Grand Rounds February


Eye Physicians Of Central Florida’s Dr. Robert S. Gold, Selected As Author In New Book

ORLANDO — Dr. Robert S. Gold, F.A.A.P., of Eye Physicians of Central Florida has been recognized nationally as a health care leader by being selected as an author in the recently released book, The Art and Science of Ophthalmology, published by Aspatore Books. The Art and Science of Ophthalmology, ISBN: 9781596228092, is an authoritative, insider’s perspective on the various challenges in this field of medicine and the key qualities necessary to become a successful practitioner.

Board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, Dr. Gold specializes in pediatric ophthalmology and adult eye-movement disorders. He earned his bachelor’s degree, graduating cum laude, and his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he was a member of the national honor society Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Gold completed an internship in internal medicine at Ochsner Foundation Hospital and Clinic in New Orleans and a residency in ophthalmology at Louisiana State University. He also completed a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at James Hall Eye Foundation, Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital, Atlanta.



Florida Hospital DeLand Adds Second CT Scanner to Increase Access to Care

DELAND — Florida Hospital DeLand enhances patient care by adding another 16-slice Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner to its Radiology department. The $960,000 installation of the scanner is now complete after two months of renovations to the area.

In addition, the hospital began offering additional appointments during the evening hours to allow even greater flexibility to those needing diagnostic imaging tests. MRI and CT hours have been extended until 8:00 p.m. during the week. On Sundays, outpatient MRIs are available from 8:15 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and outpatient CTs are available from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.


Dr. Mark Hollmann Has Been Elected to the AAHKS

DELAND — Florida Hospital DeLand and Florida Hospital Fish Memorial are pleased to announce that Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Hollmann. has been elected to the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS). Dr. Hollmann is only the fifth Central Florida Surgeon to receive this recognition.

With more than 17 years of experience, Hollmann performs approximately 300 total knee and hip replacement surgeries each year. Most recently he has been asked to participate in a new cutting edge Food and Drug Administration trial testing the effects of Capsaicin, a chemical in chili peppers, as an alternative to prescription pain medications for those who have total knee replacement surgeries. To date, he has completed three of eight trials.

Dr. Hollmann has medical staff privileges at Florida Hospital DeLand and Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City. Both hospital facilities are members of the Adventist Health System and are guided by the motto “Skill to Heal. Spirit to Care.”


Florida Hospital DeLand Names New Leaders for Human Resources and Hospital Foundation

DELAND — Florida Hospital DeLand announces the addition of two new leaders to its management team including Opal Howard as Human Resources Director and Buffy Williams as Director of the Florida Hospital DeLand Foundation.

Howard began her career in human resources at Florida Hospital Orlando. With more than 16 years of experience, she joins Florida Hospital DeLand after serving as Associate Director of Human Resources at Florida Physicians Medical Group, Inc where she was responsible for providing human resource services to over 700 staff members and 160 physicians in nine counties. Howard is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Buffy Williams will lead the Florida Hospital DeLand Foundation and brings with her more than 15 years of business experience. Most recently Williams served as Athens Theatre Administrative Director at the Sands Theater Center. Williams is an active member of the DeLand community. She is an active member of the DeLand High School Business Partners and served as past president of MainStreet DeLand, Junior Service League of DeLand and St. Barnabas Episcopal School Board of Trustees.



Florida Hospital DeLand supplies “Recovery Rascals” to Local Police and Fire Departments

DELAND — Florida Hospital DeLand presented DeLand Police and Fire Departments 500 teddy bears as part of the Recovery Rascals program. Emergency workers use the bears to help comfort children involved in rescue or medical incidents. Over the years, the bears have become standard equipment on many emergency response vehicles.

“These Recovery Rascals will be used anytime an officer responds to an incident where a child is involved. The bears assist officers with the difficult task of ‘breaking the ice’ with frightened children at emergency scenes,” said DeLand Police Department Victim Advocate Coordinator Sharron Blais.

The Fire Department will use the bears in much the same way, according to DeLand Fire Department Division Commander Fred Link.


After Hours Pediatrics Announces New Sanford Location

ORLANDO — After Hours Pediatrics, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with locations in the Tampa Bay and S. Florida areas announced the opening of their fifth Orlando area office located in Sanford. The new office is located at 1481 WP Ball Blvd in the Marketplace at Seminole Towne Center.

