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Health

Health News 05/25/2022

May 24, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Dr. Chetan Khamare, cardiologist at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)

Innovative procedure performed
St. Joseph’s Hospital is performing Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL), an innovative minimally invasive procedure for coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death in the United States, according to a news release.

Shockwave lithotripsy, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021, uses ultrasonic pressure waves to break up calcium buildup in heart arteries. The procedure may eliminate the need for open-heart surgery, in some cases, the release said.

Candidates for IVL may have a significant narrowing of the heart or substantial heart muscle weakness.

As people with coronary artery disease get older and the disease advances, calcium in the arteries hardens and restricts blood flow. This makes it difficult to install stents (tiny metal scaffolds that can open blocked arteries).

In the shockwave technology, a catheter is placed in the artery and inflates a balloon at low pressure. Shockwave then transmits ultrasonic pressure waves that delicately break down the calcium deposits. After the calcifications are broken, the balloon is expanded to prepare the artery for stenting, to restore blood flow.

The IVL is the second recent, newer cardiovascular procedure now being performed at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. The hospital announced last year that it also performs TCAR, a surgery for carotid artery disease.

From left, Natalie Milanovic, Allan Reimann, Dr. Chetan Khamare, Jessica Schoonover and Rebecca Anderson — the group is involved in performing shockwave lithotripsies at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North. (Courtesy of BayCare Health System)
A depiction of a shockwave catheter in an artery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mental health services
AdventHealth has announced the expansion of its mental health focus outside of the primary care setting, during a press conference with Tampa Bay Thrives and additional community partners, according to a news release.

The health system will expand its care to provide same-day access to a mental health clinician at 10 AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens locations across Tampa Bay, via telehealth.

“Mental health is a crisis and because it’s so important to meet the people where they are to provide both physical and mental health care, we’ve embedded immediate telehealth mental health services within our own teams and with the communities we serve,” said John Johannessen, senior executive officer of Non-Acute Care, AdventHealth West Florida Division, in the release.

Currently, AdventHealth physician practices at AdventHealth Care Pavilion New Tampa connect patients with expert mental health clinicians to receive same-day behavioral health treatment, via phone or video visit, from the privacy of their home.

Stroke awareness
May is Stroke Awareness Month, and the Department of Health-Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) wants the public to know the risk factors, symptoms, and how to prevent a stroke.

Timely treatment for a stroke is to know and understand the warning signs, as described by the B.E. F.A.S.T. acronym.

  • Balance: Is the person suddenly having trouble with balance or coordination?
  • Eyes: Is the person experiencing suddenly blurred or double vision or a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
  • Face: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • Arms: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • Speech: Is speech slurred, is the person unable to speak, or is the person hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, such as “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • Time: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately.

Risk factors for stroke that can be changed, treated or medically managed include: High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, unhealthy diet, high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use, and excessive weight.

DOH-Pasco recommends routine checkups for blood pressure and make overall health screenings a top priority.

Health News 05/18/2022

May 17, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

‘Pirates’ lead the way
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, together with its teen-sponsored club, GFWC Little Women of Lutz, participated in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraiser. This year’s team theme was ‘Pirates of the Cure-ibbean.’ Despite torrential downpours during the event, more than $1,200 was raised to benefit reserarch to find a cure for cancer. For more information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Thunderbug visit
The Tampa Bay Lightning recently celebrated with the nursing staff at AdventHealth Tampa during National Nurse’s Week. The team’s mascot, ThunderBug, stopped by the hospital ahead of a playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, to cheer on the nurses and thank them for their ongoing care and compassion to the community.

The hospital spent the week highlighting the ongoing commitment of the nurses, as they work to care for patients who need them most.

AdventHealth is the Official Health and Wellness Partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Health News 05/11/2022

May 10, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Shantel Meyers)

Recognizing moms, on their special day
Members of the GFWC Wesley Chapel Woman’s Club handmade a sign and wrote Mother’s Day cards for the ladies at Orchid Cove nursing home in Dade City. The nursing home staff gave the cards, with a flower, to the moms in their facility. The woman’s club wanted all the moms to know that they were thought of on their special day. From left: Nancy Stikes, Linda Jenkins, Roberta Millard, Shantel Meyers, Liz Chavez and Marie Ambrosino.

