orlandohealth

ORMC’s Air Care Team soars to new heights, transports 28,000th patient

6/13/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 13, 2013) - The Orlando Regional Medical Center Air Care Team reached a higher altitude, transporting its 28,000th patient in May. The only hospital-based multiple aircraft flight program in the area, the Air Care Team uses three twin engine helicopters based in three counties – Lake, Osceola and Seminole to provide communities faster access to specialized care.

“Our 28,000th patient milestone reflects nearly 30 years of commitment to excellence and safety in the field and in transport,” said Karen Thurmond, chief flight nurse, Air Care Team. “Our 24-member medical crew is one of the highest credentialed flight crews in the state.”

The Air Care Team met the mark flying more than 1.8 million accident-free rescue mission miles. The Air Care Team averages 100 to 120 flights per month, providing care to patients with injuries related to motor vehicle crashes,

Highly trained and experienced flight nurses, flight paramedics, communications specialists, pilots and mechanics make up the crews that provide advanced medical care on the scene and in flight.

“Our 24-member medical crew is one of the highest credentialed flight crews in the state,” said Thurmond.

The Air Care Team responds directly to scenes of accidents and transports critically ill patients between hospitals.

“Sixty percent of our patients are flown directly from the scene of an incident to the Level 1 Trauma Center at ORMC,” said Mikel Dirks, chief flight paramedic, Air Care Team. “The remaining forty percent are transported from other hospitals to the specialized services offered at ORMC.”

The crew’s primary scene response calls are for motor vehicle incidents. Other calls include electrical injuries, falls and hospital to hospital transports for acute cardiac and stroke care, and other specialized services provided by Orlando Regional Medical Center.

In the air, each on-board team is comprised of a flight nurse, a flight paramedic and a pilot. On the ground, the Air Care Team’s communications specialists use state-of-the-art tools to perform the critical role of dispatching calls and sharing and receiving information from the medical crew and ORMC’s Level One trauma center.

The Air Care Team began providing medical services in 1984 with a single helicopter and has grown to three. Air Care Team’s service area encompasses a 100-mile radius that covers 15 plus counties including Orange, Brevard, Citrus, Lake, Marion, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia, Sumter.

Air Methods Corporation, which has been a leader in providing air medical transportation services to the health care industry for 33 years, provides the aviation services to Orlando Regional’s Air Care Team.

“Air Methods is honored to partner with the Air Care Team and we extend our congratulations on this terrific milestone,” said Ed Rupert, senior vice president, Eastern Operations, Air Methods. “This accomplishment is a wonderful testament to their commitment to quality patient care and safety in aviation operations.”

Cardiovascular Surgeons join Orlando Health Heart Institute

6/5/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 31, 2013) - Taking the next step to redefine heart care in Central Florida, cardiovascular surgeons have joined the Orlando Health Heart Institute. Drs. Jeffrey Bott and Mark Sand bring more than five decades of surgical expertise to the Orlando Health Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery practice, a part of the Heart Institute and a member of the Orlando Health Physician Group.

The surgeons are part of the multidisciplinary team at the Heart Institute and the new approach to patient care that provides greater accessibility to clinical experts, and a more personalized, coordinated, and efficient cardiac care experience.
In addition to traditional surgical options, the surgeons also perform advanced procedures including hybrid maze ablations for challenging cases of atrial fibrillation; and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (via the leg and chest) for aortic valve disease in high-risk patients.

Dr. Bott and Dr. Sand are also involved in the collaborative efforts of Orlando Health, the University of Florida and Shands HealthCare, to provide innovative heart failure treatments including ventricular assist devices.
The cardiovascular surgeons’ longstanding relationship with Orlando Health spans nearly two decades of service on the medical staff.

Prior to joining the Heart Institute, Dr. Bott served the community in private practice in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. In addition to Dr. Bott’s 17 years of cardiac surgery experience, he has served in various leadership roles including current thoracic surgery chair at Orlando Regional Medical Center; president of the Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons; member of the Cardiac Care Council in the Central Florida Healthcare Coalition; and member of the Medicare Relative Value Update Committee. Board certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery, Dr. Bott earned a medical degree and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida where he also completed a cardiothoracic surgery residency. In addition, Dr. Bott completed a general surgery residency at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals.

Dr. Bott’s scope of research includes a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the medication pexelizumab to reduce mortality and heart attack following coronary artery bypass graft surgery; and a trial to determine the effectiveness of long-term, low dose warfarin in the secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism.

Jeffrey Bott, MD is published in several medical journals such as Journal of Trauma, Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and Journal of Heart Valve Disease, covering a range of subjects including surgical management of aortic valve disease in the elderly; and alternatives to traditional anticoagulation in various heart procedures.

Dr. Bott’s professional affiliations include membership in the American College of Cardiology; the Southeastern Surgical Congress; the Society of Thoracic Surgeons; the Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; and the American Association of Thoracic Surgery.

Board certified in surgery, thoracic surgery and surgical critical care, Dr. Mark Sand earned a medical degree from the University of Rochester. He completed a cardiothoracic surgery residency, a congenital cardiac surgery fellowship, and a general surgery residency at University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Prior to joining the Heart Institute, Dr. Sand served the Orlando community in private practice. In addition to Dr. Sand’s 35 years of cardiac surgery experience, he has served in various leadership roles including current chief of staff at Orlando Health; member of the Orlando Health Board of Directors; member of the Orlando Health Collaborative Quality Advisory Council; chairman of the Orlando Regional Medical Center Leadership Committee; and cardiac surgery chair at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Dr. Sand was also a member of the University of Chicago surgical faculty for seven years and assistant editor, Journal of Cardiac Surgery. He served as chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Keesler Air Force Base (Biloxi, Miss.), as a lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force, Medical Corps. Dr. Sand’s has been the Orlando Health principal investigator on several clinical research protocols investigating pharmacologic approaches to improving safety of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Dr. Sand has completed the Institute for Health Care Improvement Patient Safety Executive Development Program. He has been deeply engaged with quality and safety transformation directed by the Orlando Health board.

Dr. Sand has been published in several medical journals and book chapters such as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and Journal of Heart Valve Disease, covering several topics including aortic valve disease, mitral valve repair and complex congenital heart surgery.

Dr. Sand is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, and the Florida Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

50 Percent Fewer Late Pre-Term Babies Admitted into NICU after Reduction in Early Elective Deliveries

5/14/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Florida (May 14, 2013) – New guidelines to reduce early elective deliveries (EED) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies cut the admission of late pre-term newborns (37-38 weeks gestation) into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) by 50 percent, resulting in healthcare cost savings.

Working with the March of Dimes and the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, Winnie Palmer Hospital instituted new guidelines aimed at reducing EED for non-medical reasons prior to 39 weeks gestation. In January 2012, the following guidelines were implemented:

• A new scheduling tool and enhanced training designed to help delivery schedulers prevent deviations in standard of care
• A hard stop for any EED that did not meet acceptable criteria
• Induction consent with patient education on associated risks
• Establishment of protocol for EED that meet acceptable criteria
• Development of protocol for inductions at 39-41 weeks gestation

The results have been dramatic for the country’s second-busiest labor and delivery hospital. Since initiation of the guidelines, EEDs for non-medical reasons at Winnie Palmer Hospital have decreased to below seven percent of all deliveries consistently, highlighted by two months below three percent. The changes have resulted in better care for infants and their mothers and a decrease in NICU admissions of 37- and 38-week gestation newborns. In 2012, 46 late pre-term newborns out of 13,856 deliveries were admitted into the NICU, compared with 81 out of 12,978 deliveries in 2011. This resulted in a cost savings to the community of nearly $1 million.

“We know that delivering a baby for non-medical reasons before the mother reaches her 39th week of pregnancy can be very harmful to newborns and potentially require more care for mothers,” says obstetrician Jose Gutierrez, M.D. “It has physiological and developmental impacts on the baby, and it definitely impacts the cost of healthcare because of the additional care that’s needed for the baby and the mother.”

A developing baby goes through important growth during the final weeks of pregnancy. Many organ systems, including the brain, lungs, and liver need the final weeks and days of pregnancy to develop fully.

“Newborns delivered prior to 39 weeks gestation have not had sufficient time in the womb to fully develop those vital organs and are often affected by a number of respiratory conditions, vision and hearing problems, difficulty sucking and swallowing, and staying awake long enough to breastfeed,” says neonatologist Jose Perez, M.D. “Babies impacted by these conditions will certainly face prolonged hospitalization in the NICU and lose the opportunity to have that precious skin-to-skin contact with the mother after delivery.”

As the first phase of guidelines to reduce EEDs moves forward successfully, Winnie Palmer Hospital continues to identify other opportunities for sustainable improvement in newborn outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. It represents how Winnie Palmer Hospital and the other hospitals in the Orlando Health family are allowing patients and their health drive clinical decision-making.

Orlando Health hospitals awarded an “A” for patient safety by Leap Frog

5/9/2013 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (May 8, 2013) – Four Orlando Health hospitals were recently honored with their second “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. The hospitals are Orlando Regional Medical Center, Health Central Hospital, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and South Seminole Hospital. The “A” score was awarded based on a number of factors including the hospitals’ rates for preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. The grades reflect Orlando Health’s commitment to providing high quality care to patients.

“The “A” grades are a direct result of the steps we’ve taken as an organization over the last few years to enhance the quality of care we provide to patients,” said Jamal Hakim, M.D., chief of quality and transformation for Orlando Health. “Not only have we targeted specific areas for quality improvement, we have developed a sustainable structure to support the improvement process, including the naming of Chief Quality Officers (CQO) at each hospital and within our physician group.”

Orlando Health’s Chief Quality Officers are Larry Spack, MD and Donald Plumley, MD – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Arnold Lazar, MD – Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Robert Rainer, MD – Orlando Regional Medical Center; Antonio Crespo, MD – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; Thomas Kelley, MD – South Seminole Hospital; Bart Rodier, MD – Health Central Hospital; Mark Swanson, MD – Orland Health Physician Partners.

“These CQOs are actively involved in leading initiatives focused on the continued improvement of quality metrics within their respective areas and across the system,” said Dr. Hakim. “Their very presence represents Orlando Health’s commitment to continuous improvement of clinical care quality and patient satisfaction. We have partnered them with their Chief Nursing Officer at each facility, and this partnership has given us huge capability for change that we did not have before.”

One of Orlando Health’s most successful quality initiatives has resulted in a significant decline in the incidence of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) across the system. In just five short years, Orlando Health has reduced its CLABSI rate by more than 66 percent. The neurological intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center has surpassed over 1,260 days (3.4 years) without a single central line associated blood stream infection. At South Seminole Hospital, clinicians have surpassed 370 days for the entire hospital.

South Seminole Hospital also became the first Orlando Health facility to implement a transparency initiative. In February, the hospital installed and activated digital quality boards in public areas.

The boards provide medical outcomes data directly to patients and families by displaying information about the number of patients with blood infections, blood clots, urinary infections, falls with injury and bed sores. In addition to the actual outcomes on display, the information also includes the hospital’s goals for each measure, and ways families and visitors can help ensure a safe health care environment. Other Orlando Health hospitals will soon begin rolling out the initiative.

“Our entire team worked very hard to achieve the “A” grades, so we are extremely proud,” said Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “But the ultimate winner today is the patient. And for that, we are very pleased.”

To see Orlando Health’s Leapfrog scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

Orange County Healthy Connections Discusses the Forthcoming Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson - Orlando

4/18/2013 12:00:00 AM

The Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson – Orlando is the topic of the latest episode of the Orange County Healthy Connections television show. The episode is currently airing on Orange TV and Vision TV stations and is also broadcasting on Orange County’s website. MD Anderson – Orlando’s President Dr. Mark Roh and Director of Proton Therapy Dr. Naren Ramakrishna are featured in this episode explaining what proton therapy is all about, specifics about our new center and what this new treatment will mean to our patients. The episode also includes an interview with a patient who has undergone proton therapy treatment and shares his experience. Check out the episode at the link below or on the following stations:

Healthy Connections - Proton Therapy

Sports medicine specialist joins Orlando Health Physician Group

4/9/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 8, 2013) - Marc P. Hilgers, MD, PhD, recently joined Level One Orthopedics, a part of Orlando Health Physician Group. In his new role, Dr. Hilgers will lead the Level One concussion center and provide care for athletes of all ages with orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions. He has experience in traditional medical options, as well as acupuncture and other complementary alternative medicine treatments.
Board certified in family medicine and sports medicine, Dr. Hilgers earned a medical degree and a philosophy degree from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (Germany).

Prior to joining Orlando Health, Dr. Hilgers practiced at Florida Orthopaedic Institute (Tampa), Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Ohio), and Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center (South Bend, Indiana).
His scope of research includes traumatic brain injury in sports, concussion management, operative and non-operative options for osteoarthritis patients, heat injuries, and nutrition and supplements.
Dr. Hilgers’ more than 15 years of sports medicine experience includes serving as team physician for several high school and university teams, and providing sports medicine coverage for various sports teams throughout the United States and Germany. He has also provided coverage for various professional sports teams representing the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Women's National Basketball Association.

Dr. Hilgers’ professional affiliations include membership in the American Medical Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and Divers Alert Network.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Receives Prestigious National Certification

4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – April 1, 2013 – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, known for inspiring hope through extraordinary care here in Central Florida has now received a prestigious national certification from the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The QOPI® Certification Program (QCP) certifies oncology practices that meet the highest quality standards for cancer care.

With this certification, MD Anderson – Orlando joins an elite group of top ranking cancer hospitals around the nation. To become certified, MD Anderson – Orlando submitted to an evaluation of its entire clinical practice and documentation standards. The QCP staff and steering group members then verified through on-site inspection that the evaluation and documents were correct and that MD Anderson – Orlando’s clinical practices met core standards in all areas of treatment that affect patient care and safety including:

Treatment planning
Staff training and education
Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation
Patient consent and education
Safe chemotherapy administration
Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.

MD Anderson – Orlando’s certification is valid for three years.

