Editors: Maureen Padden, M.D. | Erica Huffman, Executive Director
www.escambiacms.org
BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 50, NO. 1
CONTENTS Karen Snow, M.D. Happy New Year! I find it hard to believe that it is the year 2020. The Escambia County Medical Society (ECMS) started the year off with a bang! On January 11, 2020 we celebrated the Inaugural Ball at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pensacola, Florida. It was a fun filled night socializing with our colleagues, friends, and family members. Thank you to the following sponsors who helped make it a night to remember: The First Private Bank, Underwood Anderson and Associates, MAG Mutual Insurance, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and Woodlands Medical Specialists. Thank you to Dr. Brett Parra for his service on the ECMS board for the past four years. Dr. Parra is the epitome of a hardworking, compassionate, dedicated physician and leader. Not many people could overcome the health issues that he has had this past year and still provide strong leadership for our organization. I know that I have very big shoes to fill this year as the ECMS president and will do my best to be as effective of a leader as our past presidents, including Dr. Parra. I also want to recognize Erica Huffman, Executive Director of the ECMS. Erica is an invaluable asset to our organization. She is always looking for new ways the medical society can provide value to its members. She is also constantly looking for ways to engage new physicians and grow our society in strength and numbers. I look forward to working with Erica this year to continue working on the goals of the medical society that fulfill the mission of the ECMS. At the Inauguration Ball, Dr. John Lanza presented the We Care awards for specialty physicians who donated their knowledge, skills, and time to Escambia County residents who could not otherwise afford their services. The Facility that donated the most We Care services was Vivid Pathology. The medical group that donated the most services and the highest indirect dollar amount was Gastroenterology Associates/ Endo Group. The hospital that donated the most services was Baptist Hospital. The Bell-Shippey We Care Doctor of the Year (nonsurgical) was Dr. Brian Kirby. The Bell-Shippey We Care Doctor of the Year (surgical) was Dr. Hugh McDaniel. I cannot praise the above physicians enough for their selfless contributions to the patients in need and our medical community. I often hear the phrases “time flies” and “times change” and both are true. When I came to Pensacola in 1995, the medical community was much smaller and everyone knew everyone else. There were the same three hospitals in the area, but fewer doctors. A significant number of the physicians in town belonged to the ECMS and came to the meetings on a regular basis. Physicians enjoyed socializing with their colleagues and the comradery among the local physicians was welcoming to new physicians that moved to
Page 4 - President’s Letter Ctd. Page 6 - Practice Mgmt. Page 8 - Medical/Legal Page 13 - Foundation Page 15 - Community
Save the Date February 18 Business of Medicine Pensacola Yacht Club March 10 Physician Wellness Hilton garden Inn on Airport Blvd April 23 Family Baseball Game Pensacola Blue Wahoos Baseball Game
Continued on Page 3 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #258 PENSACOLA, FL
Founded in 1873
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Events 2020 INAUGURAL BALL Saturday, January 11, 2020 Hilton Garden Inn on Airport
THE BUSINESS OF MEDICINE: HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOU? Tuesday, February 18, 2020 Pensacola Yacht Club
PHYSICIAN WELLNESS Tuesday, March 10, 2020 TBA
PHYSICIAN NETWORKING
The heart beats quietly. Heart problems can be quiet, too. The Ascension Sacred Heart Regional Heart and Vascular Team provides innovative treatments and personalized care for heart conditions. From testing, to treatment, to recovery, our cardiologists, vascular specialists, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac nurses and imaging specialists provide comprehensive cardiovascular care. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), Watchman implant procedures and the full spectrum of surgical interventions, including conventional and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), as well as chest wall resection and reconstruction. Our team of specialists collaborates with you with the goal of offering your patients the care that’s right for them.
