June 2014

Jun 20, 2014 at 12:17 pm by Staff


Hospital is First in Region, Fourth in Nation, to Install Newest Minimally Invasive Surgery System

Another first in healthcare has been announced by Central Florida Health Alliance (CFHA) which has finalized plans to bring the newest, leading-edge, surgical system to Central Florida.  In May CFHA installed the new da Vinci Xi Surgical System at The Villages Regional Hospital (TVRH) and will become the first hospital system in the region, and only the fourth in the nation, to do so.

Don Henderson, President and CEO said introducing this new technology is part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to ensure its patients have access to world-class care in their own community.

The new robotic assisted surgery system is a fourth generation system developed by Intuitive Surgical, based on more than two decades of learning, research and real-world application of previous da Vinci models.

The da Vinci Xi delivers real-time 3D-HD video, and utilizes smaller, thinner robotic arms with a greater range of motion than previous versions.  This creates a more natural extension of the surgeon’s eyes and hands.  The goal is to further reduce the size of surgical incisions, and decrease the amount of tissue damage during surgery.

TVRH has surgeons on staff who are already experienced with previous generations of the da Vinci system.  Operating Room staff are also being thoroughly trained in the use of the new equipment.  

NEW OPHTHALMOLOGY PRACTICE OPENS IN ORLANDO

Orlando Eye Specialists held a grand opening ceremony in May for its new medical office nestled in the heart of East Orange County. The multi-specialty ophthalmology practice offers routine eye exams as well as screenings for diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and various other eye conditions.

The grand opening was commemorated with a special ribbon cutting ceremony to formally welcome Javier Perez, Medical Director and owner of Orlando Eye Specialists, to the community. Ana Bello of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce joined Dr. Javier Perez and his friends and family for this special occasion. The event gave locals an opportunity to get to know Dr. Perez and the services his ophthalmology practice will offer.

Nemours Children’s Health System Expands in Lake and Seminole Counties

Families in Lake and Seminole counties will now have greater access to the Nemours Children’s Health System through two new primary care offices. Nemours Children’s Primary Care, Clermont and Nemours Children’s Primary Care, Oviedo both opened their doors to patients and families this month.

The physicians at each location are now providing a variety of pediatric services; from checkups and immunizations to sick visits and physicals. Patient families will be more connected to Nemours’ team of world-class pediatric specialists as the primary care locations share an electronic health record with Nemours Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Specialty Care locations. This integration provides every member of the care team — including the patient families — with a complete picture of a child’s care history.

Dr. Odette Stanley-Brown is the physician who will treat kids at Nemours Children’s Primary Care, Clermont. She is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics who has provided health care to Florida families for more than 25 years and she’s been a pediatric practitioner in the hospital as well as the urgent care environment.

Dr. Andrea Burns, a native Floridian and Oviedo resident, will lead Nemours Children’s Primary Care, Oviedo. Dr. Burns also helps with community-based educational workshops on adolescent health and obesity prevention and volunteers with two Central Florida service organizations.

In addition to the nine Nemours Children’s Primary Care locations, the network in Central Florida includes Nemours Children’s Hospital with a full-service, pediatrics-only Emergency Department in Orlando’s Lake Nona Medical City, three Nemours Specialty Care locations, and five Nemours Children’s Urgent Care locations. These locations will also share the electronic health record with the other components of the Nemours Children’s Health System.

Osceola Regional Medical Center Names Two New Officers

Osceola Regional Medical Center has named Rick R. Naegler Chief Nursing Officer and Bryan Lee as Chief Operating Officer.

.Naegler most recently served as the Chief Nursing Officer at HCA’s Lake City Medical Center in Lake City Florida. Naegler was previously Assistant Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Critical Care at HCA’s Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee.

Before joining the HCA system, Naegler held Director of Nursing positions at Archbold Medical Center in Thomasville, Georgia; and St. John’s Health System in Springfield, Missouri. He had also served as Director of the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at St. John’s Health System and was the Vice President of Operations at Total Healthcare Services, also in Springfield.

A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Naegler is also an active member of Rotary International.

Bryan Lee most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital, a 358-bed facility in Florence, Alabama. In October 2013, Lee was named one of Alabama’s top “Young Movers and Shapers under 35” by Business Alabama magazine.

