The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Physician of the Quarter

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(Courtesy of Tiffany Scalone)

Nephrologist Dr. George Muthalakuzhy was named Physician of the Quarter at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, in Lutz. The award recognizes exceptional doctors for clinical leadership and quality care for patients, based on nominations from hospital staff. According to his colleagues, Dr. Muthalakuzhy is ‘extremely passionate, thoughtful and diligent when working with patients. He is all around a pleasure to work with, and is so nice and accommodating to team members and patients.’

Youth vaping a growing concern in Pasco

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Health officials in Pasco County are concerned about rising numbers of local teens who are using electronic cigarettes, or vaping.

Last year, about 25 percent of Florida high school students reported current use of electronic vaping, according to the Florida Department of Health. That marked a staggering 58 percent increase compared to 2017.

Representatives from the Florida Department of Health of Pasco County discussed youth e-cigarette use at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (Kevin Weiss)

The figures might be even higher in Pasco County, according to Jenae Haddocks, a health educator with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“What we’re seeing is Pasco is above average as far as youth initiation in e-cigs and vape use, and above state average for that, so that’s not good,” Haddocks said at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

“We’re having a hard time trying to address it,” she added.

Exacerbating the vaping issue, Haddocks said, is a lack of oversight by e-cigarette retailers, along with a lack of regulation on e-cig products and flavors by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Haddocks pointed out e-cigs and related products can be purchased online with minimal or no type of age verification. “Kids can go online and purchase these products. It’s kind of surprising,” she said.

E-cigarette devices heat a liquid that produces an aerosol, or vapor. That liquid usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

Long-term health effects of vaping remain unknown.

However, some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could be harmful to the lungs in the long-term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Moreover, the Florida Department of Health reports that the CDC has stated that that a single e-cig liquid pod of the popular e-cigarette brand JUUL contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

Haddocks suggested e-cigarettes makers are marketing to youth and teenagers with pods that have “candylike or sweet flavoring” – flavors like bubblegum, fruit punch, candy cane, and crème brulee, to name a few.

The speaker noted the labeling of some of these pods even resemble that of candy products such as Sour Patch Kids or Bubblicious Original Bubble Gum. Such labeling makes e-cigs seem less harmful and more appealing for teens to try, Haddocks said.

The Florida Department of Health has seen a staggering increase in the number of teenagers vaping or using electronic cigarettes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health)

Currently, the JUUL brand and related sweet vapor flavorings, Haddock noted, “are really, really popular among youth right now.”

She put it like this: “Of course, adults do like those flavorings, but who’s more likely to buy bubble gum or Bubblicious at a gas station — a 12-year-old or a 35-year-old?”

Aside from nicotine and other unknown chemicals, the speaker went on to explain that e-cigarettes and vape products can be manipulated with illicit substances.

Haddocks said some Pasco County teens have been caught with e-cig pods that test positive for alcohol, THC, cannabis and other substances.

Said Haddocks: “They’re smoking things laced with who knows what and they don’t know half the time, so that’s kind of turning into an even bigger issue that we’re seeing.”

She added: “It’s kind of a growth issue that we have right now in Pasco.”

Meanwhile, Haddocks said general tobacco use among children under 18 years old remains “a big issue” in the county.

She pointed out the younger that someone is when first trying tobacco, the more likely that person is to become a lifelong tobacco user, or to abuse tobacco for years to come.

“Ninety percent of adult smokers begin at or before the age of 18. It’s a huge concern,” she said.

To better combat such youth initiation, Haddocks advised the community to educate youth on the dangers of tobacco products and other drugs.

Published May 01, 2019

Upgrades on tap for AdventHealth Dade City hospital

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With construction ramping up at AdventHealth Dade City, patients and staffers will soon have access to some of the new amenities and upgrades as part of $22 million in capital improvements headed to the health care facility.

An update on the various upgrades was shared in a presentation by Dr. Rodrigo Torres, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Dade City, at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting.

