Orlando Medical News September 2021 by Orlando Medical News

SEPTEMBER 2021

Proudly Serving Central Florida, North Central Florida, Volusia & Brevard

Transforming Oviedo Mall into Medical Mainstreet Kevin Hipes breathes new life into one of Central Florida’s largest retail centers

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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SEPTEMBER 2021

CONTENTS || FEATURES PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

A Physician Who Knows Things Only Professional Athletes Know FEATURES 4 6

TBI Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

COVER Transforming Oviedo Mall into Medical Mainstreet PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT A Physician Who Knows Things Only Professional Athletes Know

EOCC Golf: Like Life, You Must Play the Ball Where it Lies

But We Have an In-House IT Guy!

Changing the Paradigm for Diagnostic Imaging Storage and Sharing

Yes, Yes, we treat we treat that. that.

Traumatic Brain Injury ABI Anoxic Brain Injury ABI Anoxic Stroke Brain Injury Stroke Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal Cord Injury Multiple Trauma Multiple Trauma Neurological Disorders Neurological Disorders Complex Orthopedic Complex Orthopedic Joint Replacements Joint Replacements Amputations Amputations

patients 15 & up for treatment We accept mostAccepting health insurance plans, workers’ compensation carriersinsurance and discount We accept most health plans,networks. workers’ compensation carriers and discount networks. Call today to learn more 800.626.3876 • NeuLifeRehab.com

Call today to learn more 800.626.3876 • NeuLifeRehab.com

TL70090977 | AL12406

Does Your Practice Need to Start a Blog?

Am I Getting Fired? How to Handle Meetings with Your Facility’s Attorney

Are we Winning or Losing the FIGHT against Covid-19?

ORLANDO GRAND ROUNDS

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA GRAND ROUNDS

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The Future of Healing Technology & Pain Management A Non-Invasive Treatment for Pain Management & Relief

VOLUSIA-BREVARD GRAND ROUNDS

Stimulating Mitochondria to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) FDA Approved Laser Treatment with No Significant Risks or Contra Indicators Patented technology

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COVER STORY

Transforming Oviedo Mall into Medical Mainstreet Kevin Hipes breathes new life into one of Central Florida’s largest retail centers BY LYNNE JETER

The Oviedo Mall mixed-use redevelopment, located at 1700 Oviedo Mall Boulevard, will include doctors, dentists, a pharmacy, and an urgent care center in its Medical Mainstreet component. “We’re going to bring Oviedo Mall back to life, reduce the amount of retail to the appropriate ratio for a mixed-use setting, and continue to grow Medical Mainstreet,” said Kevin Hipes, director of development of Oviedo Mall for IGP Business Group, noting it’s going

OVIEDO—Central Florida residents will soon benefit from top-level medical care and community services at a popular shopping mall that’s outlived its original purpose.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

to be a “24/7 eat, sleep, work, play development.” More specifically, tenants represent behavioral health, dermatology, gastrointestinal, pediatrics, primary care physicians and orthopedic practices. Former department stores will house medical administrative offices, career centers, educational services, and software developers. “The mall is 85 percent occupied by mostly temporary tenants that can be relocated and/or terminated to accommodate new Medical Mainstreet tenants,” said Hipes,

Oviedo is a fantastic community for this type of transition. I believe this 90-acre parcel is the best under-utilized piece of commercial property left in Seminole County. – Kevin Hipes, Director of Development, Oviedo Mall.”

movie theater, and childcare. “With COVID, patients at traditional medical practices are asked to wait in their car before being allowed in for medical appointments, and anyone else with you sits in the car for the duration,” said Hipes. “But at the mall, you can use your cell phone to check in and find plenty to do while waiting.” The redeveloped mall also calls for up to 1,200 luxury apartments serving the 55 and older senior community, and at least one hotel on the former Macy’s parcel. “We’re very excited about the residential component,” Hipes said. “Active adults, typically from ages 55 to 70, will enjoy the amenities that come with living at Oviedo Mall.” The retail component will be reduced to roughly 25 percent of the mixed-use development, a more appropriate amount based on economic factors, Hipes said. “Online retailers like Amazon impacted national retailers, and then changes due to COVID accelerated the demise of enclosed all-retail malls,” he said. Oviedo Mall was a tough sell from the beginning, said Hipes, who was hired three years ago to redevelop the property. “The mall has been a struggling retail property from the start. Most regional malls require a 250,000 population within five miles to drive enough traffic to support 1 million square feet of retail. Oviedo only has 150,000,” he explained. Add to that Simon’s open-air lifestyle center, built 15 minutes south, which caused the Oviedo Mall to struggle in getting national retailers to open a second store in the market, Hipes added. “Oviedo is a fantastic community for this type of transition,” he said. “We’re the second highest income area in Central Florida, among the Top 10 places to live

a commercial real estate broker with a 35-year career specializing in turning around failed retail-developed shopping centers and malls. “It’ll provide direct access to nearby Oviedo Medical Center and serve as ground zero for Oviedo’s burgeoning medical office district.” Already on board: Interventions Unlimited Inc., a medical service that works with autistic patients, opened earlier this year in 3,500 square feet. The company signed a six-year lease with a five-year option, one of the longest leases the mall has signed in years. “We’ve been serving the Oviedo area for 20 years,” said Jing Zhou, senior vice president of development and operations for ABAeCARE, LLC, parent company of Interventions Unlimited. “About two years ago, we needed additional space to expand our practice, and looked over the entire community. Oviedo Mall seems to be the right space for us. We’re really excited to be in the mall.” The 90-acre parcel, located at the intersection of Red Bug Lake Road and State Road 417, will maintain a food court and entertainment options, such as a game room,

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SEPTEMBER 2021

in bedroom communities outside Orlando, and only 35 minutes from downtown Orlando. I believe this 90-acre parcel is the best under-utilized piece of commercial property left in Seminole County.” A $4 million capital improvement project is underway to repair the roof and improve its air conditioning system. Future plans call for creating connectivity with Oviedo on the Park, located two miles west, by instituting new transportation systems such as unmanned vehicles and potential trolley car routes from the mall to other residential areas, said Hipes, who has served as city commissioner and chairman of Sanford’s Planning & Zoning Board, and is an Oviedo mayoral candidate. “I live in this community,” said Hipes. “I have a personal stake in wanting the turnaround of the Oviedo Mall to be very successful.”

PHYSICIAN || SPOTLIGHT PRESENTED BY

A Physician Who Knows Things Only Professional Athletes Know Bruce Thomas, MD,

Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute

Dr. Bruce Thomas of Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute (JOI) treats some of the most elite athletes in the world. He brings this special knowledge to the treatment of all patients who want to enjoy a better degree of physical activity.

