The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

TouchPoint Medical’s headquarters to open in 2020

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Construction began last week on TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters on South Branch Boulevard in The Preserve, a new residential community off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Parkway.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint — the parent company of TouchPoint Medical Inc. — offered remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony at TouchPoint Medical’s new global headquarters in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

The 142,000-square-foot facility in Land O’ Lakes is expected to be completed during 2020. The company will bring a total of 228 jobs to Pasco County, including 116 new jobs and other positions transferred from several locations.

The project represents more than $23 million in capital investment in Pasco County, according to officials with Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., the agency that seeks to attract new businesses and strengthen existing ones to bolster the county’s economy.

Officials from TouchPoint Medical and its parent company, elected leaders, TouchPoint employees and members of the community celebrated the groundbreaking on Feb. 6.

It was a blue sky kind of day, with speeches filled with enthusiasm — regarding the promise and potential that the new project represents.

When TouchPoint Medical Inc. began working with Pasco County officials, it discovered it shared many common values, said Pascal Testeil, the company’s president.

Brian McNeill, president and CEO of TouchPoint Inc., the parent company of TouchPoint Medical, told the crowd that as a private company the focus is “on doing what’s right for the long-term of the business. And, we look to create value over a long period of time.

“The investment that we’re making here in Pasco, Florida, is an example of our long-term commitment to our business, to our people, and to the communities in which we work and live,” McNeill said.

“I think this moment clearly demonstrates the power of aligning shared interests of private and public resources to create something new and exciting,” he added.

Pascal Testeil, president of TouchPoint Medical, said the company began looking for a location about a year ago, to enable its growth and expansion.

When it began working with the Pasco Economic Development Council’s staff and Pasco County, “we quickly discovered that we shared common values, such as growth, diversity, passion for creating value for customers and a strong sense of community.

“For all of those reasons, we were convinced that our new home should be here, in Pasco County,” Testeil said. “We want to be a contribution to the local economy,” he added.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells said he was pleased to see such a strong turnout of TouchPoint Medical employees at the groundbreaking ceremony, at the site where the company will have its new global headquarters.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Wells marveled at TouchPoint’s commitment to its employees, and at the sizable presence of TouchPoint team members at the event.

The commissioner added: “We are very excited to bring more jobs and economic growth to Pasco County. The new jobs coming to the county will range from product development, business services, customer and technical support, as well as manufacturing.”

Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco EDC, said “this land represents a great foundation to do business. It’s a wonderful location in the middle of the fastest-growing market in the United States, the southeast U.S.

“The foundation here is also strengthened by the community leaders and elected officials,” Cronin said.

The economic development leader also pledged a continuing partnership with the company.

Company and local officials fling shovels of sand to mark the groundbreaking for TouchPoint Medical Inc.’s global headquarters. It is expected to create 116 new jobs in Pasco County.

“We thank you for making the decision to move here,” Cronin said. “We are here for the long-run. We want to see you grow and prosper.”

TouchPoint Medical incentives
The Pasco County Commission previously approved $1.7 million in incentives to attract TouchPoint Medical Inc., to Pasco County.

The packages includes:

  • About $464,000 to be paid over eight years in return for providing new jobs
  • Up to $150,000 in payments or credits for permitting fees
  • An estimated $980,000 in property tax rebates over 10 years
  • $100,000 in reimbursable employee training costs

TouchPoint Medical will partner with AmSkills as part of training and recruitment.

AmSkills is an initiative that helps high school students, adults and veterans learn manufacturing job skills.

Published February 13, 2019

BayCare continues quest for Wesley Chapel hospital

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BayCare Health Systems is pushing forward in its quest to open a new hospital in Wesley Chapel, despite a challenge filed by AdventHealth’s hospitals in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

Speaking on BayCare’s behalf, Todd Jones recently outlined the health care system’s plans for a 60-bed hospital that would be built on a 111-acre site at the northeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and Overpass Road.

He shared BayCare’s vision for the hospital with about 120 businessmen and businesswomen at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast, at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

BayCare wants to put a new hospital along the I-75 corridor because of the dramatic population growth, and an increased demand for health services, said Jones, who is vice president of ambulatory experience and operations for BayCare Health System.

Todd Jones, vice president of ambulatory experience and operations for BayCare Health System, outlined the provider’s vision for a new hospital in Wesley Chapel during a breakfast meeting of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. (B.C. Manion)

“Anytime you have population growth, there is going to be an increased demand for health services,” he said.

