The Laker/Lutz News

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point

Pasco suffers extensive storm damage

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Tropical Storm Hermine brought drenching rain and gusting winds to Pasco County and a price tag well over $100 million, in what could prove to be one of the costliest storms in the county’s history.

Homes in New Port Richey, Port Richey and Elfers sustained the worst damage. Those communities also suffered through flooding during strong summer rains in 2015.

Northeast and central Pasco mostly escaped the flooding and wind damage from Hermine, which later came ashore in the Panhandle as a hurricane.

However, a total of seven sinkholes opened across the county, including at locations in Lacoochee and Wesley Chapel.

Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, left of podium, listens as Pasco County Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie updates the media on damage from Tropical Storm Hermine. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey, left of podium, listens as Pasco County Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie updates the media on damage from Tropical Storm Hermine.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Final numbers are not yet in, but county officials say just the physical damage to homes along could reach $89 million. Damage to public buildings could be as high as $50 million.

County officials are asking business owners to complete a business damage assessment survey to help calculate their losses.

At a Sept. 7 press conference, county officials gave an update on storm damage, and steps being taken to secure disaster aid for county residents.

“We are going to do what it takes to get you back on your feet,” said Pasco County Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey.

More than 2,600 homes were damaged, with 305 homes sustaining major damage from fallen trees or water covering electrical sockets.

More than 1,500 homes had minor damage; nearly 800 had some damage from downed trees or yard flooding.

Seven homes were destroyed, based on water rising above doorknobs or roofs and walls that caved in due to fallen tree limbs.

The Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point sustained about $3 million in damages and $10 million in lost revenues.

The hospital had to evacuate patients and close the hospital when lightning during the tropical storm sparked a fire.

After last year’s flooding, the county didn’t qualify for federal aid based on the amount of damage. However, damage from Hermine is well above the threshold that would qualify it for federal emergency status.

That will open opportunities for federal grants, said Kevin Guthrie, the county’s emergency management director.

But, he added, “This is not a quick moving process.”

In coming days, Guthrie said he expected additional reports to come in about storm damage.

Much of the data on damage so far was collected from county employees in the field, not from waiting for residents to phone, Guthrie said.

“We went out and found those homes,” he said.

County commissioners also were scheduled to discuss stormwater projects and stormwater maintenance at their Sept. 13 meeting, held after The Laker/Lutz News’ press time.

At the press conference, Starkey said the county needs to take another look at a proposed increase in the countywide stormwater fee.

That isn’t possible for 2017, but could be for 2018.

Commissioners increased the fee last year by $10 to a total of $57. They rejected a request in July from stormwater managers to consider an $80 annual fee effective in 2017. Commissioners stuck by the $57 fee in a close 3 to 2 vote. Starkey and Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano favored increasing the fee.

Pasco also is taking steps to help residents clean up debris, with a special schedule that began on Sept. 12.  Pickups will be done seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for the next several weeks.

Crews will complete runs north to south in the Aripeka area and south to north in the Anclote area. Requests for pickup should be made to the county’s customer service center.

Homeowners should place debris at curb or street side with items separated into separate piles for furniture, white goods (appliances etc.), construction materials and vegetation.

Initially crews will go out to assess the amount and types of materials that need pickup.

“It makes it easier for our folks to come along and know what kind of equipment they will need,” Guthrie said.

For information about storm damage or pickup schedules for debris, call (727) 847-2411 or email .

Business owners can participate in the damage assessment survey at PascoCountyFl.net.

Published September 14, 2016

Effects of Hurricane Hermine lash Tampa Bay area

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Recovering from the storm and bracing for the next one
Blasts of rain, high winds and flood waters hit the region last week as the effects of Hurricane Hermine swept in, causing Tampa Bay residents in many communities to retrieve what they could, and discard what was lost.

Trees crashed into roofs. Cars flooded. Water seeped into homes.

In some parts of the region, residents had to be rescued by boat.

Coastal areas often feel the greatest brunt from a hurricane, as walls of water crash into nearby structures and high winds carry debris — which in turn causes damage when it lands. (Courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net)
Coastal areas often feel the greatest brunt from a hurricane, as walls of water crash into nearby structures and high winds carry debris — which in turn causes damage when it lands.
(Courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net)

Patients at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson were evacuated on the evening of Aug. 31, after the hospital in Hudson experienced what it believes was a lightning strike on a main power feed on the hospital’s roof, disabling the hospital’s ability to run a safe switch for generator backup.

