The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Plenty on tap for Pasco ASAP in 2019

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As it continues its mission to reduce the overuse and misuse of illicit drugs and alcohol, the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention has witnessed progress during several areas during the past year.

During 2018, Pasco County:

  • Saw its drug poisoning death rate, or overdoses, register a slight decrease — for the first time since 2014
  • Reported lower figures of illicitly used prescription pain relievers among its high school student population
  • Saw a decline in alcohol usage among youth in the county
  • Registered dips in other alcohol-use indicators, such as underaged drinking and impaired driving

Chrissie Parris, interim director for the alliance, which is also known as ASAP, characterized those reports as “big wins” and “good signs” for the county during a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) interim coordinator Chrissie Parris (Courtesy of Chrissie Parris)

“The message seems to be getting out there,” Parris said, regarding the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

But, there continues to be much work to be done by ASAP — a coalition which seeks to address the underlying issues of addiction, and ways to address and prevent it in among youths and adults.

The opioid crisis will continue to be a priority area for ASAP in 2019, Parris said.

Reducing alcohol abuse will be a key issue, too.

Parris said ASAP has seen an increase in total deaths in related to alcohol overconsumption —despite the decline in alcohol usage in the youth population countywide.

Chronic liver disease also remains one of the top 10 causes of death in Pasco, she said.

“Alcohol is never off of the table,” Parris said. “It’s still the most prevalent drug that we see.”

Meanwhile, she said the organization will seek to address a drug that has popped up on its radar of late: methamphetamine.

More drug users have turned to meth as law enforcement and health organizations crack down on other substances, she added.

“A lot of it has to do with availability and accessibility,” Parris said, also noting that meth “creates a strong psychological dependence very quickly.”

Parris said ASAP is trying to find ways to interface with meth users in the county.

Parris put it this way: “We have a hard time finding out, ‘What’s the underlying cause there?’ and ‘Why are we still turning to meth?’ It seems to be more of a cultural thing in certain pockets of the county.”

Another “big priority” for ASAP this year is reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues, Parris said.

Part of that involves increasing awareness regarding the need to recognize early signs and symptoms of possible mental illness, and helping those who are struggling to gain access to assistance.

The coalition also is working on several programming tracks with health care professionals, recovery community organizations and the faith-based community, to provide more awareness on available resources for substance abuse prevention and recovery.

There will also be several workshops and other general meetings throughout the year to engage youth, parents and other community members, Parris said.

“We’re trying to help everybody work better together, to fill in those gaps in services or pockets of need in our community.

“We’ll continue to build our action plans around drugs that we see trends with in Pasco County,” Parris said.

The alliance also plans to have its annual conference, “Strengthening Our Communities on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,” on May 14 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The event’s keynote speaker is Austin Eubanks, a Columbine survivor, who will discuss how he treated a lot of his emotional pain with opioids he was prescribed after being shot in the school shooting, and what communities can do for prevention, treatment, recovery and relapse prevention for substance abuse.

“It’s pretty powerful,” Parris said of Eubanks’ talk. “We’re really excited to have him on board.”

For more information on ASAP, visit PascoASAP.com, or call (727) 315-8658.

Published January 23, 2019

It’s not too late to protect yourself from the flu

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Ideally, the best time to get a flu shot is before flu season begins in October.

But, it’s still not too late to protect yourself before flu season hits its  peak, which is typically closer to February, said Dr. Melissa Wahba, an emergency room physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in Lutz.

Some people believe that getting a flu shot can cause them to get the flu, but that’s a misconception, said Dr. Melissa Wahba, an emergency department physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in Lutz. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

The most vulnerable populations are children under age 5, but especially under age 2; people over age 65; and, those with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and pregnant women, Wahba said.

Protection is important, to avoid potentially tragic consequences of being infected by the virus, she said.

“Influenza can certainly be a deadly virus and even if it is not life-threatening to yourself, contracting it likely means you’re going to pass it on to someone else, and it could be someone who falls into one of those high-risk categories,” she said.

