THE LEADERS IN HEALTH CARE

Florida Hospital Waterman celebrates 75 years of caring and is looking forward to a healthy future.

In 1938, Frank Waterman turned the elegant Fountain Inn in downtown Eustis over to a group of local doctors for use as a hospital. Since opening its doors to much praise and excitement 75 years ago, the hospital has achieved remarkable milestones and feats, the most important of which is having a positive impact on the health and well-being of Lake County residents.

This month also marks the 10-year anniversary when the hospital was moved into a stateof-the-art, 450,000-square-foot facility in Tavares.

Without question, this is a time to celebrate the countless patients who have trusted their health and lives to Florida Hospital Waterman throughout the years. It is also a time to remember the physicians, employees, trustees, and volunteers who have demonstrated a friendly, caring spirit while treating hospital guests with exceptional care.

While hospital staff celebrates the hospital’s colorful past, they look ahead to an even brighter future. David Ottati, president and chief executive officer, of- ficially joined Florida Hospital Waterman on June 10th. He has worked for Adventist Health System since May 1996.

To say he is excited to be part of the Florida Hospital Waterman family would be an understatement. “We have a phenomenal facility and a phenomenal group of physicians and staff,” he says. “We have an excellent hospital and community. We want to bring more to the residents who live here. We are a community-based hospital, and most of our employees live in Lake County. We are truly a neighbors-helpingneighbors organization.”

He also says it is vitally important to maintain the hospital’s reputation of innovative and personalized care.

“Going forward, quality and service have to be the forefront of all of our decisions. Although health care will continue to change with all the reforms that are occurring, we must continue providing exceptional care. That is the guiding principle of everything we’ll do here.”

Quite The Creation

Not only does Mr. Ottati want to provide the best medical care possible, he also is excited about providing Lake County residents with a variety of wellness programs designed to

Florida Hospital Waterman History

1924:

The

1938: keep them healthy.

Mr.

One such program, CREATION Health, is already in place. CREATION is an acronym for Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook, and Nutrition. Through this exciting program, the hospital holds numerous classes to ensure that all eight areas of health are in harmony.

Several of those classes include Super Noggin, which introduces activities to stimulate brainpower; Yum Yum Club, an interactive class where participants learn to prepare healthy food; and The Art of Moving Prayer, which blends breathing, movement, and prayerful thought with music to reduce stress.

“We want to be viewed as a health partner and help teach people how to be able to take care of themselves and not always have to rely on the health care system,” says Candace Huber, community health transformation specialist. “The CREATION Health program looks at people as a whole so they can understand how to live a healthy life without being burdened by disease.”

1960: Because the hospital faced financial difficulties, local physicians and businessmen drew up a constitution and by-laws for an organization called Waterman Memorial Hospital Association, Inc. Eventually, all debts were paid off and patient rooms were redecorated and air-conditioned.

1964: Fifty-two patient rooms were renovated. Also, a large kitchen consisting of stainless steel and glazed tile were installed.

Always Staying Hip

Florida Hospital Waterman’s orthopedic department has undergone exciting advancements and growth.

Perhaps the most exciting news is the introduction of MAKOplasty robotic partial knee resurfacing. Using a robot helps a surgeon precisely pinpoint where arthritic knee bones need to be removed and thus, healthy bone, ligaments, and tendons are spared. Patients who have undergone this innovative procedure experience smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery times, and less rehabilitation. The procedure typically takes between 45 minutes to one hour, patients can be home in one day or in some case, the same day.

Dr. Jon Radnothy, orthopaedic surgeon, chief of medical staff, was part of the driving force in bringing this state-of-the-art technology to Florida Hospital Waterman. “There are only a small number of hospitals that are willing to invest in this technology,” he says. “That speaks volumes as to how much the administration of Florida Hospital Waterman cares about residents of Lake County.”

Of course, that is not the only exciting news. In an effort to better accommodate the growing needs of the community, the hospital expanded its orthopedic department last November. The orthopedic department is now located on the sixth floor and includes 30 beds, as well as a group therapy room where total hip replacement and knee surgery patients undergo rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapists.

“It is a really great program because the patients do exercises together, motivate each other, and learn from one another,” says Jessica Scott Fowler, RN, who serves as patient navigator. “This helps them recover faster and go home quicker.”

The department also of-

1975:

1978:

1983: fers pre-operative classes for orthopedic surgery patients. “The class walks them through expectations through the entire experience — pre-op, intra-op, and post-op,” Jessica says.

A Heart For Health Care

Without question, Florida Hospital Waterman takes its patients health to heart. That’s especially true with the hospital’s Heart Center.

Since Richard Pearce became director of the Heart Center more than three years ago, he has seen exciting changes, including the establishment of an open-heart surgery program and the addition of three interventional cardiologists.

“Ninety percent of what is going on with cardiac care in hospitals around the nation we can do here at Florida Hospital Waterman,” says Richard. “The only exceptions are transplants and pediatric cardiac surgery, but overall, we have a very comprehensive program.”

One of those programs is “off-pump” open heart

1987: surgery. Dr. Gary Allen, a respected heart surgeon, performs this less invasive technique. Rather than utilizing the traditional method of stopping the heart and hooking a patient up to heart-lung bypass machine, the heart muscle is slowed but continues beating during the procedure. Patients typically experience a shortened hospital stay and faster recovery.

“Studies have shown that high-risk patients have a better survival rate with this procedure,” Dr. Allen says. “There is also less chance for heart rhythm, kidney, or liver complications and better preservation of heart muscle.”