Before joining RegionalCare Hospital Partners, Lee was Division Vice President for Select Medical, managing 10 long-term acute care hospitals across the Southeast. He also served as Chief Executive Officer at Select Specialty Hospitals in Pensacola, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee. In 2008, Lee was selected as a “Top 15 Leader” from among the 21,000 employees at Select Medical. He was also named a “Rising Star” by the Independent News in 2008.

Lee received his bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from the University of Alabama in 2001. He later received a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and his Master’s in Health Administration, both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2008, he was recognized as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Lee has been involved with the American Heart Association Heart Walk and Heart Ball; the Relay for Life; Rotary International; and Trinity Episcopal Church.

Mevesi Integrates With Micro Merchant

Mevesi, Inc. announces the integration between Mevesi and Micro Merchant Systems, PrimeRx pharmacy software system. This powerful partnership provides pharmacies with business solutions geared towards improving a pharmacy's performance. Pharmacies will be provided with a real-time look into their pharmacy's finances, market to customers and prospects, manage Rx data, and perform MTMs, CMRs, wellness assessments and interventions. This will enable pharmacies to bring in revenue, boost star ratings, and maximize reimbursements.

Utilizing Mevesi's platform provides Micro Merchant customers with the best in class data automation solutions. That provides them with total control of their pharmacy's data while making data driven decisions to increase profit and boost revenue. Mevesi's easy to use "point and click" solutions provides pharmacies with immediate visibility to key business metrics and performance indicators.

Disney Gives $3 Million to Emergency Care Efforts At Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

The Walt Disney Company has presented a $3 million gift to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children to help fulfill a critical need in the treatment of young patients at the hospital’s Bert Martin’s Champions for Children Emergency Department & Trauma Center.

The gift will enable the purchase and installation of a new 3T MRI machine that will serve as a critical first step in the treatment of children in need of emergency and trauma care in addition to supporting other key pediatric programs at Arnold Palmer Hospital.

Currently, Arnold Palmer Hospital has one Flash CT scanner and one 1.5T MRI machine within its Imaging Center. A growing patient population and the expansion of key pediatric specialty programs have significantly increased the demand for the existing MRI machine.

The new 3T MRI machine ensures patients receive the highest level of care by providing more detailed images faster than ever. It also improves patient safety by providing a radiation-free imaging option. Also, by adding a new machine, the patient experience will be enhanced for both child and family.

Providing quality pediatric care with the latest technology is critical for Central Florida and its dynamic community of local residents and millions of visitors from around the world who come here to visit theme parks and attractions. Orlando Health values its longstanding relationship with The Walt Disney Company, who proudly supports children’s hospitals across the country and is focused on improving the quality of life of children and families.

DOH-SEMINOLE HONORED WITH NATIONAL AWARD

The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County has been honored with a national award for implementing a project that demonstrates exemplary and replicable outcomes in response to a local public health need. Seminole County’s Community Health Clinic: Refugee Services has been recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), as a Model Practice. DOH-Seminole was one of only twenty-two local health departments across the nation selected for a Model Practice.

Seminole County’s Community Health Clinic: Refugee Services was honored as a Model Practice for its innovative and efficient approach to providing screening and vaccination of refugess for communicable diseases. The clinic uses early registration and scheduling which decreases the length of the client visit by offering comprehensive wrap around services in one clinical location. This has reduced the number of return visits. The program increased both the number of clients seen and revenue generated by 10 times in just 2 years and has achieved the stated goal of becoming fiscally solvent.

The Community Health Clinic is now part of an online, searchable database of successful public health practices in areas ranging from immunization and maternal and child health to infectious diseases and emergency preparedness.

Each innovative project receiving this NACCHO award was peer-reviewed (by other local health department professionals) and selected from a group of many applications. Since 2003, NACCHO’s Model Practice Awards program has honored initiatives—including programs, resources, and tools—that demonstrate how local health departments and their community partners can effectively collaborate to address local public health concerns. The NACCHO Model Practice database allows users to benefit from colleagues' experiences, to learn what works, and to ensure that resources are used wisely on effective programs that have been implemented with good results. It also enables NACCHO to share information with key stakeholders and media about the good work being done by local health departments across the country.

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