She continued: “So, making a choice of whether or not to be vaccinated is not really just reflective of impact on yourself. It will impact those around you.

“That’s especially true if you are taking care of any of the patients in those high-risk populations.”

Plus, she added: “Health care personnel, day care workers, people who are working in dialysis units — anyone who is working with those more vulnerable populations — they have an even greater responsibility to make sure that they’re being vaccinated.”

There’s a common misconception that someone can get the flu by getting a flu shot.

“That is not true,” the emergency department doctor said. “Patients can have side effects from the flu vaccine, but they’re extremely mild. Most commonly, they might have redness, soreness, tenderness or some swelling at the site of the injection. Fewer might actually get a low-grade fever, a headache, or feel a little bit achy.”

Dr. Melissa Wahba, an emergency department physician at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in Lutz, said it’s not too late to benefit from getting a flu shot. The peak of the season generally begins around February.

It’s also important to know that it takes two weeks from the time you get the shot for it to take its full effect.

“This year’s vaccine includes protection against Influenza A H1NI, Influenza A H3N2, and Influenza B, and certainly, we are by far seeing the most cases of H1NI,” the doctor said.

“The vaccine is targeted directly against that particular subtype of Influenza  A. The vaccine itself seems to be right on par with what we’re seeing clinically,” Wahba said.

People sometimes say they have the flu, when they actually have a cold or a stomach virus, she said.

“Influenza is generally quite a bit worse than just a cold,” she said.

If you think you have the flu, it’s important to keep away from other people, she said.

In its early stages, a patient can go to urgent care, or use an App, to get medical attention.

When caught early enough, a doctor may be able to prescribe antiviral medication to help reduce the effects.

There are times, though, when patients need to go to the emergency department, the doctor said.

Adults should receive emergency care when:

  • The patient is having difficulty breathing, or experiencing rapid, shallow breathing
  • The patient isn’t able to drink
  • The patient is experiencing chest pain, abdominal pain, or confusion

Babies and small children should receive emergency care when:

  • A child cannot drink fluids; a baby cannot drink his or her bottle
  • There’s a decrease in a child’s wet diapers
  • There’s a decrease in tear production when a child is crying

She advises that patients pay close attention to their symptoms.

“Sometimes in the course of influenza, patients will have an improvement in their symptoms, and then they will actually get worsening of symptoms with fever and increased cough. Those patients should definitely come to the hospital. They could be developing one of the complications that we see with influenza,” Wahba said.

Even when the flu is not life-threatening, it still disrupts daily life, so the doctor recommends getting a flu shot to reduce the risk of becoming ill.

“Truthfully, as long as the virus is circulating, there is benefit to being immunized,” Wahba said.

“People who read this and go out and get vaccinated right away, will be protected before we hit peak season.”

Flu Symptoms
Influenza (also known as flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and, at times, can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

  • Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue (tiredness)

Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Reducing the impact
Antiviral treatment, prescribed by a doctor, works best when started soon after flu illness begins. When treatment is started within two days of becoming sick with flu symptoms, antiviral drugs can lessen fever and symptoms, and shorten the time you are sick. They also may reduce the risk of complications, such as ear infections in children, respiratory complications requiring antibiotics, and hospitalization in adults.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Help prevent the spread of flu

  • Get vaccinated
  • Wash your hands often, with soap and water (use an alcohol-based sanitizer if soap isn’t available)
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
  • If you get sick, stay home until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours (that is, your fever is gone for at least 24 hours without the assistance of a fever-reducing medication)

Source: The Florida Department of Health

Published January 23, 2019

Health News 01/23/2019

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Dr. Kiran Musunuru (right) is shown with his father, Dr. Rao Musunuru. (Courtesy of VInce Vanni and Associates)

Kiran Musunuru receives honor
The American Philosophical Society has honored Dr. Kiran Musunuru with the 2018 Judson Daland Prize, which included a prize honorarium of $50,000 for ‘achievement in patient oriented clinical research.’ Musunuru was recognized for discovering and characterizing novel genes involved in coronary artery disease, and also for pioneering the use of genome-editing tools to study these genes in human stem cells and to develop one-shot vaccinations against cardiovascular disease. He is currently an associate professor in cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania and current editor-in-chief for an international journal of the American Heart Association. The American Philosophical Society was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of ‘promoting useful knowledge.’

