Health

Health News 07/01/2020

June 30, 2020 By Mary Rathman

Pelvic health for women
Dr. Vanessa M. Brockhouse, a women’s pelvic health physical therapist, recently opened her practice in Wesley Chapel, Fruitful Womb with virtual and in-person sessions.

The practice emphasizes prenatal and postpartumin care, including preparation for birth, prenatal exercise and postpartum care to ensure good bowel, bladder and sexual health.

Brockhouse treats women with complex cases of pelvic pain, urinary conditions, bowel conditions, sexual dysfunction, orthopedic hip/pelvic pain, prenatal and postpartum conditions.

As an advocate for women, and a pelvic health educator, Brockhouse believes in addressing women’s health with a whole body approach, which allows identification at the root cause resulting in relief of symptoms.

Dr. Brockhouse’s office is at 2136 Ashley Oaks Circle, Suite 102, in Wesley Chapel.

For information, visit FruitfulWombPT.com, call (813) 607-8776, or email .

COVID-19 facility doubles beds
Hillsborough County is in the process of contracting for an additional 60 beds at an assisted living facility that is serving as a transition unit for senior care facility residents diagnosed with COVID-19, County Administrator Mike Merrill announced on June 15.

The decision to pursue additional transitional beds at The Inn at University Village is a proactive step, Merrill said in a news release.

The Inn is for senior care facility residents who were hospitalized with the virus, but who do not require hospitalizations. The facility is serving as a transitional unit between the hospital and their senior care community for those patients while they wait for final clearance to return to their previous residence.

The patients are temporarily residing in a separate wing specifically designed for COVID-19 cases.

Teens and sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sleep problems also are a concern for teenagers, and the average teen needs about nine hours of sleep a night.

Children and teens who do not get that much may have problems getting along with others, and they may feel angry and impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, or lack motivation. They also may have issues with paying attention, and may get lower grades and feel stressed.

In addition to the sleep tips offered to adults, teens can try:

Avoiding screen time at least an hour before bed
Banning all-nighters (don’t leave homework for the last minute)
Writing in a diary or on a to-do list just before sleep, to reduce stress
Sleeping no more than two hours later on weekend mornings than on weekday mornings

COVID-19 prompts local face mask requirements

June 30, 2020 By B.C. Manion

As Florida’s positive COVID-19 cases continue to climb, local officials are taking action to require the wearing of face coverings.

The requirements vary by jurisdictions.

Pasco County has joined the list of local governments imposing restrictions in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles issued an executive order on June 23, requiring everyone in Pasco County to use face coverings while indoors at a public business or county government facility. The order took effect immediately, with enforcement beginning on June 25.

While wearing an N95 mask for her safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, Linda McCabe, of Dade City, confirms the amount of food bags needed for one of the cars that showed up recently for the Pasco County school district’s free lunch program, at the Pasco High School. (File)

There are exceptions to the order, which include children under age 2 and anyone with an existing health condition that would be complicated by wearing a mask.

Pasco County Code Enforcement is enforcing the ordinance, focusing first on education.

Under Pasco’s order:

Face coverings should cover nose and mouth.
All businesses and county government facilities open to the public must comply.
Businesses must ensure compliance, with those found in violation facing a fine of up to $250.

The county also announced the availability of face masks at several locations.

Those wishing to report a violation should call (727) 847-2411, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pasco County Schools issued a statement in response to the county’s order, noting that while the order doesn’t apply to schools, the school district will require masks or face coverings for employees and visitors.

Masks or face coverings will be required for anyone visiting any district school or work site open to the public, according to the district’s news release.

The county order and school district’s directive will remain in place indefinitely and both are subject to change as circumstances change.

These actions follow requirements imposed by the Emergency Policy Group of Hillsborough County, which voted 5-3 on June 22, to require face coverings be worn by customers and employees in indoor spaces of businesses, when social distancing of 6 feet cannot be achieved.

That order is automatically set to expire within 7 days of its adoption, unless renewed.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor imposed a face covering order on June 19, also requiring masks when inside any business within the city of Tampa, when not maintaining social distancing, excluding family members or companions.

Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees also has issued an advisory recommending “all individuals in Florida should wear face coverings in any setting where social distancing is not possible” and discouraging social gatherings of more than 50 people.

