Wuesthoff Health System’s Assisted Living Facility (The Town Square) to Host “Open House” Event for Community

VIERA —Wuesthoff Health System’s Assisted Living Facility, The Town Square, hosted an “Open House” event, recently. Located at 1700 Wuesthoff Drive in Viera, the ‘free’ event was open to the community, and featured tours of the facility, medical testing such as blood pressure and pulse oximeter readings, refreshments, and various activities. Geared towards residents nearing the age of 55 years and older, the event gave citizens of the Brevard County community, and their families, an opportunity to visit the complex, and a chance to discuss potential opportunities with the facilities clinicians and administrators.

Available to residents in need of assistance during everyday activities, as well as those who choose to live independently in a fun-filled, interactive environment, The Town Square features 88 Studio, Studio Deluxe, and one-bedroom apartments. Located off Murrell Road in Viera, and adjacent to the new Suseda Park, the assisted living facility is unique in compared to similar facilities due to their ECC License (Extended Congregate Care). This extra license permits enhanced nursing services which would otherwise need to be obtained in a nursing home. Additionally, The Town Square is the only facility in Brevard County with a registered respiratory therapist on staff. Amenities include a beauty and barber shop, multi-purpose entertainment room, postal and laundry facilities, and organized internal and external social activities.

Florida Hospital DeLand’s Radiology Department Offers Extended Hours

DELAND — The Radiology department at Florida Hospital DeLand has extended its outpatient Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) hours. The new schedule for outpatient procedures will improve patient access to diagnostic testing.
Outpatient MRI appointments will be available Sundays from 8:15 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional outpatient CT appointments will be available Sundays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Tomoka Surgery Center Accreditation

Tomoka Surgery Center has achieved a 3-year accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC/Accreditation Association), according to Dr. Mark Kennedy, Medical Director.

Status as an accredited organization means Tomoka Surgery Center has passed a series of rigorous and nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by the Accreditation Association. Over 2,600 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are accredited by the AAAHC.

Ambulatory health care organizations seeking accreditation by the AAAHC undergo an extensive on-site, peer-based survey of its facilities and services. Not all ambulatory health care organizations seek accreditation; not all undergoing the on-site survey are granted accreditation. Currently, Tomoka Surgery Center is the only ambulatory surgery center in Volusia County to be AAAHC accredited.

Among the types of ambulatory health care organization that can seek AAAHC accreditation are ambulatory and office-based surgery centers, single and multi-specialty group practices, college health centers, dental group practices, community health centers, occupational health centers and managed care organizations

Florida Hospital DeLand Honors Breast Cancer Survivors

DELAND — Florida Hospital DeLand’s Women’s HealthCare Center hosted the 10th Annual Breast Cancer Seminar, Fashion Show and Dinner recently. More than 250 guests joined together at the Stetson Baptist Church Family Life Center in DeLand to celebrate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each year this special event brings together local breast cancer survivors and others whose lives have been touched in some way by the devastating disease. This year five cancer survivors showed off this year’s fashions from Dillard’s Department Store while inspiring many that there is hope against the disease.

Cancer survivor and American Cancer Society volunteer Suzi Graham and American Cancer Society Area Patient Services Representative Diane Neidhart spoke to those attending about programs available to those undergoing cancer treatments such as: “Look Good. Feel Better” and “Road to Recovery.”

Sodexho Employees at Parrish Medical Center Win National CARES Award

TITUSVILLE — The national Sodexho CARES Award for Service went to Sodexho employees Connie Arnold, Nickey Esch and Kathryn Robinson, bio-medical equipment technicians at Parrish Medical Center (PMC). The presentation took place at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando during the Sodexho Health Care Division National Meeting in October. Chris McAlpine, senior vice president of professional services/administration represented PMC.

More than 740 people were nominated nationally for Sodexho CARES awards. CARES stands for Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Enthusiasm and Service. One national winner was chosen in each category.

Arnold, Esch, and Robinson were nominated for helping a dialysis patient take advantage of holiday sales in 2006 by buying and bringing yarn for her while she was having dialysis at PMC. They took it upon themselves to go that extra mile so she wouldn’t miss out on the sales.

Sodexho has long been a partner with PMC, and manages PMC’s hospitality services, food and nutrition, patient transport, concierge services, clinical technology, facilities/plant engineering, and the service response center.