Employees are ‘aces’ to Access Health Care
Access Health Care Physicians LLC honored its employees at its annual ACES event (Access Celebrates Excellent Service).

Xilefeny Sabatar, Human Resources specialist, winner of the ‘Ray Of Sunshine’ award, stands next to Maynard The HIPAA Hippo, the official Access mascot. (Courtesy of Vince Vanni and Associates)

The winners were nominated by fellow team members, and were awarded a certificate, a trophy and eight hours of paid time off.

Those receiving recognition were:

  • Best Attitude – Kwok Wong
  • Best Coworker – Diane Dearing
  • Best Skills – Keith Katherina
  • Dirty Job – Mark Leach
  • Most Dependable “The Rock” – Marcela Wells
  • Most Hospitable – Doreen Ruggiero
  • Most Humble – Paula Roberts
  • Most Tactful – Bret Harrop
  • Most Teachable – Ronda Mitchell
  • Participation – Carolyn Dean
  • Person of Integrity – Sherry Fyock
  • Ray of Sunshine – Xilefeny Sabatar
  • Team Player – Justine Wheeler
  • Unsung Hero – Joanna Gambina
  • HIPAA Hero – Natasha Foster

Opioids and Narcan
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing and Annenberg School of Communication have created a seven-minute virtual reality Narcan training session that a recent pilot study showed was as effective as in-person simulation training for health care providers.

Narcan, the FDA-approved nasal spray available without a prescription, can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in less than five minutes.

Most people don’t know about it or are unfamiliar with how to use it or what to do after it is administered.

With this new virtual reality tool, Penn researchers hope to change that.

For more information, visit PennToday.upenn.edu, and search “virtual reality.”

Medical staff officers
The Medical Center of Trinity has announced its current medical staff officers. These officers will hold the position for two years and include:

  • Medical Staff — Dr. Daniel Rodriguez, chief of staff; Dr. Usha Agarwal, vice chief of staff; and Dr. Peter Candelora, treasurer.
  • Department of Medicine — Dr. Jigneshkumar Patel, chief; and, Dr. Mahathi Reddy, vice chief.
  • Department of Surgery — Dr. Keith Chisholm, chief; and, Dr. Parveen Vahora, vice chief.

Zephyrhills class addresses cognitive disabilities

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Raising a child with developmental issues can be a complex situation for many parents.

Understanding a child’s physiology, as well as health needs, can help parents in making favorable accommodations.

Helping to increase that understanding was the mission set out by Dr. Christopher Schriver during a class last month at the Creation Health and Wellness Center in Zephyrhills.

Dr. Christopher Schriver, far right, explains the physiology of the brain and how it relates to attention-deficit disorder and autism, during a class at Creation Health and Wellness. (Brian Fernandes)

The course, open to the public, was geared toward helping the community to have a clearer understanding of attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and autism.

Both are neurological disorders, which can hinder a person’s cognitive skills beginning at infancy.

Schriver, a chiropractor at the Frank Clinic of Chiropractic in Zephyrhills, thoroughly explained these conditions to the audience.

He used slides to display areas of the brain affected by these disorders, such as the limbic region, cerebellum and prefrontal cortex.

Attention-deficit disorder affects someone’s ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

Autism involves a broad spectrum that may affect such issues as attention, language skills and social behavior to various degrees.

“I almost look at ADD as a very minor form of autism,” said Schriver.

He reasoned that both tend to affect the same areas of the brain, such as the frontal lobe.

When this lobe is suppressed, those with ADD are not able to focus properly, while those with autism may be disturbed by bright lights or loud sounds.

A person’s reflexes to touch can be delayed as well.

While it’s typical for children at 4 months old to 6 months old to respond by turning their head when gently stroked on the cheek, those afflicted by these conditions may not demonstrate any response.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5 percent of children in the United State have ADD.