“We want to recruit new primary care and specialty providers to the community.

“One of things that’s frustrating for patients — and this is the thing that affects your health — is when you can’t gain access to the care that you need in some way.”

Beyond recruiting the professionals to work at the hospital, there will be a ripple effect — with providers opening up offices nearby, Jones predicted.

BayCare also wants to provide additional services that would not be based at the hospital, Jones added.

BayCare also plans to do community outreach, and to provide wellness and education activities, Jones said.

It plans to partner with education providers to help provide a path forward for both high school and college students, Jones added.

The construction of the hospital is expected to create 300 jobs, and once it becomes fully operational, BayCare anticipates needing about 300 team members, Jones said.

The proposed services at the hospital include:

  • Emergency services for adults and children
  • Intensive care unit
  • Obstetrical care services
  • Diagnostic lab imaging
  • Physical rehabilitation
  • Behavioral support services

Jones told the audience, people often want to know: “What’s it going to look like? How’s it going to function?”

It will be similar in appearance to BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, which opened in Riverview in 2015. That hospital used the template from St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, which opened in Lutz in 2010.

“We will use the same architects,” Jones said, using whatever was learned during the St. Joseph’s Hospital-South project, much like that project used what was learned at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

“The goal is, you  always want to improve upon yourself,” he said.

It typically takes about three years from the time a hospital is approved, until the physical structure is operating.

The hospital has received preliminary approval from the state for a Certificate of Need, but that has been challenged, so the process will take some time to work through.

BayCare has received word that a hearing is scheduled Aug. 13 through Aug. 22, according to Tiffany Scalone, media relations coordinator for St. Joseph’s Hospitals.

Jones told the North Tampa Bay Chamber crowd: “We will work through the process for the Certificate of Need. We anticipate it will be resolved by October.”

BayCare understands the value of the state Certificate of Need process, Jones said, noting it is intended “to protect the community, so that you don’t overbuild services and you do something the community actually can afford.

“We support that process. We feel like it challenges us to make sure that all of the things that we thought through actually do support the community,” Jones said.

Beyond its plans for the hospital, BayCare also anticipates bringing in some other services.

“We feel like we can get to the community faster with some of the diagnostic services that are needed in the community,” he said. “We’re looking at another location for our outpatient services. Right now, the things that we have identified immediately are around laboratory and imaging, and also urgent care.”

Licia Tavalaiccio, a real estate broker who lives in the area, said she’s excited about the prospect of the hospital coming into the area.

But, she noted: “My concern is traffic. Do we have a plan?””

Jones said the hospital will reach out in the community to involve them, as the hospital planning progresses.

“We would like you to participate. We want you to have input,” Jones said, noting that community participation also extends to helping to identify the community’s needs.

“We try to provide service for the patients where they need it,” Jones said. “We come to you.”

Published February 13, 2019

Making sense of choices available in senior care

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As a generation of Floridians transition into retirement age, they and their families may have questions regarding what senior care facilities have to offer.

Keystone Place at Terra Bella is providing information to help the public find those answers.

The Land O’ Lakes senior living facility had several open house sessions in January to explain the different levels of care available in senior homes.

Keystone Place at Terra Bella is making efforts to educate the public on the lifestyle of senior care facilities. The Land O’ Lakes center opened in May 2018. (Brian Fernandes)

“In general, we did the topic for what is assisted living; what is memory care; [and] what are the benefits,” explained Arlana Guckenberger, community relations and sales director at Keystone Place.

Many people do not understand the distinctions between different levels of care, she said.

Independent living for seniors refers to elderly people who are self-sufficient and have few or no cognitive impairments.

They tend to be seniors who are on the younger end of the spectrum, and simply don’t want the responsibilities of owning a home, Guckenberger said.

Assisted living facilities cater to residents who are somewhat independent, but have physical limitations that may require help with grooming, dressing or getting around.

There are others who need around-the-clock assistance.

“The memory care community is designed for people with Alzheimer’s [disease] or certain forms of dementia, who being out in a larger population is too much stimulus for them,” Guckenberger said.

While individuals vary, residents with dementia can be agitated by loud noises and other stimuli.

A dining hall is not only a place to eat meals, but to socialize and play games with fellow residents at senior care facilities.

They also are prone to wander off in states of confusion.