“This certification is a significant achievement for our outpatient oncology clinics,” said Mark Roh, MD, President, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. “We strive for excellence everyday as we work one-on-one with our patients as they face their cancer diagnosis. I am very proud of our oncologists and staff for this national recognition, which shines a bright light on the exceptional cancer care we provide to our patients.”

QOPI is a voluntary, self-assessment and improvement program launched by ASCO in 2006 to help hematology-oncology and medical oncology practices assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. Through the QOPI program, practices abstract data from patients’ records up to twice per year and enter this information into a secure database. More than 800 oncology practices have registered in the QOPI program.

The QOPI Certification Program (QCP) was launched in January 2010, and more than 150 practices are currently certified. This certification for outpatient oncology practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States. Oncologists can achieve certification by demonstrating practice consistent with the highest standards of care. The QCP seal designates those practices that not only scored high on the key QOPI quality measures, but meet rigorous safety measures established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).

About MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

About ASCO:

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 30,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.

PGA Tour Golfers Join Forces as Ambassadors for Arnold Palmer’s Legacy of Helping Children and Families

3/18/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 18, 2013) – PGA Tour golfers Brian Davis, Brian Gay, and D.A. Points are joining forces to form Team APH in honor of Arnold Palmer and the legacy he has built through Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

The golfers will come together for the first time as Team APH to lead dozens of cancer patients and their families and hundreds of friends in the first-ever Arnie’s March Against Children’s Cancer – a walk around Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge . The event will raise money and awareness for children’s cancer as the golfers kick off tournament week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard.

Davis, Gay, and Points and their families have all received care from the hospitals bearing the names of Arnold Palmer and his late wife, Winnie. They have unique and strong personal connections to the hospitals and have always admired Palmer for his achievements on and off the course.

“My family and I are eternally grateful to Arnold Palmer and the wonderful team of doctors and nurses at the hospitals. Brian, D.A. and I want to be part of Team APH because of everything Arnold Palmer and his hospitals have done for our families. Team APH allows us to carry his legacy of caring for families and children.” - Brian Davis

“We’re very lucky to have had Arnold Palmer Hospital nearby to provide the care we need for our families. Showcasing the hospital logo on our bags allows us to repay our debt of gratitude to Mr. Palmer and spread the word about the great care the hospital provides.” - Brian Gay

“Mr. Palmer paved the way for us to be successful as golfers, but he is so much more than golf and you can see that in care my family and so many others have received at Arnold Palmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital. It’s an honor to be a member of Team APH.” - D.A. Points

As they compete on golf courses around the globe, the Team APH golfers will carry a visible reminder of Palmer’s influence and the impact his hospitals have on so many lives. Their golf bags will be adorned with the colorful logo of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

“We’re very appreciative of the golfers on Team APH and their families for their generosity and the commitment they’ve shown to become ambassadors of the legacy and the hospitals Arnold built,” said John Bozard, president of Arnold Palmer Hospital. “Arnie’s March Against Children’s Cancer is just the beginning for Team APH and we look forward to a long and fruitful friendship.”

Funds raised through Arnie’s March will be directed to cancer research and clinical trials at the Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.
To donate to Arnie’s March Against Children’s Cancer, please visit ArniesMarch.com.

About Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Orlando Health performs Florida's first Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer

3/11/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (March 11, 2013) – Until now people afflicted with lymphedema, a chronic condition that leads to swelling of the arms and legs, had very little options for treatment other than therapy and massage. Now they have a new surgical option, a vascularized lymph node transfer, which is expected to bring relief and life changing results.

Today, a surgical team at Orlando Health performed the first ever vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNTx) in the state of Florida. This microsurgical procedure transfers lymph nodes from one area of the body to another that is affected by a blockage in the lymphatic vessels, also called lymphedema. The surgery is expected to reduce a patient’s symptoms such as swelling and heaviness and relieve their pain and discomfort which will allow them to use their arms and legs again and resume their daily activities. The surgery was followed LIVE by thousands on Orlando Health’s social media channels including Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, and Facebook:

Via Facebook (Orlando Health and MD Anderson - Orlando), more than 7,000 people saw the pictures and posts from the surgery
Via Twitter, Orlando Health tweeted 42 times to their 1,800+ followers
Via Instagram, Orlando Health posted 29 photos throughout the surgery
More than 1,200 people read the online article about the surgery at www.accordingtowinnie.com and more than 200 people followed the surgery LIVE via the blog

Dr. Richard Klein, who oversees MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center, Dr. Kenneth Lee and Dr. Jeffrey Feiner are bringing VLNTx to Orlando Health, which is the the first and only hospital system in the state of Florida to offer the procedure. Drs. Klein, Lee and Feiner are among a handful of surgeons in the country who are currently performing this unrenowned procedure to treat lymphedema.

“We see a good amount of patients suffering from lymphedema and no one had a cure other than conservative efforts such as massaging and compressions, so we started aggressively looking for surgical outcomes,” said Dr. Richard Klein, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Orlando Health. “This procedure has the potential to change the lives of these patients and so many other men, women and children who are affected by lymphedema who until now had very little options for treatment.”

Jean Hutchinson, a breast cancer patient who developed lymphedema in her right arm following breast surgery and radiation, was the first person in Florida to undergo the vascularized lymph node transfer. Hutchinson has been living with lymphedema for 18 months, which serves as a daily reminder of her cancer and limits her day-to-day activities. During surgery, the surgeons will transfer lymph nodes from Hutchinson’s abdomen to her arm pit and will reconnect arteries and veins to provide the transferred lymph nodes oxygen and nutrients to survive, thrive and develop new lymphatic tissue.

Lymphedema affects 3-4 million adults and children in America and is, unfortunately, not an uncommon side effect of breast cancer treatment in about 15-20 percent of patients, where lymph nodes have been damaged or removed along with breast tissue (mastectomy) in combination with radiation. Other less common cause of lymphedema can include any cancer where lymph nodes have to be removed as part of treatment or diagnosis, trauma to the lymphatic system, infection and congenital disorders. In third-world countries the most common cause is parasitic infection.

Lymphedema prevents lymph fluid from draining from the tissues in the body and, as a result, fluid builds up and causes swelling and soreness to one of the extremities and there is a significant increase in the risk of infection in the affected limb. In many cases, lymphedema causes chronic wounds and ulcers and breakdown of the skin.

Prior to the VLNT procedure, Hutchinson went through lymphatic therapy to prepare her body for surgery. The VLNT procedure takes approximately 3 to 4 hours. Lymphatic studies after this procedure have shown growth of new vessels and active function of the transferred lymph nodes and patients begin to see improvement within 1 to 2 months following the surgery. Patients undergo additional therapy post-surgery to gain mobility in their arms or legs.

The surgery was tweeted live step by step, chronicled on Instagram, had sporadic updates on Orlando Health and MD Anderson - Orlando Facebook pages, and was broadcast via Google Plus Hangout to the Orlando Health Google Plus page and YouTube page. Much of this media was assembled along with narration on the According to Winnie blog in real time:

Check out the live blog from the operating room on According to Winnie.

Orlando Health shares medical outcomes with patients and families using digital technology inside hospital

3/4/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 4, 2013) - Orlando Health is taking its quality and patient care initiative to the next level, bringing medical outcomes data directly to its patients and their families. Digital boards, located in patient care units now display information about the number of patients with blood infections, blood clots, urinary infections, falls with injury and bed sores. The information will include the actual outcomes, the hospital’s goals for the outcomes, and information about ways families and visitors can help ensure a health care environment of quality and safety. The organization began the quality and safety transparency program at South Seminole Hospital in Longwood, on Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

“Hospital data has a long history of being reported to government agencies and regulatory entities,” said Thomas Kelley, MD, Chief Quality Officer for South Seminole Hospital. “And in recent years hospital data has become more publically accessible through government reports and other annual releases of information for old or outdated data. What we are doing is new and different from two perspectives – one, we are bringing our information directly to patients, and two, we are sharing very current data.”
For example, the first digital board reveals zero falls with injury during the first quarter of the fiscal year, for the Progressive Care Unit. The hospital’s goal was zero. Another example, five patients developed a blood clot during hospitalization within the same time period, for the same unit. The hospital’s goal was zero.

The first quarter time period is from October 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 (The hospital’s fiscal year period is October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013.). The digital boards will be updated monthly to reflect the previous six month period. However, the initiative launches with only three months because the timing follows the start of the fiscal year.

“We recognize this is new territory for hospitals and patients,” said Jamal Hakim, MD, Chief of Quality and Transformation of Orlando Health. “Few facilities are so transparent and forthcoming with this kind of information. We see this as not only an opportunity to share specific information about our outcomes, but also as an opportunity to educate the public about our initiatives, what we are doing to improve, and cultivate a more open dialogue with our patients and their families to discuss steps we can all take to ensure better health in the hospital and at homes in our community.”

For example, components of our falls prevention strategy include nurses checking on patients’ needs hourly, limiting medications that cause dizziness, and educating all patients and families about fall prevention. Also, our initiative to prevent blood clots includes new software and a risk factor assessment to ensure clinicians more readily identify, evaluate and treat patients at higher risk.
Clinicians and other team members have been involved in the initiative and are prepared to communicate with patients and families what the information means and answer any questions or discuss concerns.

“We recognize every outcome will not be easy to share and we recognize every question from a patient or family member won’t be easy to answer,” said Dr. Kelley. “We have always been committed to quality care and we have always sought ways to improve. This new journey will allow us to share more information, and share it more often, strengthening our commitment to accountability.”
“Educating patients and families about the reasons behind the hospital’s safety and quality requirements and expectations, contributes toward diminishing the normal concerns and anxieties associated with a hospital stay.”

The initiative is part of Orlando Health’s Patient First Strategy - a model of care that puts the patient first by promoting seamless coordination of all aspects of the patient experience by delivering integrated, high quality, outcome-driven care. Our health care teams will continue to review data and use it to identify opportunities for continued improvement in the care we provided to patients.

Hospital Patients, Local PGA Tour Golfers Say Thanks to Arnold Palmer

2/22/2013 12:00:00 AM

Hospital Patients, Local PGA Tour Golfers Say Thanks to Arnold Palmer
Opportunity for Central Florida Residents to Send Personal Thank You

ORLANDO, FL (February 22, 2013) – With less than a month until the start of tournament week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, hospital patients and three local PGA Tour golfers came together at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children to say thank you to Arnold Palmer.

Current and past patients of the hospital along with professional golfers Brian Davis, Brian Gay, and D.A. Points recognized Arnold Palmer and his legacy of helping children and families in this community since the opening of Arnold Palmer Hospital in September 1989.

“The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard is a very exciting time for us as buzz for the tournament starts to build around the community,” stated John Bozard, president of Arnold Palmer Hospital. “It allows us opportunities to highlight some of the hospital’s amazing stories of courage and compassion that are possible only because of Mr. Palmer’s continuing commitment to ensuring children, women, and families receive the best care.”

During the gathering, Bozard announced the inaugural Arnie’s March for Children’s Cancer, a walk around the course at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge to raise awareness and funds for children’s cancer. The walk will take place Tuesday, March 19 at 4:00 P.M. and will be led by Brian Davis, Brian Gay, and D.A. Points – PGA golfers whose families have experienced the care of Arnold Palmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

The gathering concluded with the presentation of a giant signature wall bearing the iconic logo of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. Hospital patients and the golfers were among the first to sign the wall and write a message of thanks for Arnold Palmer. The wall will be on tour throughout Orlando, making stops at locations including Orlando City Hall and the Mall at Millenia, allowing Central Florida residents to sign the wall and write a personal message to Palmer.

TMC USA/Kingdom magazine awarded for raising over $500K for Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

2/8/2013 12:00:00 AM

January 14, 2013; Orlando, FL — Following a gala dinner at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, publishers TMC USA were honored with an award for raising more than $500,000 for Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando. The award was presented at the firm’s annual “Kingdom Cup” golf tournament, an invitation-only event hosted at Bay Hill Club & Lodge by Mr. Palmer and by TMC USA’s Kingdom magazine, America’s leading luxury golf publication.

This year’s event raised $86,200, adding to an amount that now totals more than $500,000 given to the hospital over Kingdom magazine’s ten-year history.

With a guest list that included Mr. Palmer and his wife Kit, LPGA pro Paula Creamer and other notables, the dinner was made more special by the attendance of Karli Leonard, a brave 12-year-old cancer survivor, who was treated at the hospital.

“Since Kingdom launched, we’ve been committed to supporting Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the great work that they do,” said Matthew Squire, TMC USA’s publisher and founder of both TMC USA and Kingdom magazine. “With the support of long-term partners like Glenmorangie, Whirlpool, and all of our other fantastic clients, I’m absolutely thrilled that we’ve been able to do something for the hospital, which does so much for children and families all over the world. We look forward to raising even more money for their efforts over the next ten years.”

“TMC USA has always been about more than just business,” added Steve Richards, one of the firm’s founders. “We’ve always worked to uphold the values and integrity practiced by Arnold Palmer every day, and supporting the hospital has been an important part of our goals.”

“Honestly, to see Karli and her family here tonight, reminds us all that institutions like Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children are more than just buildings: they’re an important part of their communities and the greater world community at large,” said John Halnan, also a co-founder.

“Kingdom Magazine and TMC USA, Llc, are more than just donors to our hospital, they are terrific partners,” said Jeffery Muddell, Vice President, Orlando Health Foundation/Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation. “The entire team is always looking for ways to use their business assets to work to the benefit of Arnold Palmer Hospital, and we are so grateful for their support.”

For more information, contact Joe Velotta at joe@tmcusallc.com

St. Cloud Resident Spearheads Donation to Aid in Early Detection of Lung Cancer

1/25/2013 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – January 25, 2013 – When Jessica Jones’ father passed away from lung cancer two years ago she vowed she would honor his legacy by giving back to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando where he had undergone treatment. Today, her wish came true as the Dusty Joy Foundation, a non-profit focused on advancing lung cancer awareness, made a very specific donation, in her father’s honor, to MD Anderson – Orlando’s lung cancer screening program.

The Dusty Joy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance lung cancer awareness, early detection and compassion for those impacted by lung cancer donated $1,500 to the cancer hospital’s lung cancer screening program to help offset the cost of CT scans for Central Floridians who are at high risk for developing this type of cancer.