Established in 1997 in Tampa, FL, After Hours Pediatrics specializes in pediatric urgent care and is open when most physicians’ offices are closed:evenings, weekends and holidays. All After Hours Pediatrics facilities arestaffed by Pediatricians with strong emergency backgrounds, ensuring that patients receive efficient, high quality medical care. The offices feature a unique aquarium décor and even provide rocking chairs for moms and dads.

Each facility includes on-site laboratory and x-ray services. No appointmentis necessary and most insurance plans are accepted.



The Pinnacle Companies Presents Med School Scholarship Check at East Park Village Groundbreaking Event

ORLANDO — The Orlando-based Pinnacle Companies, a commercial and residential real estate developer, announced the groundbreaking celebration of its latest mixed-use commercial development, East Park Village, on Wednesday, January 23, at which time a check and full scholarship to the UCF College of Medicine was presented

Located just minutes from the new “Medical City” in Lake Nona, East Park Village is a mixed-use “lifestyle” Center with more than 336,000 square feet of space that will include both medical and professional office condominiums, a retail village, “The Center for Wellness” and great dining experiences. East Park Village abuts the approved and fully funded Moss Park Road Greeneway/Highway 417 interchange. The professional services firm of PBS&J is on target to officially commence physical construction of the interchange in early spring of this year.




Florida Hospital Celebration Health Surgeon Receives International Award

CELEBRATION — Dr. Gary Onik, director of Florida Hospital Celebration Health’s prostate cancer research program, has been awarded the Gold Award by the International Society of Cryosurgery. The Gold Award is the highest honor of the International Society of Cryosurgery and was presented to Dr. Onik at the World Congress of Cryosurgery in Beijing, China for his lifetime career achievement in the field of cryosurgery.

Dr. Onik received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and his degree of medicine from New York Medical College. He completed a radiology residency at the University of California at San Francisco and a fellowship in Ultrasound and Interventional Radiology Research at New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He has been a Damon Runyan-Walter Winchell Cancer Fund fellow as well as a National Cancer Institute fellow. Dr. Onik has more than 20 years of experience in performing cryosurgery and is the inventor and pioneer of ultrasound-guided cryosurgery for the prostate, kidney and liver. He is the two-time president of the American College of Cryosurgery and has authored several books and many articles on the subject of oncology.
Dr. Onik performed the first ultrasound-guided prostate cryosurgery more than 17 years ago, and is the recognized leader in developing the techniques and instrumentation that have been integral to the minimally invasive treatment of cancer. He has won multiple awards for his pioneering work in oncology, and most recently won the 2004 prize for best research paper given by the Society of Uroradiology for his research and techniques pertaining to “The Male Lumpectomy” for treating prostate cancer.



Florida Hospital’s Annual Golden Gala Raises Record-Breaking $1.3 Million

ORLANDO — This year Florida Hospital’s largest annual fundraiser, the Golden Gala, raised $1.3 million that will help the hospital continue to meet the growing needs of the community. This is the largest amount ever raised in the event’s 27-year history.

Nearly 2,500 people attended this year’s event, Golden Gala XXVII, held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in November.

In addition to the $1.3 million raised at the event, Florida Hospital announced during Golden Gala XXVII that it had surpassed its $100 million campaign goal more than a year earlier than anticipated. Since November 2006, the hospital has received a $5 million gift from Tony and Sonja Nicholson, owners of Nicholson Homes; a $20 million from Alan H. Ginsburg and the Ginsburg Family Foundation; and a $10 million gift from Walt Disney World.

Florida Hospital has also received 18 gifts of at least $1 million from other notable Central Florida organizations.


Specialists join Orlando Regional’s Internal Medicine Faculty Practice

ORLANDO — Orlando Regional Healthcare recently added physicians Dr. David Smuckler, and Dr. Jorge Parellada, to the Internal Medicine Faculty Practice. Both have a broad background in education, patient care, teaching and research.
Dr. Smuckler received his medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, where he also became medical director of the emergency department. Board certified in geriatrics, Dr. Smuckler is a member of the clinical faculty at the Florida State University College of Medicine and was previously an instructor in clinical medicine and internal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Dr. Parellada graduated from the University of Havana in Cuba. He completed an internal medicine residency at Calixto Garcia Hospital, Cuba. He also practiced medicine in Chile before he later joined Orlando Regional Medical Center as a resident, where he was named chief resident in internal medicine. Dr. Parellada has completed research in various areas including angina and Hepatitis C.



