AdventHealth Wesley Chapel makes Best Hospitals list
WESLEY CHAPEL – AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has made Newsweek’s list of the World’s Best Hospitals 2025 for the fourth consecutive year.
The award list was announced Feb. 26. Newsweek and Statista awarded the best hospitals based on hospital quality metrics, recommendations from medical experts and surveys.
Newsweek also recognized the hospital as a leader for infection prevention.
“Being awarded World’s Best four years in a row is a testament to the expertise of our committed team members and physicians and our dedication to deliver world-class health care services in a growing Pasco County community,” hospital CEO Ryan Quattlebaum said.
Doctor to discuss gut health
LUTZ – Dr. Jonathon Tsai, a BayCare Medical Group general surgeon, will give a free presentation and discussion about the importance of gut health and how to prevent and manage diverticulitis.
The event takes place from noon to 1 p.m. April 4 in the Garden Classrooms at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, 4211 Van Dyke Road. A light lunch will be provided.
Learn about symptoms, treatment options and lifestyle changes that can improve your digestive well-being.
Register for the free event at BayCareEvents.org and choose “St. Joseph’s Hospital-North” in the “Facility/Location” filter and scroll down to the April 4 date.
Register by phone by calling 855-314-8352 and pressing the number 2 at the prompt.
Bill increases access to molecular diagnostic testing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Gus Bilirakis and others have introduced legislation to increase access to molecular diagnostic testing for rare cancer patients.
The Finn Sawyer Access to Cancer Testing Act would ensure patients on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can receive testing at the time of first diagnosis, rather than only for recurrent or metastatic cancers. The legislation is named after a 3-year-old who died from rhabdomyosarcoma in 2018.
“The targeted reforms in our bipartisan, bicameral bill will have a meaningful impact on accelerating the development of treatments for rare cancers and will remove bureaucratic hurdles that currently keep cancer patients from accessing diagnostic screening and effective treatments by qualified specialists,” Bilirakis said. “Every cancer patient deserves the best chance of survival, and we must create a streamlined regulatory system and payment model to realize this important goal.”
SHINE offers Medicare programs
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) will have volunteers available to answer Medicare questions at several dates and venues in Pasco and Pinellas counties.
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas offer the free program.
Specially trained volunteers can assist with Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE services are free, unbiased and confidential.
Medicare Fraud
- April 1 at 10:30 a.m. at Centennial Park Library, 5740 Moog Road, Holiday. 727- 834-3204
Medicare Basics
- April 3 at 10 a.m. at New Port Richey Library, 5939 Main St., New Port Richey. 727-853-1279
- April 19 at 10 a.m. at Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Pkwy., Land O’ Lakes. 813-929-1214
- April 24 at noon at Hugh Embry Library, 14215 4th St., Dade City. 352-567-3576
Medicare 101
- April 2 at noon at Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo. 727-587-6715 ext. 2508
- April 3 at 10:30 a.m. at New River Library, 34043 FL-54, Wesley Chapel. 813-788-6375
- April 16 at 11 a.m. at Pinellas Park Library, 7770 52nd St. N., Pinellas Park. 727-369-0669
- April 16 at 1 p.m. at Gulfport Public Library, 5501 28th Ave. S., Gulfport. 727-893-1073
SHINE counselors can be reached by calling 1-800-963-5337 or 727-217-8111.