A brief fire broke out on the roofline, but no one was hurt.

The hospital evacuated all of its 209 patients to other hospitals in the region, through a cooperative effort that included its sister HCA West Florida Hospitals, 70 EMS ambulances, 10 engines companies, three ambulance buses, two task forces, 10 sheriff’s units and the Pasco Emergency Command, according to a statement issued by the hospital.

Hermine was still a tropical storm as it made its way toward Tampa Bay, but it was upgraded to Hurricane Hermine on the afternoon of Sept. 1 and made landfall at St. Marks on Sept. 2, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida in 11 years.

While it is obviously too late to prepare for the wrath of Hermine, this may be a good time to take stock of your preparations and fill any gaps before the next big storm hits.

Here are some pointers, gleaned from a plethora of sources, intended to help you to protect yourself, your loved ones and your property.

First things, first: Prepare
• Be sure to have an evacuation plan for your family. Everyone in your family should know the plan, and it’s a good idea to occasionally do practice drills, to avoid confusion if a time comes when you need to use it.

• Know your evacuation zone. Do you need to leave or can you shelter in place?

• Is there someone living nearby that you know will need assistance? Maybe you can help, or suggest another source of assistance.

• If you have a pet, have a plan for it. If you will need to evacuate, know where you can take your pet with you. Be sure to prepare a hurricane kit for your pet, including food, any medicines, toys, a bed and so on.

Stock up on water so you’ll be ready, if a big storm hits. (File Photos)
Stock up on water so you’ll be ready, if a big storm hits.
(File Photo)

• Prepare a hurricane kit for your family. It should include one gallon of water per person per day for several days; nonperishable food items including juices, crackers, breakfast and protein bars, canned and dried fruit, peanut butter and bread; utensils for eating, including paper cups and plates, plastic utensils. Plan to be able to eat and drink for several days without the use of electricity, in case power gets knocked out and roads are impassable.

• Stock up on hurricane supplies. These should include flashlights, batteries, self-powered portable lights, waterproof sheeting, a nonelectric food storage cooler, a portable generator and reusable ice.

• Have personal items readily available. These should include blankets and pillows; hygiene supplies, moisture wipes and toilet paper; waterproof and seasonal clothing; reliable shoes; a first-aid kit and special medications; tools; and, cameras.

• Protect your documents in a watertight plastic bag or waterproof container.

• Fill your gas tank and have plenty of cash on hand, in case the storm knocks out power from gas pumps and ATMs.

• Move your car as far inland as possible and on higher ground, to protect it from possible flooding, but do not park it next to a tree.

• Stay away from windows during the storm.

Protect your property
• Well before any major storm hits, be sure to review your insurance. Be sure you have the proper amount of coverage to protect your home, business and belongings.

• Use permanent storm shutters or plywood to protect your windows. Be sure the protection is securely fastened.

• Remove items around your home that could act as projectiles in high winds. Such objects include potted plants, barbecue grills, garden gnomes, chairs and garbage cans.

• Safeguard your boat: Strap down your boat, when ashore, with proper straps rated for the proper weight. If your boat is in the water, remove your boat from water and store it on high ground. If using a dry dock facility, be sure it was built after Hurricane Andrew.

If going anywhere after the storm, be safe
• Be sure to have an evacuation plan for your family.

• Learn the quickest evacuation route and shelters. Learn the quickest evacuation routes and shelters. Bring an emergency kit. Have mobile phones or radios to maintain communications.

Before a hurricane hits, it’s good to know if you live in an evacuation zone; and if so, what evacuation route you will take. (Courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net)
Before a hurricane hits, it’s good to know if you live in an evacuation zone; and if so, what evacuation route you will take.
(Courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net)

• Use caution when driving. Don’t drive through moving or standing water. Water that is 2 feet deep can disable most vehicles, and vehicles can be carried away.

• Observe detours and barricades. They are there for your protection.

• Be careful around downed power lines. Always assume they are live.

• When traffic lights aren’t working, treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

• If walking, avoid standing water. Floodwaters may contain fecal matter, bacteria and viruses.

