Health

Extraordinary nurses honored

September 30, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Forida Hospital Zephyrhills recognizes its extraordinary nurses with a monthly DAISY award. Trini Macaya, a 25-year hospital employee, was honored in July for her work in the OR unit and setting a standard of excellence. Kim Anderson was honored in August for her work in The Baby Place. Award winners receive a certificate and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by the artists of the Shone Tribe in Africa. (Photos courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

Cheval Cares 5K battles pediatric cancer

September 23, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When the Peck family joined the Cheval Athletic Club, their daughter Callie was 2.

They took an immediate interest in the community’s Cheval Cares 5K event to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

It wasn’t just a good cause. It was personal.

Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval's annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. (Courtesy of Vividivity) — Callie Peck survived leukemia, and her entire family participates in Cheval’s annual 5K to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
(Photos courtesy of Vividivity)

“When we joined there a few years back, (Callie) was bald. It was no surprise to anybody that she had cancer,” recalled Callie’s mother, Amber Peck.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Callie had to endure frequent trips to hospitals, spinal taps and surgeries. For lengthy periods, she endured chemotherapy treatments daily.

Just a toddler, she received treatment for more than two years. And despite the challenges, the Pecks consider themselves fortunate.

“We were actually very lucky in the fact that the cure rate for her type of leukemia was greater than 90 percent,” Peck explained. “Seeing the other children in the hospital, their diagnoses were a lot more devastating. We had everything quickly put in perspective for us. All of a sudden, we felt fortunate.”

Callie is now well past her treatments. Her chemotherapy ended last April, and she now just has monthly blood tests to check for recurrences or side effects. But her family is still active in the community’s 5K event. The Fourth Annual Cheval Cares 5K will be on Sept. 26 at 8 a.m., at the Cheval Athletic Club, 4142 Cheval Blvd., in Lutz.

Callie, now 6, will be part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to begin the race, while her brothers, Gavin and Cole, and her parents, Amber and Scott, participate in the 5K.

Lindsay Whitney helped create the 5K and used to work at the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The Cheval resident still serves as event director for the event, which raised around $25,000 last year. Her time at the foundation put her in close touch with families going through the emotional challenges of childhood cancer.

“It’s been a big passion of mine, knowing the families that have been affected and being part of their lives,” Whitney said. “I’ve been on many hospital visits and funerals, but also end-of-chemotherapy parties, graduation parties and birthday parties.”

For the Peck family-- Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie -- the 5K is an annual tradition. — For the Peck family– Amber, Scott, Gavin, Cole and Callie — the 5K is an annual tradition.

She hopes the money raised for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s research will lead to more of the happier occasions. The foundation focuses on research, fast-tracking treatments and launching clinical trials in the hopes of developing effective options quickly.

Speeding up the process of finding effective treatments helps with more than just the obvious health concerns. Families dealing with childhood cancer face other stresses and challenges the public might not consider, Whitney said.

So much time is spent on appointments and treatments that parents sometimes have to quit their jobs to manage care properly. That adds financial and emotional strain to an already difficult process.

The race itself has a cap of 450 runners due to the logistics of having the event at Cheval.

So, they’ve come up with some new ways to raise money. On Sept. 23, an Italian buffet dinner will be served at the Cheval Golf and Country Club, 4312 Cheval Blvd., from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. The cost is $16.99 for adults, with $5 of that amount going to Cheval Cares.

The event has set a goal of nearly $30,000 for this year, Whitney said. And, she hopes they’ll reach both their runner cap and fundraising goal, because childhood cancer is something that thousands of families face each year.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, nearly 16,000 people between the ages of birth and 19 years old are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year. One in every 285 people will be diagnosed with cancer before age 20.

And cancer isn’t picky about who it attacks, Whitney said.

“That’s the thing that we always say: Cancer knows no bounds in terms of money, ethnicity, race, gender, whatever it is. It doesn’t seem to matter,” she said.

The annual 5K race matters to many people in Cheval and in the surrounding areas, including the Pecks. While Callie participates every year, Amber would love to see her join the rest of the family and actually take part in the 5K at a future event.

“The day that she’s actually running will be very meaningful for us,” she said.

The cost for the race is $30 for adults, and $20 for children 12 and younger. Each participant receives a T-shirt and goodie bag.

Registration for the race is available on the website through Sept. 24. After that, those not living in Cheval can register in person at the Cheval Athletic Club on Sept. 25 from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. On the day of the race, registration is only open to Cheval residents, but donations can still be made on the website.

The 5K event also will include an activity area for children, with a bounce house, face painting and balloon animals.