AdventHealth Dade City is getting a $22 million makeover in the way of new care units, technology and services. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Dade City)

The latest addition to the health care facility is a 45-bed transitional care unit, which launches on May 1.

It’s one of the many enhanced facilities the hospital will see throughout 2019.

Torres described the unit as “a rehab center, but with higher capability.”

Patients discharged from in-patient stay will be able to be at the rehab center, but still have access to hospital services, surgeons, orthopedics and other medical staff. They’ll go to the rehab center because of medical necessity, to finish medications, to work on strength and balancing, and so on.

The unit projects to have a patient volume of 300 this year, and a patient volume of 1,000 in subsequent years.

“This is going to be something great that we look forward to,” Torres said.

Across from the transitional care unit is another wing that will house post-operative patients along with patients requiring a higher level of care, Torres said.

The interior of the wing is currently being retrofitted with a fresh paint job, new flooring, new bathrooms and more.

“Everything is brand new, literally from the floor all the way up,” Torres said. “The bathrooms look better than the ones at my house.”

Other aesthetic upgrades throughout the 100,000-square-foot facility include a new lobby and overhauled cafeteria, and even a chapel.

It’s all about providing patients at the 120-bed facility the best care possible, Torres said.

“We are tearing down the walls,” Torres said, “to make sure this facility can be the best that it can be.”

Several medical equipment upgrades also are on tap at the hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

That includes an outpatient X-ray machine and an on-site MRI machine that Torres called “the latest and the greatest.”

AdventHealth Dade City’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rodrigo Torres was the featured speaker The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April breakfast meeting. Torres discussed many of the new upgrades coming to the 120-bed, 100,000-square-foot health care facility. (Kevin Weiss)

Additionally, the hospital has since implemented a robotic surgery program with the da Vinci Si Surgical System.

Torres explained the robotic system — controlled by a surgeon from a console — is used by general surgeons, urologists and gynecologists for complex minimally invasive procedures, including hernia repairs and gall bladder removals.

He noted the da Vinci machine becomes useful for surgeries that may take several hours, where physician fatigue can sometimes come into play.

Other new features have come to the health care facility of late, too.

That includes an electronic medical records system, Cerner, which has eliminated the need for paper charts.

Torres noted the paperless technology offers “clarity and transparency when providing medical care.”

“It’s a better way of keeping medical records, especially in the age of identity theft,” he said.

The hospital also has installed an around-the-clock, telemonitoring system to its intensive care unit.

The system, Advanced ICU Care, allows patients and nurses to communicate virtually with on-call physicians in cases where an intensivist is not immediately available in person at the hospital.

Torres said the technology was originally brought to AdventHealth Zephyrhills about a year ago “with great results.”

Another new service to the hospital is online scheduling capabilities for emergency room visits — allowing patients to reserve a treatment time and avoid long waits in the waiting room.

The service, accessed through GetInQuicker.com, is recommended for patients with non-life or limb-threatening emergencies.

Since its launch in February, Torres said the check-in program “is one of the best things that has happened” to the health care facility.

“We have 100 percent recommendation rate for all the patients that have used this service,” he said.

Aside from facility and technological upgrades, the hospital has added five new physicians to its staff: Dr. Olga Villa (obstetrician-gynecologist), Dr. Jennifer Roller (gynecologist), Dr. Forrest Rubenstein (thoracic vascular surgeon), Dr. Armen Duekmedjian (neurosurgeon) and Dr. Amir Ahmadian (neurosurgeon).

Torres said doctors Ahmadian and Duekmedjian will be operating out of AdventHealth Zephyrhills, but will provide consultations and services to patients at AdventHealth Dade City, as well.

With the addition of gynecological physicians and services, Torres noted the hospital may consider adding labor and birth delivery services at some point: “In the near future, that’s one of the avenues that we’re looking at.”