The North Tampa Bay Chamber notified its members about the requirements for face coverings, providing links to the various government jurisdictions for more information.

The chamber also offered its members the opportunity to contact its office to obtain some free masks, through touchless pickup. The masks are being made available through the chamber’s partnership with the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Pasco County.

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) also issued updated safety and operating guidance for members of the hospitality industry, to ensure the safety of employees and guests.

The FRLA is strongly encouraging all Florida residents and visitors to wear masks in public spaces, including at restaurants and hotels, and to practice social distancing.

“Ensuring employee and guest safety is of the utmost importance,” Carol Dover, the FRLA’s president and CEO said, in a news release.

“All Florida businesses must do everything possible to contribute to the health and safety of our communities. We are strongly urging all Floridians to adhere to statewide Executive Orders, comply with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and other business regulators, follow CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the Florida Department of Health recommendations on mask-wearing and social distancing. These collective efforts will help ensure the safety of all Floridians and our visitors,” Dover said.

Information available on the afternoon of June 26 showed that Florida had a total of 122,960 positive cases, including 8,993 on June 25. The state recorded 3,336 deaths of Florida residents and 98 deaths of non-residents.

Hillsborough County had 8,108 cases, including 7,941 Florida residents and 77 non-Florida residents.

The figures for Pasco County stood at 1,326 cases, including 1,314 Florida residents and 12 non-residents.

The median age of those testing positive was 35 statewide, compared to a median age of 31 in Hillsborough County. Pasco County’s median age for those testing positive mirrored the state’s age of 34.

Published July 1, 2020

Florida’s COVID-19 cases surpass 100,000

June 23, 2020 By B.C. Manion

Florida’s positive COVID-19 cases have exceeded the 100,000 mark, according to the most recent Florida Department of Health data available on the morning of June 22.

The state figures show Florida had 100,217 positive cases, including 98,047 Florida residents and 2,170 non-residents.

The state’s death toll stood at 3,173, including a 17-year-old male from Pasco County, whose death was recorded on June 19 in Florida Department of Health records.

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning announced Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19.

A news release from the school district said Browning experienced relatively minor symptoms, including fever, chills and general achiness since June 18, which led him to be tested.

The test came back positive on June 20, and Browning now is in isolation at home.

Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the state’s rising numbers during a news conference on June 20.

He said the increase of positive cases results partially from widespread testing, but he also said that people in the 20-to-30 age group that are testing positive at a higher rate.

“Our cases are shifting in a radical direction, younger,” DeSantis said.

The governor said the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation will be enforcing social distancing requirements in businesses it regulates, with the aim of creating greater compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.

“You do hear reports about people just jampacked into some of these places,” DeSantis said.

The CDC’s guidance calls for maintaining a social distance of 6 feet.

“If you can’t social distance, it’s recommended you wear some kind of face covering,” DeSantis said. He doesn’t anticipate making that a state requirement, but he said he hopes people will do what they can to avoid spreading the virus.

The governor also reiterated the need for elderly people, and those with significant underlying conditions, to avoid crowds and take other measures to avoid exposure.

Despite the rising number of positive cases, DeSantis said Florida’s hospitals are well-positioned to treat COVID-19 patients.

“The whole reason the mitigation was done was to flatten the curve, so the hospitals wouldn’t be overwhelmed,” DeSantis said.

He also noted: “We have way fewer patients on ventilators today than we did in April.

“The ICU COVID hospitalizations are significantly down from where they were,” he added.

Plus, “daily fatalities have continued to trend down,” he said.

As of the morning of June 21, the national death toll stood at 119,615, which was 560 more than the previous day, according to the CDC. The national number of positive cases exceeded 2.2 million, including 32,411 more cases than the day before.

The Hillsborough Emergency Policy Group has approved a requirement that face coverings be worn by employees and patrons when social distancing is not possible within businesses.

The order will apply for seven days only, unless renewed.

Under the order, business operators must enforce the requirement for face coverings, except for categories exempted in the order. Individuals cannot be charged for failing to wear masks.

The emergency policy group approved the order on a 5-3 vote on June 22, after extensive discussion among policy group members, testimony supporting the requirement from the medical community, and public support and opposition.