Donate to CARES
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will feature CARES (Community Aging & Retirement Services) as its charitable organization for the month of May, and accept donations.

CARES provides services to vulnerable seniors who need meals, home health care, home maintenance, and help with pet care.

“Your kindness will help families in Pasco County who need in-home health services, adult day care and assistance for family members who need a break from the stressful demands of caregiving,” said Jemith Rosa, CARES president and CEO, in a news release.

“Your generosity will help frail elderly people in Pasco County, who are facing illness, hunger, and isolation. Additionally, the family members and caregivers need help as well,” said Rosa.

All proceeds from this promotional effort wil benefit the CARES We Help campaign.

For information about CARES and its services, call Jemith Rosa at 727-863-6868, or visit CARESFL.org.

For more about the promotional and charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Hospital certified ‘green’
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s energy efficiency is good for the environment and the hospital, according to a news release.

The Lutz hospital has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, a certification that is a globally recognized symbol of environmental sustainability, the release said.

In addition, the hospital also received an Energy to Care Award from the American Society for Health Care Engineering, for energy consumption reduction.

The hospital’s Facilities Department submitted a report summarizing St. Joseph’s significant energy reduction from May 2015 to October 2021.

Highlights of the report include:

  • The hospital reduced energy use by 20% over that time. The energy reduction happened despite the hospital adding more than 100,000 square feet from an expansion that was completed in March 2020.
  • The hospital reduced carbon dioxide use by nearly 13,000 metric tons.
  • Greenhouse gas avoidance by the hospital during the period was the equivalent of removing 2,673 cars from the road; 1,157 homes off the energy grid; and eliminating 68 railcars of coal.
  • Cost savings to the hospital from reduction in electricity and natural gas was more than $1.3 million.

John Young, the hospital’s facility manager, said in the release: “Efficiences in air conditioning played the biggest role in the energy reduction.

“In areas that were unoccupied or were in non-peak usage, we are able to ramp down the air conditioning in those spaces. Air conditioning is the highest energy consumer,” Young said.

Another significant energy savings was the use of LED lighting in the visitor and team member parking lots for the hospital and physician office building. LED lights also are economical and better for nighttime safety.

“The Green Hospital design allows St. Joseph’s Hospital-North to not only be a leader in health care technology and services, but to also be a good neighbor and community partner,” said Tom Garthwaite, hospital president, in the release.

Cultural center receives grant
The Carrollwood Cultural Center will increase accessibility for blind and low-vision patrons using $15,000 awarded through the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay Competitive Grant for the fiscal year 2022.

The center will use the grant money to purchase a new assistive listening system.

The grant also will enable the center to train people who will offer live audio description services to audience members who are blind or have low vision.

Audio description is a live narration of the visual elements of a performance, such as lights, costumes, actions, textures, and scenery.

The new system also will enable hard-of-hearing patrons to tune into a high-quality audio stream through the center’s wireless network. The patron then can access the frequency through an application on their cellphone.

The center plans to start offering audio descriptive services during the final two shows of its 2021-2022 theatrical season, with Roald Dahl’s “Matilda, the Musical” July 15 to July 24, and “First Date” Sept. 16 to Sept. 25.

The Carrollwood Cultural Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission of creating culture throughout community, and community through culture, a news release said.

Health News 05/04/2022

May 3, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Helping to fill a need at Oasis
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club recently toured the Oasis Pregnancy Care Center in Land O’ Lakes. Dave Dorsey, Oasis development director, explained the center’s role in the community and how it serves expectant and new mothers. Within the center is a baby boutique to help new mothers stock up on baby items. The woman’s club donated a supply of maternity clothing, baby items, clothes, diapers and other needed equipment. From left: Pam Blumenthal, Dave Dorsey, Linda Mitchell and Joyce Humphrey. For information about the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org. For more about Oasis, call 813-406-4965.