Torres also mentioned that AdventHealth Dade City recently received its accredited recertification from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, designating the hospital “a center of excellence for bariatric surgery.”

Published May 01, 2019

Health News 05/1/2019

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office)

Supporting a need to protect children
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco’s Stop the Bleed-Life Station Campaign was a featured charity through the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, in an effort to raise funds to install Life Stations in Pasco schools. The stations/kits provide needed lifesaving materials in the event school-related violence occurs. Sheriff Nocco (second from right) accepts a check in the amount of $5,682.18 from Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano (green shirt) for the Stop the Bleed program. For information, visit PascoSheriffCharities.org, or call Chris Lofgren, senior training analyst, at (813) 235-6181.

Access Health gets Telly Award
Access Health Care Physicians LLC was honored as a Telly Award winner for its commercial spot entitled, “Jenny’s Mom.”

The Telly Award is regarded as the premier award honoring the finest film and video productions, groundbreaking web commercials, and outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials from around the world.

The Access Health Care commercial spot was recognized as the winner for local TV category in General-Fitness, Health and Wellness.

The commercial can be viewed at Vimeo.com/256853651.

Top hospital award
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has again been named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by IBM Watson Health, for the second year in a row. This recognition spotlights the top-performing hospitals in the country based on clinical, operational and patient satisfaction metrics and data.

The hospital also was named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience, Patient Safety and Obstetrics by the Women’s Choice Award.

And, it has four consecutive “A” grades in safety from the prestigious Leapfrog Group and has earned the recognition of Top General Hospital.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel continues to grow and expand services.

This year, work will start on a new medical office building to bring more outpatient services and physicians to the community.

The project also will include additional parking space for patients, visitors and staff.

Daily dedication rewarded

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(Courtesy of Oak Hill Hospital)

Oak Hill Hospital announced the winners of its annual Frist Associate, Physician and Volunteer Humanitarian Awards. The awards honor outstanding individuals for their humanitarian and volunteer services. The recipient of the Frist Associate Humanitarian is George Meadows, RRT; the Frist Volunteer Humanitarian Award was given to Lois Hackett; and the Frist Physician Humanitarian recipient is Michael W. Higgins, DO, FAOAO.

Health News 04/17/2019

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(Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Partner up for pediatric patients
AdventHealth and the Tampa Bay Lightning teamed up for its third annual Pediatric Health Night. The first 3,000 fans that visited the AdventHealth Quad at Amalie Arena during a recent game received a free, commemorative co-branded AdventHealth/Lightning Buddy Bear. Anyone can purchase a bear at AdventHealthBuddyBear.com, and AdventHealth will give a bear to a pediatric patient with a handwritten note of encouragement from that supporter. All proceeds go to the AdventHealth West Florida Foundation to help purchase lifesaving equipment for its hospitals.

Crisis Center honored
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay was honored at the 2019 WEDU Be More Awards with the Be More Brilliant Florida Blue Innovation Award for its work with the Florida Veterans Support Line (1-844-MyFLVet).

The Be More Awards recognize the outstanding and often unrecognized efforts of nonprofit organizations and volunteers, and also raise awareness about their mission and service to the community.

The Crisis Center first launched the support line in 2014 as a five-county pilot program.

In late 2017, the support line expanded from the pilot stage to being answered statewide through a network of local agencies who answer calls to 211.

For information about the center, visit CrisisCenter.com.

For more on the Florida Veterans Support Line, visit MyFLVet.com.

Health care company honored
HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Pasco/Hernando County hospitals, the Medical Center of Trinity, Oak Hill Hospital, and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, has been recognized as the World’s Most Ethical Company for the 10th consecutive year.

The company was honored by the Ethisphere Institute, a leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

Ethisphere recognizes companies that distinguish themselves through integrity, corporate character and marketplace trust.

HCA Healthcare is one of 29 companies worldwide to be honored 10 times.