Florida COVID-19
Positive cases, last 14 days
June 8: 1,151
June 9: 1,225
June 10: 1,655
June 11: 1,634
June 12: 2,319
June 13: 2,125
June 14: 1,767
June 15: 2,698
June 16: 2,420
June 17: 2,699
June 18: 3,308
June 19: 4,023
June 20: 4,664
June 21: 2,779

Case totals
Statewide: 100,217, including 98,047 Florida residents; 2,170 non-residents
Pasco County: 872, including 861 Florida residents, 11 non-residents
Hillsborough County: 5,973, including 5,904 Florida residents, 69 non-residents

Death counts
Statewide: 3,173
Pasco County: 17
Hillsborough County: 115
(Most recent data available)

Published June 24, 2020

Health News 06/24/2020

June 23, 2020 By Mary Rathman

Presidential awards

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point (RMCBP) has announced that two of its volunteers have been awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, which comes from the office of the President of the United States.

The award was initiated to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of volunteers and volunteering throughout the nation.

Recipients receive a certificate, an order of congratulations from the President, a pin and a gold medallion.

Joanne Van Atta has been a volunteer at RMCBP for more than 17 years and has logged more than 16,000 hours of service. During most of that time, Van Atta assisted in the Outpatient Lab. She also received the Volunteer of the Quarter in 2011 and Volunteer of the Year in 2016.

Carol Del Santo began volunteering at RMCBP 30 years ago and has accumulated more than 16,000 hours of service. Del Santo began as a courier and now volunteers as a courier dispatcher. She also was selected as the Volunteer of the Quarter and received Volunteer of the Year in 2018.

Technology grant
A team of scientists from the University of South Florida has been awarded a Rapid Response Research Grant from the National Science Foundation (about $167,000), to advance its efforts to establish technology that can rapidly sterilize and electrostatically recharge N95 respiratory masks.

The technology, designed to fight coronavirus, uses corona discharge and low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma, and works to deactivate pathogens on a mask and restore its electrostatic charges.

Patient safety grade
AdventHealth Dade City has earned a Leapfrog “B” grade, from the Leapfrog Group, for patient safety.

AdventHealth acquired AdventHealth Dade City on April 1, 2018, and the hospital has worked to attain excellence in patient safety. The “B” grade shows the hospital does a better job at protecting patients from mistakes, injuries, accidents and infections than it did prior to acquisition.

According to a news release, leaders at AdventHealth Dade City continue to implement key strategies to enhance patient safety, including:

Tele-ICU, which provides critically ill patients immediate access to critical care intensivists and nurses, via tele-monitoring and direct communication
Electronic health records, which allow physicians to place the patient medication orders directly into the computer and allow nurses to scan a patient’s medications prior to administering them. This has shown to significantly decrease medication errors to the patients.
A full-time clinical quality analyst who reviews patient records daily to address any potential patient quality issues
A strong commitment to understanding the culture of safety with all care team members

Health News 06/17/2020

June 16, 2020 By Mary Rathman

Team members at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel take a knee on June 5 for silent reflection in support of the ‘White Coats for Black Lives’ campaign. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

‘White Coats for Black Lives’
AdventHealth physicians, nurses and other team members across West Florida took to bended knee together in solidarity with other health care professionals across the nation, for a moment of silent reflection as part of the ‘White Coats for Black Lives’ campaign.

The nationwide movement is centered on combatting higher rates of disease among black communities; high barriers of entry to the health care industry for black individuals; lower rates of black medical students; and, the fear among black individuals to seek medical care.

All AdventHealth team members were invited to join in kneeling for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, in remembrance of George Floyd and others.

Those who participated maintained social distance, wore masks, and were encouraged to share photos as an expression of support online with #WhiteCoatsForBlackLives.

People to People
AARP Community Connections offers its Friendly Voices program for those that may feel isolated and need a voice on the other end of the line to help in challenging times, or just to say hello.

To request a call for yourself or a loved one, call (888) 281-0145 and leave your information. A trained volunteer will call you back.

New BayCare doctors
BayCare Medical Group, 2529 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, has welcomed two new doctors to its staff.

Dr. Radhika Ranganathan is board certified in pediatrics and accepts patients newborn to age 18. She is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, and speaks Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and medical Spanish.

Dr. Steven Shechtman is board certified in internal medicine and accepts patients age 18 and older. His focus is long-term, comprehensive and complex illnesses in adults and in the elderly.

To reach either doctor at BayCare Medical Group, call (813) 920-1800.