Donate to CARES
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices will feature CARES (Community Aging & Retirement Services) as its charitable organization for the month of May, and accept donations.

CARES provides services to vulnerable seniors who need meals, home health care, home maintenance, and help with pet care.

“Your kindness will help families in Pasco County who need in-home health services, adult day care and assistance for family members who need a break from the stressful demands of caregiving,” said Jemith Rosa, CARES president and CEO, in a news release.

“Your generosity will help frail elderly people in Pasco County, who are facing illness, hunger, and isolation. Additionally, the family members and caregivers need help as well,” said Rosa.

All proceeds from this promotional effort wil benefit the CARES We Help campaign.

For information about CARES and its services, call Jemith Rosa at 727-863-6868, or visit CARESFL.org.

For more about the promotional and charitable giving programs at the tax collector’s office, call Greg Giordano at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

(Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

A little ‘elbow grease’ goes a long way
Nearly two dozen team members from AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills lent a helping hand to a single mom of four, to build her first home through the Habitat for Humanity Dream Builders Bash. Team members assisted first-time homebuyer Bellvis Hooks to install siding.

AdventHealth focuses on growth, expansion

April 26, 2022 By Mike Camunas

When looking at AdventHealth Dade City’s chart, there’s a vast improvement.

Formerly known as Florida Hospital Dade City, AdventHealth took over four years ago and has spent $22 million on a major makeover.

AdventHealth Dade City, at 13100 Fort King Road, was purchased by the national health care system four years ago. It has undergone $22 million in renovations. (Mike Camunas)

The upgrade includes a $2 million expansion now being done to double the capacity of the pre-op and post-op ward, bringing the total to eight bays. That work is expected to be done by the end of the year.

When AdventHealth took over, the former hospital was fading.

Now, the 100-plus bed hospital, at 13100 Fort King Road, has been reinvigorated.

“Over the last four years, what we’ve done at Dade City has been a remarkable accomplishment and certainly transformative,” COO Shade Bedward said.

“When AdventHealth took over four years ago, it certainly was not performing financially, and only had six patients.

“Now, we have over 100 (patients) in house and see over 100 patients a day. The confidence and trust that the community has in us now is a tremendous achievement,” the hospital executive said.

Bedward was promoted on Feb. 27 to chief operating officer of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills. The latter is now considered a synergized-system sister hospital, a mere 7 ½ miles away, at 7050 Gall Blvd.

Bedward will serve in leadership and director roles at Zephyrhills and will serve as hospital administrator at Dade City.

In Dade City, he will oversee the day-to-day and strategic operations, and report directly to Amanda Maggard, AdventHealth president and CEO.

“Of course there have been a lot of challenges in the past 3 ½ years I’ve been here, but it’s also been a lot of fun work that benefits the community,” Bedward said.

AdventHealth, a faith-based, nonprofit health care system headquartered in Altamonte Springs, operates facilities in nine states.

It hit the ground running once taking over the Dade City location, Bedward said. The hospital was considered as being on its last leg, receiving a C grade from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.

Leapfrog is an annual voluntary survey in which hospitals report quality and safety data. It uses 22 evidence-based measures of patient safety, including how well hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, injuries and infections. Leapfrog then calculates a numerical score for all eligible hospitals in the United States, whether or not the hospital reports its data.

Over time, Dade City improved nearly every aspect of its facility, including transition care, which is people staying in the hospital for seven days to 14 days. That is now a five-star ranked unit and the only one ranked that high in East Pasco, Bedward said.

“We’re seeing top-notch quality. Across the board,” he said.

Moving forward, AdventHealth is working on recruiting an improved workforce and also on employee retention.

Those efforts include adequate market pay and benefits, student loans and tuition reimbursements, and company cultural celebrations to show appreciation.

Bedward hopes this inspires employees to stay in Dade City.