• Be aware that metal fences, mailboxes, poles and even nonmetal objects, such as wood and standing water, become conduits for electrical lines, so use care when assessing damage to your home and car.

 Recovering from the storm
• Contact your insurance agent to report any covered damage to your home, apartment or vehicle.

• Take photographs because conditions sometimes change. Be sure to have detailed photographs, so you can submit them with your claims.

• Save receipts for all dining, hotel, medical, hygiene and even entertainment. Some of these items may be eligible for reimbursement. Save the receipts from the time you leave your home until you return to live in it.

• Remember that even spoiled food items, up to a limit, may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance.

• Be sure to use plastic sheeting to cover roof damage and/or broken windows, to keep water from entering your home or business.

• Before trimming trees, check to be sure there are no power lines nearby. If there are, hire a professional.

Don’t be scammed
• Watch out for scams and unlicensed contractors. Verify the contractor’s business license and insurance. Do not accept verbal quotes. Make them put it in writing.

• Hiring an unlicensed contractor can pose many dangers. An unlicensed contractor may be uninsured, may lack the proper qualifications, could do poor quality work or could leave before the work is finished.

• Hiring an unlicensed contractor can also put the homeowner on the hook for personal injury to others. Most homeowner insurance policies also require work to be performed by a licensed contractor and provide no coverage for work that is not.

• Consumers can verify professional licenses that fall under the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s jurisdiction by visiting MyFloridaLicense.com, calling (850) 487-1395, or downloading the free DBPR Mobile app available in the iTunes and Google Play app stores.

• Information on services requiring a state-issued professional license from DBPR and how to report suspected unlicensed activity is available online at tinyurl.com/zre9zky.

Sources: Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, Boatsetter, and Tree Care Industry Association.

Published September 7, 2016

 

Bayonet Point’s medical program hits milestone

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Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has graduated its first physician from its internal medicine education program.

Dr. Katie Groff, an Ohio native, was officially recognized at Bayonet Point’s first commencement ceremony for its Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program in Internal Medicine on June 22.

Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother. (Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Dr. Katie Lynn Groff, right, is honored by Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point as its first graduate from its internal medicine program. Dr. Michael Strobbe, medical director of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, stands next to Kitty Turner, Groff’s mother.
(Photos courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

In 2013, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) approved Bayonet Point to start an accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Groff joined Bayonet Point as a second-year internal medicine resident in July 2014; she previously was a resident at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania.

“It was an honor to be the first graduate, and be able to grow and work with all the doctors that were so helpful to me, teaching me everything,” Groff said. “I think that being a part of the new program was a unique experience that not everyone gets.”

Groff, now working as a hospitalist at Bayonet Point, said her middle school anatomy classes first piqued her interest in pursuing a medical career.

While she acknowledged the residency consisted of a demanding work schedule, she pointed out her two years in the program went quickly.

“Even though it was long hours, it wasn’t as terrible as it sounds,” said Groff, who lived in Spring Hill throughout her residency. “There was a bunch of residents that I became really good friends with.”

Adhering to a well-rounded lifestyle helped, too.

“My No. 1 piece of advice would be to keep a balanced life,” Groff said. “You don’t want it to totally be about medicine, because otherwise you’ll start to resent it. Keep your hobbies, and keep your friends and family close.”

Dr. Joseph Pino, chief medical officer at Bayonet Point, referred to the commencement ceremony as a “milestone” for the medical center and its upstart GME program.

“It was the culmination of a lot of effort,” said Pino, a primary care physician for more than 30 years.

Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.
Bayonet Point recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents for its three-year GME program. There are now 30 physicians in the program, which began accepting residents in July 2014.

Six more residents are on track to graduate from the program in 2017, said Pino, who joined Bayonet Point in December of 2013.

Residents train on general medicine teams and specialty services, including the emergency room, which is a Level II trauma center — the only one in Pasco or Hernando counties. Moreover, the hospital has 290 licensed beds, including 70 critical care beds.

According to the Florida Department of Health, there is a critical statewide need for physicians.

A study by the American Medical Association shows nearly 30 percent of Florida’s physicians are at least 60 years old, but roughly only 10 percent of the physicians in the state are under the age of 35. The study suggests that without an influx of younger doctors, the state’s demand for physicians will even further outpace the current supply rate.