Charity of the month
All five locations of the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office will offer opportunities for customers to donate to AdventHealth’s Care 360 Transportation Fund, during the month of June.

The Care 360 fund provides the cost of transportation services that help seniors and other patients in need get to and from the hospital for appointments, treatments and when they need a ride home upon discharge from the hospital.

For information about the AdventHealth Foundation and the transportation fund, call Connie Bladon at (813) 929-5497.

For information about the charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, contact Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Leader shares his hospital’s COVID-19 experiences

June 9, 2020 By B.C. Manion

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Erik Wangsness CEO assumed the leadership role of the hospital on Sept. 1 — during the midst of a hospital expansion and months before COVID-19 became a global pandemic.

“Our world changed about three months ago,” the hospital executive told members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, during the organization’s first Zoom breakfast meeting on June 2.

“We had heard since the beginning of the year about this virus coming out of Wuhan (China), and its spread.

Erik Wangsness, CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, recently talked via Zoom to members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, about the experiences at his hospital amid COVID-19. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

“And then, in March, it really started to get real for us — and for you,” Wangsness said.

In March, like other businesses, the hospital had “progressively more aggressive reactions to COVID,” he said.

“We started by screening questions at the front. Then, it was screening questions and limiting visitation, masking and then it was no visitors.

“It got very serious, very quickly,” he said.

“We did a lot of modeling around what to expect with COVID, starting back in February and March.

“We were expecting infection rates in Hillsborough and Pasco County — about 4(%) to 7% — of the community, we thought were going to be infected by COVID,” he said.

That modeling showed a need for rooms, ventilators and personal protective equipment that was much greater than the hospital had, he said.

“We scrambled. We set up triage tents and surge tents on our campuses. We brought in more equipment; huge orders for personal protective equipment.

“As time went on, the models dropped and dropped and dropped — and we found that less than 1% — thankfully, of the citizens of Pasco County and Hillsborough County — ended up being infected, that we know of.

“Of course, we haven’t had, as you know, the ability to perform widespread either testing or antibody testing to see what was the true infection level of the community,” he said.

Their testing, of both people who were symptomatic and some who were asymptomatic, showed less than a 1% infection rate, he said.

The hospital leader praised his staff’s response to the pandemic, and also the community’s support.

“There were many, many powerful moments during the last three months,” he said. ““Some were extremely sad, patients we lost, who were infected by the virus.”

At the same time, “there were also incredible highs,” he said, sharing a video of the hospital’s first COVID patient who came off a ventilator at the hospital, and was discharged.

“This was very real, and very difficult, heavy lift, for not only (AdventHealth) Wesley Chapel, certainly, but all hospitals, all health care across Tampa Bay,” he said.

“One of the things that has been for me, that has been incredibly comforting and heartwarming, was that we were absolutely embraced by our community.

“People delivered food. Businesses delivered food. Handmade masks. Letters. Posters from kids, from the community supporting us — and telling us, and our staff, that they were thankful for us.

“It made a huge difference. It was just incredibly powerful to the staff here at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel to know that the community, the business community, the faith community were behind us.

“We had several parades.

“Groups wanted to come and parade through the campus to show their support. Honk horns, fly balloons and banners, show support for the people,” he said.

He also praised the response of the region’s medical facilities.

“Another very powerful kind of component of this is that the hospital systems in Tampa Bay — Tampa General, BayCare, HCA, AdventHealth — all came together, to work together, to treat COVID patients, to test COVID patients, to support each other. It’s been a wonderful thing,” he said.

COVID concerns keep people away from hospitals
While AdventHealth Wesley Chapel was gearing up for the COVID-19 challenge, fewer people were coming to the hospital with other conditions.

“Our surveys and focus groups show a very high level of concern remains in our communities about the danger of COVID at hospitals.

“We saw, over the last three months, a significant decrease in our census — in people coming to the hospital to receive care,” he said. He estimates that the hospital’s census declined by about 50%.

“So, one of the ironies was that we were going full speed trying to prepare for this pandemic that we thought was going to overwhelm us, but at the same time the business that we had in the hospital was artificially low.

“We know that ambulance calls for very significant conditions — stroke and heart attack fell significantly across Florida and across the United States compared to the same time prior year.

