The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Medical Center of Trinity

Serving up food — to sustain, comfort

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Concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has flattened the economy, causing many to seek out help for the first time to put food on their tables.

Here is a look at some efforts, to help feed others, across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Collecting food to feed the hungry
The woman pulls up and pops open her trunk, so volunteers could gather the bags of food that she had brought to donate.

Among those volunteering at a weekend food drive were Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco School Board member Allen Altman and State Rep. Ardian Zika. They took their masks off for the photo, and kept socially distanced. (B.C. Manion)

As they unloaded her donations, she became emotional — thanking the volunteers for what they are doing to help people struggling through the pandemic.

She was obviously touched by the effort.

Pasco County leaders have held food drives for the past two weekends to collect donations. The first drive was in the parking lot of the former Super Target store, off State Road 54, west of the Suncoast Expressway, and the second at Sam’s Club of Wesley Chapel, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.

State Rep. Ardian Zika carries a box of donations to tables, where they are sorted

High-ranking officials from Pasco County Schools, the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office, the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office, state legislators, and candidates for office, were there to help. Pasco Fire Rescue employees, Pasco Sheriff’s Office employees and others volunteered, too.

The community responded, bringing bags and boxes of food — loaded with pasta, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, soups, rice, canned goods and more.

Monetary donations are still welcome and can be made through the Pasco Education Foundation at PascoEducationFoundation.org. Checks can be made payable to Pasco Education Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 1248, Land O’ Lakes, Florida, 34639.

Farm-Fresh Pop-ups
When Pasco County Schools receives donated fruits or vegetables, it holds Farm Fresh Pop-ups, and the free fresh produce goes fast.

At its first Pop-Up, the district gave away more than 30,000 ears of corn in about 2 hours.

It took less than 45 minutes to give away a truck filled with 10-pound variety boxes of vegetables, during a Farm Fresh Pop-up at the school district headquarters in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Stephen P. Hegarty)

At its second one, on May 8, it handed out 10-pound variety boxes of vegetables containing such veggies as cucumbers, potatoes, radishes, collards, broccoli, peppers, squash, and eggplant.

Those were gone in 45 minutes.

At the pop-ups, which are held in different locations, school district officials are practicing safe social distancing and wearing masks.

Those picking up the free foods are asked to stay in their vehicles and to pop their trunks, so the food can be placed in their trunks.

Feeding Florida and L&M donated the variety boxes.

The district also continues to provide five breakfasts and five lunches, once a week, to students 18 and under, at specific locations. As of May, it had served more than 820,000 meals.

To find out more about the district’s meal program, and to keep abreast of future Farm Fresh Pop-Ups, check the district’s website, Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Outdoor dining allowed to expand
Pasco County officials are providing more flexibility to restaurants to expand their outdoor dining space by allowing them to set up tables in parking areas and other outdoor areas — without a county permit.

The move was made to give restaurant operators more options, as they contend with decreased business due to COVID-19.

Leslie Gruber, of Land O’ Lakes, receives her meal from Savannah Walker, manager of The Box Kitchen Restaurant, at 6464 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes. The restaurant placed several tables in its parking lot to accommodate more diners, taking advantage of relaxed rules in Pasco County. (Randy Underhill)

Under phase one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan, restaurants were allowed to operate indoor dining rooms at 25% capacity and to have dining outdoors, with the proviso that tables be kept 6 feet apart from each other.

To help expand restaurant capacity, Tampa officials have closed streets in some areas, so restaurants could set up tables there.

In Pasco, officials allowed restaurateurs to expand outdoor dining on their own properties.

The expanded seating may be used during the restaurant’s normal business hours, and the allowance will expire when full-capacity indoor dining returns, according to a county news release.

The Box Kitchen Restaurant in Land O’ Lakes appeared to be one of the few restaurants within The Laker/Lutz coverage area taking advantage of the county’s relaxed rules.

Providing hot meals in hard times
Three initiatives in Pasco County are aimed at providing hot meals, while supporting restaurants at the same time.

In the “Dining Out at Home” program, Pasco County has partnered with the Area Agency on Aging to have restaurant meals delivered to eligible senior citizens.

In “Operation Feed Pasco,” local restaurants are helping to supply meals at local food pantries and soup kitchens. The county is partnering with United Way of Pasco County on that effort.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and State Rep. Ardian Zika were on hand when meals were delivered to workers at the Medical Center of Trinity. (Courtesy of Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s office)

Restaurants that would like to participate in Operation Feed Pasco should call United Way at (727) 359-7999, to see if there are any slots left.

In Pasco FLAG2020, meals are being purchased from local restaurants and then provided to people working on the front lines of the pandemic.

The program is being championed by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, who was inspired after seeing coverage of two women in New Jersey who launched the national program.

So far, 64 meals have been delivered through that program to AdventHealth Dade City, 41 have been delivered to BayCare’s North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey and 106 meals to Medical Center of Trinity.