PHYSICIAN SPEED NETWORKING
June 23rd 2020 Venue Garden and Grain
YOUNG PHYSICIAN SECTION MEETING August 2020 TBA
WOMEN IN MEDICINE
Sunday, September 27, 2020 Escape Wellness Spa
HUMAN TRAFFICKING November 2020 TBA
ascension.org/pensacolaheart
© Ascension 2020. All rights reserved.
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Thursday, April 23, 2020 Pensacola Blue Wahoos Baseball Game
Members 4771 Bayou Blvd. # 157 Pensacola, FL 32503 Ph: 850-478-0706 Fx: 850-474-9783 Email: info@escambiacms.org www.escambiacms.org
President’s Letter Continued Continued from Page 1
this community. But “times change”. People have busy lives and find it harder to engage in activities that don’t directly involve their home or work. Older physicians retire and some physicians move away. As the medical community grows and becomes more diverse, it becomes more of a challenge for the physicians to connect on a personal level. ECMS, our local medical association, provides us a way to connect with each other. The definition of an association is a collection of professionals who work towards the common goal of promoting and improving their profession. As one individual, you may feel you have little power to effect change. But when likeminded professionals band together, they have a louder voice when advocating for issues that matter to them and often see major changes as a result of their actions. As said best by Ted Epperly, former president of the AAFP, “All of us are smarter than any one of us”. The Escambia County Medical Society presents resolutions at the annual Florida Medical Association meeting in July. This is an opportunity for our members to have their voices heard about issues affecting our profession and our patients. This is an opportunity for anyone politically inclined to get involved in this important arm of our medical association. Being an active member of the ECMS provides many fun opportunities to network with our colleagues and form relationships that not only benefit us professionally, but also personally. Interacting with our colleagues provides us with a sense of belonging and a professional support system. These interactions even help us to take better care of our patients. Another benefit of the ECMS is the educational resources provided to members. General membership meetings include speakers addressing the newest topics in medicine and usually include topics that are state mandated for licensure and fulfill CME requirements for board certification. There are also discounts offered to members by local businesses that can be viewed on the ECMS website (www.escambiacms.org). The ECMS website is a great resource about upcoming events, educational links, and professional links. When you get a free moment, check it out! I believe that each of us has something to contribute to our local medical society whether it be a skill, time or ideas. After all, one can only get out of it what they put into it. I look forward to serving as your ECMS president this next year and am always open to ideas of how we can improve the value our society provides to its members. May 2020 be our best year yet!
HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DUES? Please pay your membership dues by March 1st to be included in the 2020 ECMS Pictorial Directory. ECMS needs your help updating our pictorial directory. If you have moved or changed any of your business information since 2019, please email director@ escambiaCMS.org.
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.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Mission:
Advancing physicians’ practice of medicine in our community.
Ad placement Contact Erica Huffman at 478-0706 Ad rates 1/2 page: $350 · 1/4 page: $200 · 1/8 page: $150 View and opinions expressed in the Bulletin are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the board of directors, staff or advertisers. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit or reject any submission.
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Events 2020 ECMS Inaugural Ball
Your 2020 ECMS Officers Karen Snow, M.D. (President), Brett Parra, M.D. (Past President); Casey Mickler, M.D. (President-Elect), Kacey Montgomery, M.D. (Vice President); Maureen Padden, M.D. (Secretary/Treasurer); Bach-Uyen Le Thi, M.D. (Member at Large, not pictured); Susan Griffee, M.D. (Member at Large, not pictured); Janice Hudson, M.D. (Member at Large, not pictured) Christina Guerra, M.D. (Ascension Sacred Heart Representative), Steve Ziller, M.D. (Baptist Hospital Representative)
2020 Board of Directors Karen Snow, M.D. - President Casey Mickler, M.D. - President-Elect Kacey Montgomery, M.D. - Vice President Maureen Padden, M.D. - Secretary Treasurer Brett Parra, M.D. 2019 Past President Ellen W. McKnight, M.D. - 2018 Past President Members at Large Janice Hudson, M.D. Susan Griffee, M.D. Bach-Uyen Le Thi, M.D.
