The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

New resource launched for mental health

By

Hillsborough County understands the mental challenges, as well as the stress, tension and anxiety that the coronavirus pandemic presents and is offering simple resources through a new Mindful Mondays program, to help promote the different ways to make mental health a priority, according to a news release.

To participate, residents can visit HCFLGov.net/MindfulMondays, to learn about unique programs and initiatives, and to read helpful articles.
Through Mindful Mondays, residents will have access to a variety of free resources to help them find balance in their day-to-day lives.
Mindful Mondays offers virtual health classes focused on mental health and exercises to reduce stress. There will be short videos to find “Moments of Zen,” and relaxing nature tours.

Content also will include mental health tips from community partners, along with ways county programs and initiatives can help residents manage stress.
Mindful Mondays kicked off for Mental Health Awareness Month, but will continue to offer resources and content throughout the year to support residents in making mental health a priority. Content will be updated on a monthly basis.

Published May 26, 2021

Health News 05/26/2021

By

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Lions Club receives eyewear donation
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club continue to outdo themselves during this difficult pandemic year with their donations to myriad local organizations. Elaine Pittman recently delivered 91 pairs of eyewear to the Lutz-Land O’Lakes Lions Club for its mission in Third World countries. From left: Lions Club President Jackie Cameron, Elaine Pittman and Lions Club member Claudette Henry. For membership and community service information about the woman’s club, visit LutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.

Gulfside needs volunteers
The Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppe Team is looking for volunteers ages 15 and older for its Dade City, Lutz and Zephyrhills stores.

Volunteer duties include greeting and assisting customers, sorting and pricing items, and accepting donated items.

The proceeds from each of the Gulfside shops directly support its patient care costs and the operation of the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care.

For information, visit Gulfside.org/thrift-shoppes.

Stroke certification
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North has received Primary Stroke Certification from DNV GL Healthcare, an international accrediting body that emphasizes clinical best practices and a disciplined management system, according to a news release.

The certification signifies clinical excellence through diagnosis, stabilization and treatment by the hospital’s stroke team.

Prior to the certification, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North underwent a rigorous review process, as a team of DNV GL surveyors observed practices, interviewed teams and reviewed documentation.

The survey incorporates standards from the Guidelines of the Brain Attack Coalition and recommendations from the American Stroke Association.

The DNV GL certification is St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s third significant award for the treatment of strokes and heart attacks in the last nine months.

Top hospital
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has been named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list.

This is the fourth consecutive year the hospital has been recognized with this honor, as one of the top performing hospitals in the United States.

“We are honored to be receiving this recognition for the fourth year in a row,” said Erik Wangsness, president and CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

“At the heart of an award-winning hospital is an award-winning staff. This award recognizes our physicians’ and teams’ daily commitment to providing compassionate, whole-person care to our community. It is gratifying to know that one of the best 100 hospitals in the United States is right here in Wesley Chapel,” said Wangsness.

In addition to this accolade, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has again attained a CMS five-star ranking by the federal government.

The CMS ranking system assigns a star rating to hospitals based on performance across several quality categories.

Only 455 out of more than 3,300 CMS-ranked hospitals received a five-star rating.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel was the only hospital in Tampa Bay to achieve a CMS five-star rating in 2020.

Those fully vaccinated rarely need masks, CDC says

By

President Joe Biden announced last week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued new guidance on the wearing of masks, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden said those who have been fully vaccinated, in most cases won’t need to wear masks — whether indoors or out, in large crowds or small.

Specifically, the CDC’s updated guidance says:

  • Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
  • Fully vaccinated people can refrain from testing following a known exposure unless they are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter.

CDC prevention measures continue to apply to all travelers, including those who are vaccinated. All travelers are required to wear a mask on all planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations, the CDC’s website says.

Those who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to continue wearing masks, to avoid becoming infected by COVID-19, or spreading it to others, CDC officials add.

