14 minute read
ORLANDO GRAND ROUNDS
(L to R): Jocelyn Pichardo, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Community Health Centers; Stephanie Lopez, Community Benefit Specialist, Orlando Health; and Debra Andree, MD, President & Chief Executive Officer, Community Health Centers.
Community Health Centers, Inc. Receives $50,000 Grant for Behavioral Health from Orlando Health Foundation
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Orlando Health Foundation donated $50,000 to Community Health Centers, Inc. to expand behavioral and mental health services in the Pine Hills area. This grant will allow Community Health Centers to hire a full-time Licensed Clinical Social Worker at their Pine Hills center. Serving 70,000 patients in the Central Florida area, Community Health Centers offers behavioral health services for children and adults at their Winter Garden, Forest City, Pine Hills, Leesburg, Four Corners, and Groveland centers. To schedule an appointment for behavioral health or other Community Health Center services, call 407-905-8827 or visit www.chcfl.org for more information.
We are proud to announce that Laurie Seely has joined Orlando Medical News as advertising manager.
“I’m so excited to join the team here at Orlando Medical News and Healthcare Now!” said Seely.
Seely is also currently working as a Health Insurance Broker, consulting with individuals and business owners regarding their health insurance needs, so she looks forward to this new endeavor as a great complement to her existing business.
Since moving to Orlando, she has developed a new appreciation for the warmth found here.
“In a previous life, I used to live in Illinois, singing in the chorus at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. I sure do miss the music and the costumes, but I don’t miss the weather at all,” she said.
As part of her service to advertisers on the Healthcare Now! radio program, she is also available to do commercial voiceovers.
AdventHealth Offering $1.2M in Grants to Local Nonprofits for Innovative Health Solutions
AdventHealth is offering $1.2 million in grants to local nonprofits for projects that are addressing Central Florida’s greatest health challenges, including care coordination, food security, mental and behavioral health, and community development.
The AdventHealth Collaborative Community Council, comprised of regional business and civic leaders, will accept applications for the annual Community Impact grant opportunity April 1 through May 31. The funding will be available in January 2022.
Community Impact grants often produce outstanding results for recipients. For example, thanks in part to a $285,000 grant from AdventHealth and the dedication of entrepreneurial nutritionists and community leaders in Orlando, Health Empowerment through Behavioral and Nutritional Initiatives (HEBNI) has emerged as an oasis of healthy food in neighborhoods considered “food deserts” with a lack of available healthy food options.
HEBNI (www.hebninutrion.org) provides food vouchers through its Fresh Stop Veggie Rx program, which is funded by the grant. Created in conjunction with Clinica Mi Salud, the program aims to provide nutritious produce to reduce the incidents of diabetes in some of Orlando’s more ethnically diverse communities.
HEBNI works with physicians to identify patients who are at risk for food insecurity, which could lead to greater health problems. These patients are referred to the Veggie Rx program where they receive a prescription (voucher) to purchase fresh produce at the Fresh Stop Mobile Farmer’s Market in East Orlando.
Prepackaged bundles of up to 8-10 pounds of fresh produce are available for distribution at this location, which is enough to feed an individual adult for three or four days or at least two healthy meals for a family of four. The mobile market is available in additional neighborhoods throughout the Central Florida region. Providence is grateful for the grant and encouraged by its potential to help in the community.
Since 2005, the Collaborative Community Council, formerly known as Community Health Impact Council, has invested more than $15 million in 60 programs across the tri-county area and impacted more than 151,000 people.
For more information, visit https://www.adventhealth. com/community-benefit/central-florida/collaborativecommunity-council-0?destination=/group/78/content
Nemours Welcomes Pediatric Internist to Direct New Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Lakeland Regional Health
Nemours Children’s Health System welcomes, MD, FAAP, a boardcertified, pediatric intensivist and pediatric hospitalist, who will serve as director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for Nemours at Lakeland Regional Health.
The PICU at Lakeland Regional Health is a 12-bed High-Acuity Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, as designated by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Foundation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, ensures that children and adolescents can receive critical medical care close to home from specially trained physicians.
Taking care of young patients and families is something that comes naturally to Dr. Zand, whose mother was a nurse practitioner in her native Saratov City in the Russian Federation.
Dr. Zand completed her fellowship in pediatric critical care at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo – State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo School of Medicine. She completed a residency in pediatrics at Hurley Medical Center / Michigan State University in Flint, Michigan, and an internship/specialist diploma at Tyumen State Medical Academy in the Russian Federation. She earned her M.D. with a concentration in pediatrics at Saratov State Medical University in the Russian Federation, having started medical school at Azerbaijan State Medical University in Azerbaijan.
Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center Announces New Vice President of Operations
Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) recently named Rachna Atwal, M.B.A., as vice president, Operations, for the 808-bed hospital in downtown Orlando. In her new role, Rachna will be responsible for driving operational performance and executing strategic initiatives for the Orlando Health flagship medical center and home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Center.
Rachna currently serves as the vice president, Operations, Orlando Health Medical Group. She joined Orlando Health in 2016 as a director for the medical group, with operational responsibility for the adult medicine and surgical service lines. In 2017, she was named chief operating officer for the hospital medicine, adult medicine and surgical service lines.
Prior to joining the organization, Rachna served in progressive leadership roles at Wake Forest Baptist Health System, Emory Healthcare, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina, is Six Sigma Green Belt trained and is a certified Project Management Professional.
Rachna will begin her new role on May 15.
New President Set to Take Over Orlando Health Cancer Institute
Margo Shoup, MD, MBA, FACS will join Orlando Health as the new president of Orlando Health Cancer Institute and vice president of Orlando Health, where she will have oversight of the organization’s oncology services and strategic growth and development efforts.
Dr. Shoup comes to Orlando Health Cancer Institute from Nuvance Health in Connecticut, where she served as senior vice president and chair of the Nuvance Health Cancer Institute. Before arriving at Nuvance, she was the medical leader of Oncology for Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Shoup completed a general surgery residency and research fellowship at Loyola University in Maywood, Illinois and a surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York.
After finishing her training, Dr. Shoup returned to Loyola University Medical Center, where from 2002 to 2012, she held the titles of Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, Vice Chairman for Clinical Outcomes Research in the Department of Surgery and the Assistant Dean for Clinical and Translational Research for the Stritch School of Medicine.
Dr. Shoup earned an MBA at University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 2020, and currently has more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and presentations. She has also served as principal investigator on several nationally funded and investigator-initiated research trials. Dr. Shoup served as Director with the American Board of Surgery and continues to be an oral board examiner.
She will take the reins of Orlando Health Cancer Institute on June 1, 2021 from Daniel Buchholz, MD.
Sonata Senior Living and capital partner, Berkshire Residential Investments, has announced the groundbreaking of their newest senior living community, Sonata Lake Mary, a $62 million resort-style campus being built in Lake Mary, Florida FL. Located on a seven-acre site within the 153-acre, $750 million Lake Mary Wellness and Technology Park mixed-use development, the signature property will feature a mix of 193 assisted living, independent living, and memory care apartments.
Sonata Lake Mary, the company’s second community scheduled to open post-pandemic, will incorporate the latest purpose-built design, safety, and innovations. Residents will experience enhanced touchless technology, the ability to video conference with loved ones directly from their in-apartment televisions, and enhanced disinfection and air purification systems that have become synonymous with the Sonata Safe philosophy. In addition to these safety enhancements, residents will enjoy spacious apartments from 765 sq. ft. to 1,550 sq. ft., exclusive garage apartments, upscale amenities, and Sonata's trademark exceptional service and care.
"Safety has become our new normal, and hospitality is at the center of all Sonata Senior Living Communities," said Shelley Esden, COO of Sonata Senior Living. "Sonata Lake Mary will purposely combine the two to deliver a modern-day building that puts the needs of our residents first while aligning with the expectations of today’s seniors who desire more choices."
Discerning residents will enjoy gourmet dining venues, a full-service bar, theatre, spa, and fitness center. Expansive outdoor Florida-style living spaces and amenities abound, including a resort poolside bar and bistro, bocce ball court, putting greens, dog park, and pet spa, among other amenities such as golf cart charging stations, covered parking, and limited garage apartments. Innovative amenities such as a best-in-its-class, virtual indoor golf simulator will cater to the active senior lifestyle.
Sonata Lake Mary, located at the intersection of Caring Drive and Technology Parkway, will place the community within walking distance of Orlando Health’s Reinhart Road campus, which currently includes the existing Emergency Room and Medical Pavilion and recently announced plans to expand the campus with a new six-story, 134-bed patient tower.
The Lake Mary Wellness and Technology Park is planned to create a sustainable live, work, and medical wellness town center, and senior housing is an essential component of that framework. “We are building a community within a community, and our presence in the park squarely places emphasis on wellness in senior living, which is something we are passionate about," said Esden. "The location in the Lake Wellness and Technology Park will provide our residents convenient access to world-class medical facilities in addition to our signature care."
The 250,000 square-foot senior living community will create approximately 200 jobs during construction and 85 permanent jobs in Lake Mary upon welcoming VIP Founders Club residents in 2022. Lake Mary Mayor, David Mealor, celebrates the groundbreaking. “Sonata Lake Mary will not only bring positive economic impact to the Lake Mary and surrounding areas; it will allow older residents to age in place -- in the city they love and in a community that allows them to live life to the fullest.”
Sonata Lake Mary will be the 13th community for Orlando-based Sonata Senior Living and its first joint venture with Berkshire Residential Investments. It is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2022.
With Covid-19 putting non-emergency testing and procedures on hold, the U.S. is facing a large, pent-up demand for screening. WeCare tlc, the leader in onsite and near-site employee healthcare, has a cost-effective solution to ensure its members can receive the care they deserve at a price they can afford.
WeCare tlc has formed a strategic partnership with Green Imaging to provide convenient diagnostic imaging services for its patients with zero out-of-pocket costs to them.
Green Imaging is a full-service virtual medical imaging network owned and operated by a group of board-certified radiologists. It provides MRIs, CTs, PETs, ultrasounds, mammograms, nuclear medicine, bone density testing, x-rays and more. Green Imaging has high-quality imaging facilities across the U.S. and is easily accessible to patients.
“We’re seeing a dire need to take care of the testing and scanning that was pushed due to Covid-19. Not being able to undergo these often-expensive diagnostic procedures can lead to many health issues down the road,” said Raegan Garber Le Douaron, president of WeCare tlc. “At WeCare tlc, we’re working directly with employers to offer Green Imaging’s services at zero out-of-pocket costs to patients.”
Through this partnership, WeCare tlc will be able to offer employers who own the health and wellness centers the option to offer Green Imaging’s service at zero costs to members. The process of using Green Imaging is simple:
• Your doctor gives you an order for diagnostic imaging services • Text, call (713-524-9190), chat (greenimaging.net) or email (info@greenimaging.net) • Green Imaging to make an appointment – it can often happen the same day • Once you schedule your appointment, Green Imaging will send you a voucher for the service • At your appointment, show your voucher instead of your insurance card • You will pay nothing at the procedure and won’t be responsible for any bills you receive in the mail after • The report from your exam will be sent to your referring doctor. • To learn more about Green Imaging, visit https:// greenimaging.net. • To learn more about WeCare tlc, visit www.wecaretlc.com Orlando Health Network Saved Medicare and Commercial Insurers $18.3 million, Improved Care for Nearly 275,000 Patients in 2019
Orlando Health Network’s (OHN) accountable care organization saved the federal government’s Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and other commercial insurers a total of $18.3 million through efforts to improve quality and reduce health care costs during the 2019 calendar year. Nearly 275,000 patients across Central Florida benefited from the partnerships, which represents a major achievement for the clinically integrated network.
“This achievement demonstrates the significant value of coordinated care and innovative partnerships,” said John Cappleman, MD, OHN board chairman. “Because of our results, as our clinical reach and footprint continue to expand, we can confidently say it is to the benefit of our aligned providers, payers and businesses we partner with, and, most importantly, our patients.”
The network, which is part of the Orlando Health system, was launched in 2013 as the first hospital-led MSSP Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in the state of Florida. Since the launch, the network has also developed valuebased partnerships with commercial payers including Aetna, Cigna, Florida Blue, and United Healthcare. Through the ACO and other value-based payer arrangements, physicians and healthcare providers work closely with the hospital to improve care and reduce cost for patients, resulting in more than $132 million in patient savings since inception.
In 2020, OHN surpassed the 275,000 mark for total covered lives using its network of more than 5,000 primary care and specialty care providers. The network now covers roughly one in eight Greater Orlando residents through its various value-based arrangements with its payer partners.
“Our clinically integrated network has advanced our health system’s mission in delivering the best care to our patients and their families across the Central Florida marketplace. The great quality results we are realizing at our health system are directly tied to the care transformation efforts of our provider network. Together, our health system and our provider network have served to make Orlando Health a leading system,” said Dr. George Ralls, chief medical officer and senior vice president, at Orlando Health.
For more information about Orlando Health Network and value-based contract performance, the Orlando Health Network 2020 Value Report can be accessed online at www. OrlandoHealthNetwork.com
AdventHealth Relaunches WholeMe Genomic Study with Screening for Additional Markers
AdventHealth is seeking participants for a groundbreaking genomic study offering a better understanding of genetic conditions that can potentially lead to hereditary diseases.
Known as WholeMe, the study launched in 2019 with a focus on a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol. If left untreated, it can lead to a heart attack, even in young adults.
After a pause in recruitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WholeMe has resumed, with expanded screening for a wider range of genetic markers. This new phase will include screening for other heart conditions and hereditary cancers such as breast/ovarian cancer (BRCA) and colon cancer (Lynch syndrome).
Equipped with this information, physicians can personalize patients’ health care and help prevent, diagnose and treat serious health risks.
“We see personalized medicine as the future of health care,” said Rebecca Essner, a data scientist and geneticist at the AdventHealth Research Institute. “Unlocking this genomic information empowers participants to lead a healthier lifestyle, and it helps physicians better treat their patients.”
As in the first phase of the study, participants will continue to receive information about their ancestry and a variety of traits, such as such as lactose tolerance, caffeine metabolism and sweet tooth.
Researchers are seeking 3,000 participants to reach the statewide goal of 10,000. Participation is free, and all Florida residents are eligible. The study is being conducted in partnership with population-genomics company Helix.
The study site is located at 664 Cherry Street, Winter Park, FL 32789. Each Monday in March, volunteers can walk in for no-cost genetic testing with no appointment needed, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
To learn more about the study, visit WholeMeFlorida.com or email wholemeflorida@ adventhealth.com