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Liaisons John Lanza, M.D. Florida Department of Health in Escambia County Paul McLeod, M.D. Florida State University College of Medicine in Pensacola Hospital Representatives Steve Ziller, M.D. - Baptist Hospital Christina Guerra, M.D. - Ascension Sacred Heart
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Events
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Events
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Medical/Legal • 2020 INAUGURAL BALL SPONSORS•
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Medical/Legal
Tackling Physician Burnout Requires Unprecedented Leadership
By Robert D. Morton, CPHRM, CPPS, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company The term “burnout” has been questioned as a labeling error—and rightfully so. Burnout implies victim shaming. What many healthcare professionals on the frontlines are experiencing is a normal response (symptoms) to an abnormal situation (cause), like sick fish in a tank of toxic water. A diagnosis of burnout suggests that the solution is to medicate the fish. A more holistic view is to say, “There’s really nothing wrong with you; let’s clean the tank.” The World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans to include what it labels “burn-out” as an occupational phenomenon in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The syndrome, which results from chronic workplace stress, is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, increased mental distancing from one’s work or cynicism about work, and reduced professional efficacy. The WHO’s actions seem to further legitimize what many are experiencing: an ever more exhausting, distancing, and chronically stressful healthcare system that makes connecting with patients and providing quality care more challenging and contributes to burnout, healthcare professional distress, or to what some have even labeled moral injury or human rights violations. Physician Burnout Thought Leaders Weigh In Drs. Simon Talbot and Wendy Dean, who co-founded the nonprofit organization MoralInjury.healthcare, borrowed the expression “moral injury” from Jonathan Shay, MD, PhD, a clinical psychiatrist who coined the phrase. Briefly, it is (1) a betrayal of what’s right, (2) by someone who holds authority, (3) in a highstakes situation. Discussions of moral injury include the view that repeated daily betrayals by authorities within the system are manifest in healthcare every day in the form of mandates from leaders to see more patients with less time to care for them, forced use of dysfunctional electronic health record (EHR) systems, overburdens by payers, competing financial considerations, fear of litigation, and more. These ECMS | 8
types of betrayals run counter to patients’ best interests—which pains doctors, whose unifying creed is that patients come first. While other physician thought leaders like Dr. Dike Drummond (thehappymd.com), Dr. Paul DeChant (author, Preventing Physician Burnout), Dr. Zubin Damania (aka ZDoggMD), and Dr. Pamela Wible (idealmedicalcare.org) may differ on the terminology, each makes a similar call for leadership and action equal to the severity and scope of the dilemma. They all call for partnering with enlightened leaders to change the systemic and institutional patterns that inflict betrayals on the practice of good medicine. Dr. Wible calls these issues human rights violations that begin in medical education and training due to labor law abuses, sleep/food/water deprivation, discrimination, violence, understaffing, and more— driving up depression and suicide rates. Because of the profound impact on individuals, there is broad consensus about the immediate need to expand access to confidential, nonpunitive mental healthcare for doctors and nurses. In response to systemic conditions, some doctors are quitting because having less time with patients has driven morale to rock bottom, and those who remain are warning of a mass exodus if things don’t improve. According to Paul DeChant, MD, MBA, a failure to step up and meet this challenge is a failure of leadership and constitutes management malpractice, with some administrators asserting that they are suffering from management burnout. Dr. Howard Marcus, an internist in Austin, Texas, responded, “Most of us do not see our administrators as oppressors but, rather, as stuck along with the rest of us in a system that has piled on time-consuming burdens—which saps us of the time and energy required to do the best we can for our patients in the time available.” An Annals of Internal Medicine cost-consequence analysis reported that physician burnout is costing