Summer Olympics. If the world of professional athletes is small, the world of physicians who care for those athletes is even smaller. But Thomas, whose great uncle, Waite Hoyt, is in the Baseball Hall of Fame and whose father played in baseball’s Minor League, grew up with a love for sports, a fascination for biology and habit of saying yes. “My parents tell me that on my fourth or fifth birthday I asked for a dissection kit so I could dissect a frog,” he said. And then in the third grade he signed up for Russian language classes in school. “It was during the Cold War, and they promised we wouldn’t have to do homework if we took Russian.” Now, there are not a lot of Russian speaking baseball players. But some people say that if you start speaking a difficult foreign language at an early age, learning other foreign languages as an adult is much easier. That’s apparently true in Thomas’ case, for he has found himself learning bits of Mandarin while on a Major League Baseball initiative in China, chatting with Korean golfers on the LPGA Tour and developing a conversational fluency in Spanish while caring for Latino and Hispanic baseball players. “Working in baseball (where many players come from Latin America), I figured out pretty fast I better learn Spanish,” he said. So, you might think that a multilingual doctor who travels the world, who owns two World Series Championship rings (Florida Marlins 1997 and Washington

Ask Thomas how to become the go-to orthopedic physician to some of the best athletes in the world and he’ll tell you it starts by saying “yes.” “I tell the residents and fellows here (JOI) to just say yes when you have an opportunity to cover something, even if it doesn’t sound that thrilling. Do it and make some friends and you never know what will come of it.” You get the feeling that Thomas says yes a lot. First, he said yes to the high school football teams that needed an orthopedic doctor on site at Friday night games. Then he said yes to a baseball team that needed a doctor with a sports medicine accreditation for spring training, then to a minor league team, then to a major league team during the regular season. Then to another major league team, then to… you get the idea. These days he provides care to the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the Washington Nationals baseball team and their Florida operations. But when we spoke, he was on his way to Tokyo to help at the

Construction at the future site of the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, a state-of-the-art medical complex located on the Orlando Health’s downtown campus. The facility is scheduled to open Summer 2023 and expected to create more than 500 new permanent healthcare jobs.

Nationals 2019), and who spends vast amounts of time with people who can drive a golf ball 300 yards or throw a 95-mph fastball isn’t going to be that interested in your twisted knee. You would be wrong. “I had a patient the other day ask me ‘What do you like better, treating famous athletes or treating me?’” said Thomas. “And I said I like treating you both equally. There is a different slant to each situation, but they overlap wonderfully. “What I tell the patients is that I like to take the techniques and therapies I’ve learned keeping those athletes on the field and bring them to the ‘weekend warrior,’ the people who are doing sports for pleasure or for fitness. That is my thing. I really love taking the tricks you learned at the highest level and bringing them into my Orlando Health practice.”

Dr. Thomas emphasizes the concept of the lifelong athlete. “For many people the sport they are participating in is just as important to them as it is to the professional athlete who competes for a living. I really enjoy being able to help patients keep doing the activities they love. “Just a generation or two ago, if you were 35 and went to the doctor because it hurt to jog, the doctor would tell you to stop jogging. That’s why the field of Sports Medicine was created.” Thomas is especially excited about the new Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute that’s scheduled to open in 2023. The 370,000 square foot facility will assemble all the orthopedic specialties under one roof with a goal of becoming a center of excellence for the Southeastern United States.

CONTINUED P.9 6

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EOCC || MEDICAL CITY

EAST ORLANDO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PRESENTED BY

Golf: Like Life, You Must Play the Ball Where it Lies

CALENDAR: OPTIC (Orlando’s Professional Technology Innovation Council)

“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball where it lies.” – Bobby Jones

SEPT 10, 2021 | 9:00AM VIRTUAL | Featuring “Third Party Risk” moderated by Avani Desai, President Schellman & Associates FREE- EOCC Members | $10 Nonmembers

Testimonial Tuesday SEPT 14, 2021 | 9AM-12:30PM BY DOROTHY HARDEE, EAST ORLANDO CHAMBER DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Live on Facebook FREE for EOCC members

Golf is a very popular sport worldwide offering a stimulating mental challenge combined with healthy walking, in pleasant surroundings.

Coffee Club Nona SEPT 16, 2021 | 8:30-9:30AM Sam’s Club Lake Nona “Networking Poker” FREE for EOCC members $10 Nonmembers | Discounts for UCF, Valencia & Full Sail students

Whether for competition or casual enjoyment golf can be enjoyed by people of all abilities and ages, especially doctors, right? According to a Harvard Medical Research study this stereotype is not “par” for the course. Of more than one million doctors assessed, only 4.1 percent appear to be golfers. And when it came to specialized doctors, research showed less than 3 percent took an interest in golf. But given the high potential for business & networking available through the sport, should golf be part of your business strategy? Entrepreneur Media reminds us, golf presents “wonderful life lessons like tenacity, constant learning, honesty and achievement orientation. All these can be tapped to generate sound business acumen.” Golf offers instant feedback and an opportunity to course correct along the way. Those that do well are tenacious, constantly seeking to improve, learn and relearn. Much like business, it teaches us to “shed baggage, re-think, re-invigorate, re-strategize and execute with a hope of success.” Golf legend, Ben Hogan referred to golf as a game of misses. “The guy who misses the best is going to win.” Brent Beshore (Forbes) analyzed how golf imitates life offering some valuable lesson along the way, like “swinging hard and hoping” to make contact was not always a strategy. Analyzing the game helped him realize that by slowing down his game focusing on solid contact with the ball gave him the distance he sought. Relating it to business he learned to “pull back a little, focus and work on specific objectives.” He went on to acknowledge that you must embrace failure choosing how to react; either become consumed by it or learn from it…the choice is yours. He adds a few additional words of wisdom:

Medicare 101 Educational Session with Core Insurance Benefits SEPT 17, 2021 | 10-11AM Virtually & Live on Facebook RSVP at EOCC.org

#Buzz4Biz Meet & Greet for Chamber Curiosity Seekers SEPT 21, 2021 | 8:30-9:30AM Lake Nona Pixon 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd. Orlando 32827 Free to participate | Visit eocc.org for more information

EOCC 75th Anniversary Commemorative Golf Tournament OCT 22, 2021 | 7:30AM Rio Pinar Country Club $125 Individual | $400 Foursome | $500 Foursome & Hole Sign Check out sponsorship and added opportunities available at eocc.org

• Like life, the difference between a great shot and lost ball can be a few feet. • All the practice in the world won’t help if you rehearse with bad form. • Lifelong learning is the key to happiness offering new ways to challenge yourself. • Fear guarantees bad results; focus on executing the shot instead of what “might” happen.

Visit EOCC.org for a complete listing of September events 8

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SEPTEMBER 2021

• “Like golf, life is a humbling game that can only be played well if we understand our own weaknesses and tendencies.” Teknowlogi CEO, Spencer Askew attributes golf for unlocking hidden opportunities in relationships and entrepreneurship which may have been lost otherwise. He shared four lessons learned in golf that mirror business for him. These included:

• It pays to know the course whether in golf or in business. If you don’t have a clear view of your market, audience, and other areas of business you cannot make sound decisions. CONTINUED P.13

SPONSORED BY

Changing the Paradigm for Diagnostic Imaging Storage and Sharing BY MIKE MUSCATO

When we set out to research how medical imaging and report sharing was to get any foothold in the community, we found out quickly that the resistance sits clearly on the image providers. We have heard everything from “we’re not sharing!” and “why would we do that?” to “I don’t want patients to have that information. It was extremely disheartening that some in our medical community would take a stance against a system that promoted knowledge to the patient, ease of access to the referring provider, as well as manageability for all parties. The challenge was to put together a strategy that flew in the face of the facility centric model in the radiology clinics and gain acceptance of a system that promotes a completely patient-centric model. We have changed the paradigm in other industries such as EBT, EDI, logistics and finance, but diagnostic image storage and sharing was a completely different problem to solve. But then I took a look at how John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan has turned the legal system upside down by providing a “its free unless we win your case” model, and his “for the people” message resonated with the right audience and suddenly the insurance companies found themselves on the wrong side of that business model and gasping for air. That was extremely empowering for us, and we decided to build a similar model in the diagnostic imaging arena and apply it to the national patient centric Image and Report sharing problem. With that torch lit, we have successfully built MIMIC (My IMage In the Cloud), a “free to everybody in the medical chain” model and also providing a cost free PACS to the image provider facility. This allows the image provider to free up budget to purchase additional imaging equipment or hire personnel that assists in providing quality of care for their patients. We have been in the integration business for over 35 years and have a long history of partnering closely with our customers as opposed to being a vendor. Part of the success for any business relies on your technology partner(s) supporting your business and healthcare goals with the same level of commitment and passion. A secondary goal of MIMIC is to provide tools and functionality to the Image providers that enable them to be successful in their business while providing exceptional patient care. With the deep experience of our medical team, the mission to provide the technology footprint enabling this sharing at no cost to all participants was quite challenging. However, our business model remains: all studies and reports from any source must be absolutely free, providing easy transition in any imaging location. We are excited to have such a patient centric business such as UDI in our network. Their experience will continue to drive our features and functions within the MIMIC network. Our focus imaging partner locally is University Diagnostic Imaging, a long standing icon here in the Central Florida community led by Dr. George Stanley. Dr. Stanley was instrumental in the build of the MIMIC system and continues to be a valuable asset to the continued evolution of MIMIC. Dr. George Stanley, owner of UDI, said, “We set out to participate in a patient-centric radiology sharing network. When patients have to go through an imaging center or hospital to obtain a copy of their imaging data, it is an extremely cumbersome process. With MIMIC, patients’ ac-

cess to their own imaging record is instantaneous. Putting the patient at the center of their health is the philosophy UDI shares with MIMIC and aligns with our approach to healthcare at UDI. Now with the MIMIC network, all of our referring physicians and their patients have instant access to everything we do here at UDI. Patients engaged in their own health care are more empowered and it is beneficial to them and me as their physician.” Additionally, Dr. Stanley stated, “…sharing a common goal with MIMIC’s seasoned team and watching this integration easily come together was amazing! Taking advantage of

this free service was an easy decision to make.” Today, the MIMIC system continues to increase its acceptance and its brand by teaming up with Radiology Information System vendors to plug directly into this Free offering and providing a quality network. Michael A Muscato is an entrepreneur with a 35-plus year career in the technology industry and is best known for building high volume, highly scalable, reliable transaction processing solutions and putting them into commercially available companies. Today, his company is currently a major player in providing EDI operability to large claims clearinghouses nationally, as well as a leader in providing high-volume financial transaction processing solutions worldwide. Email him at mikemuscato@twistedceptors.com

A Revolutionary Centralized Cloud-Based

Imaging Platform Enabling healthcare providers, payers, radiology imaging companies & patients with secure access to real-time patient diagnostic images and reports sharing across organizational boundaries.

The 1st Secure, Nationwide, Inter-Operable Diagnostic Imaging & Report Sharing Network • Secure Web-based Cloud Platform providing shared access to images and reports

Empower Patients • The patient owns the image and report and optionally assigns rights to providers • Real-Time Access to Historical Records

Healthcare Providers • FDA Approved Zero Footprint Viewer • Unlimited Archive Storage for Life

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CLICK HERE for more information regarding our solution

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Does Your Practice Need to Start a Blog? Question #3: Do I Have a Passion for What I Do and Want to Tell the World About It?

BY JENNIFER CERNA

Everyone today knows what a blog is. But with so many out there, have you ever wondered, “why should I start a blog?”

This is the big one. This is the driving force behind your blog. I love to write but only when I feel like it. But I have a burning passion for marketing. It helps me write blog posts even when I don’t want to. But then I remember that I can help someone with their business in one post. I may not want to when I start but halfway through, you can’t stop me. So, do you love what you do so much that you want to share your excitement and view with others who may find it interesting? If you do, then go start your blog!

Well, there are a good number of reasons you may want to consider, but we will be focusing on 3 main questions to ask yourself to see if your practice or business should start a blog.

The Goal The goal here is to share your passion with an audience who may not find the subject exciting. But after reading your posts, they find a new interest that they may want to explore with the person who helped them find it. It will create a bond with your readers. When they feel your passion in between your words, they will remember you when they need a product or service to help them. If you made them feel delighted to read your post even on a seemingly mundane and boring topic, they will never forget you or your practice.

Question #1: Do I want my patients to find me online? In other words, when your potential patients look up a service or product online, do you want them to find you among the top results? This can be accomplished using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to help patients, that you’ve never been in contact with, find your practice as the solution to their problem. By creating blog posts, you add content to your site that Google can then use to help people find what they need based on their search.

if you take it too seriously. When writing blog posts (especially for SEO purposes), we can focus too much on impressing Google (a computer) and forget about who is really important (the readers). But if you do stay focused, on track, and keep it authentic, you should definitely start a blog for your business. As you can see, I highly recommend everyone to start a blog for their business. It’s a great way to connect with your target audience, build rapport, and stay top of mind. Starting a blog cannot be a bad thing for a business of any kind. But it does work better if you do it consistently and strategically. And if you are still worried about “competing” with the sea of blogs out on the internet. Don’t be. You have one thing they don’t. They are not you.

The Pros and Cons

The Goal The ultimate goal is to be at the top of the search engine results page for a particular keyword you’ve strategically determined. This always reminds me of a marketing joke that I heard in college: “Where can you hide a dead body? The second page of a Google search.” Because let’s be honest, who goes past the first page of a search?

The biggest pro is by sharing your passion, your target audience will get to know and trust you. This keeps you top of mind for when they need a solution your practice can help them with. The biggest con is, again, it can be time-consuming. If you don’t plan carefully, you can get distracted or steer away from your original goal. And it can also take out the fun of writing about your passions

Jennifer Cerna is the founder and Creative Director at Jreamit Marketing, a marketing agency that specializes in branding and website design. We have worked with doctors and other medical professionals to get better marketing results with storytelling and branded experiences. Our clients have more time to focus on growing their business as we take care of their marketing functions and processes. To learn more about website design click here. Or contact Jennifer at jenn@jreamitmarketing.com with any questions.

The Upside and The Downside

TREATING THYROID NODULES WITHOUT SURGERY!

The upside of this is that SEO is completely free for everyone to use. The downside is that it is time-consuming, requires a fair amount of knowledge, and it’s not an overnight process. But if you are willing to learn SEO (or to hire someone with the knowledge), create consistently, and plan for the long run, starting a blog should be worth considering.

Central Florida’s only Procedural Site for Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) of Thyroid Nodules!

Thyroid Nodules are Common & Normally Harmless

Question #2: Do I Want to Establish Myself as an Expert in My Field? Have you ever wondered how to build rapport with your potential patients as well-knowledged and a proficient practice? If you have, you may need to start a blog. Blogs are a great way to share your knowledge and expertise in your field with your target audience. You are sharing what you know about particular topics that revolve around your practice.

Some Thyroid Nodules become LARGE Producing Compressive Issues or become Cosmetically Unappealing

The Goal The goal here is to share as much knowledge and education as possible. Sometimes that can be through a “how-to” blog post that explains how to do something. Or through a review post which informs your readers about how good a product or service is for their needs.

Historically Surgery was the ONLY Option

RFA is a Non-Surgical Office Treatment No Hospitalization – No General Anesthesia Targeting the Thyroid Nodule Directly & Decreasing Size Allowing the balance of the Thyroid & Hormone Production Intact!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly The good is that it doesn’t take much to be considered an expert. If you have a fair amount of knowledge regarding something others don’t know much about it, you are an expert. Keep in mind that just because you know it, doesn’t mean your audience does. It’s why they are on your blog! To learn about it! The bad is that it can be time-consuming to be constantly coming up with new ideas, outlining them, writing them out (with keeping SEO in mind, of course), and uploading them to your blog. And lastly, the ugly is...well actually that’s it. This reason alone is worth starting a blog.

Angela D. Mazza,

DO, FAAMFM, ECNU, CDE

30 Windsormere Way, Oviedo, FL 32765 ) 407-542-0661 (O) 407-542-0668 (F)

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SEPTEMBER 2021

SCHEDULE CONSULTATION

Am I Getting Fired?

How to Handle Meetings with Your Facility’s Attorney BY MEGAN NELSON, ESQ.

After introductions, the attorney will give you a brief description of the patient, name, age, diagnosis, and dates you provided care. Don’t panic, just breathe and answer the questions to the best of your ability. Remember, the hospital’s attorney is not just there to protect the hospital, but to protect you as well. Throughout the process, try your best not to get defensive or upset. You may be thinking that you did everything for that patient, catered to every need, and answered every question. You may have even helped save the patient’s life. It’s understandable to feel hurt or defensive when the care you provided is now being questioned. Although you might feel that way, remain calm and tell the hospital’s attorney everything you remember. Next, you will be given the printed medical record and the hospital’s attorney will guide you through your charting. This is often a point of frustration. The printed medical record does not look like the electronic medical record,

You just got off the phone with your hospital’s risk manager, who has asked you to speak with the hospital’s attorney about a patient you cared for. Multiple questions go through your mind, and the top two are: “Am I going to get fired?” and “Am I going to lose my license?” These are common fears and most of the time the answer to both of these questions is no. Being informed about next steps can help health care professionals put their minds at ease.

Why am I being singled out and asked to speak with the hospital’s attorney?

nothing is in order, and it is not easy to navigate. The hospital’s attorney knows this and will walk you through the medical record and ask questions about your charting. You may also be asked questions related to your normal routine when caring for a patient. For instance, what you do when you first get into the unit, how is shift change performed, or how do you handle review of orders and lab results? Finally, you will be asked to not discuss with your coworkers what was said during the meeting, to maintain the integrity of the process. Remember, your answers will help the hospital’s attorney evaluate the negligence claim and determine how to defend the case. The calmer and more forthcoming you are with your answers, the quicker the meeting will go and the friendlier the environment. Megan Nelson, Esq., R.N. is a member of the Health Care Department in the Orlando office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, where she devotes her practice to the defense of medical malpractice and negligence claims. In addition to being an attorney, she is a Registered Nurse. She may be reached at mjnelson@mdwcg.com.

The simple answer is you are not being singled out. A patient, or the family of a patient, is suing the hospital, and your name appears in the patient’s chart. You are not the only person that will speak with the hospital’s attorney. In Florida, before a medical malpractice lawsuit is filed with the courts, a pre-suit investigation must take place. In this instance, the hospital has 90 days to investigate the claim. The hospital’s attorney will review the patient’s medical record and develop a timeline of the events surrounding the claim of negligence. During the medical record review, certain health care providers will be identified to speak with the hospital’s attorney. These may include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, surgical technologists, physical/occupational/speech therapists, and certified nursing assistants. However, the request to speak with the attorney does not mean you did something wrong. Whether you took care of the patient for one minute or ten days, you are essential to the investigation. That is why the hospital’s attorney wants to speak with you. Health care providers are taught to chart by exception. In some instances, notes discussing conversations you had with your patient or the patient’s family are not included with the chart. Additionally, discussions during shift changes, rounds, and care conferences are often not documented. Reading a patient’s medical record does not provide the full story of the patient. The hospital’s attorney wants to know what you remember, if anything, about the patient related to the care you provided, the patient’s demeanor, or even the family dynamics.

Why the big secret? Why didn’t the risk manager tell me the name of the patient? The worry with revealing patient information before the meeting is that providers will often speak with others to try and prepare ahead of time. It’s not that the hospital’s attorney wants you to feel unprepared. They want to know what you remember, not what your coworker remembers or what you learned from the medical record.

How do you prepare for the meeting? What will happen during the meeting? There is nothing to be prepared; the hospital’s attorney will have excerpts of the medical record where your name appears printed out and ready for your review.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Are we Winning or Losing the Fight against Covid-19?

CONTINUED ... EOCC || MEDICAL CITY Golf: Like Life, You Must Play the Ball Where it Lies • Strategy fluctuates based on the information gathered. Collecting data, knowing the hazards, and mapping out a strategy and adjusting along the way is important. • One good hole or one bad hole will not dictate the outcome. Business is similar in that one good day, or one bad quarter does not forecast the end results. Focus on the long term. As Askew says, “Before you rush to catalyze your sales, make sure your supply chain, operations and other internal processes are ready to deliver a true competitive advantage. “

BY KEITH W. THOMAS

Is your HVAC system operating properly and has it been serviced recently? Check your air filters now. Has it been changed regularly? Are you using a cheap, ineffective home improvement store filter, or have you installed a slightly more expensive filter with a MERV10 or better rating to capture the dust particles in the air? It could make a substantial difference in your environment and more importantly for your health. The Covid-19 virus can attach to these larger floating particles and find its way circulating about your room, or can be captured by a higher quality MERV(Minimum Efficiency Rated Value)filter. Recently, I measured a home of a lady with COPD in her mid-80’s. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 67, not good and definitely a problem for anyone with a lung issue. A healthy home should be under 35. One hour after installing a MERV 10 filter, the AQI was reduced to 28. One hour after installing the NPBI, the AQI reduced to 8. She is now breathing and sleeping better with these economical adjustments to her system.

Tools “Buildings can be a tool in the fight to control infectious diseases,” said Joseph Allen, director for Healthy Buildings program at Harvards’ T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and coauthor of the book “Heathy Buildings-How indoor spaces drive Performance and Productivity.” Are we doing the right things to enlist our homes and offices in this fight or are they making us sicker? As kids head back to school are they going into toxic environments where viruses, bacteria and pathogens are swirling about them, or have authorities taken the proper steps to ensure their environments are safe and healthy?

Teachers/Kids School buildings around the country including the Orange County Public School System in Florida are being proactive and utilizing technologies such as bi-polar ionization (NPBI) in the fight against pathogens in their air conditioning systems. The Covid-19 virus is primarily an airborne pathogen that attaches to other air particles and could make its way into our respiratory systems. Utilizing ozone-free ion devices (NPBI) have proven to clean up air of harmful pathogens, and tested to 99.8 percent efficacy within 30 minutes in simulators for inactivating the Covid-19 virus. Another technology is using UV-C lights inside the ductwork to destroy the DNA of pathogens. Together these are a powerful set of tools to create a safe and healthy environment. What are you doing at home and in your work environment? Do you know what the air quality is inside? Do you know it can be measured for pollutants like dust pollution, VOC’s, Ozone and other allergens? The EPA states that “indoor pollution is 2-5x worse than outdoors.” Mr. Allen is absolutely correct stating we “need to engage our buildings as a tool in the fight against infectious diseases.”

Time out Do you feel like you are winning the Covid-19 battle, or simply unaware of what your environment air quality is and possibly not breathing well? Relax, and breathe a little easier knowing our children at school with NPBI technology and good filters should be safer and healthier than other environments. According to the CDC and the American Institute of Architects, they issued a ‘hierarchy of controls for Covid-19’ for the most effective and least effective means of controlling transmission. (see inverted pyramid diagram). The MOST effective is social isolation for ‘elimination’ - but, not completely practical. The LEAST effective is PPE (masks, respirators, gloves). In the middle is utilizing the Joseph Allen methodology of using our buildings as tools-Engineering controls (ventilation, physical barriers). Masks and social distancing cannot be totally eliminated at this point, but effectiveness of transmission should be considered for creating healthier indoor environments. What will you do next to make your indoor environment safe and healthy?

Technology The HVAC system could be a very good ally in this fight. The three important factors to consider making improvements-Ventilation, Filtration and installing Purification like NPBI.

Keith W. Thomas AIA, LEED AP, CEEE, Fitwel Amb. is the CEO of inpura, a healthy building consulting firm specializing in measuring and purifying indoor air quality in the Southeast U.S. His 35+ years of architectural practice and healthy living initiatives offer his clients a global perspective to solving environmental design and health issues in commercial and residential buildings. Visit https://www.inpuradesign.com/ Reach out to him at keitht@inpuradesign.com

ORLANDOMEDICALNEWS.COM

SEPTEMBER 2021

Golf, Business and Chamber engagement really go hand in hand. You get out of it what you put into it. In golf, the more you play the better you become. Consistent, deliberate work pays off in the end. Likewise, success as an entrepreneur is tied to the amount of work you put into it. Being prepared to give a complete effort, identify, and develop strategies to “fix the holes in your game” and devote energy to your business, game, and membership, you will reap the rewards achieving your goals. Want more out of your golf game? Let’s get physical, benefiting from the many health benefits offered including:

• Improved physical fitness means weight loss • Exercise and fresh air are the ultimate recipe for sleeping like a baby • A healthy mind, healthy body. Let those endorphins flow • Golf is a great social event and opportunity to meet with friends • Golf is a game of concentration and memory likely to prevent or reduce cognitive decline • One of the top health effects of golf is an increase in life expectancy. Are you ready “FORE” fun? The East Orlando Chamber is just what the doctor ordered with our 75th Annual Commemorative Golf Tournament, October 22nd at Rio Pinar Country Club. Play as an individual, with your foursome or become one of our Foursomes with Hole Sign teams. Check in is at 7:00 AM with a shotgun start at 8:00 AM. Additional opportunities include Chance drawings, power packs and more. Awards lunch and silent auction follow the tournament in the Club House. A portion of the proceeds benefit the East Orlando Chamber Foundation. Looking for more ways to highlight your business? The East Orlando Chamber has a plethora of opportunities to get you noticed, connecting you with your next clients and partners, keeping your business healthy. For the health of your business reach out to the East Orlando Chamber for a menu of unique offerings elevating your business’ visibility and connect you with others helping your business thrive. We are the first in the state offering traditional Health Insurance plans, as well as supplemental products including dental, vision, critical illness, accidental and more. For more information or to register call (407) 277-5951 or visit our website at eocc.org. The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce everywhere East of I-4.

ORLANDO || GRAND ROUNDS Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center Introduces New Technology to Break Barriers in Coronary Artery Disease

Gastro Health Expands Footprint in Central Florida Gastro Health, a national leading medical group specializing in digestive and liver health, is expanding their presence to nineteen locations within Central Florida and the Greater Orlando region through a partnership with two additional gastroenterology practices, Gastro Center of Florida and Mid Florida Gastroenterology Consultants P.C., effective September 1, 2021. This expansion means there will now be 15 GI offices with a cumulative 18 GI physicians and 10 advanced practice providers in the area where patients can access timely care for a spectrum of gastrological issues, three infusion centers, and one endoscopy surgery center. Led by Dr. Antonio DeCarli, Gastro Center of Florida is a leader in GI treatment in Volusia County. Located in New Smyrna Beach, the practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive and liver disease in adults including colon cancer screen-

Cardiologists at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center are breaking through heart disease with new technology. The doctors are the first in Central Florida to offer shockwave technology to break up severely calcified plaque in heart arteries. The new technology for severely calcified coronary artery disease uses sonic pressure waves to break away problematic calcium so heart arteries can be safely expanded, and blood flow restored. The treatment is also a new way to use lithotripsy - an approach that has been used for decades for kidney stones. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the technology to treat coronary arteries. “Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in our country,” said VijayKumar S. Kasi M.D., Ph.D., interventional cardiologist, chief, Interventional Cardiology, and director, Cardiovascular Research, Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute. “The ongoing development of advanced treatment options is critical to improving patient outcomes. This new technology is another example of our dedicated commitment to provide patients with effective and safe options.” Calcium deposits make the artery rigid and more difficult to reopen with conventional treatments, including balloons, which attempt to crack the calcium when inflated to high pressure, and atherectomy, which drills through the calcium to open the artery. “In more difficult stages of coronary artery disease, the calcium is so hard it cannot be cleared to allow blood flow or additional treatment of a stent or balloon,” said Dr. Kasi. “With shockwave technology, also known as intravascular lithotripsy or IVL, the calcium is easily cleared, and with less trauma to the vessel in the process of clearing the calcium build up.” The procedure takes only 30 minutes and patients are discharged the next day.

For the past seven years, LSI has 3D-printed prosthetics for children and uses video games created by University of Central Florida faculty and students to help prepare the children before they receive their arms. The new study with Orlando Health Arnold Palmer, known for its expert care of children and ranked by U.S. News & World Report in five specialties, will evaluate how well the video game helps the children prepare their muscles to use the LSI devices and how the role of gamified training may be used to improve the children’s rate of adopting the prosthetics long-term. Prosthetics for children can be costly and those families who do get them often find that children may struggle to use them for very long for a variety of reasons, including weight and ease of use. LSI’s bionic arms are lightweight and are designed to reflect each recipient’s personality. However, it takes practice to use the arms, which is where the video games come in. LSI, which is based at the University of Central Florida, is providing the bionic arms and video game training system. Orlando Health Arnold Palmer pediatric orthopedic surgeon Mark Birnbaum, MD, will serve as the principal investigator for the study. The hospital will also provide occupational therapists who will work with the children during the 14-month trial. This is the first Florida-based study for LSI. For the first phase of the trial, participants will gain an understanding of how to activate the bionic arm’s

Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Limbitless Solutions, Creator of Unique Bionic Arms for Children, Launch Clinical Trial Limbitless Solutions (LSI) and Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children are launching a national study to evaluate the effectiveness of video game-based training aimed at helping children learn how to use prosthetic arms.

ing, heartburn/acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, cirrhosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, fecal incontinence, and even an outpatient non-surgical weight loss option. Mid Florida Gastroenterology Consultants P.C., based in Ocoee, Florida and led by Dr. M. Reza Mastali, will also join Gastro Health. “When my practice decided to look for a partner that could take us to the next level, we looked no further than Gastro Health, a national leader in the gastroenterology space that has an outstanding track record of helping practices navigate the complexities of the healthcare business,” said Dr. Mastali. Dr. Mastali founded Mid Florida Gastroenterology Consultants in 2006. Since then, he has served the communities of Ocoee, Winter Garden, and Windermere, Florida with great devotion to quality and compassionate care. He specializes in multi-variety of gastrointestinal disorders and liver disease.

multi-gesture controls by using Limbitless’ training mobile phone video game, Limbitless Runner, with a custom muscle sensing controller. The game helps prepare the participants to use their electromyographic (EMG) bionic arm at the two-month evaluation mark. While learning how to use EMG-powered technology can be complex, Limbitless Runner mirrors other video games by using designated levels where users will earn achievements and unlock more complex levels which correspond to muscle gestures needed to control the bionic arms. The video games not only give children practice, but they are also a way to get beyond the social stigma surrounding limb differences. Research shows that people with a limb difference may experience stigma in their community which could lower self-esteem and contribute to an overall negative perception of their body image, whereby impacting their quality of life and psychosocial development. With the support of Orlando Health Arnold Palmer, Limbitless hopes to improve functionality and social acceptance for children living with a limb difference. Limbitless Solutions believes no person with a limb difference should be financially burdened to have a bionic arm and plans to provide prosthetics and training systems for the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer study free of charge. To learn more about the program and to submit an application to receive information about the study, families are asked to apply here: trials.limbitless-solutions.org.

Pandemic Intensifies Growing Mental Health Crisis for Teens as National Suicide Prevention Month Begins According to a just released study by Mental Health America 54% of 11–17-year-olds reported frequent suicidal thoughts or self-harm in the previous two weeks, the highest rate since screening began in 2014. As the oldest community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all the Mental Health Association of Central Florida (MHACF. org) is intensifying its recently launched You Are A Lifeguard suicide awareness campaign as a key part of its participation in National Suicide Prevention Month beginning September 1st. Throughout the month MHACF will work to encourage people to pledge to be a “Lifeguard,” and take an active role in suicide prevention by being present for individuals they know that may be struggling emotionally and providing them with support and resources to get help. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) most recent data, suicide is the second leading cause of death among high school-aged youths 14–18 years after unintentional injuries and the fourth leading cause in adults. In fact, the CDC reported that the

rate of suicide attempts among adolescent girls increased significantly during the first months of 2021. The You Are a Lifeguard campaign was conceived to build suicide prevention awareness and resources by MHACF with financial support from the Central Florida Foundation and Orange County Government. “This recent rise in suicide ideation has been absolutely heartbreaking to see. Individual stressors and the effects of the pandemic continue to negatively affect the community’s mental health and wellbeing, particularly adolescents as we see them returning to face to face learning in schools in the midst of a significant surge in the Delta variant of COVID-19” said Marni Stahlman, President/CEO of MHACF. While the rise in suicide is devastating, it’s important to remember there are ways to reduce suicide. “The first step to preventing suicide is education, making sure people in emotional distress know there are resources that can help. If they do not know where to start, we are encouraging our neighbors to either call us directly where they can speak with a Connections specialist that will connect them with

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resources and options regardless if they have health insurance or visit the YouAreALifeguard.org portal” said Stahlman. “The first step is removing barriers for those in need. According to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, less than half of Americans who have a mental health disorder get proper treatment. We provide our Mental Health Connections program, which people can call, and where we will work to assist them with any variety of needs that impact their mental health and wellness.” For the past eleven years, in conjunction with AdventHealth and Orange County Government, the MHACF has operated the Outlook Clinic, the only mental health free clinic with individuals without health insurance. MHACF is pleased to have partnered with the Central Florida Foundation to make the You Are A Lifeguard initiative possible and hope you will Take the Pledge today to help build awareness and help prevent suicide at www.YouAreALifeguard.org

SEPTEMBER 2021

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA || GRAND ROUNDS How Can Adults Help Children Who Have Lost a Loved One? • After a loss, it is common for kids to want to shut down and avoid interaction with others. Plan a weekly family meeting that allows everyone to share about how their week is going. Allow this to be a judgement free zone, giving everyone an opportunity to speak and feel heard.

their child by hiding or suppressing their own reaction to a loss, out of fear that it could cause a child even more pain. The problem with this approach is that the child may then begin to mirror the behavior, by hiding and filtering their own expression of grief. They may begin to think that expressions like crying are a bad thing, and refrain from showing others this form of pain.

Tavares – When someone loses a loved one, the person can experience a variety of intense feelings. The emotions can be consuming and even overwhelming to the point it affects everyday life. Through life experience, an adult may recognize that the range of feelings are due to grief. But for a child, the loss of a loved one may be confusing and overwhelming. Children grieve differently from adults; they are much more sensitive to the energy that encompasses their environment. In fact, kids can be highly perceptive, often knowing a lot more about the death than adults think they do. “Parents and caregivers often ask me, ‘what’s the best way to talk to my child about death?’” said Kristen Nardolillo, LCSW, Cornerstone Hospice Children’s Bereavement Counselor. “The answer is that there is not just one right way to have the conversation.” National Grief Awareness Day is intended to raise awareness to the numerous ways individuals cope with loss. Due to the recent pandemic, more children may have been touched by a greater sense of grief. These suggestions for helping children may be of comfort to adults, too:

• Use realistic language. Kids tend to take things very literally. Using phrases like “passed away” or “resting in heaven” might sound more nurturing than terms like “dead” and “dying,” however this clear language is necessary for children to understand the nature of what just happened. A child may feel confused if such language is avoided, prolonging their ability to heal. Children cannot begin to heal until they fully understand the permanence of their loss. • Reinforce that death is not their fault. Young children can have “magical thinking” that leads them to believe they may have caused a death through something they did or said. Sometimes a gentle reminder that they are in no way to blame for a death, can resolve or prevent feelings of guilt.

• Don’t be afraid to express your own feelings. Some parents/caregivers feel the need to protect

AdventHealth Announces New President and CEO for West Florida Division

Florida Chamber of Commerce and member of the Economic Development Council for Volusia County and Forest Lake Academy board.

AdventHealth has announced that David Ottati will be the next president and CEO of its West Florida Division, which encompasses locations throughout the Tampa Bay, Sebring and Ocala regions. Ottati will transition into the role over the next several months, replacing Mike Schultz, who recently announced he will retire at the end of this year. Schultz has served in the company for over three decades and has been at the helm of the West Florida Division for the last 11 years. Under his leadership, Schultz led the division through a steady trajectory of growth starting with four hospitals at the beginning of his tenure, to 11 acute care locations, the addition five freestanding emergency departments, a fully dedicated ambulance transport team, nine urgent care locations, 15 Walgreens Express Care locations, over 90 physician practices, an ambulatory surgery center, two care pavilions, outpatient imaging and lab facilities, and home health services. David Ottati will continue to build on that success as he steps in to lead and grow the division. Ottati began his career at AdventHealth as a management resident and quickly advanced in the organization, serving in various leadership roles. Currently, Ottati serves as president/CEO for the Central Florida Division – North Region, which includes the six AdventHealth hospitals in Volusia, Flagler and Lake counties. Previously, he served as the president/CEO for AdventHealth Waterman and AdventHealth Palm Coast. Earlier in his career, he also served as vice president in Hardee and Highlands counties – which is part of the West Florida Division – where he was directly responsible for the daily operations of AdventHealth Lake Placid and AdventHealth Wauchula. Ottati earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington Adventist University, formerly Columbia Union College, located in Takoma Park, Maryland. He went on to earn a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida. Ottati is an active member of his community, serving on multiple boards throughout his career and currently serves as member of the

AdventHealth Ocala Achieves Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery Accreditation

• Laugh! Don’t be afraid to laugh a little while you grieve. Kids, and even adults, can think that experiencing joy and happiness after a death means that they are forgetting about, or no longer honoring their deceased loved one Nardolillo advises to remember that kids can only experience small doses of intense emotion, which means they may not react to grief the same way an adult would. Don’t be overly concerned if a child’s grief looks and sounds different from your own. Grief is something everyone experiences at some point, and all will express grief in our own unique way. Cornerstone Hospice offers bereavement support for children and adults living in the communities it serves. Participation is free and the lost loved one did not have to be in Cornerstone’s care. To learn more about group and individual bereavement support, email bereavement@ cshospice.org or call 866-742-6655.

Ocala – AdventHealth Ocala has achieved accreditation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery for providing the highest quality of care and patient safety by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). AdventHealth Ocala is home to three of the latest da Vinci Xi surgical robots, two of which were purchased since AdventHealth Ocala joined the national hospital system. The achievement highlights hospital surgeons’ clinical expertise with da Vinci robots to provide minimally invasive general, urologic, gynecologic, and thoracic surgeries which shorten the length of hospitalization, reduce recovery times and improve surgical results – helping patients return to a better quality of life faster. “We want our community to know they do not have to travel outside of Marion County for exceptional, world class surgical care,” said Joe Johnson, President and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala. “We’re home to some of the best surgeons in bariatric and gastroenterology care, using the most advanced robotics equipment available. This recognition highlights the promise we made to this community to elevate care and invest in the technology and the team to deliver the best care possible.” The distinction acknowledges AdventHealth Ocala and its surgeons as meeting nationally & internationally recognized standards. Not all hospitals and surgeons seek accreditation and not all that undergo the rigorous requirements and inspection process are granted accreditation by SRC. AdventhHealth Ocala voluntarily submitted to be part of the rigorous accreditation process. “We have spent countless hours working toward this certification and want to continue to bring only the highest level of surgical expertise to our community,” says Dr. Edwin Menor, Medical Director of Robotic Surgery at AdventHealth Ocala. To learn more about SRC and the accreditation process, visit surgicalreview.org.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

VOLUSIA/BREVARD || GRAND ROUNDS

Sami Bay Resigns as Executive Director of Volusia County Medical Society

Sami Bay has served the Volusia County Medical Society since July 2011, where she was responsible for all administrative functions, but now turns to a new job in pursuit of her passion for rowing. Embry-Riddle Head Rowing Coach Jamie Francis announced that Sami Bay has been hired as an Assistant Rowing Coach prior to the 2021-22 season. Bay, who started working with the ERAU Rowing teams in the summer of 2021 as a volunteer, officially began her stint as an assistant coach on August 23. 2021. Bay brings nearly a decade of coaching experience to Embry-Riddle, having served as the Boathouse Manager and Junior Rowing Coach with the Halifax Rowing Association in Daytona Beach. Bay was responsible for the overall health of the

Brevard Hospital Group Announces Minimum Wage Increase

world, and Healthiest Employers by the Orlando Business Journal. Individuals interested in the Career Expo are encouraged to register here. Walk-ins are also welcome. For further details, please visit the Career Expo website.

Brevard-based hospital group Health First announced this week an increase of its associate minimum wage to $15 per hour across the system. Health First continuously evaluates the market for all positions across the organization and makes adjustments accordingly. As part of the plan, all hourly associates currently making less than $15 an hour will have a pay adjustment to the new minimum rate of $15 an hour. COVID-19 has shed light on healthcare as a system, from doctors and leaders to nurses to support staff. Health First values every member of that system and wants to show appreciation for hourly workers who could use it most. In addition, those individuals currently making between $15 and $19 an hour will also receive a compensation adjustment. Health First’s goal is to make sure the patient gets the highest quality care. Compensation is an important part of making sure our patients are getting not just care but the highest quality care. The decision to raise the minimum wage will allow Health First to remain competitive in hiring and ensure adequate staffing levels. The increase will officially take effect on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021. “We recognize that many of our associates in support roles are a critical part of delivering high-quality, compassionate, and much-needed care, especially as COVID-19 cases continue to rise regionally and nationally,” said Health First Chief Administrative Officer Paula Just in a memo to associates. “Thank you for all you do to care for our community during this unprecedented time.”

Halifax Health Named a Designated Breast Milk Depot Halifax Health has been named a designated Breast Milk Depot by Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida. Halifax Health is one of two milk collection sites in the county. The designation means breastfeeding moms can now drop off breast milk at Halifax Health. The milk will then be transported to Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida where it will be processed, pasteurized and distributed. As the area’s only Level III Neonatal ICU, partnerships with organizations such as Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida are essential. “At Halifax Health this milk saves lives”, explains Ellen Barton, RN and Lactation Consultant at Halifax Health. “Breast milk provides ideal nutrition to all babies, but especially Neonatal ICU babies who are considered medically fragile. It helps build babies’ immune systems and is easier on their digestive systems.” On August, 19th 2021, Halifax Health accepted it’s first donor milk donation from Hannah Knutelski, who knows the importance of breast milk to infants. In honor of National Breastfeeding Month in August, Halifax Health and Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida are encouraging moms to donate their breast milk. To become a donor, call Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida at 407.248.5050. A brief medical history and a free blood test are required. Approved donors will be sent milk bags and instructions on how to store their much-appreciated donation until it can be dropped off at Halifax Health.

AdventHealth to hold Career Expo on Sept. 14-15 at Daytona International Speedway

to further innovation in science and medicine—innovation that can benefit us all.” Dr. Bruce Rankin is the principal investigator for the DeLand site trial. The vaccine is administered via an injection, with some patients receiving the vaccine and others receiving a placebo. They will be monitored through 7-8 additional visits over the course of 12 months. The trial is specifically seeking adults over 60, especially those who are high-risk, including those with asthma, lung disease and who are immunocompromised. Those who are interested in participating should visit https://accelresearchsites.com/get-started A member of the Accel team will follow up to determine eligibility. For more information about Accel Research Sites, visit https://accelresearchsites.com

Accel Research Sites, Including DeLand, Now Enrolling Against RSV Vaccine Clinical Trial

AdventHealth invites those seeking a job in health care to its Career Expo at Daytona International Speedway from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 14-15. This two-day hiring event provides opportunities to network with health care professionals, participate in onsite interviews, learn about continuing education options and take virtual tours of AdventHealth care locations. AdventHealth is hiring for clinical and non-clinical positions at its hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, Centra Cares and medical groups, including registered and licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, patient registration coordinators, lab technicians and respiratory therapists. All shifts are available. Qualified candidates can walk away with valuable job offers, sign-on incentives up to $15,000 and relocation incentives up to $3,000 for select roles. AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division encompasses more than 20 hospitals and emergency rooms in Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties. Its workplaces consistently receive national and regional recognition for excellence, including the Gallup Great Workplace Award for seven consecutive years, Best Places to Work in IT by Insider Pro and Computer-

non-profit club, including oversight and coordination of its adult and junior rowing programs, club growth, contract development for and coordination with outside rowing programs (including ERAU’s rowing teams), and fiscal stewardship. Beyond coaching, Bay has over 10 years’ experience as a masters rower competing at the local, state, regional, and national levels. “Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Executive Director for the past ten years. The last two years have been difficult for us all. As much heartbreak as we all may have experienced, I hope everyone has also had many moments of joy. In addition to my family, my passion and joy come from being on the water; teaching and continually learning. It is in this spirit that I have chosen to leave this wonderful organization and pursue my passion as a rower and rowing coach,” said Bay

While the world’s focus was on developing a vaccine for COVID-19 over the last year, many other important clinical trials were put on hold. Now, Accel Research Sites is enrolling patients in a trial that could help preserve the lung health of vulnerable older people in a different way. Accel Research Sites has two locations—DeLand and St. Petersburg—participating in a clinical trial for a vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. According to the CDC, RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually produces mild cold-like symptoms but that can be serious or even deadly for infants and adults 60 years of age or older. There is a strong need for an RSV vaccine as there is no specific treatment for it and as it can be so harmful for the older population. “One thing to come out of the pandemic is that people got a glimpse into the world of clinical trials and how important they are,” said Lora Parahovnik, CEO of Accel Research Sites. “We hope this will help clarify the process and prompt people to participate as we all work together ||

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SEPTEMBER 2021