MD Anderson – Orlando began the screening program in 2011, offering the CT scans at a discounted rate of $375. The Dusty Joy Foundation’s donation will provide an additional $150 to offset that cost, bringing the total out-of-pocket patient cost to $225. To be eligible for the MD Anderson – Orlando lung cancer screening program you must be over the age of 55 and have smoked one pack a day for 30 years or more.

This donation was made possible through the efforts of Jones, a St. Cloud resident and Dusty Joy volunteer who organized a fundraising event at MD Anderson – Orlando last year called Cupcakes for a Good Cause. “Two and a half years ago my best friend and hero, my dad Bruce Lytle, was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer,” said Jessica Jones. “Six months later we lost him. Because he was the most giving man I knew I want to honor him by continuing to give. Lung cancer screenings are such a vital part in this fight. It comes as no surprise that the phenomenal staff at MD Anderson - Orlando have found a way to spearhead such an amazing program. I am honored to work with the Dusty Joy Foundation and MD Anderson – Orlando on this crucial life-saving program.”

In the Photo: Staff and oncologists from the thoracic oncology clinic at MD Anderson Orlando are presented a $1500 check to support the lung cancer screening program. From left, Linda Lytle, widow of Bruce Lytle; Cheryl Tillman; Jessica Jones, daughter of the late Bruce Lytle; Dr. Tirrell Johnson, medical oncologist; Dusty Donaldson, Dusty Joy Foundation; Megan Lockwood, RN; Melisa Wojteczko, RN; Dr. Theolyn Price, thoracic surgical oncologist.

“Lung cancer screening is Dusty Joy Foundation’s highest priority,” says Dusty Donaldson, lung cancer survivor and the organization’s founder. “We applaud MD Anderson Orlando’s leadership role in offering lung cancer screening at a significantly reduced cost and for advancing awareness about lung cancer screening. We are learning that awareness about screening is just as important as the actual screening. Few people who meet the qualifications are aware of the health benefits of screening. These screenings greatly increase early detection of the cancer and significantly improve their chance of survival.”

“We sincerely appreciate the support of Jessica and the Dusty Joy Foundation and their recognition of our lung cancer screening program,” said Dr. Mark Roh, President, MD Anderson – Orlando. “Already this screening program is saving lives. More than one-third of those screened so far in this program have had positive test results and a number of patients have begun treatment for lung cancer. In addition, it appears this program is also prompting patients to quit smoking, which is wonderful news. We applaud Jessica and Dusty for supporting this program so that we continue early detection of lung cancer.”

For more information about the MD Anderson – Orlando Lung Cancer Screening Program and to schedule an appointment, call 321-843-7780 or visit www.mdacco.com/lungscreening.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Ahead of the Game in Lung Cancer Screenings

1/24/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (January 23, 2013) – One year after MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando launched a pilot lung cancer screening program for patients most at risk for developing the disease, such screenings are now being recommended by the American Cancer Society. MD Anderson - Orlando was the first in Central Florida to offer this type of lung cancer screening program which targets those most at risk for lung cancer, smokers and former smokers, in the hopes of catching any sign of cancer early, and improving survival rates

The screenings appear to be doing just that:

Of the patients screened as part of MD Anderson – Orlando’s Lung Cancer Screening program, nearly one-third, 31%, had positive test results, where nodules were found in their lungs.
Those patients are now under close surveillance at our lung nodule clinic and approximately 6% have begun treatment for lung cancer.
In addition, MD Anderson – Orlando’s screenings appear to be helping smokers quitting the habit. More than 1/3 of those screened stopped smoking as a result of the experience.
All of those screened will continue to be monitored closely for signs of cancer.

Since the beginning of the program, MD Anderson – Orlando has offered the CT scans at a discounted rate of $375. CT Scans usually run around $1500. To be eligible for this pilot screening program you must be over the age of 55 and have smoked one pack a day for 30 years or more.

The program is based on a study by the National Lung Screening Trial that showed that CT screenings detect lung cancer early and succeeded in cutting lung cancer deaths by 20%. The results from this landmark study have now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, bringing additional attention to the fight against lung cancer.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer in the U.S. Over 18,000 Floridians are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer this year. Each year over 222,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with lung cancer and approximately 157,000 will die from the disease.

Read more about this recommendation by the American Cancer Society

Call 321-843-7780 or visit www.mdacco.com/lungscreening for more information or to schedule your appointment today.

Chief of Gynecologic Oncology featured in Orlando Medical News

1/18/2013 12:00:00 AM

MD Anderson - Orlando very own Dr. Veronica Schimp is the Physician Spotlight in the January edition of Orlando Medical News. In this candid conversation with Dr. Schimp you'll learn not only about her love of medicine but her path that eventually brought her here to Orlando including her life "pre-medicine" growing up in a rural town in Michigan.

Read the Article

Winnie Palmer Hospital Hosts 400 Women Leaders to Unveil a New Vision for Women's Health

1/16/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (January 15, 2013) - Close to 400 of the community's most influential women were on hand at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies to celebrate women and join the conversation about the vision for the future of women's healthcare.

Titled Forces of Nature, Faces of Change, the event welcomed women from the community and invited them to interact with physicians, nurses, and hospital leaders to talk about a new approach to healthcare that focuses on the patient. The Patient-First strategy is a new model of care launched by Orlando Health two years ago that revolves around clinical integration and high quality.

"Women are the heart of families throughout this community and more than ever, women are making healthcare decisions for themselves and others they care for," says Kathy Swanson, president of Winnie Palmer Hospital. "Our event tonight is a starting point for the conversation that will continue to advance us into a healthcare future that is about women, for women."

The event featured a formal introduction to According to Winnie, a recently launched blog and online community where live communication between women and physicians can continue to grow. The site allows women to join conversations on healthcare, prevention and wellness, dieting, recipes, family health, and more. It is a regular gathering place for women who want to see and talk about the latest in women's health, and share opinions on what they want from their doctors and healthcare providers.

The event also included the unveiling of conceptual renderings for a new building that is part of the vision for the future of women's healthcare. The concept is the proposed home for the Winnie Palmer Center for Women's Health. It will be dedicated to women and consolidate a full-range of healthcare services into one setting. It is part of the Patient-First strategy to extend a high level of service to women in more convenient outpatient settings.

"The concept for the Winnie Palmer Center for Women's Health reflects what we've heard from women in this community about increased convenience, coordinated care, and an enhanced level of service," says Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO of Orlando Health. "We're listening to what women have to say about healthcare and finding ways to implement that feedback into what we do."

The evening's event coincided with the ninth anniversary of the groundbreaking for Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Special guests included Amy Saunders, daughter of golf legend Arnold Palmer and his late wife, Winnie.

"It is an honor to be here tonight to share this vision with so many women in this community. My family is humbled by the miracles made possible every day by the people who represent these wonderful facilities," says Saunders. "This event and this new vision for women's health ensure that my father's and mother's legacy of helping others continues to grow in this community."

The event concluded with invited guests symbolically releasing lanterns containing a personal health wish onto the pond in the Kobrin Family Terrace outside Winnie Palmer Hospital.

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital is a leader in neonatal intensive care and comprehensive healthcare for women throughout all stages of life, providing a wide range of services in obstetric and gynecologic care. Winnie Palmer Hospital has been recognized as an Academic Center of Excellence in minimally invasive surgery. Its highly-trained physicians utilize the most advanced technology to effectively treat the vast majority of gynecologic conditions with fewer complications and faster recoveries. The hospital also includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics, labor and delivery services, maternal intensive care, and one of the largest centers for neonatal intensive care in the country. Annually, more than 13,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it one of the busiest in the country. The hospital also ranks in the top 10 percent nationally for patient satisfaction. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com or www.accordingtowinnie.com.

South Seminole Hospital names new president

1/10/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 10, 2013) --- Karen Frenier, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, was recently appointed president of South Seminole Hospital, a part of Orlando Health.

Most recently Frenier served the organization as vice president of operations at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). She began her 32-year career with the organization as a staff nurse, and advanced to various leadership roles including nurse manager for the Neurology, Orthopedics and Progressive Care units; patient care administrator and later executive director at Lucerne Hospital; and chief operating officer for ORMC.

Frenier has represented Orlando Health in various community relations roles including chairperson for the American Lung Association Asthma Walk, and chair for the American Heart Association’s Greater Orlando Heart Walk campaign. A board certified nurse executive, Frenier received a bachelor of science in nursing from Florida Southern University. She received a master of business administration from the University of Phoenix.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is one of Central Florida’s largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians supporting our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients’ needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

Central Florida’s Most Popular Baby Names in 2012

1/4/2013 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (January 4, 2013) – Isabella and Jayden were the most popular baby names in 2012.

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, which consistently ranks among the top three labor and delivery hospitals nationwide, delivered 13,857 babies in 2012 and 111 were named Isabella and 90 Jayden. Other popular names were Sophia, Emma, Elijah, and Jacob.

Many of the names on the list compiled by the hospital were trendy in other parts of the country, according to Babycenter.com’s “100 Most Popular Baby Names of 2012.”

Following are the top ten most popular baby names for girls and boys in 2012, compiled by the Birth Registry at Winnie Palmer Hospital.

Top 10 Girl Names

Isabella (111)
Sophia (90)
Emma (68)
Mia (66)
Olivia (64)
Abigail (57)
Madison (50)
Ava (48)
Sofia (42)
Avery (40)

Top 10 Boy Names

Jayden (90)
Elijah (89)
Liam (77)
Jacob (73)
Ethan (70)
Noah (68)
Aiden (59)
Alexander and Mason (58)
Joshua (53)
Daniel (52)

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital is a leader in comprehensive healthcare for women throughout all stages of life, providing a wide range of services in obstetric and gynecologic care. Winnie Palmer Hospital has been recognized as an Academic Center of Excellence in minimally invasive surgery. Its highly-trained physicians utilize the most advanced technology to effectively treat the vast majority of gynecologic conditions with fewer complications and faster recoveries. The hospital also includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics, labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, and maternal intensive care. Annually, more than 13,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it one of the busiest in the country. The hospital also ranks in the top 10 percent nationally for patient satisfaction. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com or www.accordingtowinnie.com.

First Babies of 2013 at Orlando Health Hospitals

1/2/2013 12:00:00 AM

It was a very special New Years for Orlando Health as we welcomed in the first babies of 2013 born at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies and Health Central Hospital.

It was a celebration for Angela and Andrew Hull of Maitland who gave birth to their first child Ava Scarlett at 2:22am at Winnie Palmer Hospital. This made Ava the first baby born in the City of Orlando in 2013. Little Ava weighed in at 5lbs 15oz and measured 19 ½ inches long. The Hull family actually showed up at the hospital just before the ball dropped in Times Square and delivered little Ava within four hours making her the first baby of the more than 14-thousand babies we expect will be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital this year.

It was also a special New Years for the St. Vil family of Orlando. Their little girl Malia Anne was the first baby born at Health Central Hospital in 2013, entering the world at 1:37am weighing in at 6lbs. 15.5oz and measuring 19 1/2 inches long. Little Malia, who wasn't due until January 9, was an early surprise for her family, mom Marie, dad Lexidor and big brother Chris.

Check out the Orlando Sentinel story about our first babies

Orlando Health completes acquisition of Physician Associates

1/2/2013 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (January 2, 2013) - Orlando Health's acquisition of Physician Associates was complete effective January 1, 2013. The transaction includes Orlando Health's purchase of two legal entities owned by Physician Associates; the professional practice and a management services organization.

Physician Associates will continue to operate as a for-profit entity much as it does today in collaboration with Orlando Health. For patients of Physician Associates, there will be no detectible changes. Patients' doctors, offices, benefits, co-pays, or other out-of-pocket expenses will remain the same.

"We wanted to make certain that with this acquisition, patients of Physician Associates continued to receive the same great level of care as they had prior to the purchase," said Erik Walker, M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Physician Associates. "We have achieved that goal and, in the process, enhanced the care Physician Associates patients who require hospitalization at an Orlando Health facility will receive."

Physician Associates and Orlando Health have been collaborating on a number of initiatives to enhance patient care for over a year. In September of 2011 the two organizations announced the implementation of joint programs to address the four most common chronic diseases facing our patients: diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Since its launch, the program has helped better manage the symptoms of patients who suffer from these ailments, which in turn has helped these patients avoid repeat visits to the hospital. When they have had to be hospitalized, the collaboration has resulted in better continuity of care between the patient's doctor and the hospital.

"As healthcare transitions from an industry that responds only to illness, to one that proactively manages chronic conditions, encourages healthy lifestyles, and fosters wellness, this acquisition positions both organizations for the future," said Wayne Jenkins, MD, president of Orlando Health Physician Partners, the Orlando Health division that administers physician relations, education, alignment and quality. "This acquisition will expedite that process, making the transition faster and smoother so patients benefit."

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is one of Central Florida's largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians supporting our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients' needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

PNC Father/Son Challenge Contributes To Orlando-Area Causes

12/18/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Dec. 14, 2012 – The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) today contributed $150,000 to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children as part of the company’s support of the Father/Son Challenge, the family-oriented golf championship event in Orlando this weekend.

Arnold Palmer was joined in the hospital’s atrium by PNC Florida West Regional President Joseph Meterchick to announce the donation to the region’s only children’s hospital ranked among “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report.

PNC also donated $5,000 to support the First Tee of Central Florida, which promotes honesty, respect and sportsmanship among children through golf. On Dec. 13, 2012 children experienced golf for the first time during a PNC-sponsored clinic with pro golfer Billy Andre at The Ritz Carlton Golf Club at Grand Lakes Resort, site of the tournament.

“The PNC Father/Son Challenge has always been an event that celebrates family as much as it does championship golf, and like my fellow pros, and fans of the game, I am thankful for PNC’s support,” Palmer said. “This generous contribution will help our hospital to better serve Central Florida families.”