In addition to Starkey, other local elected leaders who have been involved in raising money, include Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman, former Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paula O’Neil and State Rep. Ardian Zika.

To help, send donations to:

Venmo: @FLAG2020Pasco; PayPal: PayPal.me/FLAG2020Pasco

Published May 13, 2020

Hospital visitation limited, elective surgeries canceled

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Hospitals across the region are limiting visitors and canceling elective surgeries, as they ramp up preparations to treat increasing cases of people infected by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

As of 11 a.m. on March 23, The Florida Department of Health reported 1,096 confirmed cases of Florida residents and 75 cases of non-Florida residents, for a total of 1,171.

Of those, 73 involved Hillsborough cases and 13 cases in Pasco.

Statewide, there have been 14 deaths.

In response to the evolving threat, BayCare Health System, AdventHealth West Florida Division, and HCA Healthcare West Florida have announced changes in their visitation policies.

BayCare Health System said its changes would take effect on March 21.

“Only in certain, specific instances, will visitors be allowed into facilities,” according to a BayCare news release, issued on March 20.

“We regret this is necessary, but for the protection of our patients, team members, physicians and our community, it is imperative that we limit the number of people in our facilities,” said Dr. Nishant Anand, chief medical officer for BayCare Health System.

“The few visitors who will be allowed into hospitals will be screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, the disease resulting from novel coronavirus. Those who are deemed a risk will be restricted from entering the facility and may be referred to an Emergency Department.”

Visitors may still be allowed, if approved by the hospital administrator on duty, in these circumstances:

  • Inpatient: Labor and delivery, postpartum, pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care
  • End of life situations
  • Behavioral Health Unit
  • Emergency Room: Waiting room only
  • Outpatient procedures: Waiting room only when accompanying a patient receiving sedation

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and Morton B. Plant North Bay in New Port Richey are BayCare hospitals within or near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

AdventHealth hospitals in and near The Laker/Lutz coverage area are AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

“This is an unprecedented time in health care, and our priority is to keep our patients, team members and ultimately our greater community safe, while we continue to treat those who need our care,” Mike Schultz, president and CEO, of AdventHealth West Florida Division, said in a news release.

Hospitals across the region are limiting visitors. To be sure you have the latest information, check the website.

Before allowing a visitor to enter, according to a news release, HCA Healthcare West Florida said its staff will be asking these questions:

  • Have you had a fever and signs/symptoms of respiratory illness (cough, flu-like symptoms or shortness of breath)?
  • Have you traveled outside the country within the last 14 days (including a cruise)?
  • Have you been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 without wearing the proper protective equipment?
  • Are you currently being tested for COVID-19?

If a potential visitor answers yes to any question, he or she will not be allowed to enter the facility, except to seek emergency medical assistance.

Medical Center of Trinity and Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point are both HCA Healthcare West Florida hospitals.

On another front, hospitals are holding off on elective surgeries, as per an order by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

AdventHealth West Florida Division announced in a March 20 news release, that it will immediately:

  • Postpone all inpatient surgeries that are not time-sensitive
  • Postpone outpatient surgeries that are not time-sensitive
  • Postpone all outpatient procedures in diagnostic centers that are not time-sensitive

“AdventHealth will provide surgery only to patients whose needs are imminently life-threatening, with malignance that could progress, or with active symptoms that require urgent and immediate care” the release says. “This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patient and team safety.”

Similar policies are in effect at other hospitals in the region.

Also, efforts continue to expand testing for COVID-19.

BayCare Health System, which initially operated seven testing sites, announced it had screened more than 6,100 people and collected specimens for testing from nearly 3,500 during five days of testing.

The hospital chain recently announced that on March 23 it would be consolidating its COVID-19 test collection sites to high volume locations and to provide geographic access.

It now is operating its testing sites at one location each in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.

The Hillsborough location is at BayCare Urgent Care, 3440 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 100, in Tampa. The Pasco location is at BayCare Urgent Care, 4821 U.S. 19, in New Port Richey.

BayCare is concentrating on using its limited test supplies to identify patients who have the virus. Patients should be referred by a physician and should have current symptoms — cough, fever, shortness of breath — and meet other criteria recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, according to a BayCare news release.

Patients should bring documentation from a physician that they have been referred for testing.

Tips for helping to prevent COVID-19:

  • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Keep frequently touched surfaces and objects clean.

Source: Florida Department of Health

Published March 25, 2020

Seminar focuses on youth drug use, suicide

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When Heather Sefton, of Wesley Chapel, began losing close friends to suicide, she didn’t know how to cope with the trauma.

The untimely demise of one in the Bay Area was preceded by six others in Sefton’s native New Hampshire.