In memory care units, residents have free range to move about the community, but for their safety, are secured from leaving the premises.

A physician evaluation can determine the type of residency that works best, Guckenberger said.

Those suffering from cognitive declines may be eligible for assisted living, rather than memory care units, she said.

Others, who are recuperating from severe body trauma, may be placed in skilled nursing facilities, she added.

Admission can be a result of incidents, such as falls or strokes, and are Intended to be short-term.

In some instances, a case manager, along with a physician, may decide that an individual is not able to live alone.

When that occurs, the individual may be referred to an assisted-living facility for long-term care.

Some facilities offer a single type of care, but others, such as Keystone Place, offer independent-living, assisted living and memory care residents.

Helping people to understand the different types and levels of care can help dispel the notion that seniors are stuck in a bed at these facilities, Guckenberger said.

Offering various daily options can help residents remain physically active and agile.

And, besides sharing meals in the dining room, residents congregate for other kinds of gatherings, too.

Movies theaters are one of the amenities that can be found at some senior care living facilities. Keeping residents engaged in daily activities is considered important in senior care circles.

Many facilities have a “Happy Hour” to promote opportunities to enjoy refreshments, listen to music and socialize.

At some senior living facilities, current residents serve as ‘ambassadors’ — welcoming newcomers, showing them around and introducing them to other residents, to help them feel at  home.

Making arts and crafts is another avenue — allowing residents to be productive and showcase their creative works.

At Keystone Place, the warm outdoor pool is a big hit, Guckenberger said, noting, “we’ve found that aqua-fitness is huge.”

There are also field trips, where residents can visit museums, malls or restaurants.

In addition to knowing what types of residencies, care and amenities are available, it’s also important to check into the financial aspects of senior living, Guckenberger said.

At the open houses, Keystone addressed not only insurance plans, but also encouraged seniors to compare expenses related to living at home versus those from living at a senior care facility.

While Medicaid and Social Security may help offset costs, there is still other coverage available – especially for former military.

For instance, there’s an Aid and Assistance benefit available to veterans and their spouses that many are unaware of, Guckenberger said.

Through the Elder Resource Benefits Consulting program, those who have served in the military may be eligible for financial assistance, if they meet certain criteria.

There’s a growing need for these types of living facilities, Guckenberger said.

Keystone Place opened last May, and its independent living section already has a waiting list.

Two upcoming open house sessions are scheduled at Keystone Place, 2200 Livingston Road in Land O’ Lakes, to help people gain a greater understanding of interacting with individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.

Those sessions are set for Feb. 27 and March 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Lunch will be provided and guests are encouraged to RSVP.

Reservations can be made at (813) 388-2121 or online at KeystonePlaceAtTerraBella.com/RSVP.

Published February 13, 2019

Medical staff elections announced

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Dr. George Giannakopoulos

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has announced the results of its medical staff elections for a two-year term, 2019 to 2020.

The following individuals were elected to serve on the Medical Executive Committee by members of the hospital’s medical staff:

  • General Staff: Dr. George Giannakopoulos, chief of staff; Dr. Keshav Remireddy, vice chief of staff; and Dr. Chirag Patel, secretary/treasurer
  • Department of Medicine: Dr. Jose Pascual, chairman; Dr. Mrunal Shah, vice chairman; and Dr. L. Venu, member-at-large
  • Department of Surgery: Dr. Craig Bennett, chairman; Dr. Kevin Spires, vice chairman; and Dr. Arthur Verga, member-at-large

$75 million hospital expansion expected to open in 2020

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Motorists driving near St. Joseph’s Hospital-North may wonder why there’s a massive crane towering over the medical center.

The answer’s simple: The hospital is undergoing a $75 million expansion that will double its capacity and will support additional services.

An aerial view of the $75 million construction expansion underway at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. This photograph was captured by a drone. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Construction crews already have built four additional operating suites in shelled spaces that were included during the original construction, and the work continues on a two-floor expansion.

“We recently celebrated our topping out, which is tradition in the construction world when that final beam of steel goes up,” said Sara Dodds, operations director at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

Each of the new floors in the hospital will have 54 patient rooms, Dodds said.

The expansion is expected to be finished and ready for use in early 2020, roughly a decade after the hospital opened , at 4211 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

Enlarging the facility was always part of the long-term plan, but area growth prompted the work to be done sooner than originally expected, Dodds said.

