in a row by raising $2,270. (Courtesy of Gulfside Healthcare Services)

For a decade, motorcycle riders have been participating in Hittin’ the Road for Hospice, in support of Gulfside patients in need and their families.

During the 10th annual event, records were set when just over $30,000 was raised for the nonprofit, according to a news release.

More than 150 riders started the run at Harley-Davidson New Port Richey and ended with a celebration at Zephyrhills Moose Lodge 2276, with multiple stops along the way.

“We knew the 10th anniversary of this event was going to be a big one, and the community really pulled through this year,” said Leesa Fryer, fundraising and event planning manager for Gulfside, in the release.

The event was a group effort made possible by the sponsors, the poker stop hosts, the motorcycle clubs that fundraised, volunteers, and all the bikers that rode, Fryer said in the release.

All event proceeds will benefit Gulfside Hospice and help to provide hospice care and resources for patients and families in Pasco County, regardless of their ability to pay.

For information, contact Fryer at 727-845-5707 or .

Health News 03/02/2022

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(Courtesy of Pepin Family Foundation)

Helping to grow stronger communities
The Pepin Family Foundation has donated $10,000 to Hands Across the Bay, to benefit Mackenzie’s Empowerment Zone, in Pepin’s new Donation & Empowerment Center. The sponsorhip will go toward hosting classes for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, first responders and law enforcement suffering from PTSD, and parents of chronically ill children. The Pepin foundation works to partner with and support organizations that help to improve access to quality health care services and educational programming. To learn more, visit PepinFoundation.org.

Hospitals named best
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills have each been named one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals, placing them in the top 5% of hospitals in the country, and positions both as overall leaders in clinical excellence, according to Healthgrades, in a news release.

This is the second consecutive year both hospitals have earned the distinction, and are the only two hospitals in Pasco County and two of only three in Tampa Bay to achieve the honor in 2022.

Healthgrades reviewed outcomes across more than 31 of the most common procedures and conditions to assess overall hospital performance.

Recipients of the award have consistently delivered better-than-expected outcomes for their patients.

For more information, visit HealthGrades.com.

Rescue Plan funding
The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners has approved $16.4 million in American Rescue Plan funding for three local hospitals, according to a news release.

Commissioners unanimously approved funding for Tampa General Hospital, for the continued development of 28 dedicated inpatient infectious disease beds.

AdventHealth Carrollwood also will receive funding, to repurpose two existing structures to expand its COVID-19 surge capacity by 24 inpatient beds.

In addition, funding was approved for St. Joseph’s Hospital, to build a 25-bed inpatient psychiatric progressive medical unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

The hospital funding agreements will be in effect through July 31, 2024.

Health News 02/23/2022

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Members of the surgery team at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North with the da Vinci Xi surgical robot. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Second robot added
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz has added a second da Vinci Xi surgical robot, to meet a growing demand for its surgical services.

Robotic surgeries performed at the hospital include general surgery, urology, gynecology and gynecological oncology.

The hospital in 2021 performed 533 robotic surgeries, by 11 surgeons.

“Over the past year, we’ve nearly doubled our robotic surgery volume,” said Hannah Denton, St. Joseph’s operating room nurse manager, in a news release.

“Having one robot with our high volume of cases was beginning to cause an extended wait time for patients to be scheduled for surgery,” said Denton.

Denton added that the “increased surgical time and availability with two robotic systems continues to build our relationships within the physician groups as well as the community.”

The da Vinci surgical robot provides superior dexterity, enhanced vision and improved surgical access compared to conventional minimally invasive surgery or traditional open surgery.

For more information about robotic surgery, visit StJosephsNorthRobotics.org.

New unit for COVID
AdventHealth Carrollwood has announced plans to modernize an existing patient care unit, outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, to provide the highest level of care for patients with COVID-19, according to a news release.

The unit conversion is part of an $11.9 million investment that is jointly funded by AdventHealth and Hillsborough County, and will strengthen the hospital’s ability to respond to future COVID surges, the release says.

The 10,680-square-foot space for the dedicated COVID unit will be located on an existing unit in the hospital, and will be equipped with technological and structural advancments to assist staff in providing elevated care for COVID patients.

Some of the additions will include:

  • Converting 25 private patient rooms to provide increased infection control and further enhance the nationally recognized safety features at the facility
  • Outfitting all 25 patient rooms with negative pressure to reduce exposure to airborne illnesses
  • Improving monitoring capabilities that will allow team members to streamline care more efficiently and safely

Health News 02/16/2022

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(Courtesy of Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida)

Supporting a mission for better health
The Watson Clinic Foundation has made its third $100,000 donation to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida (BCFCF). The Watson foundation in 2019 donated $100,000 to BCFCF, with the promise to do so for two more consecutive years. Watson Clinic Foundation Chairman of the Board Dr. Steven G. Achinger presented the check, flanked by Leah Grieger and BCFCF Outreach Director Mandy Middleton, during the fourth annual Pink Ribbon Gala.