From front left to back right: Yahkaira Borbosa, Imam Hassan Sultan, Teresa Daniels, Eddie Williams, Jesse Varnadoe, Al Hernandez and Emery Ailes were participants at a Feb. 17 health seminar. The program was hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College to address the issues of mental health and substance abuse. (Brian Fernandes)

“I really didn’t understand what was going on,” the 19-year-old said. “They all just kind of kept hitting me.”

She too, began having suicidal thoughts as a result of her own family issues and having struggled with her self-identity, she recalled.

Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has been active in providing resources for those like Sefton, seeking help.

One of its programs — Linking in Faith and Education (LIFE) — seeks to help improve mental and behavioral health by encouraging communication with group support.

The college also hosted a recent seminar – LIFE, Spirit, Wellness: Combating Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in Youth.

The Feb. 17 event, at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, focused on the issues of mental health and substance abuse.

Panelist Teresa Daniels, a volunteer for the Tampa Bay branch of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, spoke about her son, Tristen, who took his life over five years ago.

“We had no idea that he was having any thoughts, or that anything other than what we believed to be normal high school stressors, [were] going on,” she said.

Daniels said she thought her son might be having issues coping with the loss of his  grandmother, as well as working odd hours and lack of sleep.

But, there were no serious signs of depression, she said, adding that Tristen was the class clown.

He may have been “masking” his true feelings, Daniels said.

In other words, he may have been hiding his personal issues, while in the company of others.

Likewise, Sefton said there were no obvious signs that her friends were suffering.

Panelist Eddie Williams, a PHSC mental health counselor, provided some advice.

“One of the things I would say the youth is missing usually [is] socialization,” he said. “Having a peer-to-peer support group, or another youth there to talk with, could break the mold. Talking is healing.”

Williams is trying to implement these kind of groups across PHSC’s five campuses.

When it is apparent that someone is doing the opposite of their usual routines, or interests, it’s best to consult them to find out if there’s underlying issues, Williams advised.

The college’s LIFE program also encourages a religious component to be used in offering help, as well.

It aims to educate faith leaders on how to rally around and support those within their community who have mental concerns.

It was Sefton’s growing attendance at Wesley Chapel’s Life Church that helped change things for the better, she said.

“I was found by Jesus,” Sefton said. “That’s really what got me through – my relationship with him.”

And, with finding therapy, she has begun to offer it, as well.

“I’m very vulnerable and open about my story now,” Sefton noted. “I feel like that’s led a lot of people to talk to me about how they feel.”

Johnny Crowder was present at the seminar to offer to those in need, another outlet – with Cope Notes.

This texting service sends multiple messages a day, to its users, consisting of inspirational words and questions.

Cope Notes asks questions for recipients to voluntarily respond to, or just to reflect upon.

The intent is to help others consistently focus on the positive, as their mood may change throughout the day.

Crowder founded the service as a result of his own background.

“I’m a suicide and abuse survivor,” he said. “I spent 10 years in treatment for mental illness.”

He said there wasn’t a specific catalyst that led him to suicidal tendencies.

Besides experiencing domestic violence at home, Crowder said he did not find a sense of community in school and felt isolated.

“It was a childhood full of trauma and neglect that eventually snowballed,” he explained.

Crowder said that he began to find solace in singing, painting, writing and playing the guitar.

This, coupled with socializing and gradually building trust, is what helped him through his pain, he added.

Another speaker, Rachel Starostin, provided a presentation on substance abuse, an issue in which she has struggled with.

She had lived an independent life as a nurse, raising three children before she was hit by a drunk driver.

As a result, she was placed on pain medication to cope with her injuries.

However, Starostin became hooked on her prescription medicine and found it difficult to maintain her daily life.

“I functioned for a long time — until I didn’t,” she said, adding that she gradually transitioned to crystal methamphetamine.

She began neglecting her responsibilities as a mother and eventually lost her home, having to move her children from one hotel to another, Starostin recalled.

A brush with the law resulted in her arrest and her children being taken in by their grandmother.

“When I got out, they didn’t want to come home,” Starostin said. “They didn’t want to look me in the eye.”

Elizabeth Statzer, of the Medical Center of Trinity, took part in Starostin’s class, noting “substance use disorders are something that effects all ages, all races, all genders.”

The Medical Center of Trinity offers selective programs to help users overcome their addiction, she said.

Services include in-patient mental health services. There also is an outpatient program at the hospital where an addict can come by for group therapy three days a week.

Family support groups and family-to-family education classes also are provided to assist loved ones.

Starostin went through a 12-step program for recovery.

She currently is a public speaker, educating others on the dangers of substance abuse.

She also plans to help open a faith-based recovery home for women.

For free treatment referrals and information, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at (800) 662-4357.

To learn more about, or to try Cope Notes for free, text COPE to 33222, or visit CopeNotes.com.