For more information, visit ChevalCares5K.com, or email .

Published September 23, 2015

Health News 09-23-15

September 23, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Physician group welcomes Dr. Radu Mercea
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Physician Group has welcomed Dr. Radu Mercea to the Community Care Family Practice on Daughtery Road in Zephyrhills.

Mercea has more than 15 years of experience in general family medicine. He sees patients age 5 and older, and provides a wide range of services including sick visits, annual wellness visits, management of chronic diseases, physicals, immunizations and more.

For information or to schedule an appointment, call (813) 788-3582.

PHSC offers Basic Life Support courses
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers courses throughout the fall term. Sessions will be at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, the East Campus in Dade City, the North Campus in Brooksville and the West Campus in New Port Richey.

The courses are designed to provide a variety of health care professionals with the ability to recognize life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, and relieve choking in a safe and timely manner. The instruction is delivered in a variety of in-hospital and out-of-hospital settings.

Students must pass a written exam and skills test to quality for a BLS for Health Care Providers course completion card.

For cost, dates and locations, and to register for the four-hour course, contact Dallas Crick at (727) 816-3119 or , or visit PHSC.edu/aha.

Star volunteers recognized
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has recognized its second quarter volunteers with Star Awards.

Volunteers honored with a Five Star award were Christopher Marshall, Margaret “Naida” Flynn and Thomas Devine.

Marshall has been a courier with the hospital since September 2000, and has logged more than 2,197 merit hours.

Flynn has greeted visitors at Welcome Center A every Tuesday and Friday since January 2013, and has earned more than 964 merit hours.

Devine began volunteering at the hospital in April 2002 as a courier, and has accumulated a total of 2,830 merit hours.

Virginia Fournier was recognized with a One Star award. Fournier has been a volunteer since June 2013, and has 4,375 merit hours working as a courier dispatcher and in the gift shop.

Local hospitals receive Fit-Friendly awards
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills was recognized as a Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association by earning the platinum level for its worksite wellness program. It was honored for investing in its employees by integrating healthy living into its workplace.

The Medical Center of Trinity, Oak Hill Hospital, and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point have been recognized with the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Company Gold Award. The award honors companies that demonstrate progressive leadership by making the health and wellness of their employees a priority.

New adult day care serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

There’s a new adult day care center available for caregivers who need someone to watch their loved one while they’re working, running errands or merely taking a break from their caregiving duties.

CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa, opened in July in an updated recreational center.

CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center opened in July. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center opened in July.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The adult day care center provides care for those ages 18 and older afflicted by Alzheimer’s or dementia, or who have other special needs.

The goal is provide the help that caregivers need and to provide socialization for those coming to the day care, said Brittany Stowers, center manager.

The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Some clients come daily and stay for the entire day. Others may come one or two mornings a week, or every other week, Stowers said. Those arrangements are made individually.

Program costs vary, based on how many hours of service a client receives and on individual financial situations, Stowers said. She said that will be discussed when arrangements are made for the care.

Regardless of the amount of time that clients spend in the center, the goal is to make it an inviting and stimulating place for them, Stowers said.

There are various activities, including daily walks, arts and crafts, meals, snacks and entertainment.

They play No Money Bingo, do brain teasers and share their talents. Some people really enjoy singing, Stowers said.

Brittany Stowers is the center manager for the CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive. The center provides care for those ages 18 and older who are afflicted by Alzheimer’s or dementia, or who have other special needs.

Clients also can look through books and magazines that have been donated to a small library at the center.

Clients can sit on recliners indoors and on picnic benches on the back porch. There’s an arts and crafts room, too.

“Since it is not a residential facility, we know they really don’t need to be here if they don’t want to,” Stowers said. “They can tell their family members, ‘I don’t like it. It’s boring.’ ”

Knowing that clients have a choice is motivating to the center’s staff to be sure to find ways to engage the clients, and to encourage them to interact with each other, she said.

“It really pushes us to find activities that they would really like to do, so they enjoy coming back every day,” she said.

“I haven’t heard one person say ‘I’m bored’ yet,” said Phyllis Bross, a CARES board member, who was at the center one recent morning.

The center gives the clients a place to meet new friends, both Stowers and Bross said.

They won’t become isolated, Bross said, noting that can easily happen if a person doesn’t get out to meet new people.

Besides letting the community know about the available service, the staff wants to invite anyone who is interested in volunteering to step forward.

“Volunteers are so helpful,” Stowers said. She’s looking for people who have special talents or hobbies, to help make the activities more engaging.

She’s also looking for people who don’t mind taking on some chores.