And, population growth continues within the hospital’s primary service area, which is within a 5-mile radius.

Between 2018 and 2023, the expected growth within that area is about 7.5 percent, which is more than double the 3.5 expected growth rate of the United States during that period.

Sara Dodds, the operations director at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, is overseeing an expansion that aims to address needs in an area that’s growing at twice the pace of the rest of the United States. (B.C. Manion)

Plus, more than 25 percent of that growth is expected to be people who are 65 and older, and 11.4 percent is ages 55 to 64, age groups which tend to have a greater need for health care services, Dodds said.

The expansion aims to respond to those growing needs.

“We’re doubling our inpatient bed capacity. So, currently we have 108 beds, and we’ll be going to 216 beds,” she said.

Other elements of the expansion include adding to the hospital’s intensive care unit, its progressive care units, and its area for physical and respiratory therapy.

The hospital also will have a dedicated hemodialysis unit, enabling it to expand its outpatient infusions.

When the expansion is completed and the patient rooms are full, the hospital expects to add around 200 positions, including clinical staff and support services.

Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, the competition of the project will roughly coincide with the hospital’s 10-year anniversary.

At the time of its opening, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North was the first new hospital that had been built in Hillsborough County for 30 years. Before that, area residents had to drive for miles to get to the nearest hospital.

In another change, the hospital installed metal detectors in November.

“I often get the question: Did something happen? The answer is no. It’s just our organization’s commitment to add another layer of safety for our patients, our team, our physicians, our visitors,” Dodds said.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North
By the numbers – 2018
Discharges: 8081 (Inpatient only); 16,498 (discharges with observation patients)
Births: 429
Total Surgeries: 3,953
Total Endoscopies: 3,345
Total Cardiac Catheterizations: 790
Emergency Department Visits: 41,316
Team Members: 809

Published February 06, 2019

Lutz teen and her service dog are off to college

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Leigh Dittman knew she’d need some help when she got to college.

After all, the Lutz resident lives life from her wheelchair.

She was born with a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.

The disease prevents her body from absorbing needed calcium levels due to a collagen deficiency.

Lutz resident and University of Tampa freshman student Leigh Dittman with her service dog, Nerf. Dittman suffers from a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, which makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures. Nerf responds to more than 40 commands, including retrieving dropped items for Leigh, pulling her wheelchair, carrying her backpack, and other tasks that enable her to lead a more independent life. (Courtesy of Canine Companions)

Simply put, the condition makes her bones weaker than normal and more prone to fractures.

“It’s like a sponge,” Leigh said. “It doesn’t matter how much milk I drink; my body can only handle so much.”

The number of people affected with osteogenesis imperfecta in the United States is unknown.

Estimates range from as few as 20,000 and as many as 50,000, according to the Osteogenesis Foundation.

Throughout her school years leading to college, Leigh had a one-on-one aide who would help get her to and from class.

As she geared up for her freshman year at the University of Tampa, though, she wanted more independence.

Leigh put it this way: “With college, I’m training to be an adult, and I can’t be a successful adult if I’m relying on another adult.”

That’s where Nerf enters the picture.

The 3-year-old, black Labrador/golden retriever mix is a highly-trained service dog that responds to more than 40 commands.

He retrieves dropped items like pencils and water bottles for Leigh. He pulls her wheelchair around campus. He carries her backpack. He can even close doors, and turn light switches on and off.

In certain cases, Nerf doesn’t even need to be told what to do.

“He reads what I need,” said the freshman nursing student.

“At home, I’m notorious for dropping my socks when I put my clothes away, so at this point, I don’t even tell him to pick it up. He just sees it and he’s like, ‘I know what you need.’”

The bond between owner and dog goes beyond helping with everyday tasks.

Nerf is always there, at her side
Besides providing practical support, Nerf adds emotional support and companionship, too, when times are stressful, and when Leigh is feeling overwhelmed from her class load and final exams.

“He’ll curl up right next to me, and he’ll just stay there while I get work done; it’s just nice to reach over and have him sitting there,” she said.

Nerf came to Leigh by way of Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

The organization provides dogs and related services free of charge.

It presently has more than 2,300 active graduate teams nationwide.

Fourteen of those teams — including Nerf and Leigh— are based in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Leigh came across Canine Companions a few years ago and decided to apply to the organization’s wait list.

Her family had never had a dog, let alone a pet of any kind.