One in every 59 children is diagnosed as autistic, and it is four times as prevalent among boys as it is among girls.

While Shriver was growing up, he played football and frequently sustained injuries, which led to trips to a local chiropractor.

His affinity for sports and an interest in aiding the body led him to a medical career.

“I started learning more about what chiropractic can do,” Schriver explained, noting he learned more about the holistic side of the career — not just treating back and neck pain.

He also became intrigued by neurological issues and how they can be addressed.

By reading the book, “Why Isn’t My Brain Working,” by Datis Kharrazian, the chiropractor said he began to understand that there was more than a nutritional component to a healthy mind.

This led him to start assisting underdeveloped kids with various exercises.

Schriver also talked about the importance of a balance in autoimmune cells in the body and how to increase them.

ADD and autism have no known cure, but they can be treated, Shriver said.

Diet plays an important role, he said.

He recommends avoiding products such as artificial food coloring, artificial sugar, MSG, soy and dairy.

Linda Schwartz, who was at the lecture, said the remarks about diet resonated with her.

Her 14-year-old grandson, Marcus, has autism and must stay away from foods that contain dairy, gluten and grains, she said.

“It is a very expensive diet – all organic,” she said, but added, “It’s helped immensely in everything.”

Marcus’ family didn’t pick up on the signs of his condition until he was about 5 years old.

“His is what they call social autism, which is like Asperger’s [syndrome],” explained Schwartz. “He will, for the rest of his life, be at 50 percent growth socially.”

Although she has attended multiple seminars on the issue, she said that she did learn new information during Schriver’s lecture – such as how different parts of the brain react.

She said Marcus has difficulty making friends because of his anger issues and his inability to filter what he says to others.

Schwartz said she worries about whether her grandson will remain committed to his diet when he becomes an adult.

Schriver said he understands these kind of sentiments, from his experiences of working one-on-one with underdeveloped children.

At times, he is there to help when parents need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen as they vent their frustrations.

“Any parent with a child with a learning disability is just a saint,” Schriver said.

For information on upcoming classes, contact Schriver at .

Published January 9, 2019

Health News 01/09/2019

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Lighthouse receives club donation
GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club member Marsha Gibson (right), who is visually impaired, presented a donation check to Sylvia Perez, CEO of Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind-Pasco, Hernando and Citrus, on behalf of the club. The money will benefit the Pasco Lighthouse for the Blind Legacy Building Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Hospital now AdventHealth
Florida Hospital facilities, as well as hundreds of physician practices, urgent care centers and other medical sites across the country, are now officially known as AdventHealth, as part of a new consumer-centric brand launch.

Adventist Health System announced several months ago that the organization and its wholly owned hospitals and care sites would adopt the AdventHealth name.

AdventHealth is headquartered in Altamonte Springs and has nearly 50 hospitals and more than 80,000 team members in nearly a dozen states.

There are 30 AdventHealth hospitals and freestanding emergency departments in Florida, providing advanced health care to residents coast-to-coast.

Under one unified brand, consumers can easily identify and navigate the entire system of care.

New programs and initiatives will be launched throughout the year, as part of AdventHealth’s commitment to whole-person health, clinical excellence and making health care easier for consumers to navigate.

Patient reunion
The Heart Institute at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point hosted a TAVR reunion with many of its TAVR patients.

The get-together celebrated the hospital’s achievement of 121 TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) procedures.

This minimally invasive surgical procedure repairs the valve without removing the old, damaged valve. It instead wedges a replacement valve into the aortic valve’s place.

The surgery can be called TAVR or TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implementation).

Dr. Keshav Remireddy, medical director of the TAVR program, said in a release, “Things are happening rapidly in the field of cardiology and we’re not done yet.”

National honor for hospital
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (formerly Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) received the 2018 Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award for achieving and sustaining excellence in the category of patient experience.

The award is measured through random, voluntary patient surveys, and the scores are measured against hundreds of hospitals across the country.