“Think about that, stroke and heart attack victims would rather stay home than call an ambulance to seek care because of the fear of being infected at the hospital,” he said.

As a result, care has been delayed and when people arrive at the hospital they are sicker because of that delay, he said.

The hospital’s messaging has been focused on explaining what it is doing to keep patients and others safe, Wangsness said.

Staff members at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel hold cards of appreciation dropped off by The Learning Experience, a local day care. Besides the cards made by the kids, the day care delivered pizzas.

“So, what will you see, at our facility and virtually every hospital you go to?

“You’ll see universal masking. All of our staff. All of the physicians in the hospital, will be wearing masks. Visitors, patients who come, are masked as well.

“Everyone, every day, temperature is checked upon arrival. That’s our staff, our physicians, any contractors and vendors, any patients and visitors. We’re checking and screening everyone upon arrival.

“There’s limited visitation. For a couple of months there were no visitors in the hospital. Now, each patient can have one visitor. Someone coming in for surgery can have one visitor. But again, all visitors are masked and screened upon entry,” he said.

The hospital’s social distancing strategies include appliques on the ground to remind people to stay 6 feet apart, and the hospital also has removed some furniture from its lobbies, waiting areas and cafeteria, to help keep people farther apart.

Additionally, the hospital has stepped up its sanitizing, especially in public areas, in addition to private areas within the hospital.

Wangsness asked members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber to help spread the word.

“My request of you, of the business community, is let people know that hospitals are working diligently — not just ours, but all hospitals — and physician offices, and imaging clinics, to make sure that we’re keeping them (patients) safe.

“They really shouldn’t delay their care because of the COVID, really, at this point, they’re doing themselves a disservice,” the hospital executive said.

Published June 10, 2020

Health News 06/10/2020

June 9, 2020 By Mary Rathman

Volunteers of the year
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has selected its 2019 Female and Male Volunteer of the Year.

Pat Edington has been a volunteer in the Emergency Department for 23 years, providing comfort to patients and families while assisting staff in a positive, professional manner. For the past year, she also has served as a member of the hospital’s Board of Directors.

Gene Hausladen has been one of the most active volunteers since he began five years ago. He has been a courier, worked in the CPRU (Cardiac Procedures Recovery Unit), was one of the hospital’s first ER concierge volunteers, and also has worked in the lab organizing and filing slides, and performing other duties assigned by the staff.

The Care 360 fund provides the cost of transportation services that helps seniors and other patients in need get to and from the hospital for appointments and treatments, and when they need a ride home upon discharge from the hospital.

For information about the AdventHealth Foundation and the transportation fund, call Connie Bladon at (813) 929-5497.

For information about the charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing
Premier Community HealthCare has expanded its COVID-19 testing capabilities with drive-thru testing, to provide a safe and efficient option for community members.

The drive-thru testing is done by appointment only, and is available at no cost to all Pasco and Hernando county residents, regardless of age or symptoms.

The Pasco site is at 14105 Fifth St., in Dade City, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Hernando site is at the Brooksville Family Health Center, 300 S. Main St., on Thursdays and Fridays, starting June 11, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

To request an appointment, call (352) 518-2000, or visit PremierHC.org.

Testing results should be available within three days to five days via telephone and Premier’s patient portal.

All patients are advised to self-quarantine until results are confirmed.

Access health Care triage
In an effort to prevent the spread of infection, Access Health Care has established several locations throughout the Tampa Bay area as triage locations for those with symptoms of COVID-19.

If you are coughing, sneezing, feverish or have any other respiratory symptoms, and/or have traveled extensively in the last 14 days, call your doctor/primary care physician if you believe that you have symptoms, or go to one of the triage centers.

In Hillsborough County, visit the office of Dr. Brunel Joseph, 2137 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., in Tampa.

In Pasco County, go to the office of Dr. Jennifer Laman, 13235 State Road 52, Suite 108, in Hudson.

For information and other locations, call (352) 688-8116.

Tips for better sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about one in three American adults do not get healthy amounts of sleep. Stress can make the problem even worse, too.

The NIH says adults need seven hours to eight hours of sleep each night, to stay in good mental and physical health, promote quality of life, and avoid an increased risk of injury.