The championship event, which returned after a three-year hiatus thanks to PNC’s title sponsorship, is this Saturday and Sunday. Palmer and James E. Rohr, PNC chairman and chief executive officer, have a long-term relationship that stems from their western Pennsylvania ties. The tournament will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

"PNC's support of the Father/Son Challenge reflects the values and focus on family and relationships that we share with Arnold and the partners who helped to bring back this tournament,” Meterchick said. “This sponsorship supports the game of golf for families along with a great cause in Arnold Palmer Hospital.”

PNC also is the presenting sponsor of the radiothon with MIX 105.1 to benefit Greater Orlando Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Pledges are being accepted from Dec. 13-16.

About PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

About Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Orlando Students Square Off in Healthy Cooking Challenge

12/18/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (December 18, 2012) – Students from Orlando’s Memorial Middle School compete regularly in sports and the classroom. This time, they faced off in the kitchen.

Planet Hollywood Orlando hosted a group of students from the school for a showdown to see who can prepare the healthiest and tastiest meal. They were coached by the accomplished team of chefs at Planet Hollywood in an Iron Chef-style competition. The students were celebrating their completion of Healthy Me, a twelve-week course that provides Orlando students access to doctors, dietitians, trainers, mental health specialists, and other healthcare professionals to learn about health, nutrition, and exercise. Healthy Me also includes free healthy cooking classes, Zumba lessons, kickboxing and helpful material for adolescents and teens to become better educated on proper diet and exercise. The course, which is available free of charge at select schools in Orange County, Florida, was developed by Teen Xpress, a part of the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families.

“Through Healthy Me, we’re able to teach kids the real-world skills they need to lead healthy lifestyles,” stated Rita M. Soza-Vento, Ph.D., manager, Teen Xpress. “We rely on partners like Planet Hollywood to help us give kids the practical experience of preparing healthy meals in a way they can understand and enjoy.”

Students participating in the competition were separated into seven teams charged with creating a meal using only the ingredients given to them in a basket. They had 40 minutes to come up with a meal idea and execute it. Each team was coached by a Planet Hollywood chef. At the end of the competition, the teams were judged on presentation, flavor, portion size (using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate guidelines), texture, and sanitation. Members of the top-scoring team received medals at the end of the competition.

“It’s exciting to see how Healthy Me is helping kids learn techniques to live healthy lifestyles and teaching them to apply those skills in the real world” stated Andy Bell, Executive Chef at Planet Hollywood. “We’re very proud to participate in the program once again and play a role helping these kids grow and make the right decisions for their health.”

The current Healthy Me class has 75 students from Memorial Middle School and Excel Alternatives School. Twenty of the students from Memorial Middle School participated in the competition at Planet Hollywood. Healthy Me is available during the school year and for six weeks during the summer.

Teen Xpress, the developer of Healthy Me, is a mobile healthcare unit that provides a medical home and mental health counseling to underinsured and uninsured adolescents in at-risk areas in Orange County. It is one of six programs offered by the Howard Phillips Center.

About the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families

The Howard Phillips Center, widely-recognized as one of the leaders in the country for its cutting-edge advocacy and outreach programs, is part of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. It is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation and serves central Florida through the following programs: The Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, Healthy Families Orange, Orange County Children’s Advocacy Center, the Child Protection Team, the Healing Tree and Teen Xpress.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

About Planet Hollywood

Planet Hollywood International, Inc. is the creator and worldwide developer of a consumer brand that capitalizes on the universal appeal of movies, television, sports, music and other leisure-time activities. The Company’s worldwide operations offer products and services in the restaurant, retail, leisure and entertainment sectors.

Planet Hollywood Orlando is the headquarters for great food and drink, stylish merchandise, display cases full of fabulous memorabilia and exclusive celebrity appearances. Open daily from 11am – 1 am, Planet Hollywood Orlando is conveniently located in the heart of Downtown Disney West Side. For more information, visit www.planethollywood.com or call (407) 827.7827.

Dawn Napoli, RD, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Talks Milk on FOX 35

12/14/2012 12:00:00 AM

It's a staple in our refrigerator and goes well with cereal and cookies, but there are now many more options (soy, almond, rice and good ole cow’s milk) when it comes to choosing what kind of milk to drink. So, is one kind of milk healthier than the other? Our Registered Dietitian Dawn Napoli tackled the milk topic on FOX 35's Good Day Orlando morning show. Check out Dawn's appearance and learn about the difference between the many types of milk now available, the benefits these types of milk offer and what health factors you should consider before choosing what type to drink.

See Video

ORMC researchers identify protein marker to detect concussions and more severe traumatic brain injuries

12/10/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 10, 2012) — Patients may one day have a confirmed diagnosis of a concussion (which is also known as a mild traumatic brain injury) or even more severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) after taking a simple blood test. With the discovery of a brain damage protein marker in the blood stream, researchers at Orlando Regional Medical Center are one step closer to helping develop a first of its kind diagnostic test that can provide answers about how bad a concussion or brain injury really is.

“Preliminary research shows the protein is detectable within an hour of injury,” said Linda Papa, MD, an emergency medicine physician, director of academic clinical research at ORMC, and principal investigator of the study. “Also shown is the ability of the protein to determine how severe the injury. While the results so far are promising, more research is needed before direct patient application.”

In a national multicenter study published in the Journal of Trauma in May 2012 investigators tested the ability to identify the protein – ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH-L1) – in the blood stream after a head injury. The higher the level of protein in the blood, the more severe the brain injury was —which indicated that there was a risk of bleeding in the brain and of the need for urgent surgery. The ability to detect the elevated protein levels in the blood stream may lead to the development of a blood test to diagnose concussions, a mild TBI, and more serious traumatic brain injuries.

“Knowing whether or not there is an injury to the brain, including a concussion is critical to directing the path of treatment for patients,” said Dr. Papa. “It can make the difference in whether or not a patient is discharged to home or remains in the hospital for surgery or other treatment followed by the appropriate inpatient and/or outpatient rehabilitation.”

The same protein discovered in the blood stream is also found in a patient’s cerebrospinal (brain and spine) fluid following a traumatic brain injury.

“We’ve known the protein is present in the cerebrospinal fluid after injury,” said Dr. Papa. “Because it is not practical or safe to remove this fluid from every patient, developing a blood test is important.”

In the ongoing study, patients with traumatic brain injury are compared to two control groups – one group of normal adult volunteers without any acute injuries and one group of non-head injured patients treated in the emergency department with either a single broken arm or leg or after a motor vehicle crash, but without blunt head trauma.

“The brain is such an important organ,” said Dr. Papa. “Even after years of brain related research, there are no blood tests available to diagnose concussions or more severe forms of TBI as there are with other common conditions like heart disease, diabetes, liver problems and thyroid disorders.”

Instead, today, doctors rely heavily on CT imaging.

“While CT imaging has proven to be an effective measurement tool, the technology does not capture all injuries and raises concerns over exposure to radiation,” said Dr. Papa. “A blood test may also be able to detect protein markers that indicate a problem, but may not show up on a scan. We hope this test is the first step toward being able to provide a more complete and accurate diagnosis sooner.”

Close to 1,500 TBI cases of all severities are treated annually at the ORMC Level One Trauma Center, Central Florida’s only Level One Trauma Center.

The National Institutes of Health awarded a $2.25 million grant to Orlando Health to study TBI. The study began in 2009 and will end in 2014.

About Orlando Health

Dr. Sajeve Thomas and Patient in WKMG Special Report on Skin Cancer

11/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

In the upcoming weeks the labels on sunblock are expected to undergo a major change – one that will make it easier for consumers to find a product that protects against the sun and helps to prevent skin cancer. Recently MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando oncologist Dr. Sajeve Thomas and one of his patients were featured in a news story on WKMG Channel 6 that took an in depth look at the new FDA guidelines that will be changing sunblock labels. Dr. Thomas discussed what the new guidelines will mean for consumers, what level of SPF we really should be using, how we should be using sunblock when swimming or sweating and just what “broad spectrum”, “UVA”, and “UVB” really mean.

View the news story at the WKMG website

Orlando Health hospitals awarded an “A” for Patient Safety

11/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (November 30, 2012) – Four Orlando Health hospitals were recently honored with an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. The hospitals are Orlando Regional Medical Center, Health Central Hospital, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and South Seminole Hospital. The “A” score was awarded based on a number of factors including the hospitals’ rates for preventable medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. It reflects Orlando Health’s commitment to increasing the quality of care it delivers to all its patients.

“Over the last few years Orlando Health has taken significant steps to enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients,” said Jamal Hakim, M.D., chief of quality and transformation for Orlando Health. “We have targeted specific areas for quality improvement, successfully implemented initiatives to address them, and developed a sustainable structure to support the improvement process within our facilities.”

One of Orlando Health’s most successful quality initiatives has resulted in a significant decline in the incidence of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) across the system. In just four short years, Orlando Health has reduced its CLABSI rate by more than 77 percent. And in the neurological intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center, clinicians have surpassed 1,000 days (2.7 years) without a single central line associated blood stream infection.

“We are very pleased with the results we have seen,” said Dr. Hakim. “Our CLABSI rate is below both the state and national averages. And we are continuing our push to ensure that everyone involved in inserting, maintaining and removing central lines adheres to the procedures that helped us reach these milestones.”

Those procedures include the use of sterile gowns, caps, gloves, and drapes; the use of special skin cleansers at the insertion site; as well as the use of pre-packaged, sterile insertion equipment.

Orlando Health has also made remarkable reductions in Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). In the past year, the organization has seen as much as a 71percent drop in this type of hospital-acquired infection. It has achieved this remarkable decline through decreased utilization of urinary catheters, and through earlier removal in patients for whom the use of urinary catheters is critical to their care. This level of reduction has been achieved through a collaborative effort between the physicians and nurses who care for each patient.

“I am so very proud of our entire team,” said Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “Everyone in the organization has shown their collective and unwavering effort to achieve the highest quality standards in the care and treatment of every patient who walks through our doors.”

To see Orlando Health’s Leapfrog scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

EDITORS NOTE: Pediatric and specialty hospitals such as Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando are not included in Leapfrog’s review.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

New sunscreen labels could make you safer

11/29/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 28, 2012) – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is recognizing the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children with the Beacon Award for Excellence.

The award is given to nursing units in acute care hospitals who excel at providing exceptional patient care and maintaining a healthy work environment. The Arnold Palmer Hospital PICU earned the award by meeting the following evidence-based Beacon Award for Excellence criteria:

Leadership Structures and Systems
Appropriate Staffing and Staff Engagement
Effective Communication, Knowledge Management, Learning and Development, Best Practices
Evidence-Based Practice and Processes
Patient Outcomes

Specifically, AACN recognized the PICU for focusing on nursing practices that ensure patient safety, including the reduction of medication errors and hospital-acquired infections, and effective pain management in pediatric patients. Also recognized, were the nurse-led implementation of a pediatric palliative care program and efforts aimed at improving the work environment, including enhanced communication between physicians and nurses.

The PICU at Arnold Palmer Hospital is a 17-bed, state-of-the-art unit equipped to provide critical care services to patients from infancy through 18 years of age. The unit provides family and child-centered surroundings for critically-ill and injured children suffering from trauma, drowning, severe infections, gastrointestinal problems, and many other conditions. It also cares for children recovering from major surgery.

“Our PICU team works tirelessly to ensure we’re creating an environment that promotes teamwork and healing,” says Jodi McDuffie, nurse operations manager for the Arnold Palmer Hospital PICU. “The Beacon Award is special to us because it’s validation from our peers at hospitals around the country.”

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Winnie Palmer Hospital Launches Online Community for Health and Wellness

11/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (November 26, 2012) – Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is launching a new blog for health and wellness called According to Winnie, an informative and interactive online community where women can join conversations on healthcare, prevention and wellness, dieting, recipes, family health, and more.

According to Winnie will be a regular gathering place for women who want see and talk about the latest in women’s health. Regular features will include innovative live-streaming of advanced treatments and surgical procedures using social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook – giving women unprecedented opportunities to learn about their health and interact with experts in the field. A blog will feature a panel of writers including physicians, pharmacists, and nurses, along with women from throughout the community. Weekly articles will discuss the evolving world of healthcare and provide insight into health topics many women may be tentative to discuss. Women can have their questions answered and are invited to share opinions on what they want from their doctors and healthcare providers.

“Women in our community are busier than ever coordinating healthcare for themselves in addition to family members,” says Kathy Swanson, president of Winnie Palmer Hospital. “According to Winnie is inviting women to join the conversation that will empower them with the knowledge they need to make informed choices and reshape what their healthcare will look like in the future.”

According to Winnie will become a comprehensive community of wellness services, and women everywhere are encouraged to visit the site each week to learn more and be a part of the conversation. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to subscribe to an educational newsletter and personalized health information through the site.

Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital is a leader in comprehensive healthcare for women throughout all stages of life, providing a wide range of services in obstetric and gynecologic care. Winnie Palmer Hospital has been recognized as an Academic Center of Excellence in minimally invasive surgery. Its highly-trained physicians utilize the most advanced technology to effectively treat the vast majority of gynecologic conditions with fewer complications and faster recoveries. The hospital also includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics, labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, and maternal intensive care. Annually, more than 13,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it one of the busiest in the country. The hospital also ranks in the top 10 percent nationally for patient satisfaction. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com or www.accordingtowinnie.com.

MD Anderson Orlando Celebrates Thanksgiving with Thank You to Pet Therapy Program Volunteers

11/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (November 19, 2012) – As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, Orlando Health gives thanks to the volunteers of its pet therapy program. Two such MD Anderson – Orlando pet therapy volunteers, Conrad, a black lab, and his handler Amy Morton, are also giving thanks this holiday because Conrad has fought and won his own battle with cancer and now can share his inspirational story with our cancer patients.

This past summer Conrad, an 8-year old black lab, was diagnosed with Ostersarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in his nose. He underwent surgery and radiation treatment to keep the cancer from spreading. But, it didn’t slow him down and earlier this fall Conrad returned to MD Anderson – Orlando for the traditional ringing of the bell to mark the end of this cancer treatment. Today, Conrad continues to walk the halls of MD Anderson - Orlando doing his rounds, visiting with cancer patients who he now has an even tighter bond with because he is a cancer survivor.