AdventHealth Dade City has evidence of its transformative rejuvenation.

It now has an A grade from LeapFrog.

“We focused on quality of care and culture company-wide,” Bedward said. “Guests walk in, and it feels warm and welcoming, and they get a very nice experience,” he said.

While gratified by the hospital’s accomplishments so far, efforts are ongoing, he said.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done. The growth is fast-paced and we plan to continue to keep growing,” Bedward said.

Published April 27, 2022

A symbol of hope

April 26, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of AdventHealth Zephyrhills)

The 37th annual Easter Service at AdventHealth Zephyrhills attracted more than 200 people.

Pastor Keith Smith, of Dade City Christian Church, presided during the service and the Dade City Christian Church provided music during the first live service, following virtual services two years in a row, according to a news release from the hospital.

The service also featured a dove release to symbolize love, peace and happiness for the world.

The hospital’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ was at the front of the service, the release said.

In a statement, Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Zephyrhills and AdventHealth Dade City, said: “Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of our king, Jesus Christ. It is a time to be thankful, hopeful, and an opportunity for a fresh start. The last two years have been filled with challenges, but with each challenge we have faced, we have had hope to help us overcome whatever was put in front of us. This year, we are even more hopeful that as a community, we will continue to rise above whatever comes our way. The fact that we are able to be here today in person, together, exemplifies our resilience as a community.”

Health News 04/20/2022

April 19, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Ron Graff and pet therapy dog Jackson (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Limited therapy pet visits resume
The pandemic has affected every aspect of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, including the hospital’s pet therapy program.

During COVID peaks and visitor restrictions and pandemic safety measures, the pet program for all patients and team members was suspended and stopped completely.

At other times, pet therapy was offered only for team members in restricted non-patient areas and outdoors.

And during lulls and periods of lower COVID presence, the program was available to some patients.

During the outbreak at the end of 2021 into early 2022, pet therapy again was shut down.

St. Joseph’s now is happy to report that some patients can resume visits with the furry friends, bringing back smiles and joy.

Jackson, a 7-year-old golden retriever, wore bunny ears for his pre-Easter visit to a hospital room, with his handler Ron Graff.

 

 

Beeping egg hunt a success
The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind hosted its annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt on April 9. Kids who are visually impaired searched for beeping eggs, while their sighted siblings looked for the regular eggs. At the end of the hunt, everyone exchanged their eggs for candy.

The Beeping Easter Egg Hunt is just one of Lighthouse’s many programs and activities for visually impaired youth. To learn more, Visit LVIB.org.

(Courtesy of Becky Finley)

All aboard, for good causes
The Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills presented to a sold-out audience Maria Buckley’s production of ‘Murder on a Budget Cruise Line’ dinner theatre. Proceeds from the production were donated to the Healing Hearts Cafe and a domestic violence shelter. Club members and guests, from left, are: Emily Keene, Sue Trebour, Robin Burke, Brenda Dougherty, Peggy Berry, Missy Moon, Tammy Hanlon and Tom Dougherty.

Health resources
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has compiled commnity-based health resources on its website, to help serve citizens.

Resources are available for a variety of challenges that citizens may encounter, including mental health issues, houselessness, suicidal thoughts, and more.

The list was developed to give those seeking assistance a place to start when they may not know how.

For information, visit PascoSheriff.com, and click on “Community Based Resources.”

(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Wellness Center opens to the public
Saint Leo University on April 8 opened the doors of a $20 million, 59,500-square-foot Wellness Center that features an outdoor pool, basketball courts, state-of-the-art gym amenities and locker rooms, a cafe and more, to the public. ‘We anticipate offering a variety of fitness classes in the Mind, Body, Spirit Studio, Group X Studio, and Cycling Studio on an ongoing basis as well,’ said Kathleen Pantalone, executive director, Wellness Center Services and Events.

New BayCare hospital to add 250 jobs

April 5, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Hundreds of construction workers are busy building BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, at 4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The new 86-bed hospital is expected to open in Spring 2023, and when it does, it will create additional medical options within Pasco County, as well as more jobs.