Published February 26, 2020

Less Pain and Quicker Recovery With Opioid-Free Anesthesia

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Now Available At Medical Center of Trinity

There’s a new way of doing surgery at Medical Center of Trinity that greatly reduces patient pain and recovery time, and eliminates the use of opioid medication and its addictive properties.

Dr. Dilendra Weerasinghe, a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon, recently joined the hospital’s medical staff and brought with him expertise in opioid-free anesthesia. He has worked closely with Dr. Jonathan Hisghman, who heads up the hospital’s anesthesiology department, to set up an opioid-free anesthesiology program.

Dr. Dilendra Weerasinghe

The two physicians have implemented a protocol for surgery and post-operative care that was initially developed in the United Kingdom, where Dr. Weerasinghe received his medical training.

“Instead of using opioids and traditional anesthesiology, this protocol uses multiple drugs and nerve blocks that stop the pain at the source, before neurons transmit pain from its source to the brain,” explains Dr. Weerasinghe. “For example, before you make an incision or a cut, you block the pain before it reaches the brain or the central nervous system.”

Dr. Weerasinghe came to Medical Center of Trinity last fall to launch an opioid-free weight loss and general surgery program. His team has already successfully used this protocol on more than 20 surgeries, including bariatric cases.

Opioid-free anesthesiology has many benefits, but one of its most important is not exposing the patient, his family and caregivers to opioids’ addictive risks.

“We have an opioid crisis today, and the source for many of these drugs are prescriptions written to relieve pain after surgery,” explains Dr. Hisghman. “Unfortunately, these prescriptions can sometimes be abused by the patient, or by people who have access to a patient’s drugs.”

“Treating pain with opioids has the unintended consequence of opioid addiction, and continuing to prescribe opioids today contributes to the addiction and overdose crisis impacting our communities,” adds Dr. Weerasinghe.

There are many other important advantages of opioid-free anesthesiology. This includes less pain and shorter recovery time after surgery, reduced nausea that allows patients to more quickly resume normal eating and drinking, and no constipation common with opioid drugs.

“Most importantly, patients spend less time in the hospital, and resume their regular activities much sooner,” said Dr. Weerasinghe.

For the past 20 years, there was a big push to eliminate patient pain, explains Dr. Weerasinghe, which led to the over-prescribing of opioid medication.

“Being free of pain is not necessarily a good thing, especially if it delays a person’s recovery and exposes him to potential addiction,” said Dr. Weerasinghe. “Cultural, political and pharmaceutical factors pushed for a standard of no pain, which is not always the best goal for a patient because of the risk opioids bring.”

Dr. Weerasinghe shared that research on patient discharge after surgery shows that 7% of patients are still using opioids six months after surgery, and of those, 14% are still on opioids five years later. The best way to prevent addiction from occurring is to not prescribe opioids at the time of surgery.

“The opioid crisis contributed to exploration of alternative pain relief, which led to the multi-modal approach to pain relief that we’re using with opioid-free anesthesiology,” said Dr. Weerasinghe.

“This is not an abandonment of pain relief — but a new solution to stop the pain at the source,” adds Dr. Hisghman. “After almost 20 years of practice, I did not want to be left out on this new approach to treating pain at its source, with better outcome for my patients.”

Drs. Weerasinghe and Hisghman have found that opioid-free anesthesia often provides superior post-operative pain control and lessens side effects often found with opioid pain medication.

“Opioid-free anesthesia makes surgery more pleasant, increases safety and enhances recovery,  all while providing superior pain control,” said Dr. Weerasinghe. “Our patients want this – it makes surgery less complicated and gives us better outcomes.”

Medical Center of Trinity is the only hospital in Tampa Bay currently using opioid-free anesthesiology. Its patients have ranged in age from their 30s to 80s, and all have left the hospital with minimal to almost no pain.

“I even recommended a similar opioid-sparing anesthesia model for my mother-in-law, who had great success,” said Dr. Hisghman. “She is a believer in this protocol, and so am I. This is a visionary approach for our hospital, and truly sets us apart from other medical facilities. We are very proud to be offering it to residents of our community.”

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Pasco EDC announces 2019 award winners

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The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., announced the winners of its 2019 awards, at its 33rd annual Awards & Trade Show, on Sept. 5 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

Dr. James P. Gills, received the economic council’s leadership award.

Gills is a world-renowned ophthalmologist, a philanthropist, athlete, author and man of faith, according to a news release from the Pasco EDC.

The organization attributed Gills’ persistence, dedication and vision for a new community resulting in a place now known as Trinity, which is in southwest Pasco County.

The annual Pasco EDC event is regarded as a premier business event, attracting over 600 business and community leaders in Tampa Bay and Pasco County, including state legislators, county commissioners and city officials, according to a Pasco EDC news release.

Nominees for awards were scored based on: company growth, leadership in current business issues, and corporate citizenship.

