“What truly makes us special is our people... A team of compassionate, dedicated healthcare professionals�
At Palms West Hospital, Service Is Job One A Message From CEO Bland Eng This is an exciting year for Palms West Hospital; 2011 marks our 25th anniversary of serving the community. Palms West is proud to have provided the western communities with healthcare excellence since 1986. We are genuinely grateful for the support of the people of this area. You have made Palms West a thriving, comprehensive, acute care hospital. We have evolved from a 117-bed hospital 25 years ago to a 175-bed hospital with numerous specialty programs, 10 medical office buildings and a surgery center occupying our 94-acre campus. What truly makes Palms West Hospital special is our people: a team of compassionate, dedicated healthcare professionals working toward a central focus — serving our patients. Service has always been a keystone of everything Palms West Hospital does. We are proud of what we have accomplished together with our talented physicians, caring nurses and clinical staff, dedicated support employees, devoted volunteers and our board of directors. Beyond the celebration of our 25th anniversary, this year is distinctive because we will also begin the next phase of expansion at the facility. This year, we will begin our $16 million expansion project that will increase the capacity of the hospital to 209 operational beds. The vertical expansion project will add a fourth floor to the east tower and increase the capacity of the Adult Medical/Surgical Department, Adult Intensive Care Unit, Pediatrics, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Laboratory. We are excited about this expansion and look forward to the benefits that this will bring to our patients and the community for many years to come. It is our mission at Palms West Hospital to make your experience safe, secure and as comfortable as possible. It is a privilege to serve this community, and we look forward to being there for your healthcare needs now and for the next 25 years. Sincerely,
Bland Eng Chief Executive Officer
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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www.boneandjoint.org Harvey Montijo, M.D. Total Joint Replacement Mark Waeltz, M.D. Spine Surgery Veronica Pedro, M.D. Hand Specialist
JosĂŠ Ortega, M.D. Sports Medicine Jorge Acevedo, M.D. Foot & Ankle Surgery
Robert Rochman, M.D. Foot & Ankle Surgery Nick Sama, M.D. Trauma & Reconstructive Surgeon
David Simpson, M.D. General Orthopaedics & Shoulder Reconstruction Dana Desser, D.O. Knees, Hips & Total Joint Garvin Yee, M.D. Arthroscopic Knee & Shoulder Surgery
Robert Lins, M.D. Spine Surgery
Locations: 10111 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Ste 151 Wellington, Florida 33414 10131 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Ste 206 Wellington, Florida 33414 440 & 460 State Road 7 Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 6056 Boynton Beach Blvd., Ste 215 Boynton Beach, FL 33437 1100 South Main Street, Ste 101 Belle Glade, FL 33430
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Founding CEO Mike Pugh Looks Back With Pride In 1984, it was Mike Pugh’s job to “put together a hospital on six or eight acres west of the turnpike.”
While the building was under construction, Pugh worked to put together a staff.
It was a challenge for him as Palms West’s first CEO. Very few doctors lived out west, and JFK and Good Samaritan were the main hospital “attractions.”
“We made it a policy not to hire anybody as a departmental manager who’d been in that job before,” he said. “We felt the No. 2 person would be more motivated. The staff members and I made sure that the hospital was built with the potential of adding a fourth floor. The chassis was built to support that — even though we weren’t building that floor at the time.”
“I called it the Field of Dreams,” Pugh said. “I’d get out of the car and stand there and see nothing there — not a doctor or a nurse — yet it was kind of an exciting change in my work life, doing something that had not been done before. You have to put a lot of pressure on yourself. I had no staff, no secretary, no mailbox, no phone. It was really a very, very exciting thing to do.” What Pugh did have was a contractor and an architect. He sat in on their planning meetings (held at a picnic table in what is now Loxahatchee Groves Park), and soon realized he needed to add one more key figure to the mix — a nurse, someone who understood how Palms West should be built from the perspective of those who would be using it. “Right away, I went out and got June Daugherty, RN, a gem of a chief nurse. It was her responsibility to get her staff around her, and she hired the most wonderful staff,” Pugh said. “And we got CFO Wayne Campbell. The three of us would sit down with the other two to make it better for patient care. We weren’t afraid to ask questions. We learned together. You’d be surprised how many small things there were. We added chair rails in the hallways. The contractor had to put up cabinets in the ER, and he didn’t know there are certain types of medical equipment that have to fit on the shelf. If the shelf is one inch high and the equipment is two inches high, it won’t fit.”
Time has not changed Pugh’s affection for the hospital. “Just last month, I visited Palms West,” said Pugh, the one responsible for taking it from blueprint to reality. “I went through every department, and I was so impressed with the growth of the hospital, all the new services and the attitude of the staff. The hospital was busy as can be. We planted the fruits, the plants grew, and it’s their job now to make it a good system. I’d like to congratulate them on 25 years and send them good wishes for the next 25.” Pugh was administrator at Palms West for 11 years. “It was so nice to see some new faces and some who had been there before,” he said. “I miss them very much, and I have nothing but good memories.” He also has some words of advice for those who have more recently taken up the challenges of the medical field. “I’d like to suggest to anyone else in healthcare that what we said 25 years ago still holds true today — treat your patients with warmth, compassion and kindness,” Pugh said. “That’s what healthcare means, and we have to always represent that.” PWH
Celebrating Years 25 Years Celebrating 25
(Right) Founding Palms West Hospital CEO Mike Pugh through the years palms west hospital
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Heather Rohan: Working At Palms West An Honor Heather Rohan, FACHE, was chief executive officer at Palms West Hospital from 2000 until 2005, overseeing two major expansion projects during her tenure. She now serves as CEO of another HCA hospital — Aventura Hospital in Aventura, Fla. “Congratulations to the team at Palms West for 25 years of excellent community-focused healthcare!” said Rohan, who added: “It was an honor to have spent time at Palms West Hospital. I had the privilege of working with a great staff, great employees and wonderful volunteers.” Rohan said that the most exciting times she experienced at Palms West were during the building of the new East Tower in 2002 and the expansion of the intensive care unit, completed just before she left in 2005. The new tower housed a new ER department, a new pediatric department and another floor. “Working at Palms West was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career,” she said. “I loved being part of the western communities.” PWH
Former CEO Wayne Campbell Wore Many Hats During The Early Years Of Palms West Hospital Wayne Campbell retired from Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in May 2010 and now lives in his old hometown of Niceville, Fla. Campbell worked in administration at Palms West Hospital from 1987-97, except for a time during 1994 when he was briefly transferred to Palm Beach Regional. “I am probably the only person in the whole company to be chief financial officer, chief operating officer and then CEO at Palms West,” Campbell said. “I got the privilege of working for Mike Pugh, the first CEO, and I learned more from that gentleman than from all of my 30 years with HCA. Mike’s a fine CEO and a fine person.” Campbell said the sense of community at the hospital is what he remembers most. “We grew as Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee grew. We had to recruit so many of the doctors, who have remained my friends. I’m proud of everybody that I’ve ever become acquainted with through Palms West and wish them the best for the next 25 years. Celebrating 25 Years
“I was there for their 20th anniversary,” Campbell said, “and I hope to be around to celebrate their 50th with them, too. I sort of grew up in the Palms West community, and that’s what I loved about living there. My kids grew up there. It’s a great place to raise a family.” PWH
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Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Palms West Hospital At A Glance Mission Statement
At Palms West Hospital, our physicians, employees and volunteers are committed to providing our community with safe, efficient, compassionate healthcare of the highest quality.
Services •
• • • • • • • • • • • •
24-hour emergency department with board-certified emergency medical physicians and pediatric emergency medical physicians (pediatric emergency physicians are part of the Miami Children’s Hospital team) Accredited Chest Pain Center Primary Stroke Center The only children’s hospital in the western communities, including a pediatric intensive care unit Robotic surgery Your New Life Center obstetrics unit Orthopaedics State-of-the-art Breast Center with digital mammography The Imaging Center at Palms West Cardiac catheterization lab Palms West Outpatient Rehabilitation & Aquatic Center (for adults and children), including physical, occupational and speech therapies Cardiopulmonary services Volunteer services
Interesting Facts
We have over 39,500 emergency room visits per year We have over 12,000 hospital stays per year We perform 88,500 exams per year in all imaging areas We deliver 1,000 babies per year We dispense 1,260,000 doses of medication per year In one year, we serve a total of 500,000 meals: 135,000 patient meals 10,000 catered meals 30,000 physician meals 10,000 volunteer meals 280,000 employee meals 35,000 visitor meals Our environmental services department cleans over 200,000 square feet per day and processes a million pounds of linen per year
The Hospital • • •
Comprehensive acute-care facility 175 beds An affiliate of HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)
Location
13001 Southern Blvd., Loxahatchee, FL 33470 Telephone Main Number: (561) 798-3300 Physician Referral: (888) 256-7723 www.palmswesthospital.com
Celebrating 25 Years
(L-R) Silvia Stradi, Chief Nursing Officer; Bland Eng, Chief Executive Officer; Madeline Nava, Chief Operating Officer and Scott Herndon, Chief Financial Officer. palms west hospital
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TIMELINE OF HOSPITAL MILESTONES June 1981
• Palms West Hospital open and ready to serve patients
August 1981
• Palms West Medical Mall is completed
• Certificate of need application for Palms West Hospital submitted to state
October 1981
• Western communities news coverage features plans for new hospital
January 1982
• Palm Beach County Commission passes resolution to support new hospital
March 1982
• Western Communities Coalition supports need for hospital in area
March 1983
• Public hearing for Palms West Hospital held in Royal Palm Beach; residents of western communities show strong support
August 1983
• Florida Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services approves Palms West Hospital application to build a new hospital in western communities
December 1983
• Certificate of need issued to Palms West Hospital to build 117-bed hospital
March 1984
• Mike Pugh is selected as administrator for Palms West Hospital by HCA
1987
• In corporate restructuring, Palms West becomes part of Health Trust Inc.
1988
• Obstetrics Department planning process commences
1989
• Obstetrics Department constructed and opened
1991
• Construction for expansion of operating room, ambulatory surgery unit, radiology and emergency departments begins; nonemergency transportation commences
1993
• Grand opening of 60,000-square-foot new construction and renovation
1994
• Pedicare, the hospital’s pediatric services department, opens • Medical Office Building 3 opens
1995
• HTI merges with Columbia/HCA • Opening of Medical Office Building 4
1996
• Administrative Assistant Patricia “Pat” J. McDonald hired as Palms West Hospital’s first employee
September 1984
1996
• Groundbreaking for Palms West Hospital
February 1985
• Palms West Hospital Board of Trustees holds first meeting of the Community Relations Advisory Committee
Summer/Fall 1985
Celebrating 25 Years
Summer/Fall 1986
• Palms West Hospital earns Joint Commission Accreditation with Commendation • Hospital recognized as “Top 100 Hospital” • Pediatric Intensive Care Unit opens • Certified home healthcare program established • Chest Pain Center opens
June 1984
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February 1986
• Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) announces plans to build a hospital in the western communities
• Belle Glade Medical Office Building opens • Cardiac catheterization outpatient program commences • Inpatient cardiac catheterization certificate of need approved
1997
• Palms West Medical Mall 1 completed; physician office building ready for physicians and patients
• Construction on Medical Buildings 5 and 6 commences • Saturday mammogram services offered for women with careers
January 19, 1986
1999
• Dedication and grand opening of Palms West Hospital palms west hospital
• Medical Office Building 6 is completed (18,400 square feet)
2000
• Medical Office Building 7 is completed (12,000 square feet)
2002
• Twenty-three-bed expansion completed for relocation of Pediatrics and Pediatric ICU to new tower, bringing hospital’s total to 140 beds
2003
• Medical Building 8 is completed (18,400 square feet)
2004
• Palms West becomes a teaching hospital with establishment of pediatric residency program
2005
• Thirty-five-bed expansion, including a new 14-bed Intensive Care Unit and an additional 18-bed telemetry unit • Construction on Ambulatory Surgery Center begins • Medical Building 9 is completed
2006
• Ambulatory Surgery Center opens on campus • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program formed
2007
• Medical Building 10 is completed
2008
• “The Children’s Hospital at Palms West” is unveiled
2009
• First pediatrician from the Pediatric Residency program graduates • Palms West performs first cardiac intervention case after forming program in association with JFK Medical Center
2010
• Hospital receives chest pain certification • First robotic surgery case performed • Palms West enters into an affiliation with Miami Children’s Hospital to provide Pediatric ER care
2011
Celebrating 25 Years
• U.S News & World Report recognizes Palms West Hospital as one of the top-tier best regional hospitals in the specialty area of Gynecology • $16 million expansion project begins that will take the hospital up to 209 operational beds • Hospital receives designation as Primary Stroke Center
palms west hospital
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Celebrating 25 Years
Board of Trustees
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Dr. Carmine Priore, Chairman of the Board
Dr. Gerardo Aguirre
Dr. Mohamed Chan
Rhonda Ferrin Davis
Bland Eng
Bobby Ewing
Dr. Martin Harland
Michael Joseph
Dr. Steven Pliskow
Nat Roberts
Dr. Melissa Singer
Alan Zangen
Bill Tavernise
palms west hospital
Medical Executive Committee
Timothy Carter, M.D. Department of Radiology
Ramprasad Gopalan, M.D. Chief of Staff Elect
John Halpern, D.O. Department of Emergency Medicine
Michael Lakow, M.D. Department of Medicine
Brian Miller, M.D. Department of Anesthesiology
Jonell Mahoney, M.D. Department of Pediatrics
Jack Newcomer, M.D. Department of Family Practice
Steven Pliskow, M.D. Department of OB/GYN
Robert Rochman, M.D. Department of Surgery
Tony Tullot, M.D. Department of Pathology
Celebrating 25 Years
Lawrence Bergman, M.D. Chief of Staff
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Cardiovascular
Chest Pain Center: Expert Treatment Just Minutes Away At Palms West Almost everyone knows that you should go to the emergency room if you think you might be having a heart attack, but did you know that the average sufferer arrives more than two hours after the onset of symptoms? That’s too long to wait. Palms West Hospital is an accredited Chest Pain Center, where highly skilled physician specialists, nurses, technologists and other cardiovascular health professionals work together using protocolbased procedures to reduce response time in the critical early stages of a heart attack. The hospital’s cardiac services encompass a full range of diagnostic modalities and interventional procedures to aid this team of specialists. Cardiac catherization is a medical subspecialty in which special diagnostic X-ray imaging allows a physician to see if any of the arteries are blocked and evaluate whether a patient’s heart valves are functioning properly.
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Emergency Percutaneous Coronary Intervention allows Palms West’s doctors to treat diseased and narrowed coronary arteries 24 hours a day, seven days a week using angioplasty, stenting and other catheter-based procedures. Catheters reduce many of the risks of traditional surgical approaches and also offer shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery
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Celebrating 25 Years
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times (due to smaller incisions) and less visible scarring. The procedures can be performed on both the heart and the peripheral blood vessels. “I am proud to have been part of the implementation of our interventional cardiology program and receipt of chest pain accreditation at Palms West Hospital,” said Dr. Lawrence Lovitz, director of interventional cardiology and medical director of the Chest Pain Center. “This is a great accomplishment for us and improves access for all patients requiring immediate cardiac intervention in the western communities.” No longer does a patient have to travel 20 to 30 minutes to receive cutting-edge care, as Palms West Hospital brings some of the best local interventional cardiologists to this area. Additionally, through collaboration with JFK Medical Center, Palms West Hospital has been able to successfully develop and integrate experienced hospital staff as well as become the only hospital in the western communities to have an accredited chest pain emergency room. When having a heart attack, the faster blood flow is restored, the less heart muscle damage occurs. By eliminating a 30-minute ambulance ride and coming to Palms West, you can minimize damage and decrease future related complications. PWH
surgical
Palms West Hospital Surgery Department Cares For Family As Well As The Patient You have a family member about to undergo a serious surgical procedure. The doctors are ready; the operating room is ready; and you’ve told your loved one, “See you soon.” Now comes the nerve-wracking part. While the doctor and staff do their jobs, you sit around in a claustrophobia-inducing waiting room and silently work yourself into a frenzy. Not at Palms West Hospital, you don’t. At Palms West, the surgical team works through a patient liaison to keep you informed of the Very Important Patient’s progress. The waiting room is spacious and airy, with a television and vending area nearby. Upon completion of the procedure, the surgeon will communicate with the family and any significant others, and the postoperative nursing team will keep you updated of all progress. You will know when your special someone is being transferred to the recovery room, the ambulatory unit or back to his room. While you wait, a highly trained team is working together to provide the best possible outcome for your loved one. The nurse circulates in the room for the procedure, surgical techs scrub with the surgeons to assist them with the instrumentation and orderlies help with the overall function in
order to ensure that the patient has a positive surgical experience and that the physicians have what they need to provide the patient with that successful surgical experience. The Surgical Services Department at Palms West offers 24-hour peri-operative care seven days a week to both adults and children. The hospital’s healthcare team can provide comprehensive surgical care to both outpatients and those staying at the hospital in the fields of orthopedics, gynecology, neurosurgery, podiatry, ophthalmology, general and plastic surgery as well as dental/oral surgery and ENT procedures. “At Palms West Hospital, there are many different subspecialties with excellent surgeons, whether you require surgery in an emergency situation or electively,” said Dr. Robert Rochman, chairman of the Department of Surgery. “Our operating room has a very good team in the OR — nurses, scrub techs, orderlies — who keep all operations running smoothly and help to provide the best care possible for the patient.” Rochman is also excited that the hospital is willing to invest in the latest surgical technologies. “Palms West Hospital is willing to partner with the surgeons who want to try new techniques, technology and methods in surgical care,” he said. “This was apparent last year with the hospital acquiring the DaVinci robotic system.” PWH
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Celebrating 25 Years
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Imaging services
Imaging Department’s Advances Bring Body Into High-Definition
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The Imaging Department at Palms West Hospital offers general diagnostic, fluoroscopic and interventional radiography as well as nuclear medicine and CAT scan services and is accredited by the American College of Radiology. Its state-of-the-art CAT scanner and accompanying software can study both arterial and venous blood vessels with amazing speed and accuracy, pinpointing areas that need a closer look. A dedicated chest unit offers chest X-rays without the wait, and, for traditional X-rays, no appointment is necessary — only a prescription. Like your HDTV? Palms West’s high-def MRI technology captures similarly dramatic images of the brain (despite patient motion), the lower legs and feet (in diabetic patients) and the liver (with shorter breath holds). There is also the ability to do MRIs of both breasts at once and perform MRI-guided breast biopsies. Four private ultrasound exam rooms make Palms West Hospital the place to be for expectant mothers, and other ultrasoundguided biopsy procedures are also available. And nuclear dual-head cameras allow time-consuming studies to be completed in a fraction of the time, often making a lifesaving difference. Palms West Hospital also has a dedicated interventional/endovascular radiologist, available daily to help with peripheral vas-
cular disease, uterine fibroid embolizations and more. There is also a dedicated pediatric radiologist based at Palms West Hospital to serve young patients. Interventional imaging procedures performed at Palms West Hospital can provide diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of potential conditions — before they become serious. “A big advancement in radiology over the past 25 years is that we don’t have film anymore,” said Director of Imaging Services Joan Sinnett, RT, CRA. “Everything is computerized now. You don’t have to wait for film to develop — it’s there. “We also do MRIs with sedation for children and adults,” Sinnett said. We do a lot of ultrasound-guided and digital stereotactic breast biopsies where the actual biopsy is done with the same apparatus they used to do the mammogram. It’s minimally invasive. They take a sample right out, and you go home. We also have a minimally invasive Special Procedures Lab where we can do catheterizations of everything except the heart. We can check blood flow in both upper and lower extremities, the kidneys, the carotid arteries and the head. Then we have the separate cardio cath lab.” “Our CAT scan is staffed 24 hours a day,” Sinnett added. “Our ultrasound is staffed 24 hours a day. Our advantage over an imaging center is that they close; we don’t.” PWH
Pediatric
Family-Friendly Pediatrics Unit Is Big On Sensitivity Whether your child requires a few stitches or has a more serious health condition, Palms West Hospital is the place to turn. With specialized pediatric services (nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers and clinical dieticians) as well as its own Medical Education and Residency program, Palms West’s pediatrics department is able to serve five nearby counties. The medical staff consists of general pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists, who specialize in areas of surgery, oncology, neurology, cardiology, nephrology, dentistry, ENT and many other pediatric specialties. Paula Marshall, RN, BSS, is the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) charge nurse. She has been at Palms West for eight years. “The department changed a lot right before I came,” she said. “Before, it was one big unit — like a ward area — with four beds on each side of the room. Now, each room is a single, individualized room. The four critical rooms each have a commode and a sink, and the other four rooms each have a full bathroom. All the rooms have TVs and bedside monitors. If there’s needed equipment, we bring it to the room. And our eight-bed unit will be expanding to a 10-bed unit over the next several years.” Because Palms West focuses on the family,
these PICU changes also made room for something else — parental sleepovers. “We are really big on family-centered care, so a big change is that the PICU used to be closed, but parents can now spend the night. Before, you couldn’t fit the people around the bed. Now, we have room.” But there have been more than structural changes at Palms West since Marshall arrived. “Pediatric hematology/oncology started about five years ago, and it’s grown tremendously. We started by putting the patients in with the regular patients, and the area grew so much, we designated a fivebed unit. There is also a large quantity of hematology/oncology outpatients,” Marshall said. “Caring for children with cancer and blood diseases is complex and requires emotional sensitivity,” added Dr. Melissa Singer, the area’s only pediatric hematologist/oncologist. Two full-time Child Life Specialists provide therapeutic play and developmentally appropriate activities for all of Palms West’s smallest patients, reducing the stress of hospitalization and providing support to their families. Now that’s a truly family-friendly approach! PWH
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Obstetrics
All Paws Animal Clinic
Your New Life Center Eases Birthing For Expectant Mother And The Whole Family Your New Life Center at Palms West Hospital recognizes that childbearing is a normal, natural process as well as a time of emotional, social and physical change for the whole family.
Dr. Patty
Dr. Adrienne
Dr. Patricia Forsythe, V.M.D. Dr. Adrienne Wade Dogs, Cats, Birds, and Pocket Pets (Ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs)
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561-790-9225
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Therefore, all whom the mother declares to be close to her (within the realm of safety) are welcome to provide the support necessary to assure a positive birth experience. Even big sisters or brothers are welcome. And mom is encouraged to participate in all decisions regarding her own and her newborn’s care. Rita Jeroloman, RNC, has worked in the hospital’s obstetrics department for nearly two decades; she now serves as director of Women’s and Children’s Services. She remembers the birth of Celine Dion’s first son, René-Charles Angélil, on Jan. 25, 2001, and, prior to that, the very first delivery to take place at the hospital back in the late 1980s. Jeroloman said that medical advances over the years have helped babies to earn higher Apgar scores (for muscle tone, heart rate, reflex irritability, skin coloration and breathing rate).
Celebrating 25 Years
“We also use less narcotics to assist with pain, more epidurals,” Jeroloman said.
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“Babies born 20 to 25 years ago needed more assistance due to the use of narcotics, therefore, lower Apgar scores.” And Jeroloman gives a lot of credit to her staff. “I believe that our best asset is the personalized care that we provide our patients,” she said. “During active labor, our patient to staff ratios are one-to-one. We work very hard to prepare our new families for discharge. We have ‘Tea Time’ every weekday at 3 p.m. At that time, we get our moms together to talk about their experience, share their fears or concerns, and talk about whatever else the moms want to talk about.” Your New Life Center also provides information to expectant parents interested in informed childbirth, early parenting skills and the psychosocial effects of adjusting to family life. PWH
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation And Aquatics Center Offers State-Of-The-Art Services Palms West Hospital’s 5,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art Outpatient Rehabilitation and Aquatics Center offers therapy services for all ages and needs, housing the latest in wellness equipment and a 15- by 30-foot heated rehab pool (with automatic lift) as well. The purpose of the aquatic rehabilitation center is to reduce pain and improve function for patients who suffer from chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis, orthopedic conditions, spine trauma and more. Its highly trained staff utilizes manual therapy techniques and aquatic exercise to get each and every patient to the best level possible. The center is also one of only a few in Palm Beach County to offer aquatic therapy for children. The adult rehabilitation center helps those with orthopedic problems, sports injuries or arthritis — as well as patients recovering from surgery or trauma. A Biodex strengthening system assists with orthopedic and sports injuries. A computerized balance system helps those who have fallen or are suffering from various balance difficulties. Occupational therapists help patients whose muscular or neurological conditions prevent them from reaching their full potential. The pediatric rehabilitation center serves infants, toddlers and children with a staff consisting of occupational therapists (who
Dental
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use a variety of approaches to teach daily living skills), physical therapists (who work to maximize each child’s functional mobility) and speech/language pathologists (who treat speech, auditory processing and swallowing). These specialists collaborate with one another to provide the best care for each child. No matter what their individual focus, the heart of the Outpatient Rehabilitation and Aquatics Center is its caring and compassionate staff. “Twenty-five years ago, our outpatient rehab services were in a small room inside the hospital and we were very limited in the scope of what we could do at that time. We had great people but limited equipment,” said PWH’s Director of Rehabilitation Bob Rohack, PT, MBA. “What is happening now is we’ve ‘grown’ the outpatient rehab program to where we have basically over 7,500 square feet in one of the medical office buildings and it constitutes two separate departments now. There’s the Children’s Therapy Center and the Outpatient Rehab and Aquatics Center. Now we can see everyone from infants to geriatrics, and we offer physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.” PWH
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Celebrating 25 Years
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Longtime Volunteers Recall The Hospital’s Early Days Lenora Coppola is one of a handful of volunteers who has been working at Palms West Hospital since even before it opened 25 years ago. “We helped to set the hospital up before there was ever a patient in it. They gave us jobs to help them get ready for the underwriters,” Coppola recalled. “Back then, there were about 40 volunteers, and we formed an auxiliary group. We were running a gift shop near the front entrance and [would] give away up to $20,000 a year in college scholarships.” Coppola was auxiliary president for a time and also trained new volunteers. One particularly happy memory involved the hospital’s first CEO, Mike Pugh. “In the beginning, when we would have the annual volunteer auxiliary dinner, Mr. Pugh would be the entertainer. It was just him and his guitar, and he was a really good entertainer. He did it for quite a while but then said we must be getting tired of him. We told him we weren’t! He was a really good singer,” Coppola said. 25-year volunteer Natalie Levine
Another of the original volunteers was Natalie Levine, who remembered exactly the way things began. “The hospital started out over in the business office 25 years ago. We had our own little office and we formed a volunteer auxiliary, and I remember becoming president of the auxiliary in the early years and we ran a gift shop,” she said. Some of Levine’s most memorable moments came when attending the auxiliary conventions. Levine also credits Pugh with making her volunteer experience so special. “He was fantastic working with the volunteers ... it was a pleasure to work there,” Levine said. “I came to love all the nurses and doctors.” After the auxiliary disbanded, things changed, and today, Levine said, “it’s a whole new ballgame. There was a lot of camaraderie and closeness in the olden days.” “The hospital itself has changed so much,” added Bea Avner, also celebrating 25 years of volunteer service. “Palms West was less than half of what it is now. But the people are still wonderful.” She remembered that, over the 10-plus years it was in existence, the auxiliary came up with other ways to earn money for scholarships. “We did baked goods sales and rummage sales and gave scholarships to young people who were graduating from high school,” she said. “Some of them came back each year as they needed money to continue their schooling. It gives such a good feeling.”
Celebrating 25 Years
Avner said that even though the volunteers may not be as closeknit as they used to be, she can see how they are helping. She herself knits or crochets tiny hats for newborns and blankets for babies being treated for cancer so they “can have something of their own to take home with them.”
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“My son is a doctor, and he says there is no hospital anywhere that could run without its volunteers,” Avner said. “We give that personal touch. The people come in, and some of them are just distraught. We talk to them, and you can see them start to unpalms west hospital
bend. When there’s illness in the family, it’s very hard to relax. So I feel like I’ve accomplished something.” As they say, what goes around comes around. That’s certainly true for Mary Yannantuono, who also served as the president of the auxiliary in 1993-94. “I love, love, love working at the hospital,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute.” Yannantuono also appreciates that volunteers at Palm West are
kept in the loop. “The single most important improvement is that the volunteers are kept better-informed of present and future plans for the hospital,” Yannantuono said. She has also made irreplaceable friends through Palms West, most notably fellow volunteer Annie Ruiz and her husband, Dr. Claudio Ruiz. Well-rewarded dedication, a feeling of accomplishment, longterm camaraderie and wonderful friends — sounds like these four volunteers have earned 25 more years of good karma! PWH
(L-R) 25-year volunteers Mary Yannantuono, Lenora Coppola and Bea Avner.
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Longtime Employees’ Memories Grew With Palms West Hospital Palms West Hospital has seen its share of employees come and go, but there are a few who have been there from the very beginning — Hermine Miles, Cheryl McKenzie, Deborah Grieser, Patricia Williams, Evet Anderson, Naomi Wess, Carol Bethea, Sallie Jaworski and Richard Patterson. Several were able to take us back in time with memories of “the way we were.” Naomi Wess, RN, CCRN, started on the telmetry floor when Palms West Hospital first opened, and she distinctly remembers her first patient. “Dr. (Prasad) Konda admitted his first patient there with chest pain,” she said. “We ruled out a heart attack, but that was my first patient.” Not long after that, Wess moved to the Intensive Care Unit, where she remains to this day. “I remember the fun that we had learning the new equipment that we thought was so great back then,” she said. “We had to learn to use the phones and the intercom system — just everything. It was great experience.” (L-R) 25-year employees Naomi Wess, Carol Bethea and Deborah Grieser.
She also remembers opening day, with its balloons and hospital tours. “It was very exciting to start a new facility and have it open to the western communities,” Wess said. “Since then, we’ve gone through several administrators, several directors of nursing — the place has just exploded as far as getting big. In the beginning, we could barely fill one floor. The third floor above us wasn’t finished. Now we’re on the third floor, the fourth floor, we’ve expanded toward the east, and it’s quite a different campus than the little hospital that we started. There were only two medical malls in the back, and they could barely fill them. They didn’t have as many doctors as they had office space.” Yet Wess wouldn’t change a thing. “It’s been a long time and a big part of my life and a lot of changes I’ve seen and friends that I’ve made,” she said. “There’s only a handful of us old-timers left. But there are a lot of happy memories.” Richard Patterson has been an X-ray technologist at Palms West Hospital since its inception, although initially he was strictly on call for the “midnight shift” (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.). “I was working at St. Mary’s from 3 to 11 p.m., and, when I finished my shift there, I would come home and be on call for Palms West,” Patterson remembered. “I lived 10 minutes away so I would come in if they needed me.” Patterson recalled that the emergency room was “very teeny,” with six beds separated by curtains. “As teeny as it was, we’d get some extreme traumas from collisions,” Patterson said. “There were no trauma centers, and Okeechobee and Southern were just two-lane roads. So, as small as we were, we’d get some serious accidents. If we got three trauma patients at once — and we did get them — we’d be overwhelmed. Often the 3-to-11 tech would stick around to help.”
Celebrating 25 25 Years Years Celebrating
How often did Patterson get called in? The answer might surprise you.
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“The first couple of years, I got called in once a night, maybe a couple of times,” he said. “A couple of days might go by where palms palms west west hospital hospital
I didn’t get called at all. Gradually, as the hospital got more patients, it grew to a couple times a night, so, in 1992, it became a full-time position. I was working as chief tech at Palm Beach Medical Group from 8 to 5 and then I’d grab a couple of hours’ sleep and work the 11-7 shift at Palms West.”
“We started out in the professional building before we even went into the hospital,” she said. “We all pretended to be seeing patients. Then, when we did move in, there was only one floor open. There were only one or two patients, a handful of doctors and only one pharmacist. The emergency room had only four beds.”
Today, Patterson works solely at Palms West — and he gets a bit more sleep.
That was then. This is now.
Like Wess, Sallie Jaworski has been working as a nurse at Palms West Hospital ever since the day the building opened — and before. She spent many years as the charge nurse (think: in charge) nights in telemetry, then worked days as the charge nurse on the surgical floor. Today, she works in ambulatory surgery.
“Now Palms West is quite large compared to what it was, and, of course, everybody doesn’t know everybody like they did when it was a small hospital. Now, they have all these floors. They’ve added an OB floor and a surgical floor, and they keep growing and expanding. But I liked being a part of a start-up hospital from the very beginning — and growing with it.” PWH
(L-R) 25-year employees Richard Patterson, Hermine Miles, Patti Williams and Sallie Jaworski.
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Many Palms West Physicians Have Been There Since The Beginning Ever since 1986, Palms West Hospital has grown to meet the needs of the ever-burgeoning western communities. Each addition to the building, every upgrade in equipment, all streamlining of procedures have served to make things more comfortable and convenient for the local residents who need them. And a number of physicians have been a part of it all since the beginning. Lucky for us, Palms West Hospital made the commitment. The hospital founders, together with their physicians, specialists, employees and volunteers, were right there with us, putting down roots and building a community.
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25-Year Physicians
Former Staff Chief Ramachandran Started Dialysis Program Muthuswami Ramachandran, MD, FRCP, was on the staff of Palms West Hospital “right from Day One” and served as chief of staff from 1998 to 2000. “I started the acute dialysis program for hospital patients,” said Dr. Ramachandran. “It was a small program with a small room and two beds. In the last few years, we moved into a larger room with four beds.” Dr. Ramachandran said there have been a lot of changes in the past 25 years, “lots of pluses, some minuses.” More laparoscopic and robotic surgeries meant big changes for the hospital, “and that is good.” Dr. Ramachandran’s primary regret over the hospital’s burgeoning growth is that nurses are so much busier today. He liked it better when they had more time to spend with patients and, frankly,
to assist doctors. However, Dr. Ramachandran appreciates the addition of services that expansion has brought. “The hospital initially did not have too much interventional radiology,” he said. “It hadn’t been developed yet. Nowadays, radiologists are able to do a lot of things without surgery.” Dr. Ramachandran said that what was initially a six- or seven-bed station in the Intensive Care Unit is now a 14-bed station. The emergency room has been expanded, and Dr. Ramachandran highly approves. “My view is that improving ER care — getting faster, better care — is more important to me (than some other things), and having all the equipment is important,” he said. PWH
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Pulmonary Doctor Ludwig Pioneered Intensivist Practice P. William Ludwig, MD, FCCP, has been at Palms West Hospital for 25 years, but in two different capacities. For the first 20 years, he was a pulmonary physician, often working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Several years ago, Dr. Ludwig ceased practicing there in order to form ICC Healthcare (with ICC standing for Intensive Care Consortium). As president of ICC Healthcare, Dr. Ludwig runs the Intensivist Program at Palms West Hospital, coordinating specialists to provide a doctor-supervised ICU 365 days a year. “Palms West Hospital has gone from a very small start-up hospital to a large suburban hospital,” said Dr. Ludwig. “The level of care and the ability to care for people has grown tremendously. We have gone from having a physician on call in the ICU to having a physician on site in the ICU between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
Over its history, ICC Healthcare has cared for 40,000-plus patients. Last year alone, ICC Healthcare Intensivists looked after more than 11,000 patients. “Data shows that care improves when a doctor is in the ICU all day long,” Dr. Ludwig said. One of the most significant improvements Dr. Ludwig has seen locally has been the establishment of Palm Beach County’s trauma centers, where accident victims can be taken by helicopter in the blink of an eye. “I remember before there were trauma centers in Palm Beach County, we saw many, many people who had been in car accidents and in other life-threatening situations,” said Dr. Ludwig. “We saw a lot of people who had ended up in canals and had organisms in their lungs that are only meant to be found in ducks. It’s a good thing we don’t have to look after those people anymore.” PWH
The public may not even realize that doctors are not physically present in every ICU across the country, waiting to spring into action at a moment’s notice, yet this is certainly the best-case scenario. ICC Healthcare is the largest such Intensivist group in the United States, with more than 50 physicians staffing programs in 12 hospital ICUs throughout Florida and Georgia. By aligning the interests of the patient, hospital and physician, ICC Healthcare has a documented track record of developing programs that provide better care for critically ill patients, resulting in high patient and family satisfaction, improved outcomes, better financial results for hospitals and a superior quality of life for the hospital medical staff.
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25-Year Physicians
Pediatrician Marron-Fernandez Recalls Challenging First Delivery Long before Palms West Hospital was even built, Rosa MarronFernandez, MD, was working to get it up and running as a member of the board of trustees. “I was the only pediatrician on the original board when (first hospital administrator) Mike Pugh came to town,” Dr. MarronFernandez remembered. “Jess Santamaria (now a Palm Beach County commissioner) was chairman; Rabbi Steve Westman (Temple Beth Torah’s first rabbi) was the layperson; and we would go around town meeting anywhere — in a conference room at Palm Beach Polo or the Sheraton by the airport or Mike Pugh’s house — because we had no physical building. By the time we broke ground — maybe nine months later — we were already a group. Blow by blow, we worked out a lot of the organizational details.” In terms of implementing hospital policy, Dr. Marron-Fernandez
remembers one particular decision that was “very near and dear to my heart” back in those days. “Newborn facilities were present at Palms West Hospital from very early on, and I was insistent that we have a neonatologist on call 24 hours a day and that they attend all Caeserian sections, in addition to the pediatrician. I said it was state-of-the-art, in terms of our own department, to have neonatal backup, and I’ll always remember that.” Dr. Marron-Fernandez said that, in those days, Palms West had a partnership with Miami Children’s Hospital, relying on it when a pediatric intensive care unit was necessary. Unless a child was transported there, however, the doctors had to make do with Palms West Hospital’s adult-oriented ICU. Dr. Marron-Fernandez remembers one particular incident that took place when the hospital had been open only a few days. There was no pediatrics department, no ICU; in fact, only one floor was open, with a few functional beds. But there was an emergency room. “A lady showed up at the ER in labor. She had not had much prenatal care. She was probably driving and had labor pains and saw this place and drove in,” said Dr. Marron-Fernandez. “The ER had two or three beds in there, and, because I was on call 24 hours a day, they called me in. There also happened to be a nurse interviewing for the OB department who wasn’t an employee but had some experience in OB work. Between this lady and myself, we saved a life, but it was like working in the wilderness. There were hardly any supplies on hand for babies. But that lady proceeded to have her baby. We stabilized it, wrapped it up, gave it some oxygen, and prayed. That was all we could do. We had no supplies.” Thankfully, the obstetrics unit was established shortly after the opening of the hospital, as soon as a certificate of need was granted based on the exploding area population. Was that day a career highlight for Dr. Marron-Fernandez?
Celebrating 25 Years
“Frankly, to me every day is a highlight,” she said. “Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, every day dealing with children is a special day. It’s really a joy to practice pediatrics.” PWH
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Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute was established as a multi -specialty orthopaedic practice. For over thirty years, the physicians of Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute have provided their patients with the highest quality healthcare and treatment possible. Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute is a recognized leader in orthopaedics. We have 14 Physicians available to provide the most advanced orthopaedic care. All PBOI Physicians are Board Certified and many have completed fellowship training in their area of expertise. With renowned experts in many major orthopaedic sub-specialties, we pride ourselves on offering full-service cutting -edge care across the entire spectrum of musculoskeletal health. Our practice is comprised of surgeons who specialize in sports injury, upper extremity, spine disorders, total joint replacements, MAKOplasty, podiatry abnormalities, musculoskeletal disorders, and surgical and non operative treatment of the neck and spine. This sub-specialization provides patients with the highest quality of health care and treatment for their particular problem.
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In a recent survey, patients described Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute, as a practice that is “comfortable and accommodating,” our staff as “friendly, efficient and willing to go the extra mile” and our doctors as “caring professionals who take the time to educate their patients and listen to their concerns.” Our referring colleagues said that we “ excel in responsiveness, availability and skill ” and our own team reported that they are “ proud of our primary focus on helping people to live better lives.” We are honored by this feedback and are committed to sustaining our high standards of excellence, both in our relationships with people and in the quality of our medical and surgical care. If you are looking for a dedicated orthopaedic Offering flexibility, options practice to serve your needs, Palm Beach and the necessary solutions Orthopaedic Institute has the solution for you.
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Celebrating 25 Years
We take a "total body" approach to your wellness and pride ourselves on offering full-service cutting-edge care. For sports medicine, orthopaedic surgery, physical therapy, and every other aspect of orthopaedic medicine, be assured that Palm Beach Orthopaedic Institute brings each patient the best treatment that medicine has to offer. In order to achieve the finest results, we utilize state of the art diagnostic and procedural equipment including digital x-ray, ultrasound and laser technology. PBOI provides fullservice orthopaedic care at several surgical facilities and hospitals all over Palm Beach County. Visit our website at www.PBOI.com where we have provided you with the resources to follow your patient care every step of the way. Whether you are looking into making an appointment, following up on diagnostic testing or have questions about your surgery, we are here to provide answers for you.
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25-Year Physicians
Plastic Surgeon Wisnicki Watched Hospital Exceed Expectations Since 1986, when he first came aboard at Palms West Hospital, Jeffrey Wisnicki, MD, FACS, has served as chairman of the board of trustees, chief of medical staff and chairman of the department of surgery for the hospital. “The hospital has evolved and expanded tremendously over the last 25 years,” said Dr. Wisnicki. “It started out having one operating room going at a time and just a couple of floors of patients, and the first few years, the need for the hospital was in question based on the population of the area — the survival of both hospitals in this community was in question.” However, time has shown it was the correct decision. “Now there’s no question,” Dr. Wisnicki said. “Palms West Hospital has grown and become a major force in the community, basi-
cally fulfilling the important medical needs of the population in the western communities. It’s really solidified its position, and there’s no question in anybody’s mind that it will continue to do so — to grow and fulfill future needs and be one of the most respected facilities of its kind, not only in the county but as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country. It made it to that level. It has really developed beyond the expectations of those of us who just started here.” Dr. Wisnicki’s chosen field, plastic surgery, has progressed as well. “It has evolved technologically in terms of what we can offer both for reconstructive and for aesthetic procedures,” Dr. Wisnicki said. “Equipment that we have now, such as lasers and other things that we utilize, weren’t being used at all back then. Techniques have developed that allow us to do more with less invasive approaches. On the cosmetic side of things, there’s always emphasis on having more results with less surgery, and we’re able to fulfill that goal more readily now than we were 25 years ago.” Dr. Wisnicki also donates his time and expertise as a member of the Interplast organization (recently renamed ReSurge International), a team of doctors who, since 1969, have helped transform the lives of patients in 14 developing nations through reconstructive surgery — all at no charge to the patient.
Celebrating 25 Years
Of his tenure at Palms West, Dr. Wisnicki said: “One of the highlights for me personally was probably when the hospital became involved in helping bring a child over from Honduras for reconstructive surgery — a cleft lip repair. This child, for whatever reason, wasn’t able to have surgery when the team was there, so we were able to make arrangements to bring it here through the graciousness of Palms West Hospital. That was a very gratifying experience for everybody involved with the care.” PWH
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25-Year Physicians
Family Practice Chief Newcomer Praises Lifesaving Technology Jack Newcomer, MD, is the Chairman of the Department of Family Practice at Palms West Hospital, a facility he has been serving for 25 years.
That ECHO test is something that would have taken place at a completely different location years ago — while both doctor and patient waited anxiously for the results.
“Every five years, the hospital continues to improve and expand,” said Dr. Newcomer. “There’s been the emergency room expansion, increased beds, improvements in facilities and equipment … it’s good for Palms West Hospital, and it’s good for the whole county.”
In this case, Dr. Newcomer knew immediately that the “ultrasound” looked strange.
Dr. Newcomer has seen his specialty, family practice, improve as well. “Mostly, it’s the technology that has improved,” he said. “Today we can do in-office X-rays, ultrasounds, EKGs … the sheer portability of the machinery allows us to be able to do pulmonary function tests, echocardiograms (ECHO) — being able to do that in the office has improved our efficiency dramatically. We get faster results as well as more accurate results. As those technologies have improved, our specialty has improved.”
“I sent him to a colleague who has a cardiac catheterization suite right across the hall. We were able to discern that the man had four blockages and, in one day, we knew he was going to need surgery; we knew who would do it and where; and the whole process took place within the same day,” Dr. Newcomer recalled. “We used to be about 60 percent accurate using stress tests, and now, we’re 90 percent accurate. We knew exactly where the blockages were, and we prevented a terrible thing from happening.” PWH
With 25 years of “sometimes bittersweet” memories behind him, Dr. Newcomer took a moment to savor a recent success story. “I have a gentleman that I’ve known for 25 years,” Dr. Newcomer said. “He was one of my first patients. He’s in his 60s, and he came in because it’s been about a year since he lost someone in his family and he still wasn’t feeling right. His wife thought he was probably still depressed because of the loss. She suggested he take some time off from work. He did that, but he also came to me complaining of body aches, a feeling of tiredness, some tightness in his chest and of feeling ‘crappy’ overall. I listened to his symptoms and was able to do an ECHO — akin to an ‘ultrasound of the heart’ — right in the office.”
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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25-Year Physicians
Urologist Becker Appreciates Leaps In Medical Technology Edward Becker, MD, has been at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee since the very beginning and continues to practice there. He also serves on its board of trustees. He remembers that 25 years ago, there were a lot fewer residents, and a lot more trees. The western communities of Loxahatchee, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and The Acreage were, to many, uncharted territory. In fact, anything west of Military Trail was considered “’way out west.” “The western communities were basically a whole different area back then,” he said. “Southern Boulevard was one lane each way, and, at the hospital, we used to joke that there were more cars belonging to employees in the parking lot than there were for patients. Obviously, over the years the community has grown tre-
mendously. Now there are times when we don’t have any beds available — the hospital is completely full!” Dr. Becker came to Palms West immediately following the completion of his training at the University of Florida, Jacksonville. There was never any question about establishing his practice in the state — both he and his wife had grown up here. “The way it went down was — I’m a Floridian, and my wife’s a Floridian. I grew up in Tampa, and she grew up in Miami. We wanted to stay in Florida,” Dr. Becker explained. “Back in 1985, Glades General was looking for a urologist and offered me a guaranteed salary for a couple of years. That’s how I got into the area. I had an office there, and I still maintain an office there, although I’m only there a half-day every two weeks. Then once I started spreading my wings and looking around, I met with (Chief Nursing Officer) Joyce Aab and (Hospital Administrator) Mike Pugh, and, in talking with them, I knew Palms West Hospital had a lot more to offer from a professional standpoint. There were a lot more specialties that I could use to help me in my work – pulmonary medicine, for instance. So then I was on staff at both hospitals until my contract with Glades General was up.” Like many of the others who have been there since the beginning, Dr. Becker enjoyed working at Palms West when it was small. “Back in the early days, it was like a family,” he said. But Becker also appreciates the expanded version of Palms West Hospital. “A perfect example is that Palms West made the commitment to spend $2 million on a robotics machine,” he said. “In 1985, a lot of surgical procedures were still open surgeries. Next, we could operate using scopes or endoscopy. Robotics have made a huge difference not only from a volume standpoint (how many surgeries can be performed) but also from a technical standpoint. Prostatectomy patients were here for a week; now, they go home the next day. We’ve come a long way.”
Celebrating 25 Years
The campus at Palms West has come a long way, too, as one glimpse at the many full parking lots will tell. PWH
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25-Year Physicians
Pediatrician Napoles-Ruiz Now Treating Second Generation Ana Napoles-Ruiz, MD, was the second pediatrician brought on board at Palms West Hospital. Like many of the doctors who practice there, her office is located on the grounds as well, in one of the Medical Mall buildings. “When I first opened, my office was in Royal Palm Beach, but I have been on the Palms West Hospital campus for over 15 years now. I was in Building 4 for a few years, and now I’m in Building 9,” she said. Dr. Napoles-Ruiz has also been on PWH’s Credentials Committee for more than 15 years. “I feel like I am a dinosaur there,” she laughed. From 1995-99, she served on the board of trustees as well. And she was voted “Best in the West” in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
incident sticks in my mind because of how incredibly scared I was. But the nurses came through and helped us through it, and that was a good thing. Dr. Napoles-Ruiz estimates that she has treated “thousands” of little patients over the years. “There have been many, many, many,” she said. “And not too long ago, I went to see a baby in the newborn nursery, and I had seen that baby’s mom right there at the hospital when she was born. So I’m starting to see another generation now. It makes me feel just a little old.” When every day is scheduled to the hilt, treating the needs of our area’s youngest residents, 25 years can seem to just fly by. PWH
“The growth of the hospital in size and the advances in pediatrics have made Palms West so much more pediatric-friendly,” Dr. Napoles-Ruiz said. “When I joined, Dr. Fernandez was already here. We were putting our patients on the adult floor. Today, we have a pediatric hematology unit, a pediatric emergency room, a pediatric intensive care unit — none of that was available at the beginning. We have pediatric subspecialists.” Best of all, these subspecialists have been trained specifically to care for children. They include pediatric cardiologists, pediatric pulmonary specialists and pediatric endocrinologists. “They have privileges at the hospital now where before they were not available,” Dr. Napoles-Ruiz said. “We didn’t even have pediatric nurses initially.” One particular memory of those early years stands out for Dr. Napoles-Ruiz. “A very sick, sick 18-month-old little girl was admitted to the ER in diabetic ketoacidosis,” she said. (In ketoacidosis, the body fails to adequately regulate ketone production, causing such a severe accumulation of keto acid that the pH of the blood is substantially decreased. In extreme cases, it can be fatal.) “We put her in the adult intensive care unit and handled that child by ourselves without any specialists, no internists. She did very well, but the Celebrating 25 Years palms palms west west hospital hospital
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25-Year Physicians
Cardiologist Venugopal’s Stint Pulsed With Hospital’s Growth Chandra Venugopal, MD, FACC, has worked in the cardiology department of Palms West Hospital since it opened, including a two-year stint as chief of cardiology in the mid-1980s under Hospital Administrator Mike Pugh. “In 1986, when the doors were opened, Palms West was a small community hospital with a small community feel,” Dr. Venugopal remembered. “There was a small staff of nurses and a small number of doctors. Everybody knew everybody. A patient returning to the hospital would see the same nurses every year.”
Celebrating 25 Years
Dr. Venugopal said that most patients knew their primary physicians and specialists and often would be greeted by them when they arrived.
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“It was a family type of atmosphere under Mike Pugh,” said Dr. Venugopal. “1986 and 1987 was a very good time for the patients. They received a lot of personalized care.” Yet, as the western communities grew, so did Palms West Hospital. It had to expand to meet the needs of all the families moving into the area. “Every year, especially from 1986 to 1996, the hospital census was growing and the hospital was also getting bigger,” said Dr. Venugopal. “Eventually, more beds were added, extensions were done, more physicians started coming to Palms West and the hospital started getting busier and bigger.” PWH
Technology then and Now
Technological Transformation Has Streamlined All Departments Throughout this magazine, we have heard from physicians, nurses, employees and volunteers that they have watched technology be transformed in the 25 years since Palms West Hospital first opened its doors. But exactly how has it changed? Just to think about it is to take a technological step back in time. For example, Palms West opened in 1986, just five years after the introduction of the first IBM microcomputer. With all the advances made since then, it is hard to imagine what life could have been like at the dawning of the computer age. The spreadsheet program widely used “back in the day” was Lotus 123, while now, Microsoft Excel is commonly utilized. Windows was not launched by Microsoft until 1987, so up to that time you worked on one file at a time, and it was a very slow process. Because e-mail didn’t go global until 1993, most communication was done via telephone, fax and the U.S. Postal Service. Secretaries still used typewriters, and before the advent of personal computers, an army of accountants and departmental office workers crunched the numbers and analyzed data. Technology has significantly impacted staffing and productivity. Productivity with far less personnel has shifted to warp speed. Regional Director of Medical Education Dr. Bradley Feuer, of the Palm Beach Centre for Graduate Medical Education, has seen similar changes in technology make a major impact on medical education.
Celebrating 25 Years
“Rather than carrying around small reference books in pockets and bags, residents now carry volumes in their PDAs and smartphones,” Feuer said. “Whereas we used to have libraries full of texts and journals, we now have access to almost all texts and journals via the Internet — on our PCs, laptops and smartphones. Evaluations of resident performance and rotation quality used to be done manually; it is now available electronically, online.” Evaluations, reviews and reports done online have saved time, money and even trees. Director of Case Management Nancy Rabin handles what would have been reams and reams of data and works directly with the insurance companies. “Any type of case management or utilization review was done by hand on paper, and then the information was given telephonically to the insurance companies for authorization,” Rabin said.
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“Now, we type it into computer software to store, and the clinical data can then be faxed to the insurance companies with a click of the mouse. In addition, the discharge planning was all done by calling the companies. Now, we also send referrals with a click of a mouse to the companies with the help of a software system that stores all of the referral sources and patient data. What a change!” Even the cafeteria has benefited from innovations in technology, according to Food and Nutrition Services. Cash registers that were considered “state-of-the-art” electronics at the time were most commonly purchased from the National Cash Register (NCR) company and required a PLU (Price Look Up) number for each item. Sales data was printed on a long receipt called a “Z report.” Today, food service employees use simple touch screens tied into virtual servers that instantly allow employees to pay for their food by scanning their ID badges. The cost of lunch is payroll-deducted — no cash ever changes hands. In addition, nutrition workers don’t need to be as muscular as they did 25 years ago, when heavy, wax-filled stainless steel pellets needed to be placed under every plate of hot food. Today, induction-heat pellets are zapped electronically, energizing them to create heat. With plastic as insulation, the pellets weigh a fraction of what the previous pellets did. When it comes to saving lives, there have also been dramatic improvements over the years. Twenty-five years ago, interventional cardiology consisted of primarily diagnostic studies with occasional balloon angioplasty to treat simple coronary occlusions, which had about a 50 percent restenosis rate, referring to the abnormal narrowing of an artery or valve after corrective surgery had been performed. In the mid-1990s, stents became available to treat coronary artery disease, reducing restenosis rates to 30 percent. However, stents were restricted to straight segments of artery for treatment. In early 2000, drug-eluting stents became available, bringing restenosis rates down to less than 10 percent. Along with additional advancements in the flexibility of stents, almost any lesion can be a candidate for stenting with today’s technology. Less bulk, faster information, more direct communication, lighter and more flexible equipment — all are results of technological advancements made in a wide variety of fields. What’s not to like? PWH
Ventilators (Yesterday vs. Today)
Electronic Cafeteria Cash Register
X-Ray
C.O.W. (Computer On Wheels)
CAT Scan
(Below) Interventional Radiology Technolgy with Dr. Jamie Toro
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First Baby Born at Palms West
Sudden Birth Led To Inception Of The New Life Center Dr. Ronald T. Ackerman Sr. holds the distinction of delivering the first baby born at Palms West Hospital, back in May 1988.
That baby, Christopher, is now 23, but Dr. Ackerman remembered the event as if it were yesterday.
“I had a patient in her second pregnancy who was doing all her prenatal visits at our Palms West office in the medical mall behind the hospital, and she came into the office fully dilated with the baby’s head on the perineum — basically, ready to deliver,” he remembered. “We did not have an obstetrics unit at the time, just the surgical operating rooms. She was registered at Good Samaritan, but it takes 30 minutes to get there, without traffic. So we drove her over to the OR and delivered the baby 10 minutes later in the cystoscopy room in the urological suite.”
“I performed the first delivery of a beautiful, healthy, baby boy who weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces,” Dr. Ackerman said proudly. “The mother experienced a normal, vaginal delivery, and the OR staff — which had no experience with obstetrics — performed in a stellar manner. Mother and baby were perfect. It was magnificent. It was exciting. The entire hospital staff was thrilled to be involved in the process.”
Dr. Ackerman said the urologists were thrilled to loan their room for that historic occasion.
Dr. Ackerman said that Joyce Aab, RN, was director of the operating room at the time. “She provided the instruments I needed, and later she became the chief nursing officer. And another thing — all those nurses were my patients. I know them all for 20 years.” “Dr. Ackerman’s expertise got me through the whole ordeal,” said Christopher’s mother. “I remember him holding my hands on the gurney on the way to the operating room. He was so calm.” Dr. Ackerman used the experience of Christopher’s sudden birth as an example whenever he was asked to speak on the necessity of establishing an obstetrics unit at the hospital. “That was just part of the evidence,” he sighed. “Many babies were born en route, where the husband had to stop and call 911 during an attempt to get to an eastern hospital. Still, it was a struggle to get obstetrics out here because Good Sam and St. Mary’s were trying to say that the services weren’t needed. I countered by saying it was dangerous to be racing 80 miles an hour on a two-lane Southern Boulevard to reach an eastern hospital. We fought tooth and nail. That being said, I was founding director of obstetrics and gynecology at the New Life Center.”
Celebrating 25 25 Years Years Celebrating
Dr. Ackerman also delivered the first baby by Caesarian section at Your New Life Center. He remembers that that child, Nicholas, weighed 9 pounds, 12 ounces, and received a college scholarship from the hospital’s parent organization — perhaps for having such excellent timing. PWH
Dr. Ronald T. Ackerman Sr.
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JFK Alliance Brings Lifesaving Procedure To Palms West In May 2009, Palms West Hospital embarked on a partnership with JFK Medical Center in Atlantis. The goal was to merge the experience of JFK’s cardiac team with Palms West’s new Percutaneous Cardiac Intervention (PCI) lab. JFK’s heart center had been open since 1986, and its cardiologists were performing 1,500 to 1,600 procedures a year. “Palms West and JFK are sister facilities under the Healthcare Corporation of America, so we actually sat down with JFK and were able to bring that group of physicians, the interventional cardiologists, and we merged our staffs,” said Palms West CEO Bland Eng. Unlike open-heart surgery, PCI entails threading a balloontipped catheter up through the groin and inflating the balloon to unclog an artery, a far less invasive procedure that causes less pain and means a quicker recovery for the patient. (“Percutaneous” means through the skin.) Patients arriving at the emergency room with chest pain are given an electrocardiogram and, if they are having a heart attack, can receive PCI within a half-hour. (Ninety minutes is the time to beat for best results when it comes to cardiac arrest.) Previously, patients were taken to JFK; now, they are transported only if PCI alone cannot open the blockage. Yet technology has become so advanced — and the skills of the doctors so good — that the state no longer requires hospitals to provide open-heart facilities as backup.
Celebrating 25 Years
JFK and Palms West had been exploring the potential of a merged
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PCI program as early as November 2008 in anticipation of this change in regulations. One of the best ideas of the partnership was to have the procedure rooms designed from the same template at both Palms West and JFK. The equipment and processes are also the same, so physicians and staff can hit the ground running at either hospital. Prior to the PCI lab being established at Palms West, anyone having a heart attack in Belle Glade had to be airlifted to JFK in order to arrive in time to receive care within the critical 90-minute window. An important discovery that came out of preliminary discussions with paramedics was that having PCI at Palm West saves time for the patient — and money for the county — when ambulances can be used to traverse a direct route to Palms West. The team of cardiologists from Palm Beach Heart Associates, together with a full complement of specialized nurses and technicians, are on rotation to provide 24-hour service to both hospitals. The team of doctors includes Dr. Lawrence Lovitz, Dr. Joshua Kieval, Dr. Mark Rothenberg and Dr. Gustavo Cardenas. “We have continuity. It’s the same people, same doctors, same team,” said Dr. Lovitz, director of Palm West’s PCI program. “The faster patients are provided the PCI procedure, the better the survival is with heart attacks.” For further information on the cardiac program at Palms West Hospital, call (561) 798-3300 or visit www.palmswesthospital. com. PWH
Congratulations to Palms West Hospital
25th Anniversary SERVING THE WESTERN COMMUNITES FOR OVER 1/4 OF A CENTURY
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Sheridan Healthcare congratulates Palms West Hospital on 25 years of service to the Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee and The Acreage communities. Sheridan has proudly been providing medical services to Palms West Hospital since 2002, delivering quality patient care to the communities we both serve.
Children’s Hospital A Labor Of Love For Palms West Pediatricians Back in 1995, the pediatricians working at Palms West Hospital saw the writing on the wall — and it was in crayon. The western communities were growing so fast and so many young families were moving in that they knew they needed a children’s hospital “stat.” “There were primarily four pioneers of the Children’s Hospital at Palms West project,” Dr. Alberto Marante said. “They were Dr. (Rosa) Marron-Fernandez, Dr. (Ana) Napoles-Ruiz, Dr. (Susan) Shamaskin and Dr. Shirley Marineau — and I would single Dr. Marineau out as being very, very important. Those four were certified here on staff, and they charged me with the development of the project. They had known me from Good Samaritan Medical Center from several years of referring their patients over there. When they found out that I was available to come west, they approached me about developing pediatric services. I was very, very excited about it.” Dr. Daniel Kraft opened his practice, together with Dr. Rosa Fernandez, in Royal Palm Beach in 1980. They were the first pediatricians in the area at the time. Before Palms West Hospital, Dr. Kraft had to send his patients who required hospitalization east to either Good Samaritan or St. Mary’s, so he was very happy when Palms West Hospital was built. “The whole center of the county has moved so far out west,” he said. “Today, Palms West Hospital is very accommodating and proactive in terms of taking care of what the pediatric patients and the doctors need. They are very responsive to the community as a whole.” Dr. Marante credits the pediatric community in the western communities for having the foresight to recognize the need and being the driving force behind the project. He said he was merely “the person who put all the pieces together.”
Celebrating 25 Years
He came on staff at Palms West in 1993, becoming full staff in 1995. “Back in 1995, it was an extremely primitive service out here,” he remembered. “There was not even a pediatric ward; it was just a department with very, very few pediatric specialists. So in 1995, we opened the pediatric intensive care unit, which is really the core of any children’s hospital.” It’s not the building, but the staff, Dr. Marante stressed. “Many people think of a children’s hospital as a building with brick and
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mortar and a sign outside that says ‘Children’s Hospital.’ But the reality is that a children’s hospital is more of an attitude,” he said. “You have to have a core of pediatric specialists, medical doctors that are multi-faceted. And you need support personnel — nurses, laboratory personnel, respiratory therapists and child life specialists — people who are actually trained in play therapy for children. The hospital has to make a conscious effort to identify and hire people like that to be part of their staff. It’s not just the building, it’s what goes in the building.” At Palms West, the Children’s Hospital is not a freestanding building. Just like most children’s hospitals around the country, it is part of the main building. “It’s mainly one floor, but pediatric services are also provided in different locations,” Dr. Marante explained. “We have a separate pediatric ER with specialized personnel there 24/7. We also have a cancer program specifically for pediatrics, and that is also in a different location. It takes a fair amount of logistical support in order to bring in the doctors that are needed, but also the infrastructure, personnel and equipment are needed in order to develop a full-service children’s hospital. It takes a major commitment by the hospital to put in a significant number of resources at the disposal of the community.” Dr. Marante said he had that commitment from Palms West. “I took upon myself the leadership role in developing all the full services that we needed to construct a children’s hospital and had an extreme amount of support from the administration and the company at large, HCA,” he said. “Having worked with other institutions before, I found it very easy to work with the administration at this facility. They were extremely helpful.” Despite Dr. Marante’s enthusiasm, his colleagues at Good Sam were pretty doubtful about the feasibility of the project. After all, he had been running the pediatric services there for six years. “Many of my colleagues talked to me and said they thought I was crazy,” he remembered. “They said, ‘You’re going to Loxahatchee, Florida, in the middle of some acreage?’” and they cautioned, “‘You’re not at some big city like New York!’” Still, Dr. Marante remains thrilled with his decision, although he remains on staff at St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, which consolidated its services with those of Good Samaritan. Yet, after all is said and done, he’s quick to state where his true allegiance lies. “My preference by far is Palms West Hospital,” he said. “We do a much better job with our attitude toward patient care and the ad-
ministrating officials’ responsiveness to physicians. It’s very difficult for me to talk to an administrator at St. Mary’s or to admit a patient at St. Mary’s. I praise the administration — especially the current administration — of this hospital for being so supportive.” There’s another important facet of the Children’s Hospital at Palms West of which Dr. Marante is very proud. “A number of years ago, we developed the first pediatric residency program in this whole area — north of Miami and south of
Orlando,” Dr. Marante said. “To this day, it’s the only pediatrician training program in the area. Seven or eight have already completed the program. Some of our graduates are out working in the community now, and Palms West hired three of them. That’s a very nice legacy. It brings a level of professional services in, and it’s also an asset to have medical training performed right here.” Dr. Marante is medical director and part of the team at Florida Pediatric Critical Care, P.A., together with Drs. Jose Ponte, Sonia Hernandez, Erin Gerhart, Laura Brookshire and Christine Ecker. PWH
(Left) The unveiling of the Children’s Hospital at Palms West. (Below) Dr. Alberto Marante.
Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Palms West Hospital’s 400 Nurses Keep On Top Of Their Role As at most hospitals, nurses are on the front line of patient care at Palms West Hospital, interacting with each of their patients numerous times throughout the day to offer care, comfort and compassion. Nurses are also a source of basic information for patients, alleviating stress and making them feel more in control of their individual situations. In addition to working on patient floors and in the emergency room, nurses also work in many different departments throughout the hospital — Surgical Services, Case Management, Risk Management, Quality and Safety, Employee Health, Education, the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Special Procedures Lab, Surgery and Nursing Administration. Palms West Hospital employs close to 400 nurses, and they are regarded as the foundation of the hospital. The team is focused on delivering compassionate, safe, patient-centered care. As part of its support, Palms West is continually striving to improve the patient experience and the nursing environment through education and quality/safety initiatives. “I am very proud of our nurses,” Chief Nursing Officer Silvia Stradi said. “They have a very challenging job. It is a profession that takes skill and compassion, and it’s really an art to match skill and knowledge with compassion and caring and to have our patients feel those dynamics. Our nurses, in all areas, really work hard to come across as skilled, compassionate professionals.”
Celebrating Celebrating25 25Years Years
Stradi said she gets feedback from all corners on the performance of her nursing staff. “It warms my heart to hear unsolicited compliments about the type of care our nurses provide. I was recently
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told how wonderful our nurses are by a group of physicians,” she recalled. “They shared that our nurses are very knowledgeable, clinically on top of what needs to be done for their patients, accommodating and welcoming. This came from several physicians who all had different perspectives — a surgeon, internal medicine physician, and a gastroenterology physician. One of the physicians went on to say that he goes to several hospitals, and the nursing culture at Palms West is very different. It is a very friendly, collegial atmosphere, where nursing is very much a team approach. Over the years, this is what has helped us to stand out, the type of care that we provide to our patients and the fact that we also take care of each other.” Stradi said appearances can sometimes be deceiving. “Someone might look at Palms West Hospital and say, ‘Look at that nice little community hospital,’ but there is so much going on inside at any one given time,” she said. “We have the specialties of obstetrics, adult critical care, pediatrics, pediatric critical care; we are serving the adult population, cardiac patients, emergency room patients and pediatric ER patients. There are so many different patient populations that we serve here each and every day. And it really does take a lot of coordination and orchestration to get all of these patients safely taken care of with a quality approach.” Stradi expects that nurses will be at the forefront of changes in healthcare. “I see the role of nursing really changing,” she said. “Technology is impacting nursing right now in a big way. We are moving away from the paper record to the electronic health record. We are having the growing pains now of learning a new process, but I think once that is under our belt, nurses will have more time to sit and speak with our patients and do more of the
tender loving care items that nurses really want to be providing for our patients.” Specifically about Palms West, Stradi concluded, “I also see our hospital being transformed into a patient-centered facility where not only is the individual being cared for, but the whole spectrum of the family and along the whole continuum of care.” Each year in May, Palms West Hospital holds a special celebration for National Nurses Week. This year, the week was filled with a number of special events, including an Italian-themed dinner, afternoon tea, cheese and crackers, afternoon snacks and many other fun activities. The nurses kicked off the week by flashing back to the “traditional” nursing uniform, dressing in all white with nursing caps. The week was a great success and gave everyone a chance to honor and thank our everyday heroes, the nurses. PWH
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Robotics: Truly The Cutting Edge Of Modern Medical Technology Three days doesn’t seem like a very long time unless you’re cooped up in a hospital bed following routine surgery. Yet, thanks to advancements in robotic laparoscopy, Palms West Hospital has now been able to reduce many cases of those painful, boring three-day stays to a simple overnight observation. Palms West Hospital began doing hysterectomies using the da Vinci system in April 2010, and it was a quantum leap forward for doctors. Obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Moises Virelles performed the very first robotic case at Palms West Hospital. “From the viewpoint of the surgeon, the biggest advantage of robot-assisted surgery compared to traditional laparoscopy is the visualization in 3-D, which provides greater depth perception, and the dexterity that is provided by the instruments,” Dr. Virelles said. “The system provides the ability to do finer dissections and provide potentially better outcomes than other minimally invasive surgeries.”
Dr. Seth Herbst, who has been practicing obstetrics and gynecology at Palms West since the hospital opened in 1986, says he is a big fan of robotic surgery, too. “Robotics is not new to the country. It’s been around for seven or eight years,” he said. “Some have been slow to accept it as mainstream surgery, but at Palms West, gynecology dominates the robotics. For a small hospital, Palms West does as much advanced gynecological surgery as any hospital in South Florida.” Dr. Herbst performed his first surgery using the da Vinci system in May 2010, and, while gynecologists at some hospitals may perform eight cases a month, he is now performing up to 15. That experience, coupled with the knowledge he’s gained through all his previous “open” surgeries, allows him to ride the wave of the learning curve. “The advantage of the robot is the precision. And the ergonom-
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Celebrating 25 Years
Celebrating 25 Years
(L-R) CEO Bland Eng, Dr. Moises Virelles, Dr. David Adler, Dr. Seth Herbst, Dr. Sam Falzone and PWH Board Member Bobby Ewing.
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Robotics ics are beneficial to the surgeon. There’s less trauma on our body. We’re much more relaxed,” Dr. Herbst explained. “I would tell you that I don’t look forward to operating. I want to use the da Vinci for every form of major gynecological surgery. I’m one of the few surgeons board-certified in laparoscopic surgery, and I don’t even want to do it without the robot. The visualization is markedly improved. We see everything magnified 10 times — and in three dimensions. We’re able to see structures much clearer, almost as if they’re right in front of us. The console can be anywhere you want, even outside the room. It’s like having a big pair of binoculars. We are able to perform very complex surgeries on women who, for instance, had previous Caesarians. We are able to do very detailed endometriosis surgeries.” Dr. Sam Falzone explained that while visual laparoscopy is akin to a doctor’s hands manipulating a tool at the end of a stick, the da Vinci robotic laparoscopic system gives the surgeon the dexterity of a wrist, fingers and thumb — almost as if he were performing open surgery. Not only that, but the robotic “wrist” can bend farther than a human wrist can. Plus, because a large incision is not
needed, even complex hysterectomies can be done with a minimally invasive approach. That means less blood loss, less pain and a significantly shortened recovery time for the patient. In addition, the da Vinci allows for two cameras held by the robot rather than one camera held by a (slowly tiring) operating team. Because the robotic arms operate away from the body, stress to the port site is also reduced. The surgeon works from a high-tech “command console” that controls up to four robotic arms — two for him and two for an assistant. Best of all, a woman who had a hysterectomy at noon will be walking, drinking liquids and eating solid food by the very same evening rather than three days later. She will stay overnight for observation and then go home. Dr. Falzone said that robotics have made more people candidates for laparoscopic procedures because doctors can do the more complex surgeries without needing a large incision to accomplish the feat.
Celebrating 25 25 Years Years Celebrating
(L-R) Dr. Damian Portela, Dr. Edward Becker and Haydee Rodriguez, RN get ready for surgery.
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“We are able to do vaginal suspension procedures and remove fibroids that would have been more complicated to remove through visual laparoscopy,” he said. “We still use it on minor, simple cases. A woman might have her tubes tied through traditional laparoscopy because the advantage would be minimal time and expense. But we use robotics to get to areas of the uterus that are in harder places to get to, or if we have to do more elaborate sewing. The adhesions that we can handle now are to another, higher level of complexity. I had a case recently that, if it was traditional laparoscopy, we never would’ve been able to complete it without opening the patient. Because we were using robotics, we didn’t even have to consider that. And I can’t remember the last open hysterectomy that I’ve done.” Dr. Herbst said that, although OB/GYN doctors paved the way, other medical disciplines are quickly coming aboard. “The urologists are in their infancy stage of using it; head and neck surgeons are using it; cardiothoracic surgeons are using it.” One of those urologists singing the praises of Palms West Hos-
pital’s new robotic technology program is Dr. Edward Becker. “The field of robotics is obviously very exciting, although relatively new to the field of urology,” he said. “Previously, when we needed to perform an open radical prostatectomy, patients were in the hospital for close to a week. With robotics, men stay overnight and then go home. They can return to work in 10 to 14 days, whereas it used to be six to eight weeks. And the results are amazing. We are preserving potency and continence in men.” When Palms West Hospital made the commitment to buy the $2 million machine, the hospital invested in the western communities. And that’s an investment that will benefit residents for years to come. “Robotic surgery is like they shrink us down and we’re able to travel through somebody’s body to operate. It’s career-extending,” Dr. Herbst added. “And I believe that we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. In five years, we’re going to look back and say, ‘Can you believe what we did? Now look what we’re doing!’” PWH
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Years of Service
Congratulations Palms West Hospital on 25 Years of Dedicated Community Service
Expansion To Inject Millions Into The Local Economy In speaking with any of the doctors, nurses, technicians or other employees who have been working at Palms West Hospital since its inception 25 years ago, it’s easy to see that they are as proud as can be of the facility where they often spend upward of 40 hours a week.
The hospital has finalized its plans with architects and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, and construction will commence after a ceremonial groundbreaking slated for December. According to Chief Operating Officer Michael Patterson, the entire project is right on target.
Dr. Rosa Marron-Fernandez, one of the members of the original board of trustees, reminisced on how exciting it was to watch the progress of “our little hospital.”
“Once we break ground, our contractor (Charles Perry Construction Inc.) has told us it is about a 13-month project,” Patterson said. “They have done a lot of local work, and it is our commitment to use as many local subcontractors as possible. That is a huge priority of ours, to reinvest as much of this $16 million back into the community as possible so the people that live here, work here and play here are involved.”
Today, Palms West offers a full range of medical services — emergency and critical care; heart and vascular care; diabetes care; obstetrics; endoscopy; robotic and traditional surgery services, and imaging services; screening and diagnostic mammography; and rehabilitation and aquatic therapy services. The Palms West campus also offers the pediatric services of The Children’s Hospital at Palms West. The list seems comprehensive, but “our little hospital” is growing again.
Celebrating 25 Years
In December, the hospital will commence $16 million expansion project that will add a fourth floor to the east tower and increase the number of beds from 175 to 209. This improvement will up the capacity of the adult medical/surgical department, the adult intensive care unit, the pediatrics department, the pediatric intensive care unit and the laboratory.
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Patterson said that expansion projects such as this one have come about because the hospital conducts ongoing assessments of the needs of patients and takes the steps necessary to be prepared to meet those needs. Primarily due to the Children’s Hospital at Palms West, patients hail from a five-county service area — Palm Beach, Hendry, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee. “We’re very pleased that we are able to meet the healthcare needs of the western communities, and we’re extremely excited about the additional beds and the expansion of the adult and pediatric ICU departments,” said Patterson, adding that although nothing else is in the works at this time, “certainly there could be something on the horizon by the time this expansion is complete.” PWH
Artist’s renderings of Palms West Hospital’s $16 million expansion project getting underway soon. Celebrating 25 Years palms west hospital
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Palms West Hospital 25th Anniversary Souvenir Magazine
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“Congratulations to our daughter Robyn Yarsley on her promotion to Palms West Hospital Clinical Pharmacy Manager”
Celebrating 25 Years
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Where Service is
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2751 Orange Boulevard • West Palm Beach, FL 33412 Office: 561-333-6228 • Cell: 561-307-2622 - Email: keith@wpb-ins.com Web: wpb-ins.com • www.Jordanogroup.com palms west hospital
Wellington The Magazine 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 Wellington, FL 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Fax: (561) 793-1470 www.WellingtonTheMagazine.com Special Thanks To Palms West Hospital CEO Bland Eng Marketing Director Lisa Gardi the staff at Palms West Hospital and Founding CEO Mike Pugh Published by Wellington The Magazine, LLC Barry S. Manning chairman/chief executive officer Copyright 2011, all rights reserved by Wellington The Magazine, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the portion of the advertisement occupied by the error within the advertisement itself.
Congratulations Palms West Hospital
For of dedicated service to the western communities
TOWN-CRIER Serving Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee & The Acreage Since 1980
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Taking A Look Toward The Next 25 Years Palms West Hospital has certainly come a long way in 25 years, and we expect to continue the same growth for the next 25 years to come. We know the demand for our services is certainly present in our community, as evidenced by our upcoming 34-bed expansion necessary to keep up with the current population. We are convinced that Palms West Hospital will continue to grow and expand, while offering the latest technological advances, patient safety initiatives and the best in healthcare to our patients. Palms West Hospital’s focuses will include expanding and growing our maternity and neonatal services. The Children’s Hospital at Palms West will grow beyond the great breadth and depth it currently has today to become the premier children’s hospital in the region and will continue to add subspecialty care and partner with world-class organizations such as Miami Children’s Hospital. We will also expand our programs in gynecology, urology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and cardiology to become centers of excellence and look to one day have an open-heart program.
Celebrating 25 Years
Palms West Hospital will continue to be part of the fabric of the community, serving the residents of the western communities for centuries to come. Whatever the future of Palms West Hospital holds, we truly hope the warm, loving, spirit of our Palms West family carries on to the next generations, as it is people who truly make Palms West Hospital special and what it is today.
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