She could use people who want to help in the kitchen, or do clerical work, or merely provide companionship for clients by talking or listening to them.

The center has the capacity for 100 clients. So far, it has 16. Stowers expects the number to increase, as people become aware of the service.

The center is one of six in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. The two locations in Pasco County are in New Port Richey and Dade City.

CARES receives support from Hillsborough and Pasco counties, the Area Agency on Aging, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the United Way of Pasco County, and Senior Connection Center Inc.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer or needs more information, should call Stowers at (813) 570-7901.

“Living Well into the Future”
What: Jeremy Ewbank will perform as Elvis, Diane Hunter will give a presentation on a healthy body and mind, and Phyllis Bross will present on the accessibility and importance of Alzheimer Support Groups.
Where: CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa.
Who: All are welcome

World Alzheimer’s Day event
What: The staff will decorate the center in purple, and people will wear purple to bring awareness to World Alzheimer’s Day. Phyllis Bross will present on the importance of Alzheimer Support Groups and forever learning. Diane Hunter will present on a healthy body and mind.
When: Sept. 21, beginning at 10 a.m.
Where: CARES Adult Day Care at Northlake Community Center, 2640 N. Lakeview Drive in Tampa
Who: All are welcome

Published September 16, 2015

Suicide prevention can begin with small gestures

September 16, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Betsey Westuba delivered a powerful message about suicide prevention last week at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

To help illustrate the impact of suicide, she brought along a banner covered with 2,892 yellow ribbons.

Each ribbon represented an individual who died by suicide in Florida during 2013.

The yellow ribbons on this banner, next to Betsey Westuba, represents lives lost to suicide. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — The yellow ribbons on this banner, next to Betsey Westuba, represents lives lost to suicide.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The ribbons reflect only the people who died — not the scores of people left behind to cope with the aftermath.

Westuba’s talk touched on the warning signs of suicide and the difficulty people often have in grappling with a loss caused by the suicide of a loved one. She provided information about where to turn for help.

Westuba knows firsthand how it feels to have a loved one die by suicide because that’s how her brother died.

It is common for survivors to experience guilt and to question why the death occurred, she said.

Survivors may find it helpful to seek professional counseling or join a survivors’ support group, she added.

There are actions that people can take to help prevent suicide, said Westuba, who is region six director for the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition.

People may feel helpless, but small gestures often can help someone who is considering suicide to choose a different path, she said.

Westuba addressed steps people can take to help prevent suicide and help that is available for people who are considering suicide during her talk, timed to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week, which ran from Sept. 7 to Sept. 13.

More than 70 people gathered for the talk.

“Each suicide is unique,” Westuba said.

People who take their own lives may be dealing with a variety of pressures, she said. Those can include family problems, unrealistic expectations, the loss of a job, and the loss of a home, or other issues.

“Usually it’s not going to be one particular thing,” Westuba said. Rather, it can be an accumulation of stresses, she said.

When people start to feel overwhelmed, they need to know that help is available, Westuba said.

When a person stops keeping in touch with others, that’s a huge sign they may be going through some kind of depression, she said.

If you sense that, Westuba said, it might help to reach out and ask: “What’s happening in your life?”

Sometimes, people just need someone to listen and to check in on them to see how they are doing, she said. That can help people get through a crisis and provide time for them to get additional help.

Developing a safety plan can help, too.

That plan can include a list of people the person can talk to if they need help. It also lists things the person enjoys doing.

Tapping into simple joys in life, such as taking a walk or playing with a dog, can help lift someone out of a funk, Westuba said.

Sharing their feelings with supportive friends and family and getting involved in the community can help those who are feeling overwhelmed, as well, she said.

She urged people in the crowd to pay attention to others and to notice if their behaviors are changing.

Eating disorders and self-harm, such as cutting or picking at skin, can be a sign that someone needs help, she said.

Westuba suggested using a direct approach: “Talk about it. Ask: ‘Are you having thoughts of harming yourself? Are you having thoughts of harming someone else?’ ”

When someone is suicidal and has a firearm, a knife or a stockpile of medications, the best thing to do is call 911, Westuba said, adding that others should not put themselves at risk of being harmed.

Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is suicidal, call 911 or The National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273-8255

Visit 211.org and enter your ZIP code to find help for all sorts of issues.

These are signs that someone is thinking about ending his or her life:
If a person talks about:

Killing himself or herself
Having no reason to live
Being a burden to others
Feeling trapped
Experiencing unbearable pain

If a person:

Increases use of drugs or alcohol
Researches ways to kill himself or herself
Behaves recklessly
Withdraws from activities
Isolates from family and friends
Sleeps too much or too little
Visits or calls others to say goodbye
Acts aggressively
Displays one or more of the following moods: depression, loss of interest, rage, irritability, humiliation and/or anxiety.