64-Slice CT Comes to South Lake

South Lake Hospital now offers patients access to the most advanced multi-slice computer tomography (CT) system by recently installing the Aquilion 64 from Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.

The new 64 slice CT scanner can capture precise images in any area of the body in as little as a ten second breath-hold. Chest exams, which may take 20-30 minutes with a standard CT scanner, can now be performed in just 19 seconds with images that allow physicians to see internal injuries and disease in greater detail than before.

“With the 64 slice CT scanner, our physicians can see more anatomical information, which means we can diagnose problems like blood clots, infections and cancer in greater detail and with more clarity,” said Elana Williams, manager of the Diagnostic Imaging department at South Lake Hospital. “As a result, we now have the ability to make an accurate diagnosis at earlier stages, which means that patients can begin receiving treatment sooner for potentially better outcomes.”

Another benefit of the new scanner is that it features a highly efficient ceramic material that is able to reduce the overall radiation exposure to patients and hospital staff. The system also accommodates the scanning of both larger and taller patients with the ability to expand its field-of-view to accommodate specific patient sizes and clinical needs.

While CT uses X-ray technology, it is distinguished from other diagnostic imaging tools like traditional X-ray and MRI by its ability to display a combination of soft tissue (like muscles, tissue, organs and fat), bones and blood vessels in a single image. Clinicians perform CT scans to diagnose kidney, lung, liver, spine, cancer, tumors and cysts, as well as blood clots, hemorrhages and infections.

LRMC and TVRH Named Top Finalists in WCF Award of Excellence

Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC) and The Villages Regional Hospital (TVRH) were recognized together as one of the top five finalists for the Workforce Central Florida (WCF) Award of Excellence at a special luncheon held during WCF’s State of the Workforce Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007. The Award of Excellence recognizes companies throughout Central Florida that adopt new, best practices in workforce development.

The WCF selected LRMC and TVRH as finalists from several other central Florida businesses that applied for the Award of Excellence. WCF judges evaluated applicants based on the workforce initiatives the employers had put into place over the last two years.

The hospitals were specifically recognized for their efforts in three areas. The hospitals had developed a seniority recognition program that included strategies like reserved parking spaces for those with 25-plus years of service, limited holiday work scheduling, paid time off increases and 401k vesting.

The hospitals also adopted new approaches to training by moving more of their training from the classroom to the areas where team members work and by providing more training via the Internet.

Additionally, the hospitals created a “Rounding with a Purpose” initiative where leaders walk through their areas 10 to 12 times a month to address concerns, reward and recognize staff, and to identify tools and equipment needed. The rounding is documented in a computer system that is reviewed by other leaders and is believed to have contributed to decreases in turnover rate.

The other Award of Excellence finalists were: Children’s Home Society of Florida; Orlando Regional Healthcare, Devereux Florida; Magic Carpet Aviation and, Orlando Magic.

South Lake Hospital Physician Directories Available

The newest South Lake Hospital physician directories have arrived! To receive your copy, call (352) 394-4071, ext. 4462 and leave your name and address. Directories are also available at the South Lake Chamber of Commerce, the front desk of South Lake Hospital and the National Training Center.

LRMC and TVRH Employ New Medical Records Software

Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital have implemented a state-of-the art electronic medical record program that consolidates patient information and makes it easier for physicians and medical staff to access and share the information over a secure network.

The Horizon Patient Folder is the hospitals’ new software program that takes a patient’s lab results, radiology results, physician dictation and other medical information and feeds it into one electronic medical record (EMR).

“With this advanced EMR program, our providers don’t have to wait for paper charts to get information from a patient’s visit,” says Nancy Vester, LRMC/TVRH’s vice president and chief information officer. “This helps improve patient care at the hospitals because we can get patient information more quickly. And when more than one person needs to review a patient’s record, they can all pull it up on their computer screens simultaneously.”

With the new EMR program, patient information can easily be shared between LRMC and TVRH over a secure network. LRMC has also made the software available to area physicians so they can access the EMR in their own practices. Additionally, providers can access patient information from their home computers, a real benefit when time is of the essence.

The hospitals’ physicians have already noticed improvements. F. Delbakhsh, MD, a hospitalist at LRMC, says the new EMR has saved significant time in his schedule.