“There’s not enough physicians in training programs throughout the state to accommodate residents, and not enough places to accommodate people who need medical care,” Pino said.

The medical center recently announced an incoming class of 16 residents, bringing the GME physician total to 30. Pino said he expects future classes to hover around the same figure, but added Bayonet Point may introduce more specialty graduate programs in the future.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, known for its nationally acclaimed heart institute, has more than 350 physicians, 900 employees and 500 volunteers on its integrated health care delivery team.

Published July 27, 2016

Preventing broken hearts through better heart health

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As the director of marketing for Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Kurt Conover is constantly spreading the word about ways to prevent heart disease and keeping people informed about the medical center’s health care services.

Members of the staff and volunteers at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point gathered for a group photo on National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7. Even “Lucky,” the hospital’s therapy dog, got into the act. (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
Members of the staff and volunteers at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point gathered for a group photo on National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7. Even “Lucky,” the hospital’s therapy dog, got into the act.
(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

But the Land O’ Lakes man knows that despite his efforts, not everyone gets the message — or, even if they do, they don’t always listen.

That’s even true for family members, said Conover, who lost his brother, Gerrit Conover, to a heart attack on Aug. 25, 2011.

Conover said he became aware that his brother — who was being seen by a cardiologist — wasn’t keeping his appointments or filling his prescriptions on a regular basis.

Conover decided to use a gentle approach to get his 59-year-old brother to get back on track. Instead of confronting him, he encouraged Gerrit to swing by to see him, next time he went in to see the doctor.

But that never happened.

Instead, Gerrit, a retired military officer, collapsed and died of a heart attack shortly after returning home from a motorcycle ride with a friend.

In retrospect, Conover said he thinks he should have been more insistent with his brother — should have demanded that he go to see his doctor.

While they were growing up, he and Gerrit always had each other’s back, Conover said.

“We were real tight. My sisters used to always tease because whenever there was a fight taking place, it would always be us two against whoever it was. We’d be like a tag team.”

But when it came to life’s biggest battle, Gerrit didn’t tell his brother about the symptoms he was experiencing.

As it turns out, Gerrit was logging his symptoms, but no one saw the log until after he had died.

Gerrit was a Vietnam veteran and a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. His survivors include daughters, Michelle and Kristen; brothers Wolf, Donald and Kurt; sisters, Mary Anne and Peggy; and other relatives.

He’s one of an estimated 460,000 who suffer a fatal heart attack each year, according to statistics reported by MedicineNet.com.

Most of the deaths from heart attacks are caused by ventricular fibrillation of the heart that occurs before the victim of the heart attack can reach an emergency room, the website adds.

The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, one in every four deaths is caused by heart disease, according to the association’s statistics.

The numbers portray an even grimmer situation for women.

Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. And, fewer women than men survive their first heart attack, the association reports.

Part of the reason for the higher rate of fatalities among women is that the symptoms of heart attack can be different in women than men, and are often misunderstood even by physicians, the association adds.

That’s why it’s so important to become educated, Conover said.

Even though his brother died more than three years ago, the pain of his loss remains fresh, said Conover, who hopes he can transform his loss into something good.

Those who think either they or a loved one are experiencing a heart attack need to call 9-1-1, Conover said.

Time is of the essence, he said. When emergency personnel arrive they can begin communicating a patient’s vital signs to the hospital, and the hospital can begin to assemble its cardiac team, Conover said.

The faster the treatment, the better the chance for saving heart muscle and having better medical outcomes, he explained.

The American Heart Association helps to raise awareness about these important issues by declaring February as American Heart Month.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has arranged a series of Tuesday Tutorials over the course of several Tuesdays, covering various heart health issues.

One recent tutorial, “Intimacy and the Heart,” attracted 115 people, Conover said.

The hospital also celebrated National Wear Red Day on Feb. 7, with scores of employees and volunteers observing the day.

Symptoms of heart attack in men
Chest feel pain feels like “an elephant is sitting on your chest; the squeezing sensation may come and go, or may be constant and intense

  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath, you feel like you can’t get enough air, even when you’re resting
  • Dizziness, or feeling like you’re going to pass out
  • Breaking out in a cold sweat
  • Stomach discomfort, like indigestion

Remember, each heart attack is different, so your symptoms may not fit the cookie-cutter description.

