Another World First Orlando Home to Groundbreaking Research on Cancer Stem Cells ORLANDO—A fortuitous meeting between Kiminobu Sugaya, PhD, a researcher internationally known for his stem cell work involving Alzheimer’s disease, and Melvin Field, MD, a Florida Hospital neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive brain surgeries, led to a grant that asked the question: What’s the difference between a stem cell in a brain tumor compared to a regular tumor cell? LYNNE JETER

Seeing 2010 in New Light Local Ophthalmologist Gifts Sight for Uninsured Cataract Patients ORLANDO—Last year, David B. Auerbach, DO, found himself shaking his head far too often, saddened by the steady supply of stories encapsulating the national economy’s downward spiral. LYNNE JETER

Giving Hope a Face Shepherd’s Hope Celebrates Milestone, Unveils Campaign ORLANDO—Fittingly, Shepherd’s Hope celebrated a major milestone around Thanksgiving. The Orlando-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing healthcare for those who cannot afford it topped the 100,000 mark of free medical visits in the community. LYNNE JETER

MOST OUTRAGEOUS REJECTED CLAIM: New Year, New Benefits ORLANDO—A New Year is upon us and there’s plenty to do in your medical office to ensure reimbursements for services rendered and exceptional customer service. It’s important to have your staff call and verify everyone’s insurance due to possible policy changes. During that call, it’s essential to note the patient’s deductible as a new calendar year has begun with a fresh deductible that must be met before any insurance policy begins to cover their claims. MINERVA DEJESUS and AURIANA REYES

It Starts with Customer Service Recently I met with a physician who was experiencing some challenges within her practice. I was not sure initially what the issues were, but they became evident as soon as I walked in. The customer service nightmare was about to begin. ERIN SOMERS

Is Your Practice Making This Revenue-Busting Mistake? This January thousands of patients will step into physician offices fully unaware of their financial responsibility to pay their bill. Increases in deductibles and high deductable health care plans are responsible for the confusion. According to Red Gillen an analyst with the consulting firm Celent, 18 percent of patients with insurance had deductibles of at least $1,000. This year he expects the number to increase significantly. The results: reduced cash flow, more collection headaches and a painful prescription for bad debt write-offs. CHRIS NIELSON

Seminole County Medical Society SCMS invites you to attend a continuing medical education (CME) program January 9th featuring “Prevention of Medical Errors” and “Domestic Violence.” CARRIE POPE