The 2019 winners are:

• Start-Up Business of the Year: The Point Distillery
The Point is a small professional distillery, bottling and co-packing operation on Little Road in New Port Richey. It was acknowledged for its commitment to quality and excellence, and for exceeding customer expectations.

• Special Contribution: AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
This hospital was honored for being a hospital campus built from the ground up, with communities in mind. Its whole-person approach to care was inspired by the principles of CREATION Life – Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook and Nutrition.

• Small Business of the Year: Design & Construction Innovations LLC
DCI is a full-service general contractor specializing in commercial, residential and government construction projects. It has more than 35 years of combined experience in commercial and residential construction, as well as architectural design.

• Medium Business of the Year: Millian-Aire Enterprises Corp.
This family-owned business has been in operation since 1989. Millian-Aire has over 75 years of combined experience, and provides reliable and cost-efficient HVAC services, while using the best practices and latest technologies.

• Large Business of the Year: Welbilt Inc.
Welbilt provides the world’s top chefs and premier chain operators with industry-leading equipment and solutions for the food industry. The company’s cutting-edge designs and lead manufacturing tactics are powered by deep knowledge, operator insights and culinary expertise.

• Special Recognition: Medical Center of Trinity
Medical Center of Trinity represents three points of focus: wellness, prevention and healing. Medical Center of Trinity is located in the tri-county area of Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Published September 11, 2019

Medical Center of Trinity marks a first in Tampa Bay area

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Medical Center of Trinity is the first medical institution in the Tampa Bay area to use the CorPath GRX system – a robotic-assisted device used in coronary care.

The hospital had a celebration on July 30 to unveil the device to the public.

Dr. Patrick Cambier, an interventional cardiologist at the medical center, has had the opportunity to operate using the new device.

Brandon Davis of Corindus Vascular Robotics Inc., demonstrated how the CorPath GRX system operates during a July 30 ribbon cutting ceremony at Medical Center of Trinity. The device is used to help treat blocked arteries. (Brian Fernandes)

“We’re very excited for the Medical Center of Trinity, that they decided to be the first hospital (in the Bay Area),” Cambier said. “It’s a completely new paradigm.”

The robotic arm handles medical tools that would otherwise be manually used by physicians – including a catheter and stents.

At a console station, the doctor maneuvers the arm using a set of joysticks. A large monitor shows where to guide the catheter, as its inserted into the patient’s artery.

The blockage can be pinpointed, through the use of an X-ray. A stent is inserted into the clogged artery with a balloon catheter. The balloon is inflated and the stent is locked into place, to keep the artery open.

Brandon Davis of Corindus Vascular Robotics Inc., explained the functions of the device, at the event, which took place in the hospital’s lobby.

“This robot can stretch out all the way across the patient and can go to any access point. It’s driving the wires and balloons through your artery, through your arm and all the way up to your heart,” he said.

In addition to being inserted through the forearm, it can also go through the femoral arteries in the thighs.

Although patients have limited exposure to radiation during a stent procedure, medical staff have higher safety risks that are two-fold, Davis added.

Despite wearing lead suits for precaution, staff are still exposed to radiation as they spend time around X-ray equipment.

The weight of the lead suit can also pose risks of spinal injury.

However, with the CorPath GRX, medical staff can work from their console station and keep a safe distance from the X-ray machine, while using the robot to operate.

Dr. Cambier said patients benefit because the machine reduces the chance of a medical error during the procedure.

“This allows us to raise the bar of existing equipment to a more precise fashion,” the cardiologist said. “It takes all of the variables of a human out, in terms of tremors [and] fatigue.”

While this is a new feature in the Bay Area, it has had considerable growth in the United States and abroad after being introduced in 2017.

There are more than 60 devices in use across the U.S., and the device is reaching such countries as Singapore, Japan, China and Brazil, Davis said.

The system also allows doctors to perform remote procedures.

“We’ve already done our first remote case in India where the physician was 20 miles away from the patient,” Davis explained. “That was done all wireless.”

Both Cambier and Davis pointed out that this technology is only advancing as efforts are underway to broaden its use into neurology. This would allow stroke victims to receive treatment from their operating physician, while in another region of the globe.

Last year, Cambier had to travel to Texas to train and acclimate himself to the new device. However, he welcomes other Bay Area physicians to train locally at Medical Center of Trinity and understand the robotic benefits.

“It starts making things much more uniform,” he said. “Uniformity leads to more consistent outcomes and [that’s] good for the patients of the Tampa Bay Area.”

Published August 07, 2019

Work by local artists leaves a lasting impression

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It was morning, but the heat was beating down on Caren Stevens, as she stood on a scaffold creating a mural.

It’s the kind of work she’s been doing for years.

Caren Stevens is seen illuminating the side wall of E & W Carpets Inc., in Land O’ Lakes on May 7. She and her sister, Dannie Jean, make up the art company, Art Inherited, which does work locally and abroad. (Brian Fernandes)

As Caren painted, her sister and fellow artist Dannie Jean looked up, to examine their latest art project: A mural at E & W Carpets Inc. –  a Land O’ Lakes landmark.