The institute offers these tips to get a good night’s sleep:

Go to sleep at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends.
Don’t take naps after 3 p.m., and don’t nap longer than 20 minutes.
Stay away from caffeine and alcohol late in the day.
Avoid nicotine completely.
Get regular exercise, but not within two hours to three hours of bedtime.
Don’t eat a heavy meal late in the day. A light snack before bedtime is OK.
Make your bedroom comfortable, dark, quiet, and not too warm or too cold.
Follow a routine to help you relax before sleep, such as reading or listening to music. Turn off the TV and other screens at least an hour before bedtime.
Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, do something calming until you feel sleepy, like reading or listening to soft music.
Talk with a doctor if sleep troubles continue.

Health News 06/03/2020

June 2, 2020 By Mary Rathman

COVID-19 testing sites
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County is working with community partners to provide COVID-19 testing throughout Pasco County, according to a news release.

Those interested should call the facility prior to going in for testing to ensure they meet any guidelines required by the partner.

This is the current list of testing sites in Pasco County, in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area:

CVS Pharmacy, 2322 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Lutz: (813) 949-3641
Florida Medical Urgent Care, 2352 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 101, Wesley Chapel: (813) 929-3600
Florida Medical Urgent Care, 38021 Market Square, Zephyrhills: (813) 715-0374
Premier, 14027 Fifth St., Dade City: (352) 518-2000
Premier, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., Dade City: (352) 518-2000
Premier, 2114 Seven Springs Blvd., Trinity: (352) 518-2000
Med Express, 22945 State Road 54, Lutz: (813) 909-9099
AdventHealth, 1127 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Wesley Chapel: (813) 973-2889
Doctor’s Urgent Care, 13256 Gunn Highway, Odessa: (813) 290-0023

Assisted Living agreement
Hillsborough County has entered into an agreement with an assisted living facility to serve as a transition unit, which sets aside 60 transitional beds for senior care facility residents who were hospitalized with COVID-19, but who now do not require hospitalization.

The facility, The Inn at University Village, will serve as a transitional unit between the hospital and its senior care community for those patients while they await final clearance to return to their previous residence.

Patients are expected to be moved from hospitals to the facility, where they will temporarily reside in a separate wing specifically designed for COVID-19 patient.

The initiative is one of several being undertaken by a senior care facility rapid response task force formed by Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the Florida Department of Health-Hillsborough County, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, and four hospital systems: Tampa General Hospital, BayCare, AdventHealth, and HCA Healthcare-West Florida Division.

Hand-washing, the correct way
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County urges members of the public to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and practice proper hand hygiene, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC recommends practicing everyday preventive actions like social distancing (at least 6 feet), wearing a cloth face covering when you are out in public, and washing your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

An alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol also can be used, but not as a substitute for cleaning hands with soap and water.

Five steps to wash hands the right way:

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap and apply soap.
Lather hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of hands, between fingers and under nails.
Scrub hands for last least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end, twice.
Rinse hands well under clean, running water.
Dry our hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Moffitt cancer center coming to Wesley Chapel

May 26, 2020 By Kathy Steele

Construction on a $44 million outpatient cancer treatment center in Wesley Chapel is nearing completion.

The three-story, approximately 100,000-square-foot medical building is expected to open on schedule in late fall.

A new Moffit cancer outpatient treatment center is under construction at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

The new center is part of the AdventHealth Wesley Chapel campus, at 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.

A medical partnership between Moffitt Cancer Center and AdventHealth was announced last year, and construction on the outpatient center began in May 2019.

The new outpatient center will provide area cancer patients with up-to-date, cutting-edge medical and radiation oncology services.

There will be four operating rooms, 20 exam rooms, 22 infusion stations and two linear accelerators.

Cancer patients who are in remission or are post-treatment will have access to screenings and survivorship programs.

“The goal is to stop people from driving so far and bring treatment to where they live,” said Ashley Jeffery, AdventHealth’s manager of corporate communications for the West Florida Division.

Moffit Cancer Center, in Tampa, is recognized as a top-tier cancer hospital. It is one of only 50 with a designation from the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

AdventHealth, formerly Florida Hospital, is a faith-based, nonprofit hospital with several locations in Pasco County.

In a news release announcing the partnership with Moffitt, Mike Schultz, president and chief operating officer of AdventHealth West Florida Division, said, “Our partnership allows us to strengthen our network of care by expanding the type of health care services we can provide to our communities and gives cancer patients greater access to the country’s leading-edge research, clinical trials and cancer treatments at Moffitt.”