This is the third time the Wesley Chapel hospital has received the Guardian of Excellence for its inpatient services.

Best hospitals chosen by women
Six AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital) locations in the West Florida Division have been named America’s Best Hospitals by the 2019 Women’s Choice Award.

  • Wesley Chapel: best for obstetrics and patient safety
  • Zephyrhills: best for stroke centers, orthopedics, heart care and patient safety
  • Carrollwood: best for bariatric surgery, stroke centers and patient safety
  • Tampa: best for bariatric surgery and orthopedics
  • Heartland Medical Center: best for orthopedics, heart care and patient safety

For more information on America’s Best Hospitals, visit WomensChoiceAward.com/awarded/healthcare/.

Rebranding effort aims to simplify life for patients

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Florida Hospital’s parent company, Adventist Health System, will change its name and the name of all of its wholly owned entities to AdventHealth, effective Jan. 2.

That means 11,000 new signs are going up across the country to signal the change.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will have an AdventHealth sign on its main building, and will say AdventHealth at Wesley Chapel on its door.

The system’s hospitals in Dade City and Zephyrhills will also get new names as part of a rebranding effort that aims to make life simpler for the patients under the provider’s care, said Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO at what will become AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

“This truly just unifies us under the same name.

“We want to create a highly integrated, connected network, that is all branded under the same name, so that people can identify our services and our care, throughout whatever community they may be (in),” the hospital executive said.

“Our plans and our goals are to continually work towards that integrated delivery care network, and to become a national health care system, that is recognized throughout the states that we’re in and to continue to  expand those services.”

Right now, the health care provider operates 48 hospitals in nine states, Bales-Chubb said.

“That’s the smallest part of our operation. In addition to that, then, we have literally hundreds of outpatient services. We have home health. We have long-term care. We have clinics. We have free standing EDs. We have physician offices, and they are all branded under a different name,” she said.

Denyse Bales-Chubb

As part of its rebranding effort, Adventist took all 80,000 employees through a standardized training session, Bales-Chubb said.

“We wanted to have the same service standards across all of our hospitals, because when you change your name, it should mean something,” she said.

“We want to make sure that accessing health care, navigating through our system is easy for our patients and their families,” she said.

The health care provider also wants to deliver a level of care that people seek out wherever they go, Bales-Chubb said, “because they know it’s going to be different, and they know it’s going to be special.

“Our goal is to never discharge a patient,” she said.

So, when a patient is in the hospital, they work with people who are called navigators within the hospital to help the patient get whatever appointments for whatever follow-up services they need, she explained.

That can mean going back to their primary care physician, or receiving services from a variety of providers, she said.

“If they need to go and have physical therapy, then that’s navigating them to that physical therapy.

But then, when patients see the common name across the system, she said, “they know that they are getting that continuum of care,” Bales-Chubb said.

Florida Hospital Center Ice also is being renamed. Its new name will be AdventHealth Center Ice.

Published January 2, 2019

Staying calm in a crisis

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Crisis situations seem to be growing rapidly in this time of change and uncertainty.

Emotional turmoil and negative behavior seems to be on the rise, spanning from verbal abuse to physical assault.

Schools and agencies are now required to intervene more often for the safety and protection of students, staff and clients, and have a responsibility to train staff to safely and effectively deal with reasonably foreseeable situations.

Handle With Care, a crisis intervention training program, offers the tips below when responding to someone who is becoming out of control.

Be attuned to signals of potential crisis behavior:

There is usually a change of behavior before physical aggression occurs, which can include:

  • Verbal clues: what is being said, such as insults or threats
  • Non-verbal clues: how something is being said, including voice, volume, rate of speech and tone
  • Body language, such as body tenseness, leaning forward, pacing, finger-pointing or hand-clenching

Reduce potential for conflict through these actions or words:

  • Remain calm and in control
  • Only one person should speak at a time
  • Respect personal space
  • Be aware of not only what you say, but how you say it
  • Keep natural eye contact and put in place a direct line of communication
  • In a team intervention, the team member with the best relationship should be the “talker”
  • Set clear, consistent and enforceable limits
  • Take immediate action in dangerous or life-threatening situations

Crisis programs can provide training for agencies, schools, hospitals, organizations and parents who care for children and people who have the potential of being aggressive, violent or out of control toward themselves and other.