Health Partners Chooses EnableSoft to Help Migrate Avalanche of Data

ORLANDO — Health Partners , the largest independent Medicaid plan in the Philadelphia area with over 136,000 members, has deployed software from Orlando-based EnableSoft, Inc. to enter high-volumes of third party liability data into its core transaction system.

Hal Augustine, CIO at Health Partners, explained that the company was looking for a solution to process massive amounts of third party data quickly and accurately into its system. “Until now, our options were limited: either develop custom programming at very high cost and really long lead times, or manually enter the data. Actually, we couldn’t do it manually – it is too big a job.”

According to Augustine, Foxtrot got the nod because it is specifically designed to replace the need for manual data entry entirely by use of interface scripts.


Leesburg Regional Medical Center & The Villages Regional Hospital Now Operating Under One Name - Central Florida Health Alliance

Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital announce a new system name: Central Florida Health Alliance. The significant association includes a family of services such as Riverside Urgent Care, Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center, Home Health Services, Skilled Nursing, Ohme Inpatient Rehabilitation and other trusted local care providers, representing more than 30 specialties and comprehensive medical programs. 

“Our new name and logo reflects our commitment and partnership as a trusted and respected regional resource, offering local residents and the extended region, a broad spectrum of services and preventative care,” said Timothy Menton, Acting CEO for Central Florida Health Alliance. According to Menton, this new name also helps to further distinguish the system as a regional healthcare leader in specialty services “As the only providers of cardiovascular, neurosurgery and the only designated Stroke Center in Lake, Sumter and south Marion counties, we continue to provide these services for patients throughout the Central Florida region, he states.

The reach and scope of the system has grown exponentially in recent years with The Villages Regional Hospital’s completion of an aggressive $65 million expansion in July of 2007. The number of beds increased to 198, more than doubling the capacity of the emergency services, a surgery ICU was added and most recently one of the first in the nation - Ambient Cardiac Cath Lab, opening in January of 2008. The expansion of Leesburg Regional Medical Center’s additional patient towers, new Life Center for Women in 2002, new Pediatric Unit in 2005 and Wound Healing/Hyperbaric Center in 2007 have greatly increased the hospital’s patient care capabilities. Both facilities continue expansion initiatives with growth in specialty services and progressive minimally invasive surgeries that complement the leading-edge technology and award-winning quality standards already in place.

The addition of a system name will allow the patients and community to more easily identify the services associated with the hospitals. “When they see the Central Florida Health Alliance name, they can rest assured that they will be receiving the same high standard of care they expect at Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, Menton continued.



South Lake Hospital Recognized for Participation in Continuous Quality Improvement

CLERMONT — The Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (FMQAI) presented its Hospital Participation Certificate to South Lake Hospital in November 2007. South Lake Hospital was one of 61 Florida hospitals receiving the certificate for participating in national projects designed to improve the quality of health care of Medicare beneficiaries.

Participating hospitals made significant improvements in one or more national impatient groups. Staff and physicians at South Lake Hospital participated with FMQAI in the Surgical Care Improvement Project, which addressed preventative care immediately before, during and immediately after specific types of surgery. The participating hospitals were recognized for the initiatives they took to implement quality improvement interventions by using rapid cycle improvement, establishing internal infrastructures for continuous quality improvement and implementing system changes.



Moffitt Seeking Participants for Advanced Liver Cancer Study

TAMPA — If you have primary liver cancer that has spread to other organs or is too advanced to be treated by surgery, Moffitt Cancer Center is looking for you. You must not have had prior chemotherapy treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma, or primary liver cancer, is the fifth most common type of tumor. Moffitt is recruiting participants for a phase II study of the oral medication AZD6244, an experimental anti-cancer drug that may stop the growth of cancer cells. The drug is designed to block the pathway of a protein called MEK, which is important for cell survival.

“There’s no cure for advanced liver cancer that’s not amenable to surgery. We’re looking for a novel therapy to improve the outcome for patients with the disease,” said Dr. Chris R. Garrett, principal investigator with Moffitt’s Gastrointestinal Oncology program.

