Ocoee, FL - In 2008, Health Central was invited to participate in a MRSA Infection Prevention Project to reduce MRSA transmission by 40% on a selected nursing unit. Reducing healthcare-associated infections is a strong national initiative for patient safety as demonstrated by the 2009 National Patient Safety Goals.

 

Health Central was recently presented with a 2009 Certificate of Participation in the National Healthcare Safety Network from the CDC. As the accompanying letter states, the certificate “demonstrates that Health Central conducts high quality healthcare-associated infection surveillance.” For more information on Health Central and its services, please visit healthcentral.org.

 

The Villas of Grand Cypress hosted the Health Central Foundation’s annual Links to Health golf tournament in late April. The event was a huge success; the funds raised will help bring digital mammography and the daVinci Surgical Robotic System to the hospital. Over 120 players golfed on the New Course which provided challenges to amateurs and pros alike. The Health Central Foundation sincerely appreciates the sponsors who contributed to the event. Please visit healthcentral.com/foundation for information on upcoming events.

 

Ocoee, FL - Chief Quality Officer Bart Rodier, M.D. and Kathy Deel, Director of Quality Management and Health Information Services, led a presentation in April at the annual National Thomson Reuters Healthcare Conference in Orlando. The presentation depicted Health Central’s improved quality and patient safety and the satisfaction of Joint Commission physician credentialing standard after implementing Care Discovery, a Thomson Reuters software.

 

Ocoee, FL - For the past two years, the Health Central Foundation has been actively fundraising to equip and outfit an Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Lab. This onsite Lab currently enables physicians to perform lifesaving procedures, reducing death due to heart attacks and strokes, within a narrow window of time.

 

At a recent Trustee board meeting, Health Central Foundation Board Vice-Chair Lisa Richards, presented Ronnie Ferrell, Health Central Cath Lab Manager, and Carolyn Karraker, Trustee Board Chair, with a $200,000 check for the new Interventional Cardiac Cath Lab. The Foundation wishes to thank the Foundation Board of Directors, the Health Central Trustees, employees, volunteers and many other West Orange County residents who generously contributed to Health Central’s mission of “improving the health of our community.” To learn more about Health Central Foundation’s fundraising initiatives, please visit healthcentral.org/foundation.

 

Kissimmee, FL, - In an effort to secure support for a growing number of heart patients in Osceola County, Mended Hearts, affiliated with the American Heart Association, announced today the formation of its newest chapter in cooperation with Osceola Regional Medical Center and Central Florida Cardiac and Vascular Institute. Osceola Mended Heart will be the only active chapter in Osceola County. With 285 other community-based chapters nationwide, Mended Hearts has over 24,000 members, making it the largest heart-related patient support group. The national nonprofit organization includes heart patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and others interested in helping patients with the emotional recovery from heart disease. Members assist cardiac patients with an extensive accredited visitors program, support group, health information workshops, social/special events, and other volunteer activities according to Terry Swearingen, President of the new chapter. Mended Hearts has been offering hope and encouragement to heart patients, families and caregivers for over 50 years. Swearingen adds that while heart patient-to-patient visits are the core of Mended Hearts’ program, volunteers do not have to be a patient.

 

According to the American Heart Association, 70 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease - directly or indirectly touching every household. The May 8th meeting, to be held at 11:00 am at Osceola Regional Medical Center’s classrooms, will be for the swearing in of the chapter officers and presenting the gavel to the chapter president. A reception will follow the ceremony to celebrate the Mended Hearts Chapter in Osceola County. Interested persons are encouraged to contact Terry Swearingen at 407-343-1440 or Flowergardenman@embarqmail.com

 

Sanford, Florida,– Central Florida Cancer Care Center, Radiation Oncology Consultants, P.A. (CFCCC) is pleased to announce that they are the recipient of a 2010 FPRA-Orlando Area Chapter Image Award for the center’s “These Are Worth Saving” breast cancer campaign.

 

CFCCC designed its breast cancer campaign to encourage public education about breast cancer screening, early detection and MammoSite, a breast conserving therapy option. 

 

Senior Vice President of Florida Hospital Orlando, Terry Owen, recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), the nation’s leading professional society for health care leaders.

 

Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. To obtain this status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements that include passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional and community involvement. Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

 

Owen adds the FACHE credential, which signifies board certification in healthcare management and ACHE Fellow status, to other distinguished credentials including a Jurisprudence Doctorate and a Masters of Health Administration. He has been with Florida Hospital since 2000.

 

TITUSVILLE, FL,— Parrish Medical Center proudly announces that it received the Gallup Great Workplace Award during a gala in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

The Gallup Great Workplace Award is based on the most rigorous workplace research ever conducted. A panel of workplace experts evaluated the award-winning organizations. Parrish Medical Center is among the winners because its results demonstrate one of the most productive and engaged workforces in the world.

 

The Gallup Summit occurred on April 27–29, 2010. During the Summit, Great Workplace Award winners presented the best practices they applied to their workplace and the improved business results they achieved through building an engaged workforce.

 

Tom Rath, who leads Gallup’s Workplace and Leadership Consulting practice said that when compared to the millions of workgroups they have studied around the world, the awardees have worked tirelessly to create an environment that values people. They go far beyond trivial perks to ensure that each employee has an emotional connection to the company’s mission and growth.

 

Leta Roberts is heading home only days after a mass was removed from her lung because of advanced robotic technology that is drastically improving the way thoracic (lung) surgery is performed. Florida Hospital cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Joseph Boyer is the first physician in Central Florida to perform thoracic surgical procedures using robotic technology. Thoracic surgery, which refers to surgery on the lungs, esophagus or diaphragm, is typically performed when a potentially cancerous mass is identified on an X-ray, PET or CT scan.

 

Leta, a 55 year-old construction supervisor from Wauchula, Fla., had undergone a procedure many years ago to fix a collapsed lung and has a scar from her stomach to her back as a result of that procedure.

 

Dr. Boyer’s use of the da Vinci® robot now allows him to make a few ½ to ¾ inch incisions which result in less scarring and reduced pain for the patient. The advanced robotic technology also allows the surgeon to see in high definition, 3-D which helps with precision when biopsying suspicious masses around delicate areas such as the lungs.

 

Dr. Boyer said that using the robot with thoracic procedures is extremely useful because he can be quicker, more effective and more efficient using the most minimally invasive method currently available.

 

Florida Hospital East Orlando (FHEO) is proud to celebrate its new designation as a Primary Stroke Center. FHEO is one of three hospitals in the Florida Hospital system to be honored with this designation.

 

Dr. Abraham Thomas, stroke program medical director at FHEO said that essentially, the designation will allow the hospital to reverse the effects of the stroke, in turn hopefully resulting in better outcomes.

 

According to the American Stroke Association, a Primary Stroke Center is defined as “a hospital-based center that stabilizes and provides emergent care to acute stroke patients, transfers patients to a Comprehensive Stroke Center or admits patients and provides further care depending on the patient’s needs and the center’s capabilities.”