The colorful scene depicts a dock leading to a deep, blue ocean.

The work, which began just a week before, was approaching completion.

“The real creativity is taking our hands and putting what’s in the client’s mind on their wall,” Caren explained.

For nearly 30 years, the sisters have been part of a family owned business called Art Inherited.

Dannie Jean, left, and Caren Stevens are the sisters who own Art Inherited. For decades, they’ve been creating interior and exterior mural paintings, nationally and internationally. (Courtesy of Dannie Jean Stevens)

The company was initially made up of Caren and Dannie Jean; their two other sisters, Carol and Melody; and their mother, Billie.

The concept for the name came from the ladies adopting their mother’s gift as an artist, as they grew up watching her create oil paintings and pottery.

Before they teamed up, Dannie Jean said, “all of us sisters were doing something in art, but we were all doing different things.”

Collaborating together, the family designed murals, as well as tile and graphic art, among other works.

The business gained recognition, but began to dwindle in size when Melody moved out of state, and both their sister, Carol, and mother, passed away.

Art Inherited’s unique style provides this bathroom with an elegant yet relaxing scenery. (Courtesy of Dannie Jean Stevens)

But, Dannie Jean and Caren continue to put their gifts to use, remembering what their mother used to tell them: “In order to grow, art must be shared.”

The sisters began to shift their focus more on mural paintings and were hired to design artwork in model homes — which gave potential clients a chance to get a glimpse of what the artists had to offer.

Dannie Jean sketches what clients envision for their space and Caren brings the image to life through her colorful, crafted paintings.

So, what began with artwork in Sarasota model homes soon branched out to different areas of Tampa Bay.

Some of their clients have included the Northwest Community Church in Tampa; Larry’s Deli in Land O’ Lakes; and, the children’s emergency wing at the Medical Center of Trinity.

Who says art always has to be serious? In this painting, Caren Stevens uses humor to bring a smile to sick kids at the children’s emergency wing of the Medical Center of Trinity. (Courtesy of Dannie Jean Stevens)

Former baseball player Mariano Rivera was a client, too.

Client requests range from nature scenes, to religious imagery, to paintings of  animals.

The women have also developed an international reputation from work they’ve completed in the Bahamas and France.

Their artistry, Dannie Jean said, begins “with a God-given talent.”

“But, then it has to be nurtured,” she said.

“It’s fun,” she added, explaining “you get into the zone. It’s like reading a book – you’re just into it.”

Of the countless projects that Caren has worked on, her favorite was the interior of the Northwest Community Church.

She worked on the four-year project with her twin sister Carol, which made it special.

“It was so invigorating, so much fun,” Caren recalled. “That was one of my best memories that I had with my sister.”

Dannie Jean and Caren are at the helm of the company now, but occasionally they hire assistants for big assignments.

For this latest project, Caren has been working to give E & W’s bare wall a three-dimensional feel.

As seen here in Tampa’s Northwest Community Church, religious imagery is also in demand by clients of Art Inherited. (Courtesy of Dannie Jean Stevens)

Aside from the company name and contact information, the painting includes  two dogs at the front of a boardwalk, which is surrounded by palms trees and leads to a bay where a boat is docked.

It’s precisely what Chad Walter, the company owner, had envisioned.

“I saw something online that I liked,” Walter said. “It was the water scene.”

Walter said he wanted the mural to draw the attention of motorists as they traveled by — to attract business.

The building’s side wall faces drivers who are heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The new amenity also comes as E & W celebrates its 50th anniversary in business this year.

Kevin Barnes, who handles the company’s sales, said the painting has an advantage that social media ads don’t.

“What I like about it is, it’s concrete,” he said. “It’s going to be there forever.”

The sisters are no strangers to E & W. They’ve done work there before and plan to work there in the future.

While the sisters note that they’re imparting a lasting legacy through their art, they also realize they’re responding to the client’s vision and having an impact on those who view their work.

“I think it’s neat that we leave a little part of ourselves in so many places,” Dannie Jean said. “You don’t know who’s being touched by that.”

To find out more about the company, visit ArtInherited.com.

Published May 22, 2019

Medical Center of Trinity seeks new ways to improve care

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Anyone who has driven along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor during the past few years can easily see that the landscape is rapidly changing in Pasco County.

Subdivisions and businesses are popping up everywhere, and the need for medical services continues to grow.

Responding to that explosive growth and to evolving patient needs is only part of the equation, though. Keeping up with medical advances, staying abreast of new treatment approaches, equipping hospital staff with leading edge technology and adjusting to changes in government regulation, are other elements in Medical Center of Trinity’s quest to set itself apart for its quality of care, said Leigh Massengill, the hospital’s chief executive officer, during a recent North Tampa Bay Chamber luncheon.