Survey aims to gauge unmet needs of seniors, caregivers

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The Pinellas Community Foundation and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas are working together to assess the unmet needs of seniors and their caregivers.

A survey—the Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults — will be sent to 10,000 randomly selected households across every Pinellas and Pasco zip code in which at least one resident is known to be aged 60 and over.

Anne Marie Winter

The survey will be sent the week of April 8. Residents will receive a postcard in advance, as well as instructions (in both English and Spanish) with the survey.

Data collection will continue through May 21. In addition to the mailed survey, two focus groups will be conducted in Pasco County – one in Dade City and one in New Port Richey.

“We’re really excited to be able to do this because it’s the first time ever that seniors will have a voice across both counties on what their needs are,” said Anne Marie Winter, executive director of Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas.

“As far as we know, it’s (the survey) never been done at all in Central West Florida,” she said.

“We want to hear from the seniors. We don’t want to be the ones that decide what seniors need, based on what we think,” she said.

The postcard and letter are being sent to make sure that survey recipients “know that this is official, that it is going to be used for their best interest.

“We’re not going to try and sell them anything. We’re not going to try and use this information in anyway other than to identify what their needs are,” Winter said.

The questions being asked on the survey were selected by a steering committee made up of representatives from the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas; the cities of Clearwater, Dade City, New Port Richey and St. Petersburg; Pasco County Government; Pasco County Health Department; Pinellas Community Foundation; Pinellas County Health Department; and, Pinellas County Human Services.

The survey tool was developed by the National Research Center (NRC) and has been administered in other places around the country. Data returned from the survey of local residents will be benchmarked against other communities nationwide.

The survey covers numerous issues, including questions regarding access to food, transportation and affordable housing.

“Every zip code in both counties is going to be covered,” Winter said.

“We’re seeing changes in the demographic, in the population. What we need to see is ‘Do we need to do things differently?’ Do we need to invest our resources in different areas, based on those needs?

“Caregivers are getting younger and younger,” Winter added. “Our parents are aging, and we’re taking care of them more and more. The spouse used to be, and still is, the primary caregiver for their loved one. But, more and more, seniors are living longer and their children are taking care of them.

“How do we address the needs of those caregivers? Do we need more adult daycare programs, for respite, so you can drop off mom or dad when you go to work and they have a safe place where they will continue to be intellectually stimulated and provided with a good hot meal?” Winter said.

The survey is intended to yield information that will guide future efforts, Winter said.

“We want our future planning to be data driven, and we feel that this survey will be an important component in that,” she said.

Published April 10, 2019

New appointment

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Jennifer Robinson

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Jennifer Robinson as vice president of human resources.

Robinson comes to Bayonet Point Hospital from St. Petersburg General Hospital, where she served as vice president of human resources for nearly five years.

She has had various human resources positions since 2000 and in HCA since 2009.

Robinson has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, graduating magna cum laude from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.

She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management and has served in a variety of community leadership positions, including the Hope Fund Campaign coordinator from 2010 to 2018, HCA Innovator Award coordinator from 2011 to 2018, and Frist Humanitarian Campaign coordinator from 2010 to 2018.

Grieving parents want to offer comfort to others

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Months after losing their infant son, Alissa Rodriguez and Ryan Mellor have donated to AdventHealth Zephyrhills the same kind of device that helped provide them comfort in the hours immediately following Collin’s death.

During a March 26 ceremony at the hospital, the Wesley Chapel couple provided a CuddleCot to be used by other families that are going through the same tragic circumstances that they experienced.

Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Zephyrhills, left, accompanied family members of Collin Sebastian Mellor as the hospital received a CuddleCot donation on March 26. Next to the hospital executive is Alessandra Mellor, her parents Ryan and Alissa, sister Carolina, as well as grandparents Migdoel Rodriguez and Sonia Garcia. (Courtesy of Ashley Jeffery/AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Chaplains, medical staff and family gathered in a hospital room at AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as the couple presented their gift.