For more information about the Orlando Health Pet Therapy Program call 321-841-1967 or email Theresa.Ferreri@orlandohealth.com.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Brings First Urologic Cancer Center to Central Florida

11/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – November 27, 2012 – Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer now have a new option right here in Central Florida, to help them fight their disease. Dr. P. Phillips Hospital has opened the area’s first multidisciplinary urologic cancer center. This center will provide treatment for bladder, kidney and testicular cancers as well as specializing in treatment of men with prostate cancer.

“We are thrilled to be opening this clinic here at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital,” said Dr. Akash Nanda, Director of the Urologic Cancer Center. “The center will provide patients with comprehensive same-day appointments with multiple specialists to minimize the time between diagnosis and treatment. We’ll be staffed with urologists and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando radiation and medical oncologists who will work together to provide a multidisciplinary approach to fighting cancer.”

The American Cancer Society predicts that more than 300,000 Americans will be diagnosed with urologic cancers this year. Urologists who will be seeing patients in the Urologic Cancer Center will include Drs. Troy Edwards, Nabil Hilwa, Joe Littlejohn and Jacqueline Williams from Orlando Health Urology Associates and oncologists Drs. Mickey Liao, Sreeram Maddipatla, Akash Nanda and Dipali Trivedi. In addition to the Urologic Cancer Center, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital also offers chemotherapy treatments and medical and radiation oncology appointments with physicians from MD Anderson – Orlando.

More information

Robot MD makes rounds with critical care staff at Health Central

11/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 16, 2012) --- Robot MD is making rounds at Health Central and is bringing additional advanced critical care to patients at bedside from doctors located at a remote location. Officially known as RP-7, the high-tech robot is equipped with technology and medical tools to help doctors be in two places at once. RP-7 features Virtually There™ interactive software to connect an offsite, on-call doctor with patients, nurses and other clinicians in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). The on-call doctor and RP-7 provide specialized care during the evening and overnight shifts. Earlier this month, RP-7 joined the existing critical care staff of doctors, nurses and other clinicians who provide 24-hour care in the CVICU.

Before RP-7, medical staff relied on more traditional telephone consults and on-call medical services after hours.

Jeffrey Sadowsky, MD; Bart Rodier, MD; and Dustin Chambers, RN, MSN

“Having RP-7 means having an intensivist (critical care specialist) who is able to see and examine a patient in a matter of seconds instead of the time it takes to drive to the hospital,” said Bart Rodier, MD, chief quality officer, Health Central. “A patient’s clinical situation can change very rapidly. So often a quick response to a changing situation is the best possible way to care for a patient. Our staff is thrilled about the immediate doctor coverage the program provides and is looking forward to the new way of delivering more advanced care to our patients.”

Though the robot has a high-tech look with its gadgets, it offers a personable experience.

“Because the robot is the size of a person and has a monitor screen showing the face of the doctor as he or she is speaking to you, it very much gives the impression of an interaction with a human being,” said Dr. Rodier. “It allows patients and their families to interact with the doctor as if he is in the room.”

In addition, RP-7 is equipped with special software that makes it possible for the doctor to remotely maneuver the robot through the hallways of a patient care area, alongside clinical staff, to make rounds. Using a laptop the critical care specialist points and clicks to use the robot’s high definition cameras to zoom and focus on a patient. Cameras can even capture bedside monitors and equipment, immediately accessing vital clinical information. Audio features allow the doctor to speak to the patient and hear the patient’s responses from assessment questions.

The experience of RP-7 is very similar to real-life scenarios.

“With the laptop I can access a patient’s history, test results, and review other clinical data before my visit with the patient,” said Jeffrey Sadowsky, MD, a critical care specialist, and director of Telemedicine in Critical Care, Orlando Health. “I begin the shift by meeting with the nurses and respiratory therapists to discuss the patient. From there the nurse enters the patient’s room first to introduce me and the technology – so the patient isn’t startled. I will then enter the room via RP-7 to greet the patient and begin the exam.”

While the on-call doctor is able to visually examine a patient’s face, hand, and legs to check for changes like discoloration or swelling, there are instances requiring assistance.

“In order to listen to the patient’s heart and breathing sounds, I will need assistance from the nurse to use the stethoscope attached to the robot,” said Dr. Sadowsky. “The nurse also assists with examining the abdomen for any pain or discomfort and for reflex checks.”

RP-7 technology also makes rounds in Intensive Care Units (ICU) at other Orlando Health hospitals – South Seminole Hospital and South Lake Hospital, narrowing the gap in medical specialty needs.

“This technology provides a solution to the nationwide shortage of critical care specialists,” said Dr. Sadowsky. “Instead of needing three doctors to provide overnight care at three hospitals, we are able to safely provide quality care using one doctor.”

The on-call doctor behind the robot, who changes each night, is dedicated exclusively to patients in the ICUs, and provides care for approximately 20 to 25 patients per night total throughout the three hospitals. Medical conditions for patients in ICUs may include respiratory failure, pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleed, heart attack and severe pancreatitis.

About Health Central Hospital

Health Central Hospital is a community hospital committed to excellence, service and community involvement. The hospital was acquired by Orlando Health April 1, 2012. The staff, coupled with the most advanced equipment and technology, ensures that all patients receive the safe, quality, personalized care they deserve. The 171-bed hospital facility features spacious rooms, comprehensive medical care and has been the standard in health care in the community for 60 years. The Health Central operation includes Health Central Park, a long-term care and rehabilitation facility, ExpressCare, an urgent care walk-in clinic, and a state-of-the-art Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. Health Central Hospital offers a wide variety of health care services to help patients achieve and maintain healthy lifestyles. Educational classes range from childbirth and diabetes education to specially designed classes for preparedness before and after orthopaedic surgeries. Health Central’s mission extends beyond exceeding expectations in health care and includes a commitment to enriching the community. For more information, visit www.healthcentral.org

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health hosted training to set up temporary, outdoor hospital to prepare for potential disasters

11/2/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 2, 2012) --- It may have looked like the mobile hospital scene from an episode of the 1970s hit series M*A*S*H, but it was actually an exercise drill to prepare for real-life disasters that may one day hit Central Florida. On November 1, Orlando Health hosted a training exercise to deploy an Alternate Medical Treatment Site (AMTS) at its Downtown Orlando campus. The daylong training exercise was part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to prepare for a possible building collapse, a natural disaster, a terrorist act or other unexpected catastrophic community incidents that will require clinicians to provide medical treatment to injured patients outside hospital walls — in order to ensure the Trauma Centers and Emergency Departments are available for critical and serious injuries. The training exercise included participation from emergency medical services and other community entities.

“As the area’s only Level One Trauma we stand ready and waiting for patients with severe injuries,” said Eric Alberts, emergency preparedness manager, Security & Emergency Preparedness. “The objective of this exercise is to test our resources and methods to provide medical care in a completely different environment outside of the hospital while minimizing the impact to our Trauma Center and Emergency Department. The best way to be prepared for a disaster is to plan for it.” A team of more than 60 Orlando Health team members joined emergency management personnel and other community partners to set up the AMTS.

The AMTS consists of three large tents for patient triage and treatment, a decontamination tent, a mini-ambulance cart for transport, beds, lights, air conditioning units, generators, and medical supplies. When not in use, the components are maintained inside trailers housed near ORMC.

Like the television medical drama, Orlando Health’s team of medical experts will assemble in the field, to provide care for various injuries including minor cuts, bruises, or sprains, a single broken bone, and other non-traumatic injuries. However, unlike the state-of-the-art advanced technology available inside the hospital, the medical team will face the challenges that will come with limited resources.

“Serving patients in the field is vastly different from the traditional trauma center and emergency department environment,” said John Promes, MD, medical director, Trauma Services. “Bringing medical expertise to an outdoor patient care environment comes with its own set of challenges. This training exercise is important to ensure the care of patients under the most difficult of circumstances the future may hold.”

Orlando Health was provided the AMTS equipment and trailers as part of a Memorandum of Understanding that was approved by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners and administered by the Orange County Emergency Medical Services Office of the Medical Director. The funding was provided by two grants – Urban Areas Security Initiative and Metropolitan Medical Response System, both a part of the Homeland Security Grant Program. ORMC and Dr. P. Phillips Hospital were selected for their roles as key health care providers in the region in part based on the Level One Trauma Center and tourism corridor location respectively.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Regional Medical Center Receives Heart Failure Accreditation

10/25/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 25, 2012) --- Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) recently received full Heart Failure Accreditation status from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC). The accreditation expires on August 28, 2015. Heart failure, a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through the heart to meet the body's needs, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The nearly five million patients in the United States with heart failure have 12 to 15 million physician office visits per year and 6.5 million hospital days.

“A comprehensive program to care for patients with heart failure is key to improving the quality of life for our patients,” said Adam J. Waldman, MD, FACC, medical director, ORMC Heart Failure Program. “Our multidisciplinary approach to treating these complex patients incorporates family involvement and allows for better patient outcomes and less time in the hospital.”

SCPC’s goal is to help facilities manage the heart failure patient more efficiently and improve patient outcomes.

“One of the initiatives of our Heart Failure Program is using home based telemonitoring technology to alert nurses to changes in vital signs so appropriate steps can be taken in a timely manner and allow for more immediate, efficient and effective management of heart failure in an effort to help prevent hospitalizations,” said Sita S. Price, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, CHFN, senior nurse practitioner and coordinator, Heart Failure Program.

ORMC has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and undergoing an onsite review by a team of SCPC’s accreditation review specialists. The hospital’s protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient management allows physicians to reduce time to treatment and to risk stratify patients to decrease their length of stay. Key areas in which a facility with Heart Failure Accreditation must demonstrate expertise include the following:

Emergency Department Integration with Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Assessment of Patients with Symptoms of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure-Diagnosis
Risk Stratification of the Heart Failure Patient
Treatment for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department in Heart Failure
Heart Failure Discharge Criteria from the Emergency Department, Observation Stay or Inpatient Stay
Heart Failure Patient Education in the Emergency Department, Observation and Inpatient Unit
Personnel, Competencies and Training
Process Improvement
Organizational Structure and Commitment
Heart Failure Community Outreach

About Orlando Health

About the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care

The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) is an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that bring together quality, cost and patient satisfaction. As the only cross-specialty organization, SCPC provides the support needed for individual hospitals and hospital systems to effectively bridge existing gaps in treatment by providing the tools, education and support necessary to successfully navigate the changing face of healthcare. For more information on SCPC, accreditation and certification opportunities, visit www.scpcp.org, or call toll free 1-877-271-4176.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Names New Chief Quality Officer

10/24/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – October 24, 2012 – Antonio Crespo, MD has been named Chief Quality Officer, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. Dr. Crespo, who began his career as a physician in Venezuela has an extensive background in the specialty of infectious disease. In his new role as CQO, Dr. Crespo will oversee the medical staff at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and will continue to practice with the Florida Infectious Diseases Group, which joined the Orlando Health Physician Group in 2011.

Orlando Health Statement on Contamination of Products from New England Compounding Company

10/22/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (October 22, 2012) – Recently released information from the Florida Department of Health indicates Arnold Palmer Medical Center, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, and South Lake Hospital are customers of New England Compounding Center, a drug manufacturer connected to the recent meningitis outbreak. Arnold Palmer Medical Center, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, South Lake Hospital and other hospitals under the Orlando Health umbrella do not purchase methylprednisolone acetate, the drug linked to the contamination issues that have caused the meningitis outbreak, from NECC. Our hospitals do utilize other products from NECC, and out of an abundance of caution, we immediately sequestered those products under guidance from the FDA. We are compiling a list of patients who received those products during treatment at any Orlando Health hospitals. All those patients and their physicians will receive notification from Orlando Health.

We will continue to monitor this situation to ensure the health and safety of our patients.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is Central Florida’s fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Celebrates “Pink October” with Annual Hope Hikes All Around Central Florida

10/11/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – October 12, 2012 – “Pink October” is officially here! This morning, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando celebrated “Pink October,” a month dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer, with Hope Hikes all around Central Florida. The Hikes brought together the public, elected officials, oncologists, breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.

This year MD Anderson – Orlando expanded the Hope Hike to include the downtown facilities and all of the Orlando Health community hospitals. The Downtown Hope Hike began in the Orlando City Hall Rotunda and continued down Orange Avenue to MD Anderson – Orlando. Hope Hikes also took place at South Seminole Hospital in Longwood, at Health Central Hospital in Ocoee and at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in southwest Orange County.

Among those on hand for the Hope Hikes included State Representative Geraldine Thompson, Longwood Mayor Brian Sacket, Ocoee Mayor Scott Vandergrift, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan and Orange County Commissioners Scott Boyd and Tiffany Moore Russell. Proclamations were issued declaring October as “Pink October.”

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in the United States. Every three minutes a new case of breast cancer is diagnosed and every 13 minutes a woman dies from breast cancer. Yet thanks to early diagnosis, fewer women are dying of this disease and, if caught early, breast cancer has over a 90% cure rate. In 2012 it is estimated that more than 228,000 women, 15,000 of them Floridians, will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

MD Anderson – Orlando will see more than 5,500 new cancer patients walk through its doors this year and remains at the forefront of cancer care in Central Florida as it continues to grow to meet the needs of the community and its patients. This year, MD Anderson – Orlando oncologists began seeing patients at Health Central Hospital, where chemotherapy and radiation treatments are now offered. Just this fall, MD Anderson – Orlando broke ground on its Proton Therapy Center, a $25 million facility along Orange Avenue which will house Central Florida’s first proton therapy center, bringing a revolutionary new radiation treatment to the area.

About MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

MD Anderson – Orlando Helps You Go PINK This “Pink October”

10/9/2012 12:00:00 AM

MD Anderson – Orlando Helps You Go PINK This “Pink October”

ORLANDO, FL. (October 8, 2012) – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is helping you go pink this “Pink October”. You can now show your support of breast cancer awareness on your Facebook page with a simple click of the mouse. Become a fan of the Orlando Health or MD Anderson – Orlando Facebook pages in the month of October and you’ll be able to turn your profile photo pink and also access pink downloads to show your support of breast cancer awareness. Here are the simple steps:

Become a “Fan” of the Facebook page for Orlando Health or MD Anderson – Orlando
Download a special “Pink October” cover photo for your own personal page
Check out the breast cancer treatment timeline and share with your friends
Turn your profile picture pink

One you’ve become a “Fan” of Orlando Health’s Facebook page you’ll also be able to share the breast cancer awareness timeline and message to help spread the word about “Pink October.”