Experts also can be available to talk about emotional trauma, feelings of insecurity or fear, and provide information about connecting to community resources.

Published January 2, 2019

Health News 01/02/2019

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(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Pharmacists awarded certification
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point announced that, from left: Brittany Petrosky, Pharm.D., BCCCP; Nicholas K. Rigopoulous, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCGP; Kris Miley, Pharm.D., BCPS; and Erika Mooney, Pharm.D., BCPS and have received National Board Certifications by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). All four passed a rigorous certification exam by the board.

 


Hospital receives award for organ donation awareness
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has been recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services with a Platinum Award for its activities to increase enrollment in the state registry as organ, eye and tissue donors.

Regional Medical was informed by LifeLink of Florida that the award was in recognition of Bayonet Point’s organ donor registration efforts between Oct. 1, 2017 and April 30, 2018.

The hospital hosted various donor registry events in high traffic areas of the hospital, had a donation flag raising ceremony for its staff and the community, and ran a campaign of hospital public service announcements on its internal cable channel.

Presentations about organ, eye and tissue donations also were made, and posters were displayed throughout the facility.

The hospital even joined with an organ recipient who showed appreciation for staff efforts regarding the donation process.

Bilirakis bill to help heart patients
The Congenital Heart Future Reauthorization Act sponsored by Congressman Gus Bilirakis has been signed into law.

This legislation addresses the need to invest in continued research to assist the millions of Americans living with congenital heart disease (CHD).

The legislation seeks to build upon the success by ensuring continued investment in surveillance research to assess the lifelong needs of individuals with CHD.

Emphasis also is placed upon the need for continued biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of CHD.

This is the 26th bill authored by Bilirakis to become law since 2015.

Robotic breast reconstruction
Women who undergo a mastectomy to remove cancerous tissue or as a preventive measure because of a heightened genetic risk of breast cancer may choose reconstructive surgery.

One option is to use their own tissue for the reconstruction, which can achieve a more natural appearance and is a more permanent solution, compared with implant-based reconstructive surgeries.

According to a news release, surgeons from the University of Pennsylvania are the first in the world to use a surgical robot to assist with a bilateral free flap breast reconstruction, a procedure in which tissue is taken from the lower abdomen (similar to a tummy tuck), and used to rebuild the breast.

The technique enables surgeons to make a much smaller incision into the abdominal wall muscles, allowing patients to recover and to be discharged quicker, without the use of addictive narcotic painkillers.

For information, visit PennToday.upenn.edu, and click on the Health Sciences link.

 

 

 

Health News 12/26/2018

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New MADD national president
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has announced Helen Witty as its new national president, effective Jan. 1.

Witty joined MADD in 2000, after her 16-year-old daughter, Helen Marie, was killed by a drunk and drugged driver while rollerblading on a designated bike path near the family’s home.

As president, Witty will serve as national spokesperson and chief advocate for MADD, which grew from a grassroots movement started up by a grieving mother in 1980 to one of the most influential and effective organizations in history.

In addition to her work with MADD, Witty spent nine years as a Delta Air Lines employee and eight years as a college advisor in Miami-Dade Public Schools.

Helping kids have a happy holiday
Florida Hospital at Connerton Long Term Acute Care in Land O’ Lakes has been collecting gifts for children within the Eckerd Youth Foster Angel Program.

More than 130 gifts were delivered to 20 children, in an effort to ensure they have a happy holiday.

Surgery expansion
Following the opening of Pasco County’s first Neuro Interventional program and Comprehensive Stroke Center, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point will undertake a major renovation and expansion of the hospital’s surgical services.

The project includes enlarging and updating the hospital’s existing operating rooms, construction of a new Sterile Processing Department and an expansion of the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).