Participants will take the drug twice a day as long as they are able to tolerate it and will be scheduled for 14 study visits at Moffitt. Drs. Catherine Chodkiewicz, William R. Dinwoodie, Gregory M. Springett and Jonathon R. Strosberg are involved with the study.

The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring the trial, which is also being conducted at Emory University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt University and VCU Massey Cancer Center.

If you are interested in participating, call clinical research nurse Tiffany Campos at (813) 745-8358




Northside Hospital & Tampa Bay Heart Institute receives
American Stroke Association’s “Get With The Guidelines” Bronze Performance Achievement Award

ST. PETERSBURG — Northside Hospital & Tampa Bay Heart Institute has received the American Stroke Association’s Get With The GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Bronze Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes Northside’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

To receive the GWTG–Stroke Bronze Performance Achievement Award, Northside Hospital consistently followed the treatment guidelines in the GWTG–Stroke program for 90 days. These include aggressive use of medications like TPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation. The 90-day evaluation period is the first in an ongoing self-evaluation by the hospital to continually reach the 85 percent compliance level needed to sustain this award.

GWTG–Stroke uses the “teachable moment,” the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they are most likely to listen to and follow their healthcare professionals’ guidance. Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second stroke. Through GWTG–Stroke, customized patient education materials are made available at the point of discharge, based on patients’ individual risk profiles. The take-away materials are written in an easy-to-understand format and are available in English and Spanish. In addition, the GWTG Patient Management Tool provides access to up-to-date cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care.


Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation Corporate Partners to Host Bowling “Ball” For Prostate Cancer Research

TAMPA – The Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation will hold the 2008 Bowling “Ball” at Splitsville in Channelside on Thursday, Feb. 21, to benefit prostate cancer research. The evening, sponsored by Moffitt’s Corporate Partners Program, will begin at 6 p.m. and will include a night of bowling, an awards ceremony, food, drinks and networking. Local business and individuals are invited to build a bowling team to help fight a disease that claimed more than 27,000 lives in 2007. Participants can purchase a $20 chance to win amazing prizes all night. The following sponsorship levels are available:

Sponsorship Levels
  • King Pin: $5,000
Rule the lanes with your banner, lane advertisement, scoreboard recognition, one team of six bowlers and 10 Pin Heads to cheer on your team.

  • Corporate Partner: $1,000
This level includes recognition on signage and admits one team of six bowlers and four Pin Heads.

  • Lane Advertisement: $500
We’ll include one lane with your company logo and admit two Pin Heads.

  • Pin Head: $75
Be the No. 1 sideline fan with an individual ticket. Mix and mingle while you cheer on your favorite team.

For more information or to purchase sponsorships and tickets, call Shaina Sine at (813) 745-3658



First Partial Nephrectomy Surgery in Central Florida Performed at Town & Country Hospital With the Da Vinci® Robotic System

TAMPA — First partial nephrectomy performed in Central Florida performed at Town & Country Hospital with the da Vinci® Robotic System. The da Vinci® is a breakthrough robotic system designed to transcend the limitations of both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy — thereby expanding the surgeon’s capabilities and providing patients a minimally invasive option for many complex procedures. da Vinci® Partial Nephrectomy represents a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach to surgically remove kidney tumors while preserving healthy renal tissue necessary for normal kidney function. 


The da Vinci’s high-definition 3D vision system, fully wristed instrumentation, intuitive motion and ergonomic design provide unsurpassed visualization, surgical dexterity and control. This allows the surgeon to perform all the steps of a partial nephrectomy -- including careful dissection, tumor identification and excision, and renal capsule reconstruction -- with far greater surgical precision, ease and efficiency compared to conventional laparoscopy. 


The da Vinci System provides better access to difficult tumor locations while giving the surgeon greater precision and control for complex surgical dissections and reconstructions. Moreover, suturing with the da Vinci System is significantly easier and quicker. This benefit is important for partial nephrectomy as suturing is used extensively when reconstructing the renal capsule. 





Moffitt Cancer Center, Shands HealthCare, University of Florida Partner to Improve Cancer Care

GAINESVILLE — Moffitt Cancer Center, Shands HealthCare and the University of Florida announced recently that they will work together to develop world-class programs in cancer care, research and prevention.