Source: American Heart Association

Symptoms of heart attack in women
In a multicenter study of 515 women who had a heart attack, published in the journal Circulation, the most frequently reported symptoms did not include chest pain. Instead, women reported unusual fatigue, sleep disturbances and anxiety, with nearly 80 percent reporting at least one symptom for more than a month before the heart attack. Other symptoms more common in women include:

  • Unusual fatigue for several days; or a sudden, severe fatigue
  • Anxiety and sleep disturbances
  • Lightheadedness and/or shortness of breath
  • Indigestion or gas-like pain
  • Upper back or shoulder pain; possibly throat pain
  • Jaw pain or pain that spreads up to the jaw
  • Pressure or pain in the center of the chest that may spread to the arm

Stroke Warning Signs
Spot a stroke F.A.S.T, by looking for these signs:

  • Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
  • Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
  • Time to call 9-1-1: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

Source: The American Heart Association

Published February 25, 2015

 

Bayonet Point hospital CEO participates in Rose Bowl tradition

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The Rose Bowl football came on New Year’s Day will feature Florida State against Oregon, to see which college team will end up in the national championship game Jan. 12. But the Seminoles won’t be the only Florida representative showing up in Pasadena, California.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s chief executive Shayne George prepares his 2015 note to be placed in the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. (Courtesy of Kurt Connover)
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s chief executive Shayne George prepares his 2015 note to be placed in the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. (Courtesy of Kurt Connover)

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has received an invitation to participate in the 2015 Donate Life Rose Parade Float Hospital CEO Rose Dedications. The Hudson hospital is part of a select group of hospitals in the area that have been asked to have its chief executive prepare a handwritten message honoring the patients and families who, with the support of hospital staff members, have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation.

Shayne George, the chief executive of Bayonet Point, has shared the following message:

“In honor of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and our life-saving staff, we are honored and grateful to those who chose to donate a gift that can change a life.”

This handwritten dedication will be placed in one of the rose vials in the “dedication garden,” which is filled with thousands of roses in the Donate Life Rose Parade float.

The American Hospital Association has joined with the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and the Eye Bank Association of America to offer this inspirational tribute to the donors of tissues and organs, according to a release.

For more than 10 years, dozens of organizations nationwide have collaborated to enter the Donate Life float in the Rose Parade. Originally envisioned by a lunch recipient who wished to thank organ, eye and tissue donors for their gifts of life, the Donate Life Rose Parade float has grown into a national tradition featuring dozens of participants each year.

The dedication garden is one of the trademarks of the float, with each vial carrying a unique personal message from an individual, family or organization.

Trinity hospital planning $15M newborn services expansion

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The population growth in Pasco County is not expected to end anytime soon, and Medical Center of Trinity is getting ready now — even if the hospital is just three years old.

HCA West Florida, which owns both the Trinity hospital as well as Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson, is having its initial meetings with Pasco County officials ahead of a proposed $15 million expansion that could add or shift at least 50 beds.

The hospital is just three years old, but Medical Center of Trinity already is thinking about expansion, focusing heavily on its neonatal and pregnancy services. (Michael Hinman/Staff photo)
The hospital is just three years old, but Medical Center of Trinity already is thinking about expansion, focusing heavily on its neonatal and pregnancy services. (Michael Hinman/Staff photo)

The primary target of the renovations is the hospital’s post-partum department as well as its neonatal intensive care unit, according to documents the hospital has filed with the county. The goal is to add 36 beds, relocate 17 beds in the post-partum unit, and renovate the NICU.

Later phases would include building out an additional elevator shell as well as expand the suite for patients undergoing cesarean sections.

Hospital spokeswoman Mary Sommise wouldn’t elaborate on those plans. But according to what the company told county officials, Trinity would begin its bed expansion on the hospital’s fifth floor as well as its C-section suite work. Once that’s done, the post-partum unit would shift from the hospital’s east wing to the west.

When all that work is completed, the hospital would then focus on its NICU, making that renovation the final phase.

Medical Center of Trinity opened in 2011 on 55 acres of land along State Road 54, just east of Little Road. It cost $200 million, and replaced the aging Community Hospital the company ran in New Port Richey.

The five-story main campus opened with 400,000 square feet of usable space, as well as a 90,000-square-foot office building.