Naturally, it took a bit of persuading to get the go-ahead from her parents for her to apply for the program. But, they eventually relented.

“I was like, ‘It’s a pet, but it’s a helpful pet,’” Leigh joked.

Since they were matched last summer, the two have been inseparable.

Leigh had to wait about three years after applying to be selected for a service dog.

Nerf and Leigh paired following a rigorous two-week training session at Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center in Orlando.

During training, Leigh learned all of Nerf’s commands and how to properly care for him.

She worked with several other dogs during the training stay, but Nerf proved to be the best to meet her unique needs.

Leigh recalls Nerf being goofy and energetic when they first met. At the same time, he was gentle and sweet, she said.

“I loved him from the beginning; he just fit,” Leigh said.

From the outset, even before training began, Canine Companions trainers had an inkling Nerf would be Leigh’s choice, said Jen Hanes, participant program manager at the Canine Companions Southeast Regional Center.

Hanes said Nerf had the ideal temperament and skills for someone with Leigh’s disability.

Nerf is calm, responsive and loves to work, yet isn’t so high energy that he requires more management on Leigh’s part, Hanes explained.

“There’s more than one dog that could work with Leigh, but we felt like Nerf was just the perfect match for her,” Hanes said.

The match has been life changing, Leigh said, noting it’s now impossible to imagine not having Nerf at her side.

Sometimes, the college student will leave Nerf at home to go to a concert or friend’s house. When she’s without him, she feels “very untethered” and “like part of me is missing.”

“It’s weird if don’t have him,” Leigh said. “I mean, it’s like as if I didn’t have my wheelchair; I don’t leave if I don’t have it.”

The bond they share goes both ways
Leigh depends on Nerf and Nerf depends on Leigh.

“He’s so well-trained and he can do so many things, but at the same time he is a pet. He does need to be cared for and loved, and made sure that he is healthy and things like that,” Leigh explained.

Nerf is a magnet for attention when the two are out and about.

People come up “all the time” to try to pet Nerf, as the two of them the University of Tampa campus, she said.

“I definitely had quite a few people in my classes last semester asking me questions,” Leigh said. “It can be a good conversation because it can be a good education for people that don’t have service animals.”

Meanwhile, Leigh doesn’t ask for special treatment from others.

“I never expect people to make accommodations or to treat me differently,” Leigh said. “I just may need to take the ramp instead of the stairs.”

She prides herself on being an achiever; poised to accomplish many of the same goals of able-bodied people.

At Gaither High School, Leigh graduated at the top of her senior class.

She played in the school’s Chamber Orchestra.

She was president of the American Sign Language Club.

She went to football games and enjoyed hanging out with friends.

“I was very active,”  Leigh said. “I had that drive and the attitude of, ‘I’m going to do well, therefore I will do well.’”

She’s taken that same approach with her to college, with a goal of becoming a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.

With Nerf at her side, of course.

Published February 06, 2019

Health News 02/06/2019

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BayCare welcomes Stephanie Fenlon
Dr. Stephanie Fenlon has joined BayCare Medical Group and will practice at 4211 Van Dyke Road, Suite 101A, in Lutz, for patients age 18 and older.

Dr. Fenlon is board certified in internal medicine. She is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, American College of Osteopathic Internists and the American Association for Physician Leadership.

Fenlon received a master’s degree in medical management after earning a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

For information, visit BayCareMedicalGroup.org.

Robotic-assisted knee replacement
The Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54, is now offering an advanced robotic-assisted treatment option for knee replacement. This option is designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis.

The procedure utilizes advanced software and instrumentation to tailor each procedure to the patient’s anatomy, in order to optimize implant fit and alignment.

The hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Total Hips and Total Knees Certification.

High-performing hospital
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has been named a 2018-2019 High Performing Hospital for hip replacements by U.S. News and World Report.

The analysis of hospitals includes data from nearly 5,000 centers across multiple medical specialties, procedures and medical conditions.

Scores are based on a variety of patient outcome and care-related factors, such as patient safety and nurse staffing.

To be nationally ranked in a specialty, a hospital must excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients.

Health challenges don’t dim this boy’s optimism

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Eric Piburn’s cheerful demeanor and active nature are not what one would typically expect from someone who has lived the bulk of his life — in and out of hospitals.

Though he’s a lively 12-year-old who enjoys running, jumping and playing with toys — he was born with two congenital heart defects.