Practice Management $4.6 billion per year related to physician turnover and reduced clinical hours. The authors offer a prescription that burnout “can effectively be reduced with moderate levels of investment,” suggesting there is “substantial economic value for policy and organizational expenditures for burnout reduction programs for physicians.” The National Academy of Medicine issued a report that offers a bold vision for systemic change— because “the system,” the amorphous healthcareindustrial complex, is designed, unwittingly or not, to produce the results it is producing. When you take what is at its core a moral and scientific enterprise, that is the practice of medicine, and relentlessly mess with it in an unscientific manner driven by economics and regulation, physician burnout is the expected outcome. The scope and breadth of the problem requires unprecedented leadership, shared “collective and coordinated action across all levels of the health care system—front line care delivery, the health care organization, and the external environment.” Leadership matters. The Mayo Clinic reported that a one-point increase in the leadership score of a physician’s immediate supervisor was associated with a 3.3 percent decrease in the likelihood of burnout. This and other reports support the often-quoted conclusion that your supervisor is more important to your health than your primary care doctor. If leadership will not make this issue a priority, lead as though no help is coming. Executive leaders in some healthcare systems are beginning to require all executive staff to frequently round with or shadow physicians and to ask questions like “What isn’t working?” To be of value, executive leaders must be armed with the courage to lead and an organizational commitment to change. Some systems have appointed chief wellness officers and formed clinician wellness teams, giving them authority to create opportunities to support well-being and resiliency. Steven Beeson, MD, founder of the Clinician Experience Project, urges “to advance care for patients and take on the healthcare imperatives in front of us, we have to care for those caring for others first. To care for the care team we must listen to clinicians, respond to the things they need, invest in burden reduction, support and develop them to be their best, empower ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Medial/Legal
them to lead the way, allow them to be the clinician they envisioned, and appreciate the impact they make when we do these things.” (Stephen Beeson, MD, email communication, July 17, 2019.) Efforts to Improve EHR Usability EHR rescue and optimization work is becoming more common to regain lost relationships with patients. Executive leaders who are desperate for help often contact firms like Medical Advantage Group (MAG), a subsidiary of The Doctors Company. MAG conducts system database audits, followed by workflow analysis, previsit planning, and redesign of work screens to make the EHR function better as a convenient, accessible clinical source of truth. Ironically, this improvement in EHR accessibility and usability makes the EHR function more like old paper charts when everything was at hand. Other benefits of this work include increases in qualitybased payments, improved EHR user efficiency and experience, reduced time spent searching, and reduced or eliminated “pajama time” (charting at home). On a smaller scale, Dr. Gabe Charbonneau (fightburnout.org), a family physician and EHR problem-solver who is on a mission to disrupt burnout, finds his greatest fulfillment in helping doctors oneon-one. Another example related to EHR usability is at Atrius Health, where a collaboration with its IT department reduced inefficiencies by cutting 1,500 clicks per day per physician. This sustained, resourced commitment to improvements resulted in less time spent in the EHR and improved professional satisfaction. Like any meaningful change, improvements require leadership with a growth mindset that demonstrates a deep respect for people and for the nature of their work. This means exhibiting leadership behaviors such as deference to expertise and sensitivity to clinical operations—two characteristics of the continuous improvement mindset on the journey toward high reliability. Effective leaders meet physicians where they live—on the frontlines of care—and seek to understand what is getting in the way of connecting with patients and providing quality care. The best leaders then work tirelessly to remove the barriers.