Physicians and staff of the Heart Center are equally excited about upgrading its existing catheterization labs. Superior diagnostic imaging will be added, helping cardiologists better evaluate a patient’s heart function and pinpoint any abnormalities. This will also allow the cardiology team to deliver speedier and more effective treatment to heart attack patients. Door-to-balloon time, or the time between arriving at a hospital and the opening of a blocked artery with angioplasty, is vitally important. The hospital’s goal performance is

Florida Hospital Waterman History

1992:

The hospital merged with Adventist Health System, part of the largest religious nonprofit organization in the world.

1997:

The hospital purchased 122 acres of land for its future site on U.S. Hwy. 441 in Tavares.

2003:

Florida Hospital Waterman’s replacement facility opened its doors on August 19th.

2007:

The hospital became a tobaccofree campus.

2011:

Florida Hospital Waterman became the area’s first hospital to introduce “off-pump” open-heart surgery.

90 minutes or less, which dramatically increases the chance of survival.

“More than 98 percent of all our heart patients get from the emergency room to the catheterization lab in 90 minutes,” says Addy Krebs, manager of cardiovascular services. “This is important because time is muscle. For every minute blood flow to the heart is blocked, heart muscle is deprived of oxygen.”

Dr. Kehinde Laynei, chairman of the Cardiology department, has been a cardiologist at Florida Hospital Waterman for more than 22 years. For him, witnessing the Heart Center’s growth has been remarkable. “There was a time when we used to send our heart patients to Orlando, but today, we offer all the tests and services that hospitals in larger cities offer. It has been amazing to see the quality of cardiologists and the advanced equipment we’ve brought in over the years.”

FIGHTING THE BIG “C”

The Florida Hospital Waterman Cancer Institute combines the latest technology and compassionate health care professionals who stand by patients as they bravely battle cancer. After all, who would not want doctors who are as re- lentless as the disease itself?

Realizing that a cancer diagnosis is a time filled with fear and uncertainty, the Cancer Institute now offers a patient navigator program to help support, guide, and educate cancer patients along their journey. Eileen Bascomb, RN, an oncology nurse for more than 20 years, fills that role beautifully.

“I help patients navigate the labyrinth of cancer care,” she says. “For patients who are newly diagnosed, things can be overwhelming. I make sure their appointments are set and make sure patients are where they need to be. I also provide them with support because they need a safe place where they can come and share their thoughts and feelings. Also, if they have any concerns, I provide education to help minimize that. We are not charging patients for these services. We do it because it is the right thing to do.”

Eileen even accompanies patients to doctor’s appointment. “If you are frightened about going to a doctor, sometimes you only hear every fourth or fifth word a doctor is saying. I am like a second pair of ears for them. Once the appointment is over, we come back to my office and I can better help them understand what the doctor told them.”

In addition to superior service, the Cancer Insti- tute offers superior treatments. Its innovative team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgeons utilize the latest technologies and procedures to tackle the toughest cases.

One of those new procedures is stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to treat lung cancer. Dr. Jeffrey Brabham says this treatment involves delivering high doses of radiation to a tumor with pinpoint accuracy. This procedure spares surrounding tissue.

“It works about 95 percent of the time to control the tumor, and it can keep patients from undergoing surgery,” he says. “It is also a great treatment for patients who cannot undergo surgery.”

A Solid Foundation

Since 1985, the Florida Waterman Hospital Foundation has played an integral part of the hospital, and its role will undoubtedly be even bigger in the years ahead. The foundation creates financial support to assist the hospital in fulfilling its mission within the communities it serves. This financial support helps the hospital acquire advanced equipment, as well as bring unique, innovative services to enhance patient care.

In 2012, the foundation raised more than $4 million for the hospital. Much of that money comes from charitable donations, grants, sponsorships, and employee contributions. In addition, the foundation raises money by organizing several annual events, including the Partners in Health Care Golf Classic, the Celebration of Life Gala, and the Red Hat Luncheon.

As the community continues growing, there will always be immediate and emerging needs in various departments throughout

110 years of combined experience of the staff of the Florida Hospital Waterman Foundation staff the hospital. The dedicated and passionate foundation staff of five women is excited to meet those needs. They include president Anita Young, director of development April Kauffman, special events coordinator Joan Ordazzo, donor relations coordinator Sherrie Douglas, and executive assistant Nancy Powell. They have more than 110 years of combined experience working at the foundation.

“We are compared on a quarterly basis with the other hospital foundations in the Adventist Health System throughout the country,” April says. “Historically, we almost always rank in the top 5. All of our funds stay within these

MISSION STATEMENT:

walls to support Florida Hospital Waterman initiatives. One reason for our success is that the staff has worked here together for a long time. We have a great team, and we’ve celebrated weddings, birthdays, graduations, and babies together. We know how each other operate, and we’re always willing to help one another out to the best of our ability.”

Maintaining Quality

The cleanliness of the hospital, a nurse’s bedside manner, and the effectiveness of treatments all play a role in how patients view the quality of their health care. Florida Hospital Waterman is the only hospital in Lake County to be recognized with an “A” Hospital Safety Score by the Leapfrog Group, an independent organization that compiles data and assigns scores to hospitals based on preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. The Leapfrog Group was established by large national employers and health care purchasers to help give the public information they can use to help protect themselves and their families. The department also makes sure that all services offered in the hospital meet state and federal standards.

“The hospital is the engine, and our job in the Department of Quality is to keep it lubricated and moving forward,” says Diana Liebnitzky, director of quality and patient safety officer. “Through excellence in monitoring, we make sure that all systems in the hospital are running smoothly. This assures excellent outcomes in all our service lines for each and every patient.”

Follow TRACI OLIVER as she embarks on a monumental lifestyle change. Every two months, HLM will update her progress and detail her frustrations, struggles, and triumphs.