Physicians did not expect him to live beyond infancy.

Eric spent his first three years living at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg,  unable to walk or talk.

Eric Piburn loves to show off his race car track, one of his many toy collections. Despite health complications, the 12-year-old enjoys keeping active and having fun. (Brian Fernandes)

“When we first brought Eric home, my husband and I were terrified,” his mother, Randi Piburn, recalled.

Randi and her husband, Dave, already were caring for Eric’s older sister Alex — who also had congenital heart defects, although Eric’s were more severe.

He lived longer than expected, and his health complications have increased, over time.

His body could not properly break down sugars and starches, and he began to suffer from acute renal failure.

He has breathing difficulties, too, requiring the use of an oxygen mask and tank at all times.

He has survived four open heart surgeries.

His mother prepares his daily medication involving fluid and syringes. They both know the drill.

“This is his norm,” Randi said.

“Wearing oxygen is not an issue for him. Being on breathing treatments is not an issue for him,” she added.

Eric also must wear a backpack that pumps his medication into his chest through a tube, and his nutrition follows a daily regimen, too.

He drinks most of his water in the morning. He eats pureed food in the afternoon and evening.

He samples solid food, on rare occasions, but when he does, the portion is only about half the size of a grain of rice, Randi said.

Still, it’s  a long way from the days of a liquid-only diet passed through a feeding tube into Eric’s intestines.

Years of medical treatment have inspired Eric to desire a career as a cardiologist – like the one who looks after him.

“When I grow up, I want to be just like him so I can work on surgeries, do appointments and check-ups,” he said.

He has spent much of his life being treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, which has led to developing friendships with the hospital’s staff.

Birthday party will raise money for expenses
Randi, a former respiratory therapist, gave up her job to care for Alex.

Dave is a full-time nurse.

Finances are challenging for the Wesley Chapel family.

“When you don’t know if you can pay your bill, it’s really scary,” Randi said.

“It’s hard to just buy groceries half the time.”

On top of that are the costs of medications, medical equipment and medical supplies.

An oxygen tank, for example, lasts only a week.

Plus, Eric has been denied for certain health benefits and doesn’t qualify for government assistance.

Dave’s employer covers some expenses, but not others.

Throughout the trials, though, Randi said she’s learned valuable lessons.

“I am giving the best world I can to him (Eric). He is then, in turn, giving back to me love, joy, [and] compassion that he shows people,” she said.

For instance, Eric’s party on Feb. 3 exemplifies his caring spirit, she said.

His birthday was in December, but he wants to have a party so the community can join in.

Eric said the party is for other kids, as much as it is for him.

He empathizes with the challenges that other kids face with health issues.

Going to the hospital can be scary, he said, but he reassures other kids that the staff is there to help them get well.

“As soon as you feel better, the sooner you can go outside, run, play, swing, have fun and be a kid,” Eric said.

And, despite continuing challenges, Eric remains optimistic: “It’s a tough nut to crack, but I’m sure I can crack it in a snap.”

The party will help pay for his medical expenses, but the home-schooled boy sees other benefits, too.

“First of all, I want to be kind to the world and, second, I like presents,” he said.

Eric’s Birthday Party
Where: Old McMicky’s Farm, 9612 Crescent Drive in Odessa
When: Feb. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $10 per ticket for those ages 2 and up
Details: Eric Piburn is inviting the community to celebrate his most recent birthday. There will be pizza, drinks, activities and a visit from superhero characters.
Info: Email . Tickets can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/yarpcmna.

Published January 30, 2019

Health News 01/30/2019

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First-place winner Arina Mubarakshina’s ‘Unsuspecting Victim’ poster (Courtesy of FloridaHealth.gov)

Bringing awareness to radon dangers
The Florida Department of Health highlighted National Radon Action Month in January with the announcement of the winners of the 2019 Florida Radon Poster Contest.

First place was awarded to Arina Mubarakshina, “Unsuspecting Victim.”

Second place went to Emma Ortiz’s “Radon Has No Upside.”

Ava Nash, “Safe Home, Safe Life” won third place; and honorable mention was for Lily Shahid’s “Radon Possesses Your Lungs.”

Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled or touched.

Radon in indoor air causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking.

For information on how to test your home for radon, visit Radon.FloridaHealth.gov.

New dental chair
The Department of Health Pasco Dental Program received a new dental operatory chair at the Cox Dental Clinic in Dade City.