The partnership, which will extend Moffitt’s innovative model of comprehensive patient care to UF and Shands cancer programs, was outlined at a joint news conference in UF’s new Cancer-Genetics Research Complex.

Under the arrangement, crafted through extensive discussions between Dalton, UF College of Medicine Dean Bruce Kone, Shands HealthCare CEO Tim Goldfarb and other leaders, the parties will look for opportunities to collaborate across the spectrum of patient care, research and educational activities. The participants signed a memorandum of understanding at the news conference,
As part of this collaboration, Moffitt’s Total Cancer Care, or TCC, model and approach to a cancer patient’s life journey will be integrated with the cancer program at Shands at UF, the academic medical center in Gainesville, renowned for its pioneering work in such areas as bone marrow transplantation and radiosurgery.

This alliance comes 18 months after the opening of the Cancer-Genetics Research Complex on the UF campus. Additionally, this coincides with Shands at UF preparing for the completion of its $388-million, 500,000-square-foot cancer hospital in 2009. Cancer patients treated there will gain access to state-of-the-art therapies in a comfortable, healing environment.

In addition to implementing the TCC initiative, initial collaborations will include joint research, co-authored scientific publications, joint recruitment and philanthropy.



Sarasota Memorial receives American Stroke Association Performance Achievement Award

SARASOTA — Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has received the American Stroke Association’s Get With The GuidelinesSM–Stroke (GWTG–Stroke) Silver Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes Sarasota Memorial’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

Sarasota Memorial has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes always being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.



Mease Dunedin Hospital Spotlights Neurosciences, Orthopaedics, Spine Care with New Critical Care Unit, Surgery Department

DUNEDIN — From your brain to your back, hips and knees — neurosurgery, orthopaedic and spine care are expanding fields of medicine. As the complexity and demand for these procedures grows, Mease Dunedin Hospital is evolving and changing with the construction of a new, state-of-the art critical care unit (CCU), surgery department, and the creation of a specialty hospital.

The multi-phase project will encompass more than 51,000 square feet of renovation and 4,000 square feet of new construction.

Phase I will include the construction of a new CCU and respiratory care department that will feature 20 private patient rooms designed to offer comfort and convenience for patients and families.

Increased efficiency is also an important element of the expansion and renovation design. The new CCU and respiratory care areas will be adjacent to each other allowing respiratory therapists to be based near the patients they serve with most frequency. Physicians and nurses will have 360 degree access around the patient in the CCU, free of obstructions from wall connections, to provide optimum care.

Phase II and III offers exciting new changes for the surgery and ambulatory care areas. Among those changes:
  • Construction and renovation of seven new operating rooms that will double in size
  • Renovation of a 14 bed ambulatory care unit with three exam rooms
  • Renovation of a 12 bay post anesthesia care unit (PACU)
  • Renovation of the sterile processing department
All three phases of construction and renovation are estimated to cost $19 million and are anticipated to be completed in 2010. The architectural firm for the project is TRO Jung/Brannen of Sarasota, Florida. The contractor is Wehr Constructors, Inc. based in Kentucky.



United Healthcare and Sarasota Memorial Hospital Sign Long-Term Agreement

SARASOTA — UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System have signed a new, long-term agreement.

The agreement, effective January 1, 2008, will provide UnitedHealthcare members enrolled in HMO and PPO employer-sponsored commercial health plans with access to the full scope of Sarasota Memorial’s services. The agreement also covers the services of physicians in the health system’s First Physicians Group. It does not cover Medicare HMO or PPO products.

This new agreement further expands UnitedHealthcare’s extensive network to more than 25,000 physicians and 230 hospitals in Florida. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 2.5 million Floridians across the state and currently has approximately 49,000 members in the Sarasota region. The agreement does not cover

Sarasota Memorial Medical Center has been recognized by UnitedHealthcare as a Premium® cardiac specialty center. The designation is granted to facilities that deliver consistent quality cardiac care in line with criteria based on nationally recognized medical standards established by leading clinical societies and expert physician advice. Nearly 300 hospitals nationwide have been selected as UnitedHealth Premium cardiac specialty centers.

UnitedHealthcare is the first national insurer to recognize hospitals nationwide that meet specific requirements for emergency cardiac treatment as part of its UnitedHealth Premium® program.



February 2008