HAVE AN EMERGENCY?

TRY URGENCY…

In October, The Villages Regional Hospital opened its first Urgent Care Center. It will provide quality urgent medical care and a more convenient option than waiting for an appointment. The facility, which is located directly across U.S. Hwy. 441 from the hospital, is designed to handle many of the medical problems that can develop unexpectedly and demand immediate attention. The goal will be for most non-emergent patients to be seen, treated, and released as soon as possible.

“We have been providing quality patient care and services to The Villages for ten years, and we are proud to expand that commitment and offer a more convenient option of care for residents,” says Don Henderson, president and CEO of the Central Florida Health Alliance. ■

A sight to behold

The Hans and Cay Jacobsen Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to New Vision for Independence, Inc. The funds will be used for the organization’s Blind Babies program, which provides free early childhood intervention services for young children with visual impairments and their families.

New Vision is a nonprofit agency that provides rehabilitation, education, community education, and support services for people with low vision or blindness in Lake and Sumter counties. If you would like to learn more about New Vision, please call 352.435.5040. ■

Advanced primary stroke care available

Welcome to the team

Dr. Norman Samuels, a primary care physician, has joined Etheredge Chiropractic and will operate out of the practice’s location in The Villages. He will provide services for all areas of general medicine including, but not limited to, primary care, pain management, and bariatrics.

Dr. Samuels has an extensive background in general and bariatric surgery. Most recently, he has been practicing primary care, pain management, and also primary care in regards to medical weight loss. Originally from South Africa, Dr. Samuels has been involved with bariatric surgeries all over the world and was affiliated with the first comprehensive Obesity Surgery Center in Asia. ■

Keep glaucoma in your sights

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. This disease has been referred to as the “sneak thief” of sight because there are no symptoms, and once vision is lost, it is permanent. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, more than 2.2 million Americans and 60 million people worldwide have glaucoma. The World Health Organization says the disease is the second-leading cause of blindness.

People who are nearsighted, diabetic, or over age 60 are at higher risk for the disease. You are also at higher risk if the disease has been prevalent in your family. Receiving regular eye exams is critically important, especially since doing so can prevent unnecessary vision loss. Moreover, if the disease is caught in its early stages, eye doctors can oftentimes stop its progression. ■

After undergoing an on-site evaluation and demonstrating compliance with nationally developed standards for stroke care, Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC) received recertification from The Joint Commission as an “advanced primary stroke center.” This represents the hospital’s third recertification since the initial certification in 2006.

“Research has shown that having an advanced primary stroke center in a community helps reduce morbidity, mortality, and disability related to stroke, and this is mostly due to the increased awareness in the community and the consistency of quality care at the primary stroke centers,” says Cynde Gamache, LRMC vice president and chief clinical officer. “When it comes to a stroke, time is critical. The sooner patients can receive the right care the better it will be for them.” ■