Leigh Massengill, the chief executive officer of Medical Center of Trinity, was the featured speaker at a recent North Tampa Bay Chamber luncheon. She shared news that the hospital will be expanding services and will be adding a medical residency program next year. (B.C. Manion)

“We try to strategize very carefully to meet the needs of the growing community, to identify the things that people are going to need — recognizing that health care is changing at a fast pace while we’re trying to make those decisions,” Massengill said.

For instance, “more and more things are being done on an outpatient basis.

“Whoever thought that you could get your total knee replaced in an ambulatory surgical setting and go home the same day? What next?”

While the main hospital campus is now on State Road 54, the hospital had its start in New Port Richey.

“We celebrated our 40th anniversary of providing health care as Community Hospital of New Port Richey, just shortly before we moved in February of 2012 to this new location,” Massengill said.

The hospital had to retool itself and rethink its approaches, as it shifted from taking care of a group of patients with an average age of 82, to one that serves patients ranging from neonatal care to the senior population.

It was quite a culture shock for the organization, the CEO said, and continues to be an adventure as the hospital contemplates how it will grow with the community.

The hospital executive brings a wealth of experience to the challenge. Her background includes working in hospitals ranging from 150 beds to 1,500 beds in both public and faith-based settings. She began her career as a registered nurse and has held a number of leadership roles in nursing and hospital operations.

The hospital sits on a 55-acre campus and is currently occupying about 24 acres.

Additional services to meet area needs
“Since we moved in, we opened a neonatal intensive care unit, which was the first in Pasco County and is the only still, in Pasco County. That has enabled us to keep mommas, that have high-risk pregnancies, within their hometown.

“Before that, we were consistently referring people down to Pinellas and Hillsborough counties for that higher level of care. We’re now able to retain them closer to home, closer to family, especially, if you have a child that’s going to be in an intensive care unit for three weeks after their birth, invariably, you have two other kids at home and who’s taking care of that while you’re traveling 50 miles down to All Children’s Hospital?

“Two years after opening, the hospital began doing open heart surgery, now completing about 150 open heart surgeries annually.

“We keep getting more minimally invasive, as you know, and just about any type of invasive procedure is getting more and more catheter-based, more and more teeny incisions, or more and more robotic,” Massengill said.

The hospital is part of HCA West Florida, which is part of the HCA Healthcare family, and it has  distinguished itself in the HCA system, which includes 180 acute hospitals, Massengill said. The hospital’s surgery/ortho/spine unit was ranked No. 1 within HCA.

She praised the hospital’s staff for the accomplishment, noting the distinction is based on document excellence in a wide range of measures and required substantial work to achieve.

On another front, the hospital has added 14 observation beds, next to the emergency department. That change came in response to new government regulations.

“The government has changed reimbursement. The expectation is, if you show up at a hospital, we have the obligation to determine, as you’re rolling through the door, whether you’re going to require two hospital nights, in order to be considered admitted and an inpatient.

If we’re not certain, we have to keep you in an observation status, do as many diagnostic tests that are necessary to determine whether you’re going to need an inpatient stay, or to stabilize you and have that care continue on an outpatient basis. They give you 24 hours to accomplish that diagnostic testing,” she said.

Current expansion plans on the main campus call for completion of the east side of the fifth floor, and to do the east side of sixth floor for further growth and expansion.

“We continue identifying ways to differentiate ourselves relative to quality,” Massengill said.

The hospital has extended its footprint, to extend its care by adding three freestanding emergency departments, with one in Lutz, Citrus Park and Palm Harbor.

“In those facilities, 95 percent of the patients are treated and released,” she said.

The hospital also plans to add a behavioral health unit for the elderly at the New Port Richey campus.

“We’ve had many physicians come to us, asking us to create this kind of a program,” Massengill said. “We’re looking forward to opening that, once the state gives us the seal of approval.”

The hospital also recently received approval to begin a medical residency program, which will begin in 2019, the hospital leader said.

As it continues to operate in an environment of almost constant change, the hospital remains focused on achieving excellence in staff performance and patient outcomes, Massengill said.

“We know that the consumer of health care is getting more and more savvy, and they shop for excellence before they make the decision,” she said.

Medical Center of Trinity

  • Opened Feb. 7, 2012
  • 288 all-private rooms on its main campus

2017 figures

  • Total annual admissions: 16,222
  • Total annual emergency visits: 77,096
  • Total patients treated: 119,298
  • Active physicians: 380
  • Total employees: 1,482
  • Taxes paid: $8.1 million
  • Charity and uncompensated care: $22 million
  • Salaries, wages and benefits: $113 million

Source: Presentation by Leigh Massengill, Medical Center of Trinity, to members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber

Published October 24, 2018

Finalists named for annual industry awards

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Pasco Economic Development Council announced its selection of 15 finalists for the 32nd Annual Awards and Trade Show, according to a news release from the Pasco EDC.