While there has been a downturn in the daily number of people getting vaccinated, use of the Pfizer vaccine has been granted emergency authorization for those ages 12 to 15.

The CDC’s latest guidance comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order lifting restrictions imposed by local governments, with the exception of school districts.

The public schools districts in Pasco and Hillsborough counties both announced they would keep the mask mandate until the end of the school year.

Private businesses can decide whether to retain or drop their mask requirements, and so far, the response has been varied.

Also, while the pace of vaccinations for adults has declined, efforts continue to reach out to those who are hesitant about being vaccinated to answer their questions and address their concerns.

While fewer children have been infected by COVID-19, the CDC does recommend vaccination for everyone age 12 and older to help protect against COVID-19.

Published May 19, 2021

Mother’s Day treats

By

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donated gift items as Mother’s Day treats for residents and staff of Angels Senior Living of North Tampa. Assembling the contents and hand-crafting gift bags was a joint club project with the woman’s club teen affiliate group, Little Women of Lutz. Club member Pam Blumenthal, left, delivered 63 gift bags to Abbey Bennett, an intern at Angel Senior Living. For information on the club, visit LutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.

Activity increasing, as COVID-19 restrictions relax

By

Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed an executive order lifting all local COVID-19 restrictions and mandates on individuals and businesses.

As a result, Hillsborough County, Pasco County and the city of Tampa have dropped their mask requirements.

The order, however, does not apply to school districts — and both Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools will keep their mask orders and other safety protocols in place until the end of the school year.

Private businesses are not subject to the governor’s order, either, meaning they can keep their COVID-19 restrictions — and at this point, many continue to require masks, limit indoor seating and follow other safety measures.

Increased traffic on area roads and more cars in retail and restaurant parking lots, however, provide clear indications that more people are getting out and about.

Air travel is up — way up.

The Transportation Security Administration reported there were 1.7 million travelers at its checkpoints on May 9, compared to 200,815 on the same day last year. However, the number of air travelers is still substantially lower than it was in 2019, when there were 2.4 million air passengers on the same day.

Many travelers — now fully vaccinated — were flying to see family for the first time since the pandemic began. Televised news reports captured emotional reunions of moms and their kids, on Mother’s Day, all over the country.

Travel experts also are advising those wishing to take summer vacations to plan early to ensure accommodations and rental cars are available.

In another sign that things are changing, more graduation ceremonies are being held live — not virtually — this year.

In addition to some area college graduation celebrations, Pasco public schools will hold in-person events again this year, scaled back as they were last year. Hillsborough public school students also will be celebrating at live events, as well.

The Diocese of Saint Petersburg also has announced that the general obligation to attend Sunday Mass will resume on May 22.

Bishop Gregory Parkes, who leads the diocese, had granted a dispensation from the obligation as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.

Although Catholic churches have been holding services, with mask requirements and social distancing protocols in place, many parishioners opted instead to watch services remotely.

Health experts continue to caution the public to be careful because at the same time COVID-19 restrictions are being relaxed or lifted, the demand for vaccinations has been dropping.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of May 9, 152 million individuals had received at least one dose of vaccine, including 83.6% of those age 65 and older. Of those in that age group, 71.3% were fully vaccinated.

If you are fully vaccinated, the CDC says you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

When choosing safer activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location.

Keep in mind that outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk.

The CDC also notes: “While more than eight in 10 people 65 years and older have received at least one dose of vaccine, only around 1 in 3 people ages 18 to 29 have. All age groups currently eligible for the vaccine can benefit from the protection it provides themselves and others, especially as more states are easing prevention measures.”

As the pace of vaccination slows, vaccination persuasion campaigns are on the rise.

Celebrities, politicians and faith leaders are among those urging others to get vaccinated. Some efforts, as reported nationally, involve people making door-to-door visits to encourage people to get a single shot of Johnson & Johnson, or two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Sites run by Hillsborough County dispense only the Pfizer vaccine, which can be given to individuals 16 years of age and older. Those ages 16 and 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, a county news release says.