The chair replaced a 20-year-old chair that was previously at the dental clinic, which was located at Cox Elementary School, and will aid in providing dental treatment for students at the Title 1 elementary school, and surrounding schools.

The new chair was purchased using Pasco County Special Project Funding, and cost $11,676.

AdventHealth Dade City is getting a major makeover

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A hospital that has served Dade City for decades is undergoing a substantial renovation — which will give it a new look and allow it to expand the services that the health care facility offers.

The project carries a $22.2 million price tag, including $20 million provided by AdventHealth Dade City’s parent company and $2.2 million raised locally, according to Jason Newmyer, administrator/vice president for AdventHealth Dade City.

Jason Newmyer stands in the old lobby of AdventHealth Dade City. The hospital is getting a massive makeover, which will give it a fresh look and will enable it to expand its services. (B.C. Manion)

The hospital is at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

The work, being done in four phases and expected to be completed by the end of this year, “is truly going to holistically change every aspect of this hospital,” the hospital administrator said.

The work ranges from new paint and flooring throughout the 100,000-square-foot facility, to new diagnostic equipment, to reopening two units in the hospital that were not operating when AdventHealth Dade City acquired it last April.

The new equipment includes a 128-slice CT scanner and a da Vinci surgical system.

The CT scanner will “do head and heart studies faster and more effective than anything we’ve ever had here at this hospital. And, as effective as anything that’s in the Tampa market,” Newmyer said.

“Strokes and heart attacks can be diagnosed here as fast and as accurate as any other facility — if not better,” he said.

The da Vinci surgical system allows physicians to perform minimally invasive surgeries robotically.

The hospital also plans to bring MRI equipment indoors, instead of having it outdoors in a truck, which is where it was when they acquired the hospital last year.

The changes are all in keeping with AdventHeath Dade City’s mission to be caretakers of health care in the community, Newmyer said.

The hospital’s staff realizes that patients want to feel cared for, want to feel safe, want to have their privacy protected and want to be able to trust that they are receiving a high quality of care, Newmyer said.

Comfort is important, too, he said.

“People now care about aesthetics and experience. We are very intentional about how we
redesign and build this space,” the hospital administrator said.

This is what the new interior of the lobby at AdventHealth Dade City will look like, once the renovation is completed. This view shows the interior, looking from the new chapel’s entry. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Dade City)

The upgrade involves taking advantage of the hospital’s existing capacity, Newmyer explained.

“When we purchased this hospital, two of the four units were dark — not being used,” he said.

One of those areas is being converted into a transitional care unit and the other will be used as a surgical unit.

The transitional care unit will enable the hospital to “take care of patients that are sicker and patients that have more physical needs, that need to be addressed from that post-acute care perspective in a way that this hospital and this community hasn’t been able to in the past,” Newmyer said.

The surgical unit will offer “a brand-new surgical experience for patients that come in here,” Newmyer added.

The pre-op unit will be vastly different, too. In the past, the area consisted of bays, separated by curtains. The new space will have individual rooms, which are larger than the previous bays — allowing privacy and the patient to have family wait there with them.

Other changes will be a new lobby, including a chapel, which will have a sliding door that resembles barn doors. That’s in keeping with Dade City’s agricultural roots, Newmyer said.

The cafeteria also is being overhauled. It will be larger, with indoor and outdoor seating, and will have a large table where families can sit together.

Besides having a fresh look and new equipment, the hospital expects to hire about three dozen new employees, Newmyer said, boosting its current staff of 300 by nearly 10 percent.

The hospital also is looking to bring on six more physicians this year, and is continuing to partner with local independent physicians, as well as large physician groups, he said.

The hospital is approved for 120 beds, but because two units have been turned off, it has only been using 60 beds.

Work is obviously underway at the hospital, with about half of its parking lot closed off.

Hospital operations continue, though, with people using different ways to get around the facility’s campus.

Efforts also are underway to secure the local contributions, Newmyer said, noting there will be naming opportunities for the operating room services, the chapel and the cafeteria.

The hospital welcomes community involvement — whether it be philanthropic support to friendship,” Newmyer said.

The hospital administrator invites anyone who would like to help, or even if they’d just like more information about the hospital’s renovation, to reach out to him.

Or, he said, you can just let him know that you’d like to visit for a cup of coffee and a tour.

He’s already given dozens.

Newmyer can be reached at

Published January 23, 2019