Becky Schulkowski, the hospital’s president, is pleased with the $246 million project’s progress to date.

“We are on budget. We are on schedule,” Schulkowski said, during a recent hard-hat tour of the construction site, on the 40-plus acre campus.

The hospital is fortunate because it hasn’t been besieged by construction cost escalations and supply chain issues, the hospital leader said.

Becky Schulkowski, the president of BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, is pleased with the progress of the $246 million project. She can’t wait to begin to bring BayCare’s health care services to the Wesley Chapel area. (B.C. Manion)

“We were just basically on the crest of that wave,” she said.

“All of our pricing was honored. I have one item that we have identified as a delay in shipment,” she said, but noted that that will arrive well before the hospital opens.

“We did have a shipment of tile that got stuck on a ship at the Port of Miami for a couple of months,” she said, but that has arrived.

When BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel opens, it will offer comprehensive medical services and health care resources including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and lab, and physical rehabilitation.

Right now, there are about 300 construction workers plying their skills at the site. The hospital is expected to begin operations with about 250 employees, and to increase up to 275 by the second year..

BayCare chose to open a hospital in Wesley Chapel because it’s an obviously growing area — and where there are people, there are healthcare needs, Schulkowski said.

“We wanted to meet that need. We’re bringing the BayCare values to the community. Every person who walks through our doors is treated with respect, dignity, trust,” the hospital president said. ““So, really, it is those values that we bring to every interaction.”

The BayCare experience won’t be a new one for many of the Wesley Chapel hospital’s patients or team members, Schulkowski said.

BayCare patients living in the Wesley Chapel area now travel to St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, or to St. Joseph’s main campus in Tampa.

“We want to bring the care they’re already looking for, with BayCare, because they know and trust us,” she said. “We’re bringing it closer to home.”

BayCare also has team members who live in the Wesley Chapel area, but work in Lutz or Tampa.

She expects some of them to transfer to the new Wesley Chapel hospital.

“A shorter commute is a big deal and they get to stay within BayCare. So, we do expect that,” the hospital leader said.

Setting a new hospital’s tone
Finding the best people to staff the hospital will be challenging — particularly at a time when there are significant shortages in the healthcare field, Schulkowski said.

But she is optimistic that some of BayCare’s current team will want to work on her campus and that others may be attracted by the opportunity to help create the new hospital’s culture.

Team members also can provide practical suggestions of how things should be set up. Maybe they have a better idea of how a patient gets from one place to another, or where the crash cart should go, the hospital leader said.

The plans may show one thing, she explained, but there may be a better approach.

Staff will be onboarded well before the hospital’s doors open, to familiarize team members with the building and to gather their input.

“The idea is to make sure everything is smoothed out before the hospital opens,” she said.

Sparks fly, as this welder completes a task at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, now being built on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. (Courtesy of BayCare)

She thinks the idea of having that type of involvement will appeal to potential team members.

The hospital already has asked BayCare team members to help in the hospital’s design — incorporating the knowledge they glean from their day-to-day work lives.

For instance, they provided suggestions regarding how patient rooms should be arranged.

Then, a mock patient room was set up to check everything, before the hospital proceeded with setting up other rooms.

Schulkowski is a big believer in seeking out the best ways to get things done.

“If you want to find the safest and most efficient way to do something, ask a nurse,” the hospital leader said.

The hospital chain also learned from the COVID-19 experience, she said.

“Because we were still early in our design when COVID hit, we were able to build in, what we call, pandemic mode in this building,” she said.

The new hospital has the capability of turning 42 of its rooms into negative rooms, meaning those rooms are capable of exhausting 100% of their air.

“Hopefully, we never have to use it,” Schulkowski said, but the facility will be ready, if it does.

The hospital design also features windows to allow in natural light and is planning to have art work on its walls, to create an inviting environment.

Most people don’t want to be in the hospital, Schulkowski said.

The quality of the care is paramount, but the atmosphere of the hospital is important, too, she said.