Efforts by Pfizer could lower the eligible age for its vaccine to 12, if the Food and Drug Administration approves its request for authorization — which could occur as early as this week, according to national reports.

Those seeking vaccinations should know there is no out-of-pocket cost to be vaccinated and no prescription or doctor’s note is required, a Hillsborough County news release says.

With demand continuing to decline at the large public COVID-19 vaccination sites, Hillsborough County Emergency Management is reassessing distribution strategies and developing other options for residents to get vaccinated. Companies, community organizations, and faith-based organizations interested in an on-site targeted vaccine event are encouraged to call 888-513-6321, or email .

Published May 12, 2021

County board relaxes COVD-19 rules

By

The Pasco County Commission has changed its rules and is now allowing a limited number of members of the public to attend its meetings in person.

The board voted on May 4 to allow up to 18 people from the public to be in the board’s chambers during meetings at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, and up to 30 members of the public to be in the board room at the government center in New Port Richey.

The board adopted that change before Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted COVID-19 requirements imposed by local governments, so it is unclear how the governor’s order will affect the board’s action.

In adopting the new rules, the board noted the maximum capacity limitations will be posted on signage outside of the board rooms and could change over time, based on the most current public health agency recommendations.

The amended rules also allow for the county administrator or designee to impose additional rules for use of the county’s board rooms through posted signage, including any required ingress/egress points for each board room.

At the time of adoption, the county attorney recommended masks be worn inside the board room.

The amended rules continue to allow other public participation options — email, WebEx and public comment kiosk — but also allow the county administrator or chair to close the kiosk, if it is not needed for overflow capacity and if no one shows up at the kiosk within 10 minutes of the morning or afternoon meeting start time.

Published May 12, 2021

Health News 05/15/2021

By

Hospital recognized for 40 years of service
A resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County congratulated Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point on its 40 years of service to Pasco County citizens and its transition to an award-winning medical center.

Bayonet Point-Hudson Hospital opened its doors in 1981, in a small facility serving the northwest Pasco community of less than 25,000 people.

The medical center adopted a new name in 1997, transforming to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. The facility is connected to the nation’s largest healthcare system, HCA Healthcare.

Bayonet Point also received the 2021 Patient Safety Excellence Award for a fourth-consecutive year. The award recognizes a hospital’s excellence in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stay.

The hospital is the only Level II Trauma center serving Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.

And, its graduate medical education program has earned Bayonet Point a Statutory Teaching Hospital designation.

For more on the hospital’s achievements, visit BayonetPointHospital.com/about/newsroom.

Mental health awareness
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) helps to fight the stigma of mental illness, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families.

This year, NAMI will continue to amplify the message of “You Are Not Alone,” and will use the time to focus on the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health and acknowledging that it is OK to not be OK.

The organization will use its own blog, personal stories, videos, digital toolkits, social media engagements and national events to share the vision where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

For information and a list of events, visit NAMI.org/calendar.

Pregnancy center
The Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers has opened a new office at 37522 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

The center provides pregnancy tests, ultrasounds by appointment, pregnancy options counseling, pregnancy and parenting classes, essential baby items, and community resources and referrals.

All services are free, and are provided in English and in Spanish.

For information, call 352-534-5003.

Gulfside needs volunteers
The Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppe Team is looking for volunteers ages 15 and older for its Dade City, Lutz and Zephyrhills stores.

Volunteer duties include greeting and assisting customers, sorting and pricing items, and accepting donated items.

The proceeds from each of the Gulfside shops directly support its patient care costs and the operation of the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care.

For information, visit Gulfside.org/thrift-shoppes.

Leaders tour new research center site

By

Leaders from Moffitt Cancer Center, Lennar, and Metro Development Group recently toured the Central Pasco site that is planned to become home to a massive research and innovation district — as well as to one of the West Central Florida region’s newest live-work-play communities.