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Medical/Legal Cultural Diversity Creates Language Barriers: Reducing Claims with Multilingual Patients By Rich Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, and Susan Shepard, MSN, RN, Senior Director, Patient Safety Education, The Doctors Company Ms. D., a naturalized U.S. citizen from Southeast Asia, presented to Dr. P. for a consultation regarding extensive acne scarring on her face and neck. The patient reported that she felt self-conscious about her appearance and sought advice on possible treatment options. According to the chart, Ms. D. spoke limited English. Her reading proficiency was not noted. Following an examination of the affected area, Dr. P. offered CO2 laser resurfacing. The benefits and potential disadvantages of the procedure were discussed, including the possibility that her complexion type posed an increased risk of scarring and changes in pigmentation. Ms. D. subsequently agreed to undergo laser resurfacing and signed a written consent that specifically identified scarring and changes in skin color as possible postoperative outcomes. The patient returned the following week. The treatment record reflects that Dr. P. performed the procedure under local anesthesia and conscious sedation. The surgery was uneventful, and no intraoperative complications occurred. Ms. D. presented on numerous occasions over the next several months. Hyperpigmentation was noted, and Solaquin Forte 4% and Pramosone lotion were prescribed. At one point, the patient complained of experiencing a burning sensation on her face. Approximately one year after the procedure, Ms. D. returned for further evaluation. The scarring was barely visible; the discoloration on her neck was noticeably improved. However, the patient expressed dissatisfaction with the result. Ms. D. thereafter retained counsel and initiated suit alleging causes of action for medical malpractice and negligent infliction of emotional distress. In substance, the patient claimed that because of her limited proficiency with English and the failure by the physician to utilize any translation services, including for any preoperative documentation, there was no ECMS | 10
informed consent. Providing Language Services: Obligations and Benefits Clear and unambiguous communication constitutes the key component of the physician-patient relationship. Misunderstandings often create frustration and distrust, especially when an adverse event occurs, and can result in professional liability litigation or reports to state medical boards and third-party payers by disgruntled patients and family members. Proactively implementing office procedures for both physicians and staff to promote optimum communication reduces the risk of surprise and the potential for expensive, protracted, and unpleasant disputes. With our culturally diverse national population, including many who speak a language other than English at home, language barriers raise the risk for an adverse event. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Revised Guidance Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons outlines the requirements for recipients of federal financial assistance from HHS to take reasonable steps to ensure LEP persons have access to language services. (These recipients do not include providers who only receive Medicare Part B payments. However, providers that receive funding from any government program such as Medicaid or Medicare Advantage are subject to the requirements.) To determine the extent of the obligation to provide language assistance, analyze the following four factors: • Number: The greater the number or proportion of LEP persons served or encountered by your clinic, the more likely language services will be needed. • Frequency: Even if unpredictable or infrequent, there must be a plan for providing language assistance for LEP persons.
Medical/Legal • Nature: Determine whether a delay in accessing your services could have serious or life-threatening implications. The more important the nature of the services you offer, or the greater the consequences of not accessing treatment, the more likely language services will be needed. • Resources: Consider the resources available and the cost to provide them. As a solo practitioner, you are not expected to provide the same level of service as a large, multispecialty group. Investigate technological services or sharing resources with other providers. It is not recommended to use a family member as an interpreter. Lay personnel are rarely familiar with medical terminology. Additionally, the patient may not want a family member to access their confidential health information. An adult family member should serve as interpreter if a family member must be used—unless no adult is available, and care must be provided immediately to prevent harm. It is preferable to have a trained clinical staff member provide interpretation; alternately, your practice can use certified interpreter services. Consult your local hospital or the patient’s health plan for a list of qualified interpreters. Other resources include a local nationality society, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or the local center for the deaf. Also, keep consent forms—especially for invasive procedures— translated into the applicable non-English languages by a certified translator. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has prepared a guide, Improving Patient Safety Systems for Patients With Limited English Proficiency, which recommends that practices focus on the following: • Medication use: Understanding medication instructions is complicated for all patients, but even more difficult for LEP patients. Both patients and providers need to communicate accurately about mode of administration, allergies, and side effects. • Informed consent: Obtaining informed consent remains a hallmark of patient safety and a critical medical and legal responsibility. Achieving truly informed consent for LEP patients may require extra effort, but LEP patients should not be excluded from