Local support group
WHAT: Healing After a Loved One’s Suicide
WHO: Adults, 18 and older
WHEN: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the first and third Wednesday of each month
WHERE: 17030 Lakeshore Road, Building G, Lutz
COST: Free
INFO: Call Suncoast Kids Place to register or for information, (813) 990-0216

Published September 16, 2015

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North expands heart care services

September 9, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When heart attacks happen, minutes matter.

And now, residents of Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and other nearby communities, including Keystone, Odessa, Northdale, New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, have a new option for treatment of a STEMI — which stands for ST elevated myocardial infarction.

That condition is one of the most deadly types of heart attacks and, as of Aug. 25, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North can treat patients suffering from a STEMI.

A STEMI occurs when there is prolonged blockage of blood supply to the heart. The optimal treatment method is PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) to open the artery within 90 minutes of first receiving care by emergency medical personnel.

When someone arrives at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North with a STEMI (ST elevated myocardial infarction), this team of specialists springs into action to provide treatment. (Courtesy of St. Joseph's Hospital-North) — When someone arrives at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North with a STEMI (ST elevated myocardial infarction), this team of specialists springs into action to provide treatment.
(Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Since time translates into muscle loss, patients suffering a STEMI are taken to the closest hospital that can treat patients suffering from this type of heart attack, said Kathy Myers, director of operations for St. Joseph’s Hospital-North.

In the past, patients who brought themselves to St. Joseph’s North had to be taken by helicopter to St. Joseph’s main campus in Tampa for the treatment, Myers said.

Ambulance drivers who responded to emergencies would bypass St. Joseph’s North to take patients to the closest facility licensed to treat STEMI patients, Myers added.

Now, St. Joseph’s North has a team on hand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to treat these patients.

Adding the service is a true milestone in the hospital’s five-year history, Myers said.

Treating STEMI patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North means faster care for patients in a situation where minutes matter, Myers said.

“When you have a STEMI, that lack of blood flow to the heart causes muscle loss,” Myers said. “Time is heart muscle. So, getting to the closest facility, and getting that intervention as quick as possible, saves heart muscle.”

Kathy Myers, director of operations for St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, said adding a service to treat STEMI (ST elevated myocardial infarction) is a milestone in the hospital’s five-year history. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Kathy Myers, director of operations for St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, said adding a service to treat STEMI (ST elevated myocardial infarction) is a milestone in the hospital’s five-year history.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The St. Joseph’s Hospital-North STEMI team has been specially trained. There are 11 team members in the Cath lab and numerous other departments that interact with them.

All team members who work in the Cath lab need at least 500 hours of experience in a facility that does open-heart surgery, and many received training at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, she said.

Another advantage of adding the service is that patients will be able to stay in their community hospital, rather than being transferred or taken elsewhere, Myers said.

Nationally, about 250,000 Americans suffer a STEMI each year, according to the American Heart Association.

On average, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North estimates it will treat about two STEMI cases a week as the program ramps up.

The hospital has analyzed the area’s health trends, Myers said.

It is seeing more women with cardiac problems.

“Women present with different symptoms. They sometimes don’t have that crushing pain in their chest. They have back pain. They have shoulder pain. Different kinds of symptoms,” said.

It is also seeing younger people with cardiac issues.

“We have a lot of 40-, 50-year-olds who are in very stressful jobs. And, people are getting younger that are coming in with cardiac history,” she said.

Contributing factors can include people’s diet and other medical conditions, such as diabetes and obesity, she said.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North is one of six BayCare facilities that can treat STEMI patients.

Heart attack warning signs in men:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Heart attack warning signs in women:

Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort
Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

Source: The American Heart Association

Published September 9, 2015

Health News 09-14-15

September 9, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Shriners Hospitals for Children looking for alumni
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Tampa is looking for original patients, staff and volunteers to help celebrate its 30th anniversary on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the hospital at 12502 USF Pine Drive in Tampa.

If you were connected to the hospital when it opened in 1985 and want to attend the celebration, contact Jamie Santillo at (813) 972-2250, ext. 7642, or . Registration deadline is Sept. 15.

Members of the “1985 Club” will be invited to a special founders’ presentation in the auditorium following the main program, which starts at 10:30 a.m. on the playground.

Dr. Reut Bardach joins Trinity campus
Dr. Reut Bardach, board certified and a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology, has joined Obstetrics & Gynecology of Trinity, on the campus of Medical Center of Trinity.