H. Lee Moffitt, left, reviews a map of Angeline with Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center. At right is Metro Development Group CEO John Ryan. (Courtesy of Moffitt Cancer Center)

As plans for the new Angeline mixed-use community continue to take shape — H. Lee Moffitt, founder of Moffitt Cancer Center; Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center; John Ryan, CEO of Metro Development Group; and Mark Metheny, division president of Lennar Central Florida toured the property on April 22 — riding in off-road vehicles along trails and dirt roads, according to a news release.

Angeline — which is being billed as a wellness-themed community — will be developed on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Moffitt plans to create a massive research and corporate innovation district that is expected to become a life sciences destination for the world.

Moffitt is working closely with the project developer, Metro Development Group, and the lead homebuilder, Lennar.

In the first phase, Moffitt will construct 128,000 square feet for a corporate business park, generating approximately 430 full-time jobs, the release says.

Once the Suncoast Parkway-Ridge Road Extension intersection is built, the first phase is expected to be complete in five years.

Plans for the Angeline community, which spans 6,200 acres, include a variety of homes from leading homebuilders for 30,000 new residents, a 150-acre regional park, Crystal Lagoon and beach, village center featuring restaurants and retail, and 3,600-plus acres of natural, undeveloped green space with an extensive trail network that could span up to 100 miles, the release says.

“Touring the Pasco campus for the first time only solidified how incredible this endeavor will be,” Moffitt’s CEO Hwu said, in the release.

He is meeting with biotech companies and other potential partners to be involved in the Moffitt facility.

“We foresee a first-of-its-kind campus with patient care, research, biotech, wellness, digital innovation and ultimately cures,” Hwu adds, in the release.

He also talked with the Metro Development Group and Lennar leaders about how the growth opportunity created by Moffitt’s new Pasco County location was one of the major reasons he decided to join Moffitt as CEO last year.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

At the site visit, Metro Development Group shared initial ideas for the surrounding mixed-use master-planned community and amenities to complement Moffitt’s expansion campus, according to the release.

Leaders discussed potential synergies, such as researchers working with students at a STEM magnet school.

Here is a look at the progress being made on the Ridge Road extension, at the site that is part of a massive development being planned for a Pasco campus of the Moffitt Cancer Center. In addition to research facilities, the new community of Angeline will feature neighborhoods and an array of amenities.

Angeline will have a focus on being a wellness community, with fitness trails and recreation areas that would benefit those who live and work on campus, as well as cancer patients and survivors. The community will be built with a digital infrastructure to provide high-speed connectivity indoors and outdoors, the release says.

“We are proud to partner with Moffitt and Lennar on this forward-thinking project,” John Ryan of Metro Development Group, added in the release. “At Metro, we are known for creating healthy places for residents to live and work, and being aligned with Moffitt is a great fit in this regard.”

“We are very excited to be one of the first builders selected for Angeline, and look forward to providing a great product for the residents of Angeline and Pasco County,” said Lennar’s Metheny.

On the same day that the tour was taking place, Dr. Timothy Kubal was talking about the Moffitt Cancer Center at Wesley Chapel, where he is senior medical director, during a Zoom economic development briefing with members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

During his talk, Kubal mentioned that the tour of the cancer hospital’s new Pasco site, which included Moffitt’s CEO, was happening on the same day.

“We bought a massive amount of space — 775 acres, Suncoast Parkway, Ridge Road extension,” Kubal said, noting the need for that site “arises out of a need for space.”

Plans for the site, he said, are not “100% fleshed out yet, because it is so early.”

However, he added: “We’re going to keep growing because we’ve got a 25-acre footprint that is old.

“We need to be able to offer all of these different services in different places.

“So, we’re growing — we’re going to grow north, south, east, west — and we’re looking to grow with the community,” Kubal said.

Published May 05, 2021

Masks still required in Pasco public schools

By

Pasco County Schools will require masks on its school campuses through the end of the school year, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, recently in a video.