learning about choices that might affect their health and well-being. • Follow-up instructions: Understanding discharge instructions is especially challenging for LEP patients. Speaking Together: National Language Services Network, a project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which created the Speaking Together Toolkit, found the need for greater use of interpreters at key moments of information exchange, such as at assessment and discharge—not just during the acute phase of treatment. Relatively simple communication tools can provide some helpful solutions. These include: • AskMe3™: Rx for Patient Safety: Ask Me 3 • The teach-back method: AHRQ: Use the TeachBack Method: Tool #5 • The SHARE approach: AHRQ: The SHARE Approach—Using the Teach-Back Technique: A Reference Guide for Health Care Providers • Patient experience surveys: The Doctors Company: Patient Experience Surveys To protect your patients from harm resulting from their LEP, develop and implement a plan for language access in your practice. For more information, see the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Guide to Developing a Language Access Plan. 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 healthcare provider considering the circumstances of the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Foundation 2019 We Care Awards
Physician contributions: $148,000 | Hospital contributions: $400,000 Medical Group/outpatient services: $750,000
The 2019 non-surgical Bell-Shippey We Care Doctor of the Year who donated 62 services is Dr. Brian Kirby
The 2019 surgical Bell-Shippey We Care Doctor of the Year with an in-kind donation worth $26, 823 is Dr. Huey McDaniel
Top 10 We Care doctors (ascending order): Dr. Angela Ziebarth, Dr. Ranjith Dissanayake, Dr. Dany El-Sayah, Dr. Mark Grise, Dr. Christopher Bosarge, Dr. Donald Dewey, Dr. Gerald Lowery, Dr. Andrew Kees
Medical Group who donated the most services and highest dollar amount Endoscopy Group 102 services, $73, 442
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Hospital who donated the most services Baptist Hospital 83 services, $311,000 in care
Facility that donated the most services VIVID Pathology 92 services
Foundation ECMS FOUNDATION
VALENTINE'S FUNDRAISER in partnership with Fiore A portion of the proceeds will benefit the ECMS Foundation
Arrangement Options Azalea Hoop $50 Azalea Topiary $50 Tulip Bulbs $35
To purchase call Erica Huffman 850.478.0706 email director@escambiacms.org text 561.414.6113
Payments mail your check to ECMSF 4771 Bayou Blvd. #157 Pensacola, FL 32503 To use your credit card: https://secure.affinipay.com/pages/ecms/valentines
DEADLINE FOR PURCHASE 1/29/2020 ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
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Foundation ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION Dear Medical Society Physicians; Happy New Year! By now we have re-entered our routines from all of the holiday festivities and look forward to a new year/decade! Here is hoping that yours is great! Our Foundation has been active over the holidays, and anticipate a productive new year. Please be involved in the Society and support your Foundation. • Holiday Wreath Sale; the Foundation partnered with FIORE to supply artificial and natural wreaths for our members and they turned out great. We sold a total of 95 wreaths to liven our homes and offices and anticipate offering it again next season. Thanks to all that supported this. • The Physician Wellness Program; our PWP continues to expand to combat physician burnout issues. As you know, Mag Mutual recently awarded a grant to our Foundation to help facilitate this program. Part of the funds will allow us to bring in a guest speaker to address the problem. MARK YOUR CALENDARS for March 10th to hear Dr. Pedro J. Greer discuss this with us. CME credit has been approved and it will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn. • The 1873 Society; this society was formed to commemorate the founding date of ECMS. These donations have enabled our programs to grow - please consider on becoming a member! • The Blood Pressure Cuff Program; the BP Cuff program has now supplied close to 500 blood pressure cuffs to indigent patients. We are expanding this program to enable cuffs supplied not only through the charity clinics, but also through primary care physicians’ offices. • The We Care Program; the We Care Program continues to provide indigent care to patients through participating Medical Society physicians. Please consider donating your time and expertise. Contact Erica or Dr. John Lanza for further information. • The Go Seniors Program; the Go Seniors travel vouchers continue to enable indigent patients make their doctors’ appointments. We facilitate their rides by subsidizing almost $600 per month in taxi charges. • FSU Medical Student Scholarship; our Foundation yearly awards a 4th year medical student a scholarship to further enable their studies. This scholarship program is now fully endowed! And hopefully will facilitate some to return to this area to practice after studies are completed. • The Pensacola State College Endowment; this continues to be facilitated by your Foundation and enables students at PSC to pursue health related fields of study. It likewise will help promote graduates to stay in the area after they graduate. Thanks again to all who have supported our community by supporting the Foundation! Take good care, and have a healthy and prosperous New Year! Kurt A. Krueger, MD Pres., ECMS Foundation
