Printer-friendly format

Of the 5,462 hospitals across the United States evaluated for the U.S. News & World Report ranking of America’s Best Hospitals for 2007, when it came down to the wire, only 173 hospitals in the country made the list, published in the July 23 issue.

Florida Hospital, which treats more than one million patients annually and operates more than 1,800 licensed beds on seven campuses in the Greater Orlando area, was the only hospital in Central Florida to receive the recognition.

Florida Hospital has a mission to extend and vision to be a global pace center delivering premium faith-based healthcare. Since its founding in 1908, the hospital has risen to rank among the leading hospitals in the nation in open heart surgeries and complex cardiac procedures and is home to one of Florida’s largest comprehensive cancer centers.

“Florida Hospital is honored and privileged to provide world-class healthcare to our patients who come from Central Florida and beyond. We take our role of providing that care very seriously. This distinction is a much-deserved honor for our physicians and staff who work hard every day to care for the patients we serve while also fulfilling our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ,” said Lars Houmann, president of Florida Hospital.

The recognition came, for the tenth time, to Florida Hospital for its endocrinology (diabetes) services. Serving patients across the Southeast United States, the Diabetes Institute at Florida Hospital is a leader in diabetes care, education, research, exercise and clinical endocrinology.

The 18th annual edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospital”
is a resource for consumers who are seeking maximum care in the diagnosis, treatment and management of a difficult medical problem. According to the publication, “most of the intuitions ranked are referral centers, where the sickest patients are sent for advanced care. Such hospitals follow—and often pioneer—new treatment guidelines. They conduct bench-to-bedside research exploit the latest advances in imaging, surgical devices, and other technologies.”

In 1993, Dr. Samuel Crockett opened and directed Florida Hospital’s Diabetes Center, as it was called at the time. It now records more than 40, 000 patient visits each year, making it one of the busiest facilities in Florida. Of the 50 hospitals whose endocrinology departments made the U.S. News list, Florida Hospital has the highest patient volume, and is one of the few top ranked centers that operates from a non-university connected center.

“This honor is yet another confirmation that Central Floridians receive world-class healthcare right here in Central Florida through our comprehensive diabetes and endocrinology,” said Barbara Joswick, executive director of the Florida Hospital Diabetes Institute.

“Our purpose is to serve, and we’re honored to be named in the top 50 treatment centers in the country.”

Joswick points out that diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in the world and in the United States. There are 20.8 million diabetes patients in the nation, and another 54 million with a pre-diabetes diagnosis.

Patients at the Diabetes Institute receive consultative services by board-certified endocrinologists in the areas of type 1 and type 2 diabetes management, lipid and cholesterol disorders, osteoporosis and Paget’s diseases, disorders of calcium metabolism, thyroid, pituitary and adrenal disorders, erectile dysfunctions and insulin pump management.

Type 1 diabetes can occur from age two weeks to 90 years old. The patient’s pancreas is not able to secrete insulin and the patient needs to take insulin by injection to live.

Type 2 diabetes, which includes what used to be called “juvenile diabetes,” can occur in patients from ages 12 to 90, and is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin, which is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells, it can cause two problems: cells may be starved for energy, and, over time, high blood glucose levels may injure the patient’s eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

The Diabetes Institute at Florida Hospital provides comprehensive diabetes outpatient education at sites located in Orlando, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Celebration, East Orlando, Oviedo, Kissimmee, and Winter Park.

“The landscape in Orlando is changing,” Joswick observed. “With opening the UCF Medical School in 2008, a setting for affiliate training, and the new facility being built in Orlando by California’s Burham Institute for Medical Research, we look forward to opportunities to work closely with these prestigious intuitions.
“Burnham’s Florida operations are expected in include expansion of the organization’s compatibilities in chemistry, pharmacology and function genomics, themes that will compliment the Burnham’s current commitments to cancer, degenerative disease and infectious diseases and which will allow expansion into other areas such as diabetes and obesity research.”

Joswick said that Burnham’s Orlando facility will focus on combating diabetes and obesity.

She added, “We are here and we want to serve people in this community who deserve to have a nationally recognized Diabetes Center.”



September 2007

Tags:

None

Login and voice your opinion!