The superintendent said he previously misspoke when he said the district’s requirement was based on the governor’s executive order. Rather, he said, as superintendent he has the authority to require masks in a time of emergency, and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic constitutes an emergency.

Browning said a decision regarding masks for next school year will be made closer to that time.

Meanwhile, Browning also addressed the issue during a recent webinar hosted by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

He said the decision to require masks through the end of the school year made some people happy and others, not.

“It’s not about making people happy, with me, it’s about making sure we have a safe environment for our students and our staff, and the visitors that come into our schools,” Browning said.

“You know, COVID has become very political, unfortunately. People are kind of polarized on two different sides. It’s either they will support vaccines, or they don’t. They support masks, or they don’t.

“We are having to make decisions of what we believe are in the best interest of our kids and our employees, based on CDC recommendations, and depending on where you are coming from — you just don’t subscribe to that, or you do subscribe to that,” Browning said.

Published May 05, 2021

Health News 05/05/2021

By

Patrick Rhodes is a ‘star.’ (Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Special delivery for frontline workers
Since the start of the pandemic, Patrick Rhodes, also known as ‘Patrick the Giver,’ has donated hundreds of meals to hospitals within the AdventHealth West Florida Division.

Rhodes has no plans of slowing down, and this year his goal is to donate 2,021 meals to health care workers in the area.

Recently, Rhodes teamed up with Inspire Brands restaurant group to provide 100 Buffalo Wild Wings lunches to the frontline workers at AdventHealth Tampa.

To show its appreciation, AdventHealth West Florida presented Rhodes with the Star Award, for his generosity and impact on the community.

Mental health awareness
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) helps to fight the stigma of mental illness, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families.

This year, NAMI will continue to amplify the message of “You Are Not Alone,” and will use the time to focus on the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health and acknowledging that it is OK to not be OK.

The organization will use its own blog, personal stories, videos, digital toolkits, social media engagements and national events to share the vision where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

For more information, visit NAMI.org.

Pasco hospitals get an A
AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Zephyrhills and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel once again maintained safety as a top priority, even during a pandemic, by receiving the highest marks possible for patient safety and quality with a grade A from the Leapfrog Group, according to a news release.

The safety grade is awarded based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harm to patients in their care.

The Dade City and Zephyrhills hospitals proactively implemented a set of best safety practices to continue delivering high-quality patient care:

  • The hospital formed an oversight committee that meets quarterly. Team members review patient quality and safety outcomes. The team also sets measurable goals for improvement and provides feedback to the frontline team.
  • Hospital leaders launched the “safety huddle,” to enhance daily communications between team members. The purpose is to proactively flag safety issues and identify safety concerns for patients. The initiative is proven to reduce medical errors, poor hygiene, and other practices that may be potentially harmful to patients.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel instituted these safety measures:

  • Hiring additional infection preventionists to continue to reduce risk of infection
  • Implementing additional sanitation technology, such as foot-sanitizing stations and state-of-the-art bacteria removing robots and lights in operating rooms to ensure the safest settings for care

To see grade details on all participating hospitals, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

BayCare recognized
BayCare Health System once again has been recognized by a leading, independent survey for excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience, financial health, and contributions to community health with a focus on equity, according to a news release.

Fortune/IBM Watson Health lists BayCare in the top 20% of large health systems in the country.

This is the third year in a row BayCare has been recognized with the honor.

The hospitals included on the 100 Top Hospitals list had better results on key clinical and operational performance indicators compared to similar hospitals.

These include survival rates, patient complications, health care-associated infections, 30-day mortality and 30-day hospital-wide readmission rates, length of stay, throughput in emergency departments, inpatient expenses, profitability and ratings from patients.

Several BayCare hospitals also have been named to the 100 Top Hospitals list:

  • St. Joseph’s Hospitals, including St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, all in Tampa; and St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview
  • Morton Plant Hospital (made the list as a top teaching hospital)
  • Bartow Regional Medical Center (made the list in the small community hospital category)

For more information, visit 100TopHospitals.com/.