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In the Community In The Community Baptist Health Care Sweta Jonnalagadda, M.D. Joins Baptist Medical Group – Hematology-Oncology Baptist Medical Group is pleased to welcome fellowshiptrained oncologist Sweta Jonnalagadda, M.D., to its multispecialty physician network. Dr. Jonnalagadda earned her medical degree at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Karnataka, India. She completed her residency as chief resident at Saint Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, Michigan and a fellowship in hematology-oncology at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Dr. Jonnalagadda is board certified in internal medicine. Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Welcomes Non-surgical Sports Medicine Specialist James C. Presley, M.D. Non-surgical sports medicine specialist James C. Presley, M.D. has joined the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team of experts. As part of Andrews Institute, Dr. Presley now welcomes new patients at Baptist Medical Park – Navarre in Navarre and at Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze. Dr. Presley is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and specializes in ultrasound guided procedures, regenerative medicine treatment options and musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries. He earned
his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Louisiana and completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Presley completed a fellowship in sports medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Baptist Health Care Announces Design and Construction Team for New Baptist Hospital Baptist Health Care has selected the architect, program manager and general contractor for the planning and construction of its new 650,000-square-foot replacement hospital and medical office building that will be built at the intersection of Brent Lane and I-110 in Pensacola. Gresham Smith will serve as architect; Meadows & Ohly of Peachtree Corners, Georgia will serve as program manager; and Brasfield & Gorrie will serve as general contractor. These companies were selected based on individual industry-wide reputations and extensive experience in designing, planning and building health care facilities similar to the proposed hospital and medical office building. As the project moves forward, Baptist expects that many local skilled subcontractors will be brought on board.
Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola has been named as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by IBM Watson Health. Researchers at IBM Watson Health looked at Medicare data from 989 hospitals and found that the top performing hospitals demonstrated better clinical care and were more efficient than their peers at delivering cardiac care. This is the third time in the past five years the hospital has been recognized with this honor. Cardiovascular specialists at the Pensacola hospital recently performed their first MitraClip procedure to treat a leaky mitral valve of the heart. The hospital also recently performed its first Convergent procedure, a minimally invasive procedure to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. The procedure combines the skills and techniques of a cardiovascular surgeon with those of a cardiac electrophysiologist. The procedure is especially helpful for patients with longstanding atrial fibrillation and associated heart changes who do not respond well to standard treatments.” The Stroke Center at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANTA ROSA COUNTY
is one of only a dozen U.S. hospitals participating in a worldwide clinical research study to evaluate the effectiveness of a new drug that can treat certain patients who experience life-threatening bleeding in the brain. The clinical trial will measure the effectiveness of the drug Andexanet, which can reverse the blood-thinning effects of two medications -- Eliquis and Xarelto -- which are frequently prescribed to patients with atrial fibrillation for stroke prevention. Dr. Sidney Mallenbaum is serving as the Stroke Center’s principal investigator. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gus Perez has joined Ascension Medical Group. He sees patients at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. Dr. Perez received his medical degree at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and completed his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. He then completed fellowship training at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital/ Stanford Children’s Health in Palo Alto, Calif.
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