Bardach treats all types of female health issues, particularly high-risk pregnancy, endometriosis, infertility and abnormal uterine bleeding. She also performs advanced laparoscopic surgery.

Before joining the Trinity center, Bardach practiced in Spring Hill.

Health News 09-02-15

September 2, 2015 By Mary Rathman

CDC honors Access Health Care’s staff
Dr. Pariksith Singh was recognized with a certificate of appreciation by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The recognition was for Singh and Access Health Care’s managers’ assistance in providing chart review, data collection and analysis to assist the CDC in analytics and health statistics. Access Health Care Physicians’ main office is located at 5350 Spring Hill Drive in Spring Hill.

Raising awareness about prostate cancer
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills wants to raise awareness about prostate cancer, a disease that affects more than 233,000 men each year in the United States.

Prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women. It is the most common non-skin cancer in America.

As men increase in age, the risk of developing prostate cancer increases. More than 65 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men older than 65.

The American Urological Association recommends that men should ask their physician about developing a screening plan by the age of 40.

To find a primary care physician or urologist near your home, call the physician referral line at (844) 362-2329.

SHINE volunteers win award
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ SHINE Program honored its Pasco County volunteers with the 2014 Planning and Service Area of the Year award.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) volunteers completed nearly 20,162 client contacts between Oct. 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2014. Additionally, volunteers spent almost 10,200 hours with their clients during that timeframe.

The Land O’ Lakes office is located in the HAP Clark building, 4111 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 302.

For information on volunteering, call Sue Samson at (800) 963-5337, or visit FloridaShine.org.

Pasco commissioners scrutinize medical marijuana

August 26, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Medical marijuana is legal in Florida, but the issue continues to stir controversy.

The first sales of medical marijuana likely will begin in the next months, when the Florida Department of Health sets up its program for delivering the cannabis-based product.

While 28 businesses have applied for one of five permits that will be issued statewide, no Pasco County business is on the list.

And now, the Pasco County Commission is joining other jurisdictions around the state that have either adopted or have drafted moratoriums on growing and dispensing cannabis.

The county had its first public hearing on Aug. 18 on a proposed ordinance calling for a one-year moratorium.

County officials and Pasco County commissioners made no comment on the on the ordinance.

Commissioners are s
cheduled to have a second public hearing and a vote on Sept. 2.

The first public hearing drew only one speaker during public comment. He came from Pinellas County with some advice for commissioners.

“I would speak to the patients,” said John Chase. “I’m not a marijuana user myself, but I know people whose lives depend on this. I don’t want to see a moratorium.”

Chase said he knows families in Pasco County who need medical marijuana. He expects more people will show up for the final hearing.

Medical marijuana appeared on the 2014 ballot as a constitutional amendment. Supporters fell just short of the necessary 60 percent vote to approve the amendment. Petitioners are seeking signatures to put it on the state’s ballot again in 2016.

And, an appeals judge recently cleared away legal challenges to the state law that allows for dispensing what is known as “Charlotte’s web,” a low-strain of medical marijuana for patients with epilepsy or advanced cancer.

The next step is for the state health department to review the 28 applications filed by the July deadline. Permits are expected in the next three months. The locations will be in five geographic regions around the state.

To date, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana in some form while 17 states have rejected such measures. Four states – Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Alaska – have legalized marijuana for recreational use. And Ohio could become the fifth state, and the first in the Midwest, to permit recreational use, if voters approve a constitutional amendment in November.

As Florida’s medical marijuana program gears up, a number of local jurisdictions, like Pasco County, are adopting or drafting their versions of moratoriums. Some are banning dispensaries and treatment centers, at least temporarily, while others are changing zoning laws to restrict their locations.

One requirement of applicants is that they are properly zoned to cultivate, process and dispense cannabis, and also demonstrate an ability to produce high quality product quickly, according to an email from Mara Burger, press secretary for the state’s health department.

The focus is on delivering “safe and effective treatment options,” she writes.

State health officials are taking note of actions such as moratoriums and are “closely monitoring municipal activity across the state to determine any potential impact on patient accessibility or applicant performance.”

Published August 26, 2015

Nurses receive recognition for excellence

August 26, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has award its inaugural Excellence in Nursing awards to Debra Brandt and Lisa Zielinski. Brandt, a nurse in the Spine Center, received the Professional Mentoring honor, and Zielinski, a cardiology nurse, received the Compassionate Care honor. Each received their award from Tanya Simpson, the hospital’s chief nursing officer. (Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)