Crisis Center turns ‘50’
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is celebrating its 50th anniversary and will focus on a specific topic each month related to behavioral health, crisis intervention, and trauma care.

In February, the focus will be on community resources and emotional support that are available to people 24/7 by calling 211. (Feb. 11 is “211 Day,” and is recognized by organizations across the country that answer calls to 211.)

For more information, visit CrisisCenter.com.

Podiatry services added
Premier Community HealthCare announced the addition of podiatry to its list of comprehensive health care services for Pasco and Hernando counties, according to a news release.

Leading the team will be Dr. Bahaa Amer, board certified in podiatric medicine and wound management.

Premier’s podiatry service line initially launched in the fall of 2021 in Spring Hill and Zephyrhills, and was supported by an $80,000 Pasco County Community Development Block Grant.

For information, call 352-518-2000, or visit PremierHC.org.

Health News 02/09/2022

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Providing comfort for patient care
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s sewing team produced 40 comfort pillows, 10 baby blankets, numerous port protectors, hats and turbans, which were delivered to the Moffitt Cancer Center and an AdventHealth hospital. These handcrafted items are always enthusiastically received and usually requests are made for more because the need is so great. Woman’s club member Pam Blumenthal, left, makes a delivery to a staff member at Moffitt Cancer Center. For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.

Girl Scout creates patch
Emma Wegener, a senior at Anclote High School and a member of Girl Scout Troop 1142, is the daughter of Sue Wegener, R.N., Medical Center of Trinity-Behavioral Health Center, and knows first-hand the importance of mental health, according to a news release.

Throughout her middle and high school years, Emma noticed there was no eduation being presented to students about mental health. She witnessed the misuse of terms, the suffering of individuals struggling with mental health issues, and the growing stigma surrounding this important subject, the release says.

To address this issue, Emma created a Girl Scout Patch Program — the Gold Award: The Mental Health Awareness Patch, For Girls by Girls.

The self-guided patch program is aimed at middle and high school Girl Scouts, to help provide an accurate education about mental health.

Throughout the program, the Scouts learn about negative stigma, how it persists and, most importantly, how to fight it.

The patch is an attempt to educate students about something that can affect everyone, and to normalize the information and produce conversations about it.

Federal government offers free COVID tests through the mail

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As questions persist over whether the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is peaking, or already has, leading to a decline in infections — President Joe Biden has announced a new federal program that provides four free COVID-19 tests per household.

Tests are available for every residential address in the United States, including U.S. Territories and overseas military and diplomatic addresses (APO/FPO/DPO), according to the government’s website.

To order the tests, go to COVIDTESTS.gov.

To place an order, all you need is your name and residential address. No ID, credit card, or health insurance information is required. You also may share your email address to get updates on your order.

All tests distributed as part of this program are FDA-authorized at-home rapid antigen tests, and instructions will be provided on how to use them.

The website also provides information on when you should use the tests.

It reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you take an at-home test:

  • If you begin having COVID-⁠19 symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell
  • (Or) At least five days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-⁠19
  • (Or) When you’re going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on their COVID-⁠19 vaccines

Those who don’t have access to the internet or need additional support placing an order, can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

Tests were scheduled to begin shipping the week of Jan. 24.

Meanwhile, according to a CDC interpretive summary for Jan. 21, the current seven-day moving average of daily new cases across the nation was 744,616, a decrease of 5% compared with the previous seven-day moving average of 783,922.

A total of 68,671,563 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the U.S., as of Jan. 19, the report says.

“Currently two variants, Omicron and Delta, are classified as Variants of Concern (VOC) in the United States,” the summary says.

The national proportion of Omicron, as of Jan. 15, was put at 99.5%  with 0.5% for Delta.

As of Jan. 19, a total of 856,288 COVID-19 deaths has been reported in the United States.

Florida’s community transmission rate is considered high, according to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker.

The number of cases in Florida, according to the seven-day rolling average, was 262,773, with a positivity rate exceeding 25%. The seven-day rolling average for new hospital admissions was 1,863 and the number of deaths, 75.

In Hillsborough County, the seven-day change, showed 18,267 cases, a positivity rate exceeding 26%; there were 1,297 new hospital admissions and 12 deaths.