“We want it to be pleasant, welcoming,” Schulkowski said.

BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel
What:
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel is under construction at  4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
When: Opening is anticipated in the first quarter of 2023
Cost: The project’s estimated cost is $246 million.
Details: The 318,000-square-foot building is being built on a 40-plus acre campus. The hospital will have 86 private rooms and 20 Emergency Room beds. It will offer comprehensive medical services and health care resources, including an emergency department, an intensive care unit with virtual-monitoring beds, diagnostic services such as imaging and lab, and physical rehabilitation. It is expected to have 250 permanent jobs when it opens, increasing to 275 by the second year of operations.
For additional information about job opportunities, visit BayCareJobs.com or Facebook.com/BayCareCareers/.

Published April 06, 2022

Health News 04/06/2022

April 5, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Doug Higgins, AdventHealth chaplain, left, blesses the hands of Alexandra Farias, graduate of the CNA program. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

Graduates receive special blessing
AdventHealth Dade City hosted a Blessing of the Hands ceremony, at the Dade City hospital and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, for 19 employees who graduated from the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. The event signifies the beginning of the graduates’ clinical experience.

Training in the program is free of charge and open to the community.

In collaboration with Aguilas International Technical Instiute, students get paid to attend a five-week course and learn a clinical curriculum to prepare them for the CNA test.

Upon graduation, participants are hired by AdventHealth Dade City. Many of the graduates worked in other roles at the hospitals while completing their training.

The next CNA training opportunity will begin on May 9.

For information and to apply, visit Careers.adventhealth.com.

Lighthouse president speaks
Sheryl Brown, president of Lighthouse for the Blind & Low Vision, recently spoke to members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club about the services the organization provides.

Lighthouse guides the blind and vision-impaired with training to independence, through at-home living and navigating the present-day workplace.

Woman’s club member Marsha Gibson, who is legally blind, has long advocated for Lighthouse and is the club’s informal liaison.

Gibson demonstrated some of the new special aids and electronic devices now available and very specific to the needs of the blind and low-vision population.

Woman’s club president Elayne Bassinger honored Gibson for her participation in numerous club activities and particularly for her outreach on behalf of the blind over many years.

For information on the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebok page.

Hospital gets state award
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz is the recipient of a 2021 Jean Byers Memorial Award for Excellence in Cancer Registration, according to a news release.

The award is given by the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to facilities that had 100% accuracy on data submission.

St. Joseph’s met or exceeded national quality standards for timeliness and completeness of cancer reporting over a defined, specific time period.

The FCDS is the statewide population-based cancer surveillance system under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data submitted by facilities is used to learn about cancer trends and causes; it can be used to identify cancer clusters.

At St. Joseph’s, cancer data submission is done through a centralized Cancer Data Registry team that provides specific information regarding cancer patients for all five St. Joseph’s Hospitals in Hillsborough County.

“This is the sixth Jean Byers Memorial Award received by St. Joseph’s Hospital-North,” said Tom Garthwaite, hospital president, in the release.

“The award demonstrates the commitment of the medical staff, nurses, imaging, pathology and surgical teams to continuing the ongoing fight against cancer,” said Garthwaite.

Published April 06, 2022

Health News 03/30/2022

March 29, 2022 By Mary Rathman

New patient services director
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz has named Joanne McCarn, from San Antonio, its new patient services director, a role that McCarn started in February.

Joanne McCarn

In the new role, McCarn is a member of the leadership team and participates in planning, organizing, policy development and priortity setting.

She works closely with nursing, clinical and medical teams in providing, monitoring and evaluating patient care and services.

McCarn oversees nursing personnel, and leads and evaluates the nursing team, and sets nursing objectives and long-term goals.

She has been with BayCare for more than 20 years starting as a mobile pool nurse providing coverage and filling in nursing shifts throughout BayCare hospitals.

She’s been a charge nurse, assistant nurse manager and nurse manager at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

McCarn is the recipient of both Nurse Manager Excellence and Clinical Nurse Excellence awards from the Tampa hospital.