Bill Cronin

The event will be on Sept. 6 at Saddlebrook Resort and Spa, 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel.

Festivities will begin with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by the award announcements from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. A dinner and trade show, with about 50 exhibitors from Pasco County businesses, will be featured, too.

Six businesses, selected from the finalists, will be honored as award winners at the annual celebration.

All nominees were scored based on company growth, leadership in current business issues, and corporate citizenship.

According to the news release, the finalists “excelled in all of those categories.”

The finalists are:

  • A.L. Saland Insurance Solutions
  • Academy at the Lakes Inc.
  • DC Johnson & Associates
  • Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco County
  • Hernandez Accounting Solutions Inc.
  • Medical Center of Trinity
  • Merrell Bros., Inc.
  • Mettler Toledo
  • Millian-Aire Enterprises Corp.
  • Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
  • Pharmaworks Inc.
  • San Antonio Lumber Co.
  • Spark Technology Solutions
  • Tampa Premium Outlets LLC
  • Ultimate 3D Printing Store

“This event honors the accomplishments and growth of our business community, while providing a rare networking opportunity with over 600 of Pasco’s business leaders and government officials at the biggest event of the year,” Bill Cronin, the Pasco EDC’s president and chief executive officer, said in the release.

Published August 8, 2018

HART rolling out regional bus service

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The debate over building and operating a tri-county bus rapid transit system on Interstate 275 won’t be settled for months.

But, on July 1, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, known as HART, will launch a new limited express bus service down I-275 from Wesley Chapel to Tampa.

Connections also can be made to existing routes operated by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority with services to Largo, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, HART, will launch a new bus route between Wesley Chapel and Tampa. A HART bus is shown here at Marion Transit Center in Tampa.
(Courtesy of HART)

The 275LX route will be a first for regional transit in the Tampa Bay area. It also will be a test of the regional potential for bus transit.

Funding for the new route is from about $1.2 million in grants from the Florida Department of Transportation. Funds are expected to cover operating expenses for 18 months.

“We’re very excited about this service,” said Steve Feigenbaum, HART’s director of service development. “We have very high hopes for it.”

Route 275LX largely will follow Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Interstate 275.

Feigenbaum said this service is separate from a proposed “catalyst” project for a bus rapid transit system that would travel on dedicated lanes built on the shoulders of I-275.

The Florida Department of Transportation funded a study that prioritized a 41-mile bus rapid transit system from Wesley Chapel to St. Petersburg. Initial construction estimates were nearly $455 million.

Supporters hope that bus rapid transit can jumpstart a long-range transit vision for the area. Opponents say the project is too limited, too expensive, and won’t, by itself, address traffic gridlock.

A decision on bus rapid transit is expected in the coming months.

Meanwhile, major stops on HART’s limited express service will include Tampa International Airport, the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, the University Area Transit Center, the Westshore business district, and the Marion Street Transit Center in downtown Tampa.

According to a HART news release, residents and businesses, especially in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, asked for the bus route. It is considered a boon for employees commuting to and from work across county lines, and for area residents who want to visit dining, shopping or entertainment destinations in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

HART estimates about 123,000 residents live within the service area.

Transportation from Pasco to the veteran’s hospital in Hillsborough is an especially important benefit to the area, said Kurt Scheible, director of Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT).

“I get requests all the time on how can we get people down to the veteran’s hospital,” Scheible said. “I think this is a great step forward.”

The July 1 start is a soft opening, with an official ribbon cutting at Tampa International Airport scheduled for July 13.

HART buses will pick up passengers at the Route 54 bus stop operated by PCPT. The bus stop is located at the Wiregrass Park-n-Ride, at 28222 Willet Way, near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

The Wiregrass bus stop is the “backbone” of Pasco’s transit system, with the kind of ridership that makes it a perfect fit for HART’s new route, said Scheible.

HART’s operating hours will be seven days a week, generally from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with buses leaving hourly. Bus fares will be $2 each way. Free WiFi is available on the bus ride.

PCPT’s Route 54 operates only six days a week, with no buses running on Sundays. Weekday hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., for east/west service from Universal Plaza in New Port Richey to Zephyrhills.

Major stops are at Medical Center of Trinity, The Shops at Wiregrass and Tampa Premium Outlets.

However, the Wiregrass Park-n-Ride is open seven days a week for residents taking a ride on HART’s buses.

New services are coming in the future, including the expansion of Flamingo Fares, a mobile application for regional bus passes, Feigenbaum said.

It is available from HART and the PSTA. In the next months, Pasco and Manatee County’s transit systems also will provide the mobile app and regional bus passes.

“It will be seamless, built into all the systems,” said Feigenbaum.

Published June 20, 2018