“Before, I had to go through stacks of paper charts,” says Dr. Delbakhsh. “It was time and space consuming to go through and sign hundreds of charts. It caused problems in preparing and finishing the records. Now we can go through 500 electronic charts in just a few minutes. It’s a great system.”

Vester says the new EMR program is a big step in moving the information systems forward at LRMC and TVRH. She says that over the next few years, the hospitals will continue upgrading their systems to provide enhanced patient care.

LRMC’s Donation Helps Boost Students’ Test Scores

Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC) will present $23,000 to Leesburg High School during a Nov. 14 recognition ceremony for students who improved on their state assessment test scores. The donation is part of a unique program designed to encourage students to improve their performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

When LRMC officials first contacted the school about developing an incentive program, the school was ranked at a ‘D’ level for its overall FCAT scores. But both hospital and school administrators knew the high school students were much smarter than the scores revealed.

One reason for the low scores, according to Leesburg High School Principal Nancy Velez, was that students had no incentive to perform well on the tests. FCAT scores are used only by the state as a means to rank and measure schools; they have no impact on a student’s future educational goals. Velez says that the tests are not particularly difficult; students simply did not have a reason to care.

M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Pioneers Procedure to Better Target Radiation of Spinal Cancers

ORLANDO — A new Phase I clinical trial at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando offers patients with cancers that have metastasized to the spine a new option for treatment by using wireless beacons to guide radiation treatment within 1/2 millimeter while sparing vital surrounding tissue. For the first time anywhere, doctors at M. D. Anderson – Orlando will implant Beacon® transponders the size of a grain of rice near a patient’s spine and use the Calypso® 4D Localization System to ensure the slight movements of the patient in the treatment room – like breathing – won’t misdirect the radiation. The Calypso® 4D provides real-time monitoring of the tumor’s location without the use of x-rays.

This trial seeks to help patients who have early spinal metastases resulting in severe pain and those who don’t yet have symptoms.

The entire radiation treatment will be administered in one dose, over one day, sparing the patient the conventional three weeks of treatment. Traditionally, these patients would not be able to receive chemotherapy while under radiation treatment, but this clinical trial ensures patients will be able to start any necessary chemotherapy immediately because their radiation is limited to one session.

Alan Forbes, MD, radiation section leader for the Thoracic/Head & Neck and Lymphoma/Myeloma specialty sections at M. D. Anderson – Orlando and Wayne Jenkins, MD, medical director of M. D. Anderson – Orlando are co-principal investigators of the trial.

Phase I trials are the first step towards approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The Calypso® 4D Localization System is already FDA approved for use in the prostate and is one of the standard treatment options for prostate cancer at M. D. Anderson - Orlando.

Florida Children’s Hospital Names New Chief Nursing Officer

ORLANDO — Florida Children’s Hospital at Florida Hospital Orlando has named a new Chief Nursing Officer, Patricia Celano. Celano assumed the position in October 2007.

Celano received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Delaware. She is currently completing her master’s degree in Nursing at the University of Central Florida.

Florida Hospital Welcomes New Neurologist

ORLANDO — Florida Hospital is pleased to welcome Dr. Alicia Cabrera Castelao to its medical staff. Cabrera joins Dr. Arnaldo Isa, Dr. William Honeycutt, Dr. Michael Brown, and Dr. Daniel Nieves at Neurology Associates, PA.

Cabrera received her medical degree in 1994 from the “Instituto Superior de Ciencias Medicas de Villa Clara” in Santa Clara, Cuba. She also completed her Neurology residency at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, and in 1998 she started as the Attending Neurologist at the International Center of Neurological Rehabilitation, both in Havana, Cuba.

In 1999, Cabrera was invited to collaborate as Researcher-Neurologist in the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery in Mexico, specifically in the Emergency Department. In 2000, she joined the prominent Angeles de las Lomas Hospital, also in Mexico.

Cabrera completed her Internal Medicine Internship in New York at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital and then began her Neurology training at Louisiana State University. After Hurricane Katrina hit the area, she transferred to Duke University where she completed her training in June 2007.

Florida Hospital Cancer Institute Welcomes Surgical Oncologist

ORLANDO — Florida Hospital Cancer Institute (FHCI) is pleased to welcome Dr. Dennis Rousseau to its medical staff. In addition to his role at FHCI, Rousseau will join the staff of Surgical Specialists of Florida Hospital and serve as a teacher in the General Surgery Residency Program at Florida Hospital.