“Being part of BayCare for over 20 years and having spent the last 15 years at St. Joseph’s Hospital Main (Tampa), I was somewhat apprehensive about leaving my St. Joseph’s Hospital Main family,” McCarn said in a news release.

“What has made this transition easy for me is the warm welcome I have received from everyone! I certainly feel the same family type atmosphere here at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, as well as the camaraderie shared among this awesome team,” McCarn said.

Delivering comfort for those in need
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club (in green shirts) donated and delivered hand-sewn comfort items to Moffitt Cancer Center and an AdventHealth hospital. The women also supplied hygiene items and clothing for residents of the Angel Senior Living assisted living facility. The club delivers items to various local facilities on a monthly basis. For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

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Summer break is quickly approaching and organizations throughout Pasco County are offering camps for children of all … [Read More...] about A Guide for Summer Camps in Pasco County 

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05/26/2022 – Food distribution

Farm Share, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff Charities, the Pasco County NAACP, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay will partner for a free food distribution on May 26 starting at 9 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Dade City. Food will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. The event is a drive-thru, rain or shine. … [Read More...] about 05/26/2022 – Food distribution

05/26/2022 – Lawn fertilization

Keep Pasco Beautiful will host a workshop for HOAs, homeowners and anyone who wants to learn how to properly maintain their lawn, on May 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Patel College of Global Sustainability, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Room 136, in Tampa. Panelists will include members from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the University of Florida Pasco Extension Office, who will explore a range of fertilization topics. For information and to register, visit EventBrite.com. … [Read More...] about 05/26/2022 – Lawn fertilization

05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

The “Let’s Do Good Memorial Day Concert” is scheduled for May 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Tunnel to Towers provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and builds custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. The foundation is committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and aiding the victims of major U.S. disasters. The event will include vendors, gifts, a Forget-Me-Not Garden, and more. Entertainment will be provided by Fred Chandler, Charles Goodwin, Cruz Er Mac, Mike Henderson, and Travis White. Special guests include Congressman Gus Bilirakis and State Sen. Danny Burgess. Rain date is Sept. 10. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

05/28/2022 – Pet supply drive

Munchies Natural Pet Foods, 1722 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will host a Pet Supply Drive on May 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to benefit the Pet Peace of Mind Program at Gulfside Hospice. Gulfside team members will be on site to offer information about the program and to collect donated supplies, such as pet food, cat litter, treats, basic supplies and other items. The donations will be distributed to hospice patients, to help provide care for their pets. For information about the Peace of Mind program, visit Gulfside.org, or call 727-845-5707. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Pet supply drive

05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Summer Seafood Festival is scheduled for May 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, between the outlets and At Home. There will be seafood, crab races, a kids zone, live bands, craft beer, a local market, a Nautical Art Show, and a crab claw-eating contest. For information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

05/30/2022 – Memorial Day Ceremony

Lexington Oaks Community Center, 26304 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will host a Memorial Day Ceremony on May 30 from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., in front of the big flag. There will be patriotic songs and readings, and the playing of "Taps."  The event is weather permitting. … [Read More...] about 05/30/2022 – Memorial Day Ceremony

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LakerLutzNewsThe Laker/Lutz News@LakerLutzNews·
22 May

SUNDAY MORNING SPORTS: Wyatt Deaton, 11, of Wesley Chapel, swam 2 miles and raised $5,900 for charity at the Swim Across America fundraising event. Great picture @MikeCamunas! Full story ---> https://buff.ly/3lktCIv

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21 May

Go Pasco — Pasco County’s public bus service — is planning to use technology to enable riders to get up-to-date information to track buses in real time https://buff.ly/3aafXS6

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21 May

What an AMAZING transformation! 💫 The Block is housed in a historic building that was an auto dealership in the 1920s. Now, its a venue space, a brewhouse, a restaurant, a CrossFit gym and more ---> https://buff.ly/3PsLvTo

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