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, which opened on Oct. 1, 2012, wasn’t even three years old when it announced a $78 million expansion, which included additional emergency rooms, inpatient rooms, surgical suites and related surgical services, Heart Catheterization Lab, recovery/observation rooms and shelled space for future growth.

The hospital also added Inspiration Place in 2018, which is a women’s center in an adjacent building on its campus.

Published May 27, 2020

Seminar offers advice on coping amid pandemic

May 26, 2020 By Kevin Weiss

Jesse Varnadoe mostly has kept an optimistic outlook, despite stay-at-home orders and quarantine protocols.

It hasn’t been easy, though.

Besides claiming lives and flattening the economy, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a range of reactions — including loneliness, isolation, cabin fever and other responses.

Pasco-Hernando State College organized a virtual summit on helping others cope through the coronavirus disease-201 (COVID-19) pandemic, as it relates to loneliness and self-isolation during quarantine.

“Being stuck in the house, not being able to go anywhere — I started to get in a funk almost,” said Varnadoe, a student at Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC).

To stave off negative moods, the student said he tries to “make every day mean something.”

Even simple routines help, he said, such as folding laundry or hanging clothes. Staying in regular communication with friends and family helps, too.

His advice to others?

“Every day, make sure that you have something that you want to accomplish, even if it’s not much, and it’ll keep you on the right track, it’ll keep you moving, it’ll help you to not become depressed,” Varnadoe said.

He was one of several speakers on a virtual panel discussion organized by PHSC and designed to offer ways to help people cope through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speakers at the May 11 virtual summit included students, behavioral health experts and representatives from the college.

Panelist Rod Cunningham underscored the vulnerability of people in isolation.

Cunningham, who is the community outreach director with the Drug Enforcement Agency, observed that even vicious criminals are found lying in the fetal position when retrieved from solitary confinement.

“Men are not made to be alone,” Cunningham said.

He advised people to schedule social distancing activities that simply make them “feel better,” whether it’s gardening, reading, playing video games, or even perusing social media.

“It’s important to understand yourself and start to pull your plan together,” Cunningham said.

Panelist Harold Jackson suggested one way to lighten things up is to take a humorous look at certain aspects of the pandemic.

For instance, he joked: “If you need a 144 rolls of toilet paper, you probably needed to see a doctor before COVID-19 hit.”

“There are aspects of this thing that we can laugh about, because we’re not laughing a lot today,” said Jackson, who is a community relations liaison with Tampa Family Health Centers.

He also suggested that people draw on whatever faith-based experiences or readings they have, “to move forward through (the pandemic).”

Dr. Joe Bohn, a professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, recommended using the new-found personal downtime to pick up a new skill or hobby.

He is following his own advice by taking online dance classes.

Amidst the pandemic, it’s been therapeutic, he said.

He’s also passed along what he’s learned about dancing to other professors and students.

“It’s helped them, given them an outlet,” he said. “I think it’s one of these things of having something to do every day.”

Some panelists from the college also offered suggestions on what the college can do to help support PHSC’s large student body during this pandemic.

Dr. Eddie Williams said many students are facing financial issues, technological issues and increased bouts of anxiety.

The assistant professor, who works in human services, called upon faculty and staff to be proactive in “letting students know the resources that are out there.”

He noted it is particularly important to do that because some students are reluctant to ask.
He said he’s personally been reaching out to struggling students who haven’t been quite as active in virtual classes. He think that’s something that more instructors should do.

Even a simple phone call can set them back on the right track, he said.

“They get very surprised and happy, and they feel supported, usually by me just calling,” he said. “I let them know to communicate with me. Let them know what’s out there and let them know you’re supporting them.”

Dr. Micheal Jones, a psychology professor at the college and the men’s basketball coach said faculty must take a leadership role.

During times of crisis, he said, “it’s our due diligence to reach out to the students.”

He advocates for more robust mental health support groups and services on campus, because he believes there will be an influx of students facing issues with anxiety and depression come fall.

“We just have to be prepared to be able to service these students with the issues that they’re dealing with, especially coming back from this pandemic,” Jones said.

“I think this is one of the things that students never really thought could happen, but it happened, so we’ve got to find a way to support them and keep them enrolled, and keep them positive,” he said.

Published May 27, 2020