Rescue cat returns the favor, alerts owner of husband's sudden cardiac arrest

10/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 3, 2012) --- In a furry turn of events a once rescued kitten returned the favor and helped rescue one of his owners from sudden cardiac arrest. Rick Chap, former Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) patient and sudden cardiac arrest survivor, along with his wife Jennifer, will shared the heroic story at the 2012 Survivors, Heroes & Advocates Awards Dinner presented by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA) at 6 pm on September 14, at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.

The cat tale began when Buddy — a onetime skittish stray that was getting beaten up in fights, now an affectionate, loveable kitty — began meowing wildly, jumping around unusually, and making a huge fuss to alert Jennifer that her husband Rick had collapsed on the kitchen floor from sudden cardiac arrest. Jennifer, who works from home, had been on a conference call in her home office.

“Buddy was the first link in my chain of survival,” said Rick. “Without Buddy, Jennifer would have never come out of her office. It would have been the middle of the day before she realized I was gone. He was a big integral part.”

After failing to get a response from Rick, Jennifer immediately called 911 and promptly followed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) instructions to start compressions to beat of a familiar song.

“The operator told me I had to be prepared to complete 600 compressions,” said Jennifer. “It was overwhelming to hear, but I knew I had to do chest compressions-only to the beat of ‘Stayin’ Alive’. It was surreal to have that Bee Gees’ song in my head while my husband lay there lifelessly. I remember getting to 300.”

Once the Orlando Fire Department first responders arrived, they took over, using an automated external defibrillator.

“It was like a dream or something,” said Jennifer. “I had never seen anything like it except on television. I heard them say ‘Clear.’ I couldn’t believe it was happening. I was so hoping they were going to be able to bring him back, and they did.”

From there Rick was transported to the Emergency Department at ORMC for continued care.

Clinicians credit Jennifer’s quick response as a critical component to her husband’s favorable outcome.

“Time is muscle so you need to move fast, that’s the key thing,” said Mukesh Kumar, MD, Rick’s cardiologist who practices at ORMC. “It’s very important to begin CPR promptly.”

A delay in beginning CPR can result in death or brain damage.

While at the hospital Rick's chain of survival continued with a full continuum of cardiac care including, therapeutic hypothermia.

“Therapeutic Hypothermia is a technique designed to be implemented during the first few hours after a cardiac arrest in order to reduce neurological injuries and hopefully improve recovery,” said Mark Vollenweider, MD, MPH, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at ORMC. “This is done by lowering the brain temperature (core body temperature) to 32 to 34°C. We do this for 24 hours prior to rewarming patients back to normal body temperature. This has been shown to improve neurological recovery, and is why therapeutic hypothermia has become a standard at ORMC for cardiac arrest patients.”

In addition, Rick received a stent to open and restore blood flow through the blocked artery that caused the sudden cardiac arrest, followed by recovery in cardiac patient care units, and later completion of cardiac rehabilitation at the Orlando Health Heart Institute.

Rick continues to recover at home, with more heart healthy lifestyle changes including quitting smoking, preparing favorite meals with healthier, leaner options and walking.

Since the recovery from his sudden cardiac arrest, Rick and Jennifer have become advocates for heart health, certified CPR trainers, and plan to start a local chapter of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, a national nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to sudden cardiac arrest awareness and prevention.

“I feel like I died that day,” said Rick. “I’ve been told by enough of my doctors and others that I am really lucky to be here. There was a small chance I would survive and an even smaller chance of coming out without brain damage and heart damage. I feel I owe it to the world, and I feel I can make a difference in helping others.”

Rick and Jennifer recently returned to ORMC for a reunion with caregivers, and described it as a wonderful and healing way to say thank you. The two visited the Emergency Department, the MultiSystem Intensive Care Unit, the Cardiac Interventional Unit, the Cardiovascular Step Down Unit, and Cardiac Rehabilitation. They met with clinical staff, and team members from Spiritual Care, Environmental Services, Respiratory Care, and other departments.

“Having cared for Rick and his family is just part of our calling as critical care physicians,” said Dr. Vollenweider. “It was truly a highlight, and a humbling experience when he visited the office to say thank you. It is not often that patients and their families return to the hospital and thank all the nurses, respiratory therapist, techs, and physicians who cared for them. The visit reminded me why I love what I do and the kind of impact we can make in the lives of patients and their families.”

About Orlando Health

New doctor joins Mid-Florida Cardiology and Orlando Health Heart Institute

10/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 3, 2012) --- Carolina Demori, MD, recently joined Mid-Florida Cardiology Specialists, a member of Orlando Health Physician Group, and the Orlando Health Heart Institute.

Board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine, nuclear cardiology, and adult echocardiography, Dr. Demori’s specialties include cardiovascular disease in women, heart failure and cardiac transplantation, pulmonary hypertension, and noninvasive cardiac imaging.

Her scope of research includes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), left ventricular assist device and kidney function, and clinical characteristics and treatment patters of Hispanic women with acute coronary syndrome.

Prior to joining Orlando Health, Dr. Demori served the Greater Orlando community in private practice, and she previously served as director of cardiopulmonary medicine at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois, and assistant medical director for the Heart Center for Women at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Dr. Demori earned her medical degree from the Luis Razetti Medical School at Central University of Venezuela in Caracas, Venezuela. She trained in coronary computed tomography and cardiac MRI at Orlando Health, cardiovascular medicine at Rush University Medical Center, and in heart failure and heart transplantation at Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

About Orlando Health

New doctor joins Orlando Heart Center and Orlando Health Heart Institute

10/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 3, 2012) --- Swathy Kolli, MD, recently joined Orlando Heart Center, a member of Orlando Health Physician Group, and the Orlando Health Heart Institute.

Board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and echocardiography, Dr. Kolli’s specialties include advanced noninvasive cardiac imaging and women’s heart health.

Her scope of research includes echocardiographic and socio-demographic predictors of pulmonary hypertension in young adults, and myofibroblastic sarcoma of mitral valve. She has been published in various medical journals such as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation and the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography.

Dr. Kolli earned her medical degree from Rangaraya Medical College in Kakinada, India. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Saint Louis University Hospital, where she served as chief resident from 2006 to 2007. Dr. Kolli also earned a master’s degree in public health at Saint Louis University. Dr. Kolli completed a fellowship in non-invasive cardiovascular imaging at Harvard University (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston) and a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at the University of South Florida.

About Orlando Health

CJP Columbia Properties LLC and Orlando Health Announce New South Downtown Development

10/2/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (October 2, 2012) – On Monday, September 24, CJP Columbia Properties LLC (CJP) filed an application for a site plan with the City of Orlando’s planning and zoning department. The Tampa-based developers plan to build a hotel and medical office building on property located on the Orlando Health downtown campus. Orlando Health is also contributing a parcel of land to the project. The project will be located along West Columbia Street, between Orlando Health’s Internal Medicine Practice at 21 West Columbia Street and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children’s Pediatric Specialty Practice at 83 West Columbia Street.

"We are very excited about the partnership with Orlando Health and hope this venture will be the first of many,” said Brian Funk, project manager, CJP Columbia Properties LLC. “They are a great group of professionals and together we will create something to benefit the hospital's campus as well as the people of Orlando."

“This future development is a win-win-win,” said Karl Hodges, vice president of business development at Orlando Health. “It will enhance the blossoming South Downtown Orlando community, it will create jobs, and it will provide easier access for Orlando Health patients and their family members who visit our campus for healthcare services.”

With the site plan filing, CJP is requesting a rezoning of the property to meet the City’s requirements to construct a 126-room hotel, slated to be a Hampton Inn, a medical office building with ground-floor retail space, and additional parking facilities on the property. Once approved, groundbreaking on the $15-20 million project is expected to occur by early 2013. The hotel will be the first to be built. An estimated 200 construction workers will be hired at peak activity.

About Orlando Health

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Wins $250,000 Research Grant from Hyundai Hope On Wheels in Honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

9/28/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 27, 2012) – Hyundai Hope On Wheels and Orlando-area Hyundai dealers have awarded Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children a $250,000 Hope Grant to support research focused on brain tumors in children.

“Those of us in the field of pediatric oncology sometimes feel that the battle against childhood cancer is overlooked and underfunded. That’s why it is truly amazing and honorable that Hyundai has made this area its priority, and we at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando are proud to be partners with Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels,” said Don E. Eslin, M.D., Pediatric Oncologist. “Curing a child with cancer gives that young person a chance at living a full life, and as one who is on the front lines of treatment and research every day, I am personally grateful to Hyundai for its efforts.”

The Hope Grant is the second awarded to Arnold Palmer Hospital this year. A $75,000 grant was awarded to Robert Sutphin, M.D. pediatric oncologist, in August 2012. In total, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has contributed $475,000 to pediatric cancer research at Arnold Palmer Hospital since 2005.

Arnold Palmer Hospital is one of 41 recipients of Hope On Wheels’ 2012 Hyundai Hope Grants. In all, $10.25 million will be awarded in grants during the month of September in honor of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Since 1998, Hope On Wheels has committed $57 million to childhood cancer research.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

MD Anderson Orlando Breaks Ground on Proton Therapy Center

9/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (September 27, 2012) - MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando will soon be providing cancer patients with a valuable new tool in their fight against cancer. Today, the cancer hospital broke ground on the Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, a $25 million facility along Orange Avenue which will house Central Florida's first proton therapy center.

Proton therapy is a form of radiation therapy that uses proton beams to shrink tumors in adult cancers, especially tumors that are located near vital organs and in pediatric cancer patients whose bodies are still growing. The Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Orlando will treat cancers of the brain, spine, lung and prostate as well as pediatric cancers. Proton therapy, because it can so precisely target tumors, has proven very effective at treating such cancers and patients report fewer side effects.

"By bringing this technology here to Central Florida, we are making this revolutionary cancer treatment available to so many more individuals," said Mark Roh, MD, President of MD Anderson Orlando. "Proton therapy is the cutting edge of cancer fighting technology and now we'll have it right here in Orlando."

The 15,000 square foot Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Orlando will consist of three floors - two above ground and one underground - in order to accommodate the MEVION S250 superconducting synchrocyclotron proton accelerator. MD Anderson Orlando will begin treating patients with proton therapy in early 2014 and expects to treat more than 30 patients a day with the new proton accelerator. The architecture firm is RLF and the contractor is Brasfield & Gorrie.

MD Anderson Orlando joins an elite group of centers around the world to offer proton therapy. To date there are only 41 proton therapy centers in the world, just 10 of those are here in the United States.

For more information about proton therapy, visit our website at www.mdacco.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

Orlando Health Heart Institute doctors give patients new heart valves without open heart surgery

9/24/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 21, 2012) --- A new approach to replacing heart valves is giving new hope to patients once considered ‘too sick’ for surgery. Doctors at the Orlando Health Heart Institute recently began using the first artificial heart valve approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to replace a narrowed heart valve by going through a leg artery instead of a traditional open heart surgery.

The procedure, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), is designed for high-risk patients living with severe chest pain, congestive heart failure (including shortness of breath, fatigue, and edema) and other symptoms of aortic stenosis — an age-related heart disease developed when calcium deposits cause the aortic valve to narrow, forcing the heart to work harder to pump enough blood through the smaller opening.

“TAVR is definitely a game changer,” said Deepak Vivek, MD, interventional cardiologist and director, Orlando Health Heart Institute Heart Valve Center. “These patients previously would have no hope for improvement. They would eventually succumb to their disease and their symptoms would not get better. There are really no medications available that would perform a long lasting benefit. By offering our patients TAVR it significantly improves their symptoms and prolongs their life expectancy.”Prior to TAVR, patients would have little chance for relief from medical symptoms and improvement of quality of life.

“The hope is that we can give patients a valve that will function - making the heart’s workload be dramatically relieved so they can breathe better, stay out of the hospital and spend more time with their family, and with a rehabilitative effort regain some mobility and independence.” said Mark Sand, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and chief of staff, Orlando Health.

The artificial valve, called the Sapien THV and manufactured by Edwards Lifesciences, is made of cow heart tissue and a polyethylene skirt and is supported with a stainless steel mesh frame. The medical team takes a new route to the narrowed heart valve by going through a leg artery instead of a chest incision with traditional open heart surgery.

“To put it in its simplest terms, it is a valve on a stick” said Jeffrey Bott, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and chair, Thoracic Surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center. “We are able to get access to a patient’s bloodstream through their groin and slide a new valve that is on the end of a catheter up into the aortic valve area. Before we deploy the new valve we use a balloon to expand the area. Once we deploy the new valve it is functional instantaneously.”

The new approach combines the expertise of various specialists, comprised of nearly 40 clinicians for each procedure.

“Collaboration on this program is essential and requires a multidisciplinary team,” said Barry Weinstock, interventional cardiologist, Orlando Health Heart Institute. “While the procedure sounds very simple it is actually relatively complex and requires a lot of people’s collaboration both in accessing the patients before ever starting the procedure and during the actual procedure itself.”

The Heart Institute’s Valve Center is part of Orlando Health’s new model of care that puts the patient first by promoting seamless coordination of all aspects of the patient experience, is made up of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, radiologists, anesthesiologists and other clinicians who work together to evaluate options to treat high-risk patients with aortic stenosis.

About Orlando Health

5th Graders Make Special Donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

9/21/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (September 20, 2012) – A special donation by area 5th graders to MD Anderson Orlando proves that everyone can make a difference in the lives of others. When Maddie Shields’ mom was diagnosed with colon cancer she knew she wanted to do something to help her mom in her cancer fight. Maddie and her friends made true on their promise by turning Maddie’s 11th birthday party into a fundraiser for MD Anderson Orlando, where Maddie’s mom, Kristine Vorpagel is undergoing treatment.