The Trinity hospital gave itself plenty of room to expand, something Community Hospital didn’t have. Combined with the Bayonet Point facility, both hospitals saw nearly 157,000 patients in 2013, according to HCA West’s annual report, including nearly 86,000 emergency room visits — half of them going to Trinity.

Both hospitals have a combined economic impact of more than $290 million to Pasco County, officials said. More than $163 million of that comes from salaries and benefits paid to employees, while another $35 million is dedicated to charity or uncompensated care.

The Trinity and Bayonet Point hospitals also contribute more than $16.5 million in taxes to the county each year, and redirects $27 million to local vendors.

The 282-bed hospital has a little more than 1,200 employees earning an average annual salary of $63,600 a year, according to the hospital.

The Trinity hospital is not alone in wanting to expand services to newborns and mothers. Florida Hospital Zephyrhills spent last summer expanding its obstetrics unit after the number of babies born were more than double initial projections going into the year.

Officials did not share any timelines on when renovations might begin, but when it does start, Matt Nitch of Earl Swensson Associates Inc. out of Nashville, Tennessee, will manage it.

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Doctor to talk in Hudson about Ebola scare

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What’s more scary than a witch or a haunted house right now for many people? It’s the threat of Ebola, which has now hit the United States in both Texas and New York.

But should it be that scary?

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point is offering a lecture “Ebola: Facts & Fiction” Nov. 17 at 3 p.m., at the Rao Musunuru Conference Center, 14100 Yosemite Drive, in Hudson.

Dr. K.V. Sundaresh will conduct the seminar. He is a board-certified doctor in infection disease and internal medicine. He completed his internship in general surgery at New York Hospital Medical Center, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Bergen Pines Co. Hospital and Jersey Shore Medical Center, both in New Jersey.

He completed a fellowship in infectious disease at Finch University Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School in Illinois.

Admission is free, but reservations are required, with seating offered on a first-come basis.

To date, just four people have been diagnosed with the Ebola virus in the United States, two of them health workers in Texas who treated the first diagnosed case. Although there is a virus outbreak in parts of Africa, the ability to spread Ebola is still difficult, because it requires an infected person to show signs of the illness — like fever — and it requires direct contact with bodily fluids.

For more information on the lecture, call (727) 869-5498, or (888) 741-5119.

Central Pasco’s Business Expo kicks off Friday

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Food, businesses, and did we mention food?

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s Community Spotlight Business Expo 2014 kicks off today beginning at 4 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

The annual event helps bring area businesses to the forefront, encouraging residents to “shop local first.” Tables and booths will be set up, introducing and re-introducing them to attendees.

Those coming with an appetite can take part in the Taste of the Town event as the expo continues Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There various restaurants will showcase popular menu items.

The entire event runs Friday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The recreation complex is located at 3032 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Sponsors include RPM Printing and Marketing, Medical Center of Trinity, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano, Centennial Bank, Synovus Bank, Sam’s Club, Christian Brothers Automotive, Caroline Contractors, Crew Entertainment, HPH Hospice, Proly Laporte & Mulligan, Two Men and a Truck, and The Laker/Lutz News.

For information, call (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Bayonet Point trauma center still fighting for life

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More than two years ago, Pasco County got its first trauma center when Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point expanded its emergency care operations. But how long it will stay is completely up to government officials from the courts, to the Legislature, and especially the Florida Department of Health.

The Bayonet Point hospital, owned by HCA’s West Florida Division, is fighting to keep its trauma center despite the objections of nearby facilities like Tampa General Hospital and BayCare Health System’s St. Joseph’s Hospital. Both already have trauma centers, and believe adding more will dilute a costly service to one that no longer can be sustained financially.

Dr. Scott Norwood, the trauma medical director at Bayonet Point, believes in the exact opposite. To him, it’s not that Florida has too many trauma centers. In fact, it doesn’t have enough — and dealing with traumatic injuries comes down to how quickly a victim can get to a hospital that can treat it.

“Trauma is a time-sensitive disease,” Norwood recently told members of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “It’s just like heart disease or a heart attack, the quicker you can get to a facility to deal with the problem, the more likely you are to survive. And that’s reflective of what’s happening in Florida right now.”

Before the trauma center opened at Bayonet Point, anyone hurt in a fall or accident would have to be transported south to Hillsborough or Pinellas counties, a distance that could exceed 100 miles and tick precious time off the clock.