The CuddleCot is a device which uses flowing water to cool a pad, which can be placed in a basket, or in the arms of a parent, to provide extra time with the baby.

“We’re so grateful to be able to have this donation of the CuddleCot, because it gives those moms (and dads) the opportunity (to hold the baby) before they say goodbye,” said Sonia Yaksich, nurse manager of the Women’s Health Center at AdventHealth Zephyrhills. “This is a beautiful and perfect way for families to provide a memory for their child.”

As the couple made their donation, they were bestowed with a plaque honoring the memory of Collin Sebastian Mellor.

Although little Collin was delivered stillborn, he was safely cushioned by the pad as family members said their farewell in September of last year.

Sharing the story of their loss was difficult, as Alissa and Ryan read a letter they had prepared for the gathering.

For support, Christina Stamper was at the couple’s side, and when they were overcome by emotion, she finished reading the letter on their behalf.

“Due to the CuddleCot, we were able to stay with our son in our room,” Stamper read. “During the first few hours of absolute shock, there was no time, clarity to say, do, or express all that you would like to.”

Stamper could resonate with the parents’ struggle as she, too, lost her daughter, who was delivered stillborn.

Through the pain, she and her husband founded Madison’s Miracles – an organization named after their late daughter.

This CuddleCot device was donated to AdventHealth Zephyrhills in memory of Collin Sebastian Mellor on March 26.

Its purpose is to offer support groups to parents who have lost an infant, as well as raise funds to help pay for funerals and private counseling.

After discovering the CuddleCots – based in the United Kingdom – Stamper decided to have one brought to Florida.

“I needed to bring it here because nobody in the state had them,” she recalled.

In October 2016, she donated the first one to the Martin Health System, the hospital in Stuart, Florida, where Madison was delivered.

She has since teamed up with Ryan and Alissa with the goal of donating six CuddleCots to various hospitals in the U.S., and Puerto Rico.

AdventHealth Zephyrhills was their first stop, with Stanford University and Tampa General Hospital as next destinations.

Ryan is a cardiac surgeon at AdventHealth Tampa where he is acutely aware of the concept of mortality.

However, after he and his wife experienced the loss personally, they felt compelled to help others in need.

“We want to raise awareness that they’re (CuddleCots) there,” the doctor explained. “They should be available to people who are going through this.”

Even with his busy schedule, he said he wants to be present when each hospital receives their gift.

As for the staff at AdventHealth Zephyrhills, they will be reminded of the priceless value of their gift, as it has been imprinted with Collin’s full name.

Stamper stated that, “every family that walks through this door and has a loss, whether stillbirth or shortly after infant loss, will be guided by the arms open wide of Collin Sebastian.”

Published April 03, 2019

Health News 04/03/2019

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Health survey
The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Pasco counties are partnering with local area hospitals on a comprehensive survey to better understand and address the health needs of communities in the Greater Tampa Bay area.

The 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment collects data from residents on nutrition, physical activity, access to care, and mental health.

The survey for Pasco County residents is available in English at bit.ly/pascohealth, or in Spanish at bit.ly/pascohealthSpanish.

A link to the survey also is available on participating county health department websites.

Residents can access the survey through April 21.

Hospital to test footwear sanitizing stations
AdventHealth Connerton will be the first specialty acute care facility in the nation to test the PathO3Gen Solutions Footwear Sanitizing Stations to maximize infection control for patients and their families.

The patented, new technology uses proactive Solestice 3/15 Technology to kill superbugs, such as MRSA and C. difficile, which can be transmitted from the bottoms of shoes to patients, staff and visitors.

Within 6 seconds of stepping onto the station, a person’s shoes are decontaminated, decreasing the spread of infectious illness.

Nine of the innovative stations will be tested throughout the facility.

AdventHealth Connerton is partnering with Green Earth Medical Solutions in St. Petersburg to bring this one-of-a-kind technology to the facility.