Rousseau is board certified by the American Board of Surgery with a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgical Oncology.Rousseau received his medical degree from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his General Surgery residency training at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. He completed his Surgical Oncology Fellowship training at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Mobile Lab on 18-Wheel Semi Showcases Advanced Cardiology Instrument Control System Coming Soon to Florida Hospital
When the new Ginsburg Tower at Florida Hospital Orlando opens next year, it will house the Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute and the most advanced cardiovascular technology available. Specifically, electrophsiologists and interventional cardiologists will use the Stereotaxis system, an integrated magnet-guided navigational technology designed to help them perform procedures with increased safety and precision. Florida Hospital Orlando will be the only hospital in Central Florida to offer this advanced technology.

The Stereotaxis system is a computerized, magnetically-controlled navigation system that guides devices used in minimally invasive cardiac arrhythmia procedures (for regulating an irregular heartbeat). The system permits more complex procedures, using images and computer integration to steer catheters and guidewires through the blood vessels and heart chambers. The procedure takes less time than conventional methods and reduces a patient’s exposure to X-rays and risk of complication.

The Ginsburg Tower at Florida Hospital Orlando is expected to open in October 2008. The 15-story, 660,000-square-foot building will be the tallest hospital building in Florida and will include: 440 new patient beds (200 now, 240 for future growth); the Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute with 15 cardiac catheterization labs, cardiac diagnostics, cardiac rehabilitation, electrocardiography, cardiac research, and the most advanced cardiac technology available; and one of the largest Emergency Departments in the country with 63 exam rooms.

Orlando Orthopaedic Center Holds Annual Charity Golf Invitational

CHAMPIONS GATE — For the 8th consecutive year, Orlando Orthopaedic Center held its Annual Charity Golf Invitational in October and enjoyed record-setting success. This year’s tournament was held at the Champions Gate Golf Club for the first time and the response was immense. A record field of 136 golfers took to the National Course for a day filled with golf, fun and festivities.

While everyone had a great time, the real winners of the day were the thousands of students at Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). The $10,000 donation on behalf of the 2007 8th Annual Orlando Orthopaedic Center Charity Golf Invitational is earmarked specifically for elementary schools and their physical education programs, most of which receive little or no funding at all to deliver to students.

Trish Highland and Karen Wood of Orange County Public Schools were on hand to enjoy the golf as well as accept the donation from Orlando Orthopaedic Center President, Stephen R. Goll, M.D. and Executive Director, Kevin Joyce, M.B.A.

Orlando Orthopaedic Center has been voted the “Best Orthopaedic Practice” in central Florida by Florida Medical Business. Orlando Orthopaedic Center offers patients five locations and fourteen Board Certified physicians to treat all orthopaedic and podiatric conditions. With many of the center’s physicians gaining additional training in the latest surgical techniques, Orlando Orthopaedic Center is proud to offer patients more options and better care.

Three Local Health Systems Unite to Plant Seeds of Health in Orlando

ORLANDO — On the steps of City Hall recently, three of Central Florida’s major healthcare systems came together to make an announcement that will help create a healthier community. Florida Hospital, Health Central, and Orlando Regional Healthcare announced a unique partnership and joint decision to become tobacco-free on July 1, 2008.

In honor of this unprecedented announcement, the hospitals have established a common motto of “Breathe Easy” for the initiative. To recognize that, they donated a tree to the City of Orlando that will be planted at Wadeview Park. They also distributed seedlings to encourage everyone to plant trees that symbolize fresh air.

As part of that commitment, each facility will offer support programs such as smoking cessation and support groups for employees who are attempting to quit smoking.

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. The positive effects of quitting begin almost immediately and increase with time. In fact, after only 20 minutes of not smoking, blood pressure and pulse rates decrease. After 8 hours, the oxygen level in the blood increases, and at 24 hours, the chance of a heart attack decreases. At the 15-year mark, the risk of death returns to nearly the same level as those who have never smoked.

The hospitals will use the next nine months to prepare their employees, patients and visitors for the tobacco-free transition. All three healthcare systems will officially become tobacco-free on July 1, 2008.

Florida Hospital, Health Central, and Orlando Regional Healthcare join more than 400 hospitals across the nation that are now tobacco-free, including Mayo Clinic, Duke University, and Cleveland Clinic.

December 2007