In Pasco County, the seven-day change, showed 7,098 cases, with a positivity rate exceeding 30%; There were 332 new hospital admissions and 10 deaths.

Meanwhile, Pasco County Schools’ report for Jan. 21, 2022 showed the district had 223 student cases and 26 staff cases, bringing the year’s total to 9,582 student cases and 1,842 staff cases.

In Hillsborough County Schools, there were 122 staff cases and 393 student cases, reported on Jan. 21. During this school year, the district has reported cases involving 3,981 staff members and 18,993 students.

Want to order four free COVID tests?
Every residential household is eligible to order four free COVID tests, being provided for through the federal government. Order the free tests at COVIDTESTS.gov.

Published January 26, 2022

Health News 01/26/2022

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Dr. Rodrigo Torres (Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Doctor of the Day
Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth, served as Doctor of the Day for the opening of the 2022 Florida Legislative Session.

“I am extending my appreciation to Wilton Simpson, the president of the Florida Senate, for inviting me to take part in the 2022 Florida Legislative Session, as the Doctor of the Day,” said Dr. Rodrigo Torres, in a news release

“I am grateful to be part of the AdventHealth West Florida Division, which remains focused on pioneering innovation and being the source of vital information for all the communites we serve,” he added.

Doctor of the Day was founded in the 1960s by a former Florida House member, Rep. Walter Sackett, M.D., from Miami, who encouraged the Florida Medical Association to bring a physician to Tallahassee.

The program delivers a vital professional service to the members of the Florida Legislature and all legislative employees.

Blood donor milestone
Larry Jasper, of Spring Hill, has joined the ranks of less than 50 Floridians who have reached the 125-gallon blood donor milestone since blood banking began during the Second World War, according to a news release. Jasper reached the milestone at OneBlood’s Spring Hill donor center.

After 30 years of service in the Army, most of those years in Special Forces, Jasper retired in 1997. In 1999, he became a whole blood donor in New Jersey, and soon after was asked to donate platelets.

Jasper moved to Florida in 2004 and continued to donate platelets regularly.

He was the first donor when OneBlood opened its new center in Spring Hill earlier this year.

His 125-gallon donor milestone equates to 1,000 pints.

Generally, healthy people age 16 and older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.

All donors receive a wellness checkup of blood pressure, pulse, temperature, iron count, cholesterol screening, and a surprise gift.

To learn more, visit OneBlood.org, or call 1-888-936-6283.

Beware of COVID-19 testing scams

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The Florida Department of Health-Pasco County has issued a warning for consumers to be on the lookout for COVID-19 testing scams.

In a news release, health department officials note: “Now more than ever, residents should rely on trusted sources of information for access to COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and future monoclonal antibody treatment locations in Pasco County. As demand for testing increases, so does the risk for potential scams.

“Residents are urged to be on the lookout for fraudulent COVID-19 products and practices, especially as it pertains to testing. Further, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seen unauthorized fraudulent test kits for COVID-19 being sold online,” the news release says.

Here are some helpful hints:

  • Rely on trusted sources of information for COVID-19 testing and locations
  • Check to make sure a COVID-19 testing location is legitimate

Be cautious about:

  • Unexpected phone calls or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies
  • Offers or advertisements for COVID-19 testing on social media sites
  • Purchasing at-home testing kits from street vendors
  • Offers from individuals going door-to-door selling at-home testing kits
  • Links that seem questionable or are from unverified sources offering COVID-19 testing options.

Complaints about fraudulent activity related to COVID-19 testing can be reported to the State of Florida Attorney General at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1-866-966-7226.

Complaints regarding laboratories associated with COVID-19 testing sites can be reported to the Agency for Health Care Administration by emailing .

If you suspect COVID-19 health care fraud, report it immediately to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General online at Tips.hhs.gov, or call 1-800-447-8477.

If you suspect illegal activity relating to FDA-regulated products, including fraudulent COVID-19 treatments, vaccines and tests, report it to the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations at AccessData.FDA.gov/Scripts/Email/OC/OCI/Contact.cfm.

Pasco County COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites:

TESTING
Gulf View Square Mall, 9409 U.S. 19, in Port Richey, seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit bit.ly/PascoCOVIDtesting for more information.

VACCINATIONS
COVID-19 vaccination appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the days listed below at these DOH-Pasco Clinics:

  • Tuesday and Thursday at 10841 Little Road, in New Port Richey
  • Monday and Friday at 13941 15th St., in Dade City

FREE AT-HOME COVID-19 TESTS
Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com.

 

Published January 19, 2022