The 19,000-square-foot venture involves the internal renovation of operating rooms and PACU at a projected cost of $14.7 million.

New construction will be at the south end of the hospital — the opposite end of the hospital’s emergency room. The build out will not impact existing roads or visitor parking.

The expansion and renovation is expected to take approximately 14 months to complete.

Straight As for patient safety
Florida Hospital West Florida Division once again earned the highest marks possible for patient safety and quality.

The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, announced the Top Hospitals in the country, and Florida Hospital Carrollwood, Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Sebring, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills all received the Top General Hospital award.

This is the second top designation for Florida Hospital Carrollwood, and the first for Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Gulfside is expanding
Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care announced plans to expand the company’s care options by becoming Gulfside Healthcare Services.

With the expansion, Gulfside Healthcare will now offer an option for skilled home health, furthering its mission to provide a comprehensive circle of personalized care.

The option of skilled home health services will encourage patients and their loved ones to participate in the healing process side-by-side, in the comfort of their own home.

Beginning in March, the home health services will be offered in Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, alongside its current hospice services in Pasco County and palliative services in Pasco and Hillsborough.

For information, visit GHPPC.org.

BayCare wants to build new hospital in Pasco

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BayCare has received preliminary approval of an application to build a new 60-bed hospital on a 111-acre site, at the northeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and Overpass Road.

The Agency for Health Care Administration on Dec. 10 announced preliminary approval of the hospital’s application for a Certificate of Need.

Tommy Inzina, president/CEO of BayCare (Courtesy of BayCare)

As part of its application, BayCare outlined plans that include:
• Construction of the hospital
• Recruitment of primary care practitioners
• Implementation of additional behavioral health services
• A commitment to community outreach, wellness and education activities
• An investment in training and education for Pasco County school students interested in health care careers.

Tommy Inzina, president/CEO of BayCare, said the new hospital would provide medical services in a growing area of Pasco County.

The proposed site meshes well with the hospital’s need to take the long view, Inzina said, noting, “hospitals have to have a plan for 50 or 100 years.”

When BayCare was considering locating a hospital in Pasco, it began looking north of Wesley Chapel, to meet the growing need moving north along the Interstate 75 corridor, the hospital executive said.

BayCare wanted a site near Interstate 75, to make the site easily accessible, and it wanted 50 acres or more of land, Inzina said.

“There’s just not an infinite number of sites that would meet that definition,” Inzina said.

The property at I-75 and Overpass Road fit the bill.

Inzina noted the property is “a large enough piece of property to not only accommodate the hospital needs today, but what the needs might look like 30, 40, 50 years into the future.”

There are plans to create an interchange at I-75 and Overpass Road, and the area is poised for considerable growth, as new developments occur in the state-approved Connected City corridor, which covers about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County, bordered by I-75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

The timing for construction of the new hospital is unclear at this point, Inzina said.

Adventist Health, which operates Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and Florida Hospital Dade City in Pasco County, has raised objections to BayCare’s application.

Inzina said BayCare expects to know by early January whether Adventist Health will appeal.

Inzina said the state was aware of the objections that were raised and BayCare’s responses, when it issued its preliminary approval for the Certificate of Need.

“If they (Adventist Health) appeal this, it could take perhaps up to a year to work through the appeals process,” Inzina said.

Meanwhile, BayCare will continue preparing for the new hospital, Inzina said.

“You can’t begin construction without a Certificate of Need, but we can do all of the planning we want to,” he said. For example, the hospital can work to secure the proper zoning for the land.

Typically, it takes 3 ½ to 4 years for a hospital project to be completed, including design, permitting and construction, Inzina said.

No specific figures are available for the project’s cost, but Inzina offered a rough estimate ranging from $250 million to $300 million.

BayCare expects hospital construction to bring hundreds of jobs to the area. It also expects about 300 permanent positions at the hospital by the second year of hospital operations.

Additionally, BayCare expects the hospital’s economic impact to include surrounding growth, including medical offices and other businesses.

BayCare Health System operates 15 hospitals in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida regions.

Published December 19, 2018