Today the group of 5th graders from Lake Eola Charter School presented MD Anderson Orlando with a check for $540 to help others in their cancer fight. The donation comes on the same day as Maddie’s mom completed her final chemotherapy treatment for stage 3 colon cancer and did the traditional ringing of the bell ceremony at the cancer hospital. On hand for today’s donation, ten kids, including Maddie, her twin brother Griffin and her friend Whitney. For Maddie’s mom, Kristine, the donation was a touching reminder of the impact her cancer diagnosis has had on her kids.

So what will $540 buy you may ask? The donation from the 5th graders could help pay for the following:

Transportation for 10 cancer patients to and from the hospital for their appointments
Box lunches for 100 chemotherapy patients
Coffee and cookies in the patient waiting rooms for two months

MD Anderson Orlando Pet Therapy Dog "Conrad" Faces Own Cancer Battle

9/20/2012 12:00:00 AM

Longtime MD Anderson Orlando pet therapy dog, Conrad, who has spent years bringing comfort to cancer patients, has been facing his own battle against Ostersarcoma, a rare nose cancer. Conrad came to MD Anderson Orlando for the traditional ringing of the bell to celebrate the completion of his cancer treatment and to see his MD Anderson Orlando family and our patients. Check out the heartwarming story that ran on FOX 35 about Conrad, his owner and MD Anderson Orlando volunteer Amy Morton and Theresa Ferreri from our Volunteer and Guest Services Department. For more information on joining the Orlando Health Pet Therapy Team or supporting the program please contact: 321-841-1967.

MD Anderson - Orlando Opens New Gynecologic Cancer Center Focused on Clinical and Emotional Fight Against Cancer

9/17/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (September 17, 2012) – As we celebrate Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is opening a unique new facility for one of its busiest clinics focused entirely on women’s health.

The Gynecologic Cancer Center opened its doors at its new location on Miller Street in downtown Orlando, just blocks away from MD Anderson - Orlando. The new facility, four times the size of the previous clinic, will provide additional clinical space for patients and will also offer chemotherapy services and holistic medicine all under one roof.

The Gynecologic Cancer Center, which will treat women’s cancers including ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer, is focused on providing patients with a calm, serene environment so to help manage the emotional toll of battling cancer as well as the physical toll. The Center’s “Timeless Café” supported by the philanthropic group Women Playing for T.I.M.E.® will meet patients as they enter the facility, providing educational materials, free wireless, coffee and healthy snacks. The center complete with eight exam rooms, 10 chemotherapy infusion rooms and a telemedicine conference room will also house support groups and events and will offer acupuncture and therapeutic massage.

This center, previously housed at MD Anderson - Orlando, is led by Dr. Veronica Schimp, Chief of Gynecologic Oncology. Three additional oncologists will be part of the gynecologic cancer team – Arvind Bakrhu, MD, Nathalie McKenzie, MD and Anna Priebe, MD.

“We are thrilled about this new facility and the diverse services it will provide to women who are diagnosed with a form of gynecologic cancer,” said Veronica Schimp, DO, Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, MD Anderson - Orlando. “This has been a personal dream of mine to provide a place for women who are fighting the fight of their lives and I thank our administrators for their support of this project. Cancer is a life changing experience and here at the Gynecologic Cancer Center we are dedicated to help our patients on their cancer journey from diagnosis through a personalized treatment plan to help them manage, fight and survive their disease.”

The Gynecologic Cancer Center is located at 105 W. Miller St., Orlando, Florida, 32806. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 321.841.8393.

Survivor of severe sepsis caused by flesh-eating bacteria shares his story as Orlando Health celebrates first ever World Sepsis Day – September 13, 2012

9/14/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 14, 2012) --- Orlando Health celebrated World Sepsis Day by sharing a patient survival story, and by continuing the educational efforts of its Surviving Sepsis Campaign which began in 2006.

Joel VanderLey, a former patient who survived severe sepsis caused by necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating bacteria), and continues to recover after losing his right leg, shared his story during a videoconference held at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). The event, presented by Orlando Health’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign leadership team, was broadcast to clinicians throughout the organization’s hospitals.

Mr. VanderLey’s story began with what he thought was only the flu and severe leg pain, but turned out to be necrotizing fasciitis and life-threatening severe sepsis, and resulted in the loss of his right leg.During a visit to the emergency department at South Lake Hospital, doctors from ORMC examined him by way of robotic telemedicine and quickly discovered he had a lesion in the leg with suspected necrotizing fasciitis.After early recognition and early treatment intervention at the emergency department, Mr. VanderLey was transported to ORMC via helicopter.

“These steps dramatically increased his chances of survival of sepsis, and minimized the potential rapid spread of necrotizing fasciitis,” said Edgar Jimenez, MD, FCCM, chair, Critical Care Medicine, Orlando Health and member of the organization’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign.

The organization’s World Sepsis Day celebration also included a presentation to medical staff bringing together the latest research and clinical practice recommendations to increase awareness and strengthen tools for early recognition and early treatment intervention to reduce mortality rates.

The first ever World Sepsis Day is an initiative led by the Global Sepsis Alliance – a group of professional and voluntary organizations who have joined together to issue a call to action to bring the tragedy of sepsis mortality to the attention of health policymakers at a national, regional and global level.

About Sepsis

Sepsis occurs when the body has an exaggerated response to an infection (bacteria, fungi or protozoa). While fighting the infection, the body injuries its own tissues and organs. It may lead to shock, loss of limbs, multiple organ system failure and death.
Necrotizing fasciitis is an extremely dangerous infection commonly known as the flesh-eating bacteria.
Sepsis kills 258,000 people in the United States alone each year – one person every 2 minutes, according to the Sepsis Alliance.
The Global Sepsis Alliance reports globally, an estimated 20 to 30 million cases of sepsis occur each year.

“The need for public awareness is critical because many people are not aware of sepsis, or that any type of infection can lead to the potentially deadly condition,” said Edgar Jimenez, MD, FCCM, chair, Critical Care Medicine, Orlando Health. “It is astounding but true that the impact of something invisible can strike anyone, even beginning as a harmless elbow scrape, or a more serious medical condition like pneumonia. When it comes to having a heart attack, we know a quick response is important to save heart muscle. When it comes to having a stroke, we know a rapid response is critical to prevent brain cell loss. The same sense of urgency is true for sepsis, timely care is vital to preserving organs and tissue. We need to recognize and respond to sepsis using the same principle.”

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health’s LiveGreen Program Joins National Healthier Hospitals Initiative

9/5/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (September 4, 2012) – When it comes to energy usage, healthcare organizations are at the top; ranking second in the nation among industries that use the most energy. Orlando Health’s LiveGreen program is committed to changing that with efforts underway to reduce energy use at its Central Florida hospitals and now taking efforts national by registering in the National Healthier Hospitals Initiative.

Recently highlighted by the White House, the Healthier Hospitals Initiative is working to reduce environmental impact and costs by looking at six challenges faced by hospitals around the nation. Through involvement in this program Orlando Health has the opportunity to improve the health of patients, team members and its community through a focus on the following:

Serving healthier foods and beverages
Reducing energy usage
Reducing waste and increasing recycling programs
Using environmentally friendly chemicals
Purchasing environmentally preferable products
Education on environmental health and sustainability

Orlando Health’s LiveGreen program is already making great strides. To date, Orlando Health’s has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at all of its facilities by 4%, the equivalent of taking more than 8000 cars off the road.

Orlando Health hospitals participating in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative include Orlando Regional Medical Center, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, Dr.P. Phillips Hospital, South Seminole Hospital, Health Central and South Lake Hospital.

Orlando Health is familiar with national environmental programs. In 2011, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital was selected as one of 10 hospitals in the country to take part in the Energy Star National Building Competition. Dr. P. Phillips Hospital saw great success in the competition, and changes implemented throughout the hospital led to an annual reduction of nearly a million kilowatt hours, more than 200,000 gallons of water and a 5-10% reduction in energy expenses.

For more information about the Healthier Hospitals Initiative visit healthierhospitals.org.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health Now Providing Cancer Services at Health Central

8/30/2012 12:00:00 AM

Ocoee, FL – August 30, 2012 – Cancer patients living in west Orange County now have more options right in their own backyard when it comes to receiving cancer care. Orlando Health is now offering full-time radiation oncology and medical oncology services at Health Central Hospital located in Ocoee. Services include radiation treatments, infusion treatments and chemotherapy. The new cancer treatment facility, a 16,500 square foot building located across the street from Health Central, also houses a Varian TrueBeam™ medical linear accelerator machine. This is one of only two locations in Central Florida offering this advanced radiation technology which treats breast, lung and prostate cancer patients.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring cancer services right to west Orange County,” said Greg Ohe, President, Health Central Hospital. “We continue to see the number of men and women diagnosed with cancer climbing and by having these services at Health Central, cancer patients can now receive the best care available right in their own neighborhoods.”

The opening of the cancer facility comes following Orlando Health’s acquisition of Health Central this past April. The new cancer facility initially brought 20 new jobs to the area with more jobs expected as its cancer services expand.

City of Longwood presents Key to the City to South Seminole Hospital President

8/23/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 23, 2012) --- The City of Longwood recently presented the Annual Key to the City award to Bob Snyder, president, South Seminole Hospital, in recognition as an outstanding leader with a devoted vision for health care and a passion to serve mankind. The award, unanimously approved by the City Commission, was presented to Snyder during the City Commission Meeting held Monday, August 20, at City Hall in Longwood.

“Receiving the Key to the City Award is an honor and privilege both professionally and personally,” said Snyder. “I share the award with South Seminole Hospital’s 1,100 team members who deliver compassionate care to our community everyday. We appreciate the collaborative relationship with the City of Longwood and the Commission and we look forward to your support as we continue our efforts to provide new, expanded services and patient first care to the community.”

In the accompanying proclamation, Snyder was recognized for his community involvement as a member of the Board of Directors of the Seminole Regional Chamber of Commerce; member of the Board of Directors and Chair-Elect of Community Based Care of Central Florida; and a past-chair of the Board of Directors of Longwood Area Council of the Chamber.

“A positive working relationship with South Seminole Hospital has always been in existence, but has been enhanced with Bob’s leadership,” said Commissioner John C. Maingot, District 1, who nominated Snyder. “Beyond his role as hospital president, he has a willingness and desire to get involved. Whether it is chamber or city initiatives, or other projects, Bob is front and center to help and assist when needed. Nominating him for the Key to the City Award is my way of recognizing him and thanking him for his tremendous personal involvement with our city.”

The proclamation also cited Snyder’s more than 28 years of health care experience including serving as a former board member of the Special Olympics of Lake and Osceola Counties and a former chairman of the board for the Association of Retarded Citizens of Lake County.

Snyder was selected president of the hospital in 2010 after holding previous administrator positions with Orlando Health at Orlando Regional Medical Center and Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. Prior to joining Orlando Health, Snyder served as vice president of Memorial Health Systems in Flagler County; chief operating officer of Florida hospital Watermen in Tavares; and associate executive director of Humana Hospital Kissimmee in Kissimmee.

About South Seminole Hospital

South Seminole Hospital is a 206 bed acute care hospital esteemed for delivering quality acute, medical and behavioral health care. Located in Longwood on State Road 434 the hospital is part of the nationally recognized Orlando Health system, providing access to the most advanced medical and emergency procedures, quality healthcare and a full-range of medical services. South Seminole Hospital also hosts Seminole County’s only emergency transport helicopter for emergency airlift of critical patients. For more information, visit www.southseminolehospital.com.

About Orlando Health

OH Takes Team Building to the Next Level

8/23/2012 12:00:00 AM

Our top priority is offering more proactive, coordinated care focusing on wellness and prevention and one creative outlet which qualifies as both is dragon boating! Recently we invited our community leaders and dragon boat enthusiasts to "get on the boat" with this new and exciting sport. They joined Orlando Health President and CEO Sherrie Sitarik and other Orlando Health administrators at Lake Fairview to try out dragon boating and find out what all the talk is about.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Opens Feeding Difficulties Center

8/9/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 9, 2012) - Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is opening Florida's first outpatient intensive feeding center dedicated to treating children with feeding difficulties.

The new Feeding Difficulties Center will be located on the seventh floor of the hospital and will work with families to treat young patients with a variety of feeding difficulties due to:

Sensory/aversion disorders
Swallowing disorders
Oral-motor problems
Behavior-related food refusal

Children at the Feeding Difficulties Center will be cared for by a multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals, including gastroenterologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, registered dietitians, clinical social workers, and others. The center will treat children up to age 12.

Once referred to the center, patients will be enrolled in a four-week program. Each patient will receive a full day of treatment five days a week. Up to four children can be treated in the center at once.

The Feeding Difficulties Center features four patient observation rooms equipped with video recording/monitoring, a private consultation room, an observation room for parents, and a patient gym designated for sensory integration activities.

"The Feeding Difficulties Center is fulfilling a real need in Central Florida," stated Devendra Mehta, M.D., pediatric gastroenterologist at Arnold Palmer Hospital. "We're seeing many children not physically growing because they are unable to eat. This center is the next step in treating these children and helping them thrive."

Orlando Health Heart Institute replaces heart valves without open-surgery

8/6/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 03, 2012) --- Doctors at the Orlando Health Heart Institute are taking a new route to a patient’s heart valve and giving new hope to patients once considered ‘too sick’ for surgery. The medical team recently began using the first artificial heart valve approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to replace a narrowed heart valve by going through a leg artery instead of a traditional open heart surgery.

“TAVR opens up the possibility of aortic valve replacement to patients previously considered inoperable and may prolong their life and improve their symptoms,” said Deepak Vivek, MD, Director, Orlando Health Heart Institute Heart Valve Center. “For most patients, once symptoms from aortic stenosis develop, death occurs within a couple of years. Having an alternative to save lives and improve the quality of lives is vital to caring for patients with heart disease – which remains the leading cause of death for men and women in our country.”

Current research supports the potential benefits to patients.

“A recent trial (THE PARTNER TRIAL: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valve Trial) demonstrated that TAVR significantly reduces the risk of death and symptoms of congestive heart failure,” said Dr. Vivek.

Prior to TAVR, patients would have little chance for relief from medical symptoms and improvement of quality of life.