“We call it the ‘golden hour of trauma,’ that if you can get into a trauma center or to a facility that can manage your problem within 60 minutes of your injury, your likelihood of survival goes way up,” Norwood said. “If you get in a wreck and are out in the middle of nowhere, your odds of surviving are not really good already.”

Since 2011, when Bayonet Point opened its trauma center, mortality rates have dropped across the state — especially in Pasco and Hernando counties, which saw rates plummet 21 percent and 15 percent respectively, Norwood said.

Yet, the more trauma centers there are in the state, the larger the strain on existing resources to serve those people, say representatives from other hospitals with older trauma centers. The more centers there are, the harder it will be to find the best doctors and medical teams trained in trauma.

At the same time, available money for these trauma centers would be spread out, making it difficult for any of them to stay open, opponents said. Although insurance carriers and patients themselves typically fund trauma centers, there are public pools of money available. They include $2 million from a vehicle registration tax, more than $12 million from red-light cameras, and $46 million in federal funds, according to a report last year by the American College of Surgeons.

Lawsuits have flown back and forth, and judges have sided against the new trauma centers like Bayonet Point’s, saying the Department of Health used an invalid rule to green light them, according to published reports. Since then, state health officials have been working around the clock to streamline department rules, and find common ground between the older trauma centers and the new ones.

State health officials started hearings in January and February to work out the trauma center issues, and have developed a plan that would allow at least one trauma center in each of the state’s 19 designated trauma areas, according to published reports. If the rule moves forward as planned, it would keep all of the new trauma centers, including Bayonet Point, in place.

This rule, however, would most likely end up in the courts as well. That’s been made clear by increased lobbying efforts by both sides, including bringing in the conservative-leaning 60 Plus Association to spend $250,000 on television advertising supporting the efforts of hospitals like Bayonet Point.

And now the Florida Legislature is looking to weigh in. State Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring — and a registered nurse — filed S.B. 1276 last week that, among other things, would limit the number of trauma centers in each of the 19 regions.

However, it’s a limit that would be in favor of hospitals like Bayonet Point, since Grimsley is asking that Pasco and Pinellas counties be limited to three centers, while Hillsborough would get only two. It also removes the ability for other hospitals to protest the addition of more trauma centers.

Including pediatrics at All Children’s Hospital, the Pasco and Pinellas region would have three trauma centers, Bayonet Point joining Bayfront Medical Center on the list.

Still, the entire trauma center system would be reviewed each year under the bill, with a final report heading to state officials at the beginning of February. It also sets expectations that trauma centers like Bayonet Point would be able to treat a minimum of up to 1,000 patients each year.

That’s something the hospital already is doing, Norwood said.

“When we started this thing, we thought we would probably get 800 patients each year,” Norwood said. “In my first year, we had 1,456 patients. In our second year, we got 1,685 patients.”

And 65 percent of those patients come right from Pasco County, he said, and nearly 90 percent come from Pasco or points north of Pasco.

“We are not stealing patients from anywhere,” Norwood said. “This is not happening.”

State health officials said they could move the department’s new rule forward later this spring.

By the Numbers
94.66 — Florida’s trauma center survival rate

95.56 — Survival rate of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s trauma center

27 — Number of trauma centers in Florida

715,500 — Average population each Florida trauma center serves

$2.2 million — Average local, state, federal funding for each trauma center

Published March 5, 2014

Musunuru re-appointed to PHSC trustees board

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Dr. Rao Musunuru will continue his long service with Pasco-Hernando State College after Gov. Rick Scott announced he had appointed the cardiologist to another term on the school’s Board of Trustees.

Musunuru first joined the board in 1999, and has been its chair three times over the last 15 years. If confirmed by the state Senate, the doctor with Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point will serve through the end of May 2017.

Musunuru has worn many hats in both medicine and education over the years, including time as chief of medicine, chief of staff, and even chairing the board for Bayonet Point’s heart institute. He is a member of the Association of Community College Trustees, and was awarded a leadership award by the group last October for his work as a trustee for the school, formerly known as Pasco-Hernando Community College.

Musunuru has been an American Heart Association volunteer since 1979, and has a few places named in his honor including an art gallery at PHSC, a CARES senior citizen enrichment center in Hudson, and a conference center at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.