www.escambiacms.org JULY/AUGUST 2014 VOLUME 44, NO. 4
BULLETIN Editors: Hillary Hultstrand, M.D. Erica Huffman, Executive Director
FMA Annual Meeting 2014
UPCOMING EVENTS Sunday, September 28, 2014 Hemingway’s on Pensacola Beach 11:00a-1:00p Women in Medicine Sponsors: Danna Gracey Insurance, Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance, ProAssurance Saturday, October 18, 2014 | Holiday Inn Pensacola Beach | 8:00a Fall CME Conference 5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Sponsors: Safe Harbor Tax Advisory, Underwood Anderson & Associates, Inc., Dyken Wealth Strategies, Florida Doctors Insurance Company, McMahon & Hadder Insurance
Founded in 1873
This year the FMA meeting was held at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. The issues were wideranging and the debate was lively. Your delegates from Escambia County and Santa Rosa County were John Lanza, M.D.; Christopher Burton, M.D.; Brian Kirby, M.D.; Hillary Hultstrand, M.D.; Tom Westbrook, M.D.; Eduardo Puente, M.D.; Ellen W. McKnight, M.D.; Wendy Osban, D.O.; and myself. The topics raised went from Maintenance of Certification to CPR being taught in school to medical marijuana. Regarding medical marijuana, there were some suggestions that since it may well pass this November, we would do well to point out to legislators that it has not been well researched and is not currently able to be measured, in terms of dose. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug. At the federal level this remains illegal. So, even in states where there is medical marijuana, it is not prescribed per se, but the doctor writes something that gives a patient permission to go into a marijuana dispensary. Problems include that since this is not FDA approved, there is no known dose (known to be safe or effective) and limited knowledge regarding indications. It has been touted for relief of pain and relief of anxiety. So, will college students with test anxiety now have legal access in Florida because of Amendment 2 likely to pass this November? These are tough questions and we need your involvement to help our legislators know our position. There was a lot of talk about EHRs and the need to protect physicians from unfair practices. The current situation is that if you change EHR vendors, you might incur an expensive fee to release the electronic records that would seem to belong to you and your patients. But doctors have felt they had to pay “ransom” money to obtain these records from the supporting EHR. Worse yet, EHR companies could go bankrupt, and your charts of the last four years could go unsupported and therefore inaccessible. EHR vendors should be held to the same legal standards for supporting records that physicians are. An additional concern is that EHRs transmit data to pharmacies about new medications, but no transmission occurs in the case of discontinued medication. This most certainly produces errors and given Auto Refill may well cause our patients to continue to fill medication that we thought had been discontinued.
Perhaps the biggest issue was physician concern regarding Maintenance of Certification. Escambia County supported a resolution regarding the need to obtain legislation to ensure that physicians Dr. Susan Laenger cannot be kept from hospital privileges or medical malpractice insurance based on whether or not they have participated in Maintenance of Certification. Many specialty societies are speaking out on this issue because of the cost, the time and the lack of Maintenance of Certification being tied to any more favorable patient outcomes. This issue was so predominant that four different resolutions were put forth. Our own Executive Director, Erica Huffman, took the initiative to re-work the resolutions into one more inclusive and eloquent resolution and was able to give the Reference Committee exactly what it was hoping for to be able to help our legislators understand our position. Finally, I attended the Good Government lunch on Saturday and learned a little about the upcoming race for governor. It should be no surprise to you that the candidate who is more favorable to doctor’s concerns in general is Rick Scott. But what may surprise you is that our next governor will be naming three justices for the Florida Supreme Court. And did you know that Florida’s constitution contains a provision that suggests the constitution be revised every 20 years? Our next governor will be responsible for naming half of the delegates for the next Constitution Revision Commission. Therefore, it is vital that you get the word out that the doctorfriendly candidate is Rick Scott. And it is equally important to know that the other candidate is working for some of the most powerful trial lawyers in the state of Florida. Clearly the FMA is covering a lot of ground. If you have any concerns regarding these issues, please remember that the FMA and ECMS are here to support you in your practice. I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting where you can feel free to let me know how you feel on these and other important issues.
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Contents
Page 3 - New Members Page 4 - Practice Management Page 5 - Medical/Legal Page 9 - In the Community
E.C.M.S. Bulletin
The Bulletin is a publication for and by the members of the Escambia County Medical Society. The Bulletin publishes six times a year: Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/ Dec. We will consider for publication articles relating to medical science, photos, book reviews, memorials, medical/legal articles, and practice management.
Vision for the Bulletin:
· Appeal to the family of medicine in Escambia and Santa Rosa County and to the world beyond. · A powerful instrument to attract and induct members to organized medicine.
Membership
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
New Members Reesa Child, M.D. FSU COM OB/GYN Kimberly Lavergne, M.D. FSU COM OB/GYN Riley Livingston, M.D. FSU COM Pediatrics
Laura Magan, M.D. Hospitalist Baptist Medical Group 1000 West Moreno Street Pensacola, Florida 32501 (P) 850-469-7406 (F) 850-437-8283
Bascom “Lance” Raney, M.D. Family Medicine Baptist Medical Group Nine Mile 9400 University Parkway, Suite 210 Pensacola, Florida 32514 (P) 850-208-6162 (F) 850-208-6169
Kimberly Manek, M.D. FSU COM OB/GYN
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Never Forgotten Dr. Clarence Louis passed away on May 23rd. He was an ECMS member 1978, 1979, 1982, 20122013. Moved/Relocated Dr. Keith Golden’s practice has moved to: 5151 North 9th Avenue, Suite 202 Pensacola, FL 32504 Dr. Jennifer Driscoll and Dr. Megumi Maguchi’s office has moved to: 1717 North E Street, Suite 222 Pensacola, FL 32501 Baptist Medical Group has acquired Dr. Quintin Law’s practice. Effective July 1st, 2014 it will become Baptist Medical Group- Bay Bridge.
Briana Phillips, M.D. FSU COM OB/GYN
We have received several phone calls from offices which were damaged from the flood back in April. If your office was affected please email info@escambiaCMS.org to let us know if you moved or when you will be returning to your office. Fairfield Drive Services can be found at the locations below: Florida Department of Health in Escambia County’s (DOH-Escambia) Fairfield Drive location sustained major damage in the April 2014 flood. The Health Department office on Fairfield Drive is closed for repairs until further notice. Services usually offered at DOH-Escambia’s Fairfield Drive location are currently available at the following locations: Vital Statistics (Birth and Death Records) Northside/Ensley, 850-484-5155 8390 North Palafox Street (ECAT Route #51) Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM Immunizations Northside/Ensley, 850-484-5151 8390 North Palafox Street (ECAT Route #51) Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM WIC Northside/Ensley, 850-484-5121 8390 North Palafox Street (ECAT Route #51) Warrington, 850-484-5121 3690 Navy Boulevard, Suite 1 (ECAT Route #57) Molino, 850-484-5121 3470 Highway 29 North, Cantonment (ECAT Route #60) Navy hospital WIC – for military personnel ONLY. ALL WIC Sites are open Monday through Friday. Call 850-484-5121 for walk-in hours or for appointments. Clinics (STD, Well Child, and Family Planning) DOH-Escambia is now making appointments for new and established clients. Clinic visits will be by appointment only at Children’s Medical Services: 5192 Bayou Boulevard (behind the Ronald McDonald house – 3rd parking lot on the left).
The nearest ECAT stop is at Sacred Heart Hospital in front of the Emergency Room (Route 42). From that stop, walk south on 9th Avenue then west on Bayou Boulevard. At the Ronald McDonald House, turn right into the driveway. CMS is the 3rd parking lot on the left. Clients who get off of ECAT at this stop may also ride Sacred Heart Hospital’s shuttle van to CMS by asking at the reception desk inside the Sacred Heart E.R. ECAT 59 Express stops at the Carmike theater on Bayou Boulevard across from the Ronald McDonald House – afternoons only (first stop is at 2:50 pm; this route charges a higher fare). Clients needing to schedule appointments call 850-484-5040, extension 1125. Medicaid Eligibility for Pregnant Women Pregnant women seeking presumptive Medical eligibility can call 850484-5040, extension 1125. A positive pregnancy test is NOT required. Dental Services Fairfield Dental Clinic operated by Escambia Community Clinics – please call 850-436-4630. ProMed Dental at Northside/Ensley (takes only Dentaquest) 8390 North Palafox Street (ECAT Route #51) Mon.-Fri. 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Sat. 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM Call 850-912-8923 ProMed Dental at Molino (takes only Dentaquest), 3470 Highway 29 North, Cantonment (ECAT Route #60) Mon.-Fri. 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM Call 850-587-2544 Medication Refills, 850-484-5040, extension 1125 Current family planning and Medipass clients needing med refills. HIV/AIDS, 850-497-7157 Contact Lutheran Services HIV program. Healthy Start, 850-484-5117 Epidemiology, 850-595-6683 Environmental Health, 850-595-6700 General Information, 850-595-6500 Media Inquiries, 850-393-2306 or 850-426-5498
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ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Practice Mgmt.
Closing or Leaving a Practice? Make Appropriate Arrangements for Medical Records When a practice closes, the physician or group is responsible for making appropriate arrangements for the disposition of all medical records—regardless of whether the records are in paper or electronic format. The possibility of a lawsuit always exists after a physician has left or a practice has closed. To help defend against any future claims, proper retention of records is vital. To help reduce risks when making arrangements for medical records: • Know the guidelines or laws in your state concerning the time period for retaining records. • If you turn your practice over to another physician, have agreements in place that address recommended retention time and access capability. • When choosing to destroy clinical records after a set period of time, use a record destruction service that guarantees records are properly destroyed without releasing any confidential information. • If you make custodial arrangements for retaining records, make sure these arrangements are in writing and guarantee future access to the records for both physicians and patients. When a practice closes and medical records are transferred, notify patients that they may designate a physician or another provider who can receive a copy of the records. If a patient does not designate a physician to receive the records, the records may be transferred to a custodian (a physician or a commercial storage firm). Custodial arrangements for retaining records are usually entered into for a fee. Any arrangement for retaining records—either with a physician designated by the patient or with a custodian— should include the following points: • The medical records will be retained for the amount of time required by the state. • No one can access the information contained in the medical records without a signed release from the patient or an authorized representative or a properly executed subpoena or court order. • The original physician or physician’s personal representative will be notified of any change in the custodian’s or designated physician’s address or phone number. • The terms apply to all persons in the custodian’s or designated physician’s employment and facility. • Copies of medical records will be released to a person designated by the patient only with the patient’s written request. • The custodian or designated physician will comply with state and federal laws governing medical record
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By Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Director, Patient Safety Education, The Doctors Company
confidentiality, access, disclosure, and charges for copies of the records. There is an agreed-upon fee for maintaining the records (in the case of a custodian). The agreement includes language that addresses any personal practice decisions made by the custodian or designated physician (such as retirement, selling, or moving) to ensure the safety of and continued access to the records by the original physician or physician’s personal representative. Medical record retention laws and regulations differ from state to state. Once a record is destroyed, it is difficult, if not impossible, to defend a malpractice case. Physicians should contact their attorney for guidance on record retention laws in their state. The guidelines suggested here are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each health care provider in light of all circumstances prevailing in the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
Medical/Legal
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Undiagnosed Heart Disease in Women Poses Malpractice Risk Differences in the early symptoms and signs of an impending heart attack in women may make diagnosis more difficult compared to men. In a study of closed medical malpractice claims involving undiagnosed heart disease in women, The Doctors Company found that in 61 percent of claims the patient died when her heart condition was not correctly diagnosed and 33 percent had heart muscle damage from myocardial infarction. In the following case, failure to diagnose acute myocardial infarction resulted in death: A 47-year-old obese woman presented to her PCP complaining of a burning sensation in her chest after eating. The patient reported a similar episode the prior day after eating lunch as well as increased heartburn over the last few weeks. A review of the medical record reflected elevated blood pressures over the past six months and an elevated cholesterol level of 237 (mg/dl). On the day of the exam, her blood pressure was 160/90. She smoked, drank alcohol socially, and was unaware of a family history of coronary artery disease. A heart exam revealed normal rate and rhythm. The physician noted that the patient appeared diaphoretic; however, she wasn’t in acute distress and was pain-free throughout the examination. An ECG revealed a left bundle branch block. Prior ECGs were not available for comparison. Suspecting reflux esophagitis (heartburn), the PCP advised the patient to take an antacid and to return if the symptoms continued. Two days later, the patient called her PCP’s office stating that her chest burning sensation continued. The nurse advised her to continue taking the antacid and scheduled an office appointment for the following day. The nurse advised the patient to go to the ED if she developed chest pain. That night, the woman awoke with chest pain, nausea, and vomiting. She was taken to the ED for emergent coronary angiography, but died shortly after arrival.
To avoid such risks: •
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Rule out myocardial infarction before arriving at a GIrelated diagnosis such as gastric reflux as the cause of chest pain or discomfort. Consider cardiac risk factors such as obesity, smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Offer patients same-day appointments when they complain of continued symptoms for which they were recently seen. If this is not possible, send them to the ED and document this in the medical record. Develop a written chest pain protocol.
Contributed by The Doctors Company. For more patient safety articles and practice tips, visit www. thedoctors.com/patientsafety.
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ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Medical/Legal
Medical Clearance Does Not Clear the Patient or Physician of Risks “Medical clearance” is when a surgeon requests clearance from an assessing physician before performing surgery on a patient. Cardiac risk is the number one reason to request medical clearance, but other risks that call for medical clearance include congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism, anticoagulation, obesity, and high blood pressure. Anticoagulants, for example, are often an issue in surgical claims. If the patient is taking anticoagulants, the surgeon and the physician should agree on the best approach for that specific patient. They may discuss changes in medical management that should be made to decrease risk. If they believe the patient is at risk from a respiratory perspective, the focus may be on early mobilization, incentive spirometry, and respiratory treatment. To avoid malpractice risks, consider the following tips when dealing with medical clearance: • Determine which patients need medical clearance. The surgeon should assess the type of surgery and its associated risks and the health of the patient. Healthy patients with no underlying conditions who are undergoing fairly low-risk procedures don’t routinely need medical clearance. • Provide appropriate information. Problems can arise when the surgeon does not provide enough information to the assessing physician about the surgery being proposed. The surgeon should provide information to the assessing physician about the type of surgery, how long it will take, what kind of anesthesia is anticipated, how long the patient will be immobile,
what is involved in rehabilitation, and what the recovery period looks like. The assessing physician should take that information into consideration, along with exam results and knowledge of the patient, to determine if the patient is at increased risk. • Develop a plan to mitigate risks. The surgeon and the assessing physician should work together to determine the steps to take to mitigate risk preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. For example, they should agree about which medications to stop preoperatively and which to continue. There is no standard medical clearance process. Physicians should be aware of when a medical clearance would be indicated and have a good process to ensure it’s done. Medical clearance is a misnomer because it implies that the patient is cleared and there are no risks. No patient is free of risk when undergoing a procedure. The goals of the assessment are to determine the level of risk and to identify opportunities to mitigate risk—with the surgeon and the assessing physician working in concert. The decision about whether to proceed with the operation belongs to the surgeon and the patient. Contributed by The Doctors Company. For more patient safety articles and practice tips, visit www.thedoctors.com/ patientsafety.
FLORIDA’S LAW LIMITING DOCTORS’ DISCUSSIONS OF GUNS WITH THEIR PATIENTS
Last Friday a three member panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a trial judge’s earlier ruling that the prohibition on discussing guns in a doctor’s office was unconstitutional. If left unchallenged, Friday’s ruling would allow the State to regulate and punish physicians for speech made in the privacy of their offices. This is clearly another significant issue challenging physicians’ ability to care for their patients. If you feel this is an issue of concern to you in your practice, consider becoming more involved with the ECMS.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
2014 FMA Annual Meeting This past weekend (July 25-27) ECMS took a total of 9 delegates to the Florida Medical Association Annual Meeting. Dr. Christopher Burton, Dr. Biran Kirby, Dr. Wendy Osban, Dr. John Lanza, Dr. Thomas Westbrook, Dr. Hillary Hultstrand, and Dr. Ellen W. McKnight represented Escambia County and Dr. Eduardo Puente and Dr. Susan Laenger represented Santa Rosa County. The meeting was held at the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Fl. On Friday, the FMA offered a variety of free CMEs to conference participants and our Executive Director Erica Huffman attended a 3 hour meeting for the Florida Counsel of Medical society executives (CFMSE). At the meeting Erica was nominated and selected to serve as the 2014-2015 secretary for CFMSE. On Friday evening ECMS hosted the North Florida Caucus dinner, an annual tradition, at a new location Charley’s steakhouse. ECMS delegates were joined by delegates from Duval CMS, Capitol CMS, and Bays CMS. The total count for the evening was 55 including two representatives from Danna Gracey Insurance who partially sponsored the dinner. There were a variety of announcements, introductions, speeches by delegates running for FMA office, and engaging conversation about practicing medicine in North Florida. On Saturday and Sunday ECMS delegates met at 6:00am sharp with the Northwest Florida Caucus for our annual caucus meetings. The Northwest Florida caucus is comprised of delegates from Bays CMS, Capitol CMS, and Escambia CMS. The caucus meetings allow delegates an opportunity to discuss the resolutions in the FMA handbook and further dissect the intent and purpose of each resolution. Post caucus meeting on Saturday delegates attended reference committee meetings and on Sunday the House of Delegates gathered for voting. The ECMS sponsored two resolutions authored by Dr. Ellen W. McKnight and fully supported by our delegates. The purpose MOC/MOL resolution (14-203) was to ensure a physician’s right to practice medicine by unequivocally rejecting attempts to tie MOC to licensure in the State of Fl. The resolution went further rejecting MOC as a pre-requisite for staff privileges, 3rd party payments, employment at state run facilities, and the issuance of malpractice insurance. There were three resolutions sponsored by other medical societies which dealt MOC. Erica Huffman, ECMS executive director, foreseeing the need to combine the best of all of the MOC resolutions, did so, in advance of the reference committee debate on this issue. It was the language of this combined resolution that was the basis for the final resolution. The final MOC/MOL resolution was passed by the House of Delegates with no dissent. How often does that happen in a room full of doctors? MOC/MOL is an issue that unites physicians across all specialties. The second resolution (13-314) sponsored by the ECMS dealt with stopping EHR companies from charging excessive fees for coping or transferring patient records when switching from one EHR vendor to another. The resolution was adopted but a key point was omitted, that the contents of EHR are solely the property of the physician and patient and are not the property of the EHR company. Overall, we feel our efforts to protect patients and doctors were very successful. Both Dr. Mcknight and Dr. Hulstrand attended the FMA Annual Meeting this year for their first time and this is what they thought: “I was astonished by how easy it was to get a resolution to be considered and, in our case, adopted, at the state level. The doctors of this community need to understand that through utilizing the staff (Erica) and resources of the ECMS, we can protect our ability to practice medicine.” – Ellen W. McKnight, M.D. “It was an honor serving as a delegate. I feel energized after attending the FMA meeting because I played a part in changing policy that will positively impact the future of medicine. “ - Hillary Hultstrand, M.D. ECMS is currently taking nominations for physicians in Escambia and Santa Rosa County who would be interested in serving as a 2015 FMA Delegate. If you or someone you know is interested please contact ECMS Executive Director Erica Huffman 850.478.0706 x2 or director@ escambiaCMS.org.
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ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Medical/Legal
Smartphone Apps: A Growing Trend in Medicine
By: Jenice M. Deming, JD; ProAssurance Service Center Director
A smartphone isn’t just a phone; it’s a miniature computer. We surf the web, email, play games, and use smartphones and other wireless devices as tools for work. This explosive growth in use has been aided by mobile applications (“apps”). Today physicians can monitor a patient’s vital signs, download patient schedules, access medical records, dictate office notes, and consult with other physicians without entering a clinical setting. One of the first medical apps in use was Epocrates, providing clinical information on thousands of prescription and over-thecounter drugs.1 In addition to reference apps like Epocrates, physicians are using specialty-specific, federal government, and semi-interactive apps (e.g., to review and monitor ECG histories).
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Greater Access, New Risks As with any new medical device, there are risks to consider. Mobile devices “are considered one of the most vulnerable areas for [privacy] breaches.”2 This is in part due to security assessments that failed to address the use of mobile devices.3 The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act requires notification whenever a breach of unsecured protected health information (PHI) occurs.4 Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services requires security of PHI on storage devices (hard drives), transmission media (cyberspace), and portable electronic media (e.g., smartphones).5 Reference guides, such as Epocrates, should not be a HIPAA risk. However, apps that transmit PHI could be intercepted by hackers or corrupted by a virus. Regardless of whether a physician’s mobile device is used to access, transmit, or store PHI, consider all HIPAA and HITECH requirements. HIPAA requires data security and proper destruction, and retention of PHI, when appropriate.
Copyright © 2014 ProAssurance Corporation. This article is not intended to provide legal advice, and no attempt is made to suggest more or less appropriate medical conduct.
What Can You Do? • Review potential wireless apps to ensure security of PHI at all levels;
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Limit the type of app that can be used based upon the individual app’s level of security; Use encryption software that makes data unusable by intercepting parties; Develop a security policy addressing mobile devices and the types of apps that can be used, along with the appropriate use and destruction of PHI data; Develop an eDiscovery policy for retaining PHI in the event of litigation; seek assistance from your attorney or your medical professional liability carrier’s risk management staff; and Work closely with IT personnel to address all security issues.
1 Glenn, B. “Physicians’ top 5 most-used medical apps for smartphones and tablets.” June 13, 2013, http:// medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/medical-economics/news/physicians-top-5-most-used-medicalapps-smartphones-and-tablets (accessed August 27, 2013). 2 Dolan, P. “Large settlement for data breach sends message to lock up laptops and smartphones.” American Medical News, September 28, 2012, http://www.amednews.com/article/20120928/ business/309289995/8/ (accessed August 27, 2013). 3, 4, 5 “Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rules Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; Other Modifications to the HIPAA Rules,” 78 Fed. Reg. 5568 (25 January 2013).
In the Community
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Baptist Hospital Baptist Health Care on Becker’s ‘150 Great Places to Work’ List Baptist Health Care (BHC) earned a spot on the 2014 Becker’s Healthcare “150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare” list. The list was developed through nominations and editorial research. BHC was chosen for its benefits, wellness initiatives, commitment to diversity and inclusion, professional development opportunities and work environments that promote employee satisfaction and work-life balance. Becker’s cited additional benefits of BHC as being the availability of a 403(b) or 401(k) plan, tuition reimbursement for full- and part-time team members and discounts from local and national retailers. BHC also hosts mentoring programs within the system and in the community for middle school, high school and college students. Experienced Neurosurgeon Colby Maher, M.D., Joins Baptist Medical Group Baptist Medical Group welcomes fellowship-trained and board-certified neurosurgeon Colby Maher, M.D., to its multispecialty physician network. Dr. Maher is dedicated to the care and treatment of complex brain, spine and peripheral nerve conditions or injuries. Dr. Maher joins Baptist Medical Group from Birmingham, Ala., and brings with him many years of experience and refined skill in simple to complex spinal surgery, disc arthroplasty and intracranial procedures. In addition to being an elite neurosurgeon, Dr. Maher is known for being compassionate and attentive with his patients. As Dr. Maher explains, “The thing I enjoy most about my work is helping people in a meaningful way on a daily basis. This can be as simple as personal empowerment from a better understanding of their pathology to complete neurologic recovery from a potentially life-threatening or life-altering problem.” Dr. Maher earned his bachelor’s degree at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., prior to obtaining his medical degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, in Birmingham,
Ala. He completed his neurosurgery residency at the University Of Cincinnati Department Of Neurosurgery in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then went on to complete a fellowship in complex spinal surgery at the University of Cincinnati – Mayfield Clinic and Spine Institute also located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Furthermore, Dr. Maher has been published in peer-reviewed publications such as the “Journal of Neurosurgery” and the “Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.” Baptist Medical Group Expands Primary Care Services in Navarre, Welcomes Two New Providers Baptist Medical Group has expanded their primary care services in Navarre by adding traditional primary care at their urgent care center, located at Baptist Medical Park – Navarre. Effective July 1, 2014, the office will transition to a family medicine and walk-in care center. The expansion of services is possible due to the hire of two additional board-certified providers – Mark Benton, D.O., and Charles Windfelder, Jr., PA-C – who will begin welcoming traditional family medicine appointments and walk-ins on July 1. Dr. Benton is a board certified family medicine physician with more than 15 years of health care experience joins us from Albany, Ga., where he worked as family and urgent care provider. He earned his doctorate of osteopathic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in family practice at Naval Hospital Pensacola. Dr. Benton also retired from the U.S. Navy in 2011 after serving for 22 years, including as a Naval Aviator, an instructor pilot and a flight surgeon. Windfelder is a certified physician assistant and Navarre resident who previously worked for another local urgent care. He completed his Master’s degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and retired from the United States Air Force after 23 years of service. The practice, located at 8888 Navarre Parkway in Navarre, Fla., is now known as Baptist Medical Group Family Medicine & Walk-In Care – Navarre.
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ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
In the Community
Sacred Heart Hospital Sacred Heart Welcomes Neurosurgeon, MFM Specialists Dr. Samuel Critides Jr., a board-certified neurosurgeon with advanced training in complex spinal surgery, has joined Sacred Heart Medical Group and will practice at Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola. Dr. Bill Schwartz and Dr. David White, specialists in maternal-fetal medicine, have joined the Sacred Heart Regional Perinatal Center. They join the practice of Dr. James Thorp and Dr. Timothy Beiswenger. Their primary clinic is located at Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola, but the group also sees patients at offices in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Marianna, Panama City and Dothan, Ala. Sacred Heart Opens New Bayou Tower with All-Private Rooms The new Bayou Tower at Sacred Heart Hospital Pensacola will open for patient care on July 19. The
$52 Million expansion project added five new floors to the existing Heart and Vascular institute. The 112 all-private rooms will provide two state-of-the-art Intensive Care Units, Medical/Surgical Units, a new Joint Replacement Center and more. Visit www. sacredheartexpansion.com/ for the latest updates. New Lung-Imaging Technology at Sacred Heart Sacred Heart will soon become the first hospital in the Pensacola area to offer a new procedure called Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy. The new technology provides a minimally invasive way to locate, biopsy and plan treatment for hard-toreach lesions in the lung. The new tool advances our Cancer Center’s efforts to detect lung cancer at an early stage when it is most treatable.
11 2014 FMA Annual Meeting
July 25-27, 2014 Hilton Bonnet Creek Orlando, FL
ECMS Delegates joined together with Capitol Medical Society Delegates
Northwest Florida Caucus Meeting
ECMS Delegates enjoying the North Florida Dinner at Charley’s Steak House on Friday July 25th
Dr. Ellen W. McKnight testifies at Reference Committee II in support of resolution 14-203.
Escambia County Delegates Christopher Burton, M.D. Hillary Hultstrand, M.D. Brian Kirby, M.D. John Lanza, M.D. Ellen W. McKnight, M.D. Wendy Osban, D.O. Thomas Westbrook, M.D.
Santa Rosa County Delegates Susan Laenger, M.D. Eduardo Puente, M.D.
www.escambiacms.org
8880 University Pkwy., Suite B Pensacola, FL 32514 Ph: 850-478-0706 Fx: 850-474-9783 Email: info@escambiacms.org Executive Director: Erica Huffman
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