“Our goal is to help patients return to their level of functioning prior to developing aortic stenosis,” said Dr. Vivek.

The artificial valve, called the Sapien THV and manufactured by Edwards Lifesciences, is made of cow heart tissue and a polyethylene skirt and is supported with a stainless steel mesh frame. To replace the diseased valve, the artificial valve is delivered through a catheter, inserted through a small cut in the leg. The new valve is released from the catheter, expanded with a balloon and is immediately functional.

“Offering TAVR is a collaborate and innovative approach, bringing together the expertise and experience of our doctors, nurses and other clinicians to provide the best care for our patients,” said Jeffrey Bott, MD, chair, Thoracic Surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center. “The new approach is part of our continued efforts to provide effective alternative treatment options for patients who cannot undergo open heart surgery.”

ORMC Design Star: Redesign & Renovation Sneak Preview

8/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 01, 2012) --- Caregivers at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are “examining” mock-up patient rooms, previewing furniture, placement, layout design and other features to help ensure the best "design prescription" for patient care in the new ORMC patient tower.

The room design also reflects elements based on feedback from patient focus groups, including natural lighting, views, warm environment, visitor comfort and entertainment options.

Additional mock-up areas include a nursing station and clinical documentation stations.

“Having our clinicians tour the rooms and provide feedback beforehand is an important step in the building process,” said Mark Schaefer, administrator, Ancillary Services and Facility Planning. “Team member input early on means we will get it right in all rooms. Otherwise if we are wrong once, we are wrong 190 times.”

The 190+ bed patient tower, a consolidation of inpatient beds to improve efficiency and cost savings, is part of the Redesign and Renovation Project, ORMC’s latest community investment.

The project also includes increasing the size of the Emergency Department. Additional project plans include increasing the size of and renovating existing cardiovascular, surgical, critical care, pharmacy and laboratory areas.

The project is expected to be completed late 2015. The redesign is expected to end in 2014, but the renovations inside ORMC will take another year.

The Redesign and Renovation Project, at an estimated cost of $297 million, represents one of the largest and most significant projects in the organization’s history.

About Orlando Health

Antigravity technology helps patients keep moving after injury

7/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 19, 2012) — Patients are walking on air to recover from muscle sprains, broken bones, balance problems and other orthopedic and neurological conditions. The Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute offers the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, as part of treatment plans for patients. The weight assisted treadmill training system reduces the impact of gravity as low as 20 percent of patients’ body weight, allowing patients to walk and run without pain – while feeling safe and supported.

“This system is cutting edge and is usually reserved for professional sports teams,” said Matthew Hixon, PT, CSCS, physical therapist, Outpatient Rehabilitation Services, Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute. “Having the antigravity treadmill provides more treatment options for our patients.”

The way it works, a patient puts on a special pair of fitted neoprene shorts, steps inside the treadmill’s cockpit – similar to a bubble-like pouch, and is zipped sealed into the system. The antigravity treadmill’s technology system then weighs the patient and uses a formula to calculate how much air is needed to assist the patient. The sealed portion then fills with air based also on the therapist’s settings. From there, the workout to recover begins.

The virtually weightless workout protects healing tissue, prevents muscle loss, encourages range of motion and improves motor control.

Patients are often excited and nervous to try the antigravity treadmill for the first time.

“I tell them they can run or walk and it won’t hurt, but many times they are skeptical – almost like it’s too good to be true,” said Hixon. “After the first time, patients love it. They are so excited they want to stay on for five more minutes.”

Therapists say the antigravity treadmill has become the most used piece of equipment in the rehab gym.

In the course of a day, the antigravity treadmill may be used to help a soccer player recover from a leg sprain, an 80-year-old learn to gain stability after hip replacement surgery, or a car crash survivor learn to walk again.

“Without the antigravity treadmill, we would not be able help patients progress more quickly and without pain,” said Hixon. “There is no substitute for it.”

Other treatment options and techniques take longer because more time is need for pain to subside in order to progress with different physical activities.

The antigravity treadmill alone offers a unique experience with positive outcomes.

“The antigravity treadmill combines the science and art of medicine,” said Hixon. “The science component is the treadmill and related technology, while the art of the experience is how we are able to incorporate it into a person’s life. For example, an athlete or other patient who is very committed to running can feel discouraged after an injury prevents them from doing something that drives them in their daily living. This system allows patients to not only heal quicker, but provides the further psychological benefit of staying active without having pain. It helps patients see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

About Orlando Health

South Seminole Hospital moves ‘nursing station’ inside patient rooms

7/12/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 12, 2012) --- Nurses at South Seminole Hospital are bringing patient care closer to the bedside by moving computer workstations inside each patient room. The computers serve as mini “nursing stations” allowing nurses to keep a closer watch on patients in their rooms while keeping a closer eye on the electronic information they need to provide patient care. The hospital implemented the program in the Progressive Care Unit – a 43 bed unit for patients with critical care needs.

Nurses agree the bedside nursing stations help them provide better care for patients.

“Computers inside patient rooms help us recognize changes sooner and respond to needs sooner,” said Kerry-Ann Farrow, RN, BSN, nursing operations manager, Intensive Care Unit/Progressive Care Unit. “Because electronic records are at our finger tips — medical histories, assessments, doctors’ orders, lab results, images, and lists of medications are readily available when making plan of care decisions.”

Valentina Duque, RN, clinical nurse I, adds, “The computer stations inside the room also make it easier for doctors to access what they need as well.”

Another benefit is the close proximity builds stronger relationships between the clinicians and patients.

“Patients are more involved in their plan of care,” said Duque. “This helps patients have a better understanding of their condition and treatment.”

The increased interaction helps nurses get to know patients and their families better, and leads to improved communication, quality standards and increased patient satisfaction.

Patients have also weighed in with positive responses and often wonder if the computer is for their use to check email or surf the web.

“Once they hear it is for us and why we have it in there room, they love it,” said Duque.

Before the pilot, nurses would chart, give updates to the new shift and access patient information from the traditional nursing station fixed at one end of the unit, move around computers on wheels or carry small sized laptops room to room. Though the portable computers offered benefits, the computers on wheels could be a challenge to push and pull along with other equipment, and the laptops had limitations with screen size and battery power.

“While there are good reasons to have a traditional nursing station and other equipment has helped, we find in the evolution of patient care and putting the needs of patients first, we need to look for ways that allow our nurses to provide patient care more efficiently and effectively,” said Farrow. “In using and evaluating a new approach we have found a way to make difference in patient care.”

In addition to the patient care benefits, the in-room access means fewer steps for nurses, less time waiting for an available computer, less equipment to carry or push and more time to spend with patients. The close proximity also makes it easier to chart while providing care and easier to share updates with nurses during shift changes. The computer also increases access to patient care protocols and corporate policies and procedures.

About Orlando Health

Researchers at MD Anderson Orlando Find Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Reduce Esophageal Tumors

7/2/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (July 2, 2012) – A new study by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando finds that Tolfenamic acid (TA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), commonly used to relieve pain, inflammation and migraines has now been found to reduce esophageal tumors.

The study, led by Pius Maliakal, PhD and Riyaz Basha, PhD, researchers at MD Anderson Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute, found that Tolfenamic acid prevented tumor growth and lessened the size of esophageal tumors in a rat model. Tolfenamic acid has been found to decrease certain proteins that are critical for cancer cell growth and the progression of esophageal tumors.

MD Anderson Orlando researchers are at the forefront of Tolfenamic acid research. It was this same research team that found that Tolfenamic acid inhibits tumor growth in pancreatic cancer. MD Anderson Orlando is poised to begin a new Phase I Clinical Trial for pancreatic cancer patients using Tolfenamic acid in a few months.

Further research will be required before Tolfenamic acid can be used as a safe and effective drug for esophageal cancer prevention. At present, this drug is an approved anti-inflammatory agent in Europe, South America and Asia, but is not yet approved for use in the United States.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

New Study says Dessert for Breakfast May Help You Lose Weight

6/29/2012 12:00:00 AM

MD Anderson Orlando dietitian Dawn Napoli appeared on the Orlando FOX affiliate, FOX 35, to set the record straight on a new study that says dessert for breakfast may help you lose weight and keep it off. “I can’t say you should eat dessert for breakfast,” said Dawn Napoli. “What the study says is that those who had their sweets in the morning were not craving them throughout the day and that’s why they lose weight. But what you have to remember is that you really have to be self conscious of what you’re eating throughout the rest of the day as well. Rather than sweets for breakfast, build your breakfast around lean proteins like egg whites and turkey sausage and healthy carbohydrates such as whole grain bread and oatmeal. Weight loss and maintenance always goes back to how many calories are coming in and how many are you putting out. One sweet a day is not a big deal but you have to count that into your calories. If that puts you over your calorie limit you are going to gain weight.” Read more about this study at: http://bit.ly/MTZ1L5.

MD Anderson Orlando First in Florida to Offer Cancer Patients Radiation Treatment with the TomoHD™ System

6/12/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (June 11, 2012) – Cancer patients now have access to the world’s most advanced radiation treatment system right here in Central Florida. MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando has installed the first TomoHD™ System in Florida.

From left Dr. Robert Staton, PhD, Medical Physicist and Michael Brown, RTT, Chief Radiation Therapist with the first TomoHD™ System now in operation at MD Anderson Orlando.

Unlike traditional radiation therapy devices, the TomoHD System combines fully integrated CT imaging and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) on a CT scanner platform. Each daily treatment includes a 3D image of the patient’s anatomy to ensure highly accurate radiation delivery. This provides clinicians unprecedented confidence that tumors will receive their intended dosage from one day to the next.

A major difference with the TomoHD System is the way that radiation is delivered to the treatment area. The radiation beam is divided into thousands of tiny “beamlets” all aiming at the tumor during multiple 360 degree rotations around the patient. The treatment dose conforms to the tumor and avoids critical organs, which can mean improved outcomes, fewer side effects and a higher quality of life for the patient.

MD Anderson Orlando has a history of being on the cutting edge of TomoTherapy radiation treatment. In 2003, the hospital became the second site in the world to receive the first generation TomoTherapy System (the Hi-Art® System) which helped the center advance the field of radiation therapy delivery worldwide. Since 2003, more than three million treatments have been delivered to nearly 200,000 patients around the world.

“We have continually been a leader in delivering the most accurate and individualized TomoTherapy treatments and we are thrilled to have this state-of-the-art technology available to our patients,” said Mark Roh, MD, President, MD Anderson Orlando. “Our new TomoHD System will not only provide the highest quality of radiation treatment to our patients battling complex cancers it will also be a tool for our oncologists to educate clinicians on best practice TomoTherapy treatment techniques for patients worldwide.”

“We congratulate MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando on the installation of their TomoHD System,” said Omar Dawood, M.D., M.P.H., senior vice president of global medical affairs for Accuray. “The TomoHD System will provide them with the ability to target tumors with extreme accuracy and allow them to create highly individualized treatments for each patient. Their choice to offer this leading-edge technology to their patients affirms the importance of the TomoHD System in supporting their place as a leader in the radiation oncology community with a continued commitment to patient care.”

How the TomoHD™ Treatment System works:

Before each treatment, the patient, lying on the couch, moves through the TomoHD™ machine for a CT scan, called a CTrue image. Images taken verify the shape, size and location of the tumor.
The CTrue image is compared to the original planning CT image (which may have been taken days before). If necessary, adjustments to the plan and patient set-up are made immediately.
The patient then moves through the TomoHD Treatment System again where radiation is delivered in tens of thousands of beamlets in a helical pattern (360°) around the tumor.
Depending on the complexity of the case, each complete treatment procedure takes 10 to 30 minutes.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Doctors turn up the heat to treat severe asthma, help patients breathe easier

6/12/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 12, 2012) — Doctors at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are delivering heat directly to the source to treat patients with severe asthma - a respiratory disease that causes the airways in the lungs to narrow, making it difficult to breathe. Bronchial thermoplasty, an innovative technique that uses radiofrequency, helps patients breathe easier by lessening the severity of asthma attacks and preventing future attacks. ORMC is the first hospital in Central Florida, and currently the only, offering the option for the more than one million across the country struggling with the chronic condition characterized by persistent shortness of breath, emergency room visits, hospitalizations and asthma-related deaths.

Bronchial thermoplasty with the Alair® System, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, treats severe asthma by going to the source. The lungs consist of multiple airway passages that are surrounded by airway smooth muscle. For people with asthma, this airway smooth muscle is more susceptible to triggers and irritants that can cause it to constrict and reduce the amount of air that flows through the lungs.

“Bronchial thermoplasty remodels the airway smooth muscle,” said Mark Vollenweider, MD, MPH, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at ORMC. “Using a small catheter we deliver controlled energy to the airways of the lung to reduce the amount of excessive airway smooth muscle. The reduction decreases the muscle’s ability to constrict the airways, resulting in a decreased occurrence of asthma attacks. It is the constricting or tightening of the muscles that causes breathing problems when someone is having an asthma attack.”

The cycle of treatment, includes three procedures occurring three weeks apart.

“This is a game changer for patients with severe asthma,” said Dr. Vollenweider. “This is the first type of asthma treatment I have seen that changes someone’s life in such a remarkable way with almost no complications and with low long-term risk.”

Patient outcomes have been positive and lives restored, sometimes soon after the first procedure within the treatment cycle.

“Many patients are able to discontinue breathing medications and some are able to stop using steroids,” said Dr. Vollenweider. “This is significant improvement to their health because medications to treat severe asthma often lead to diabetes, osteoporosis, and other medical conditions.”

Research shows the life changing results maybe lasting.

“Ten years of research and seven years of safety data shows the benefits from a complete treatment cycle remain five to seven years later,” said Dr. Vollenweider. “Patients may experience a 32 percent reduction in the number of asthma attacks and a 73 to 84 percent reduction of hospital and emergency department visits.”

A groundbreaking treatment option like bronchial thermoplasty is especially significant given the unknowns of asthma.

“We don’t know exactly why asthma occurs,” said Dr. Vollenweider. “It is believed to be the result of bronchial smooth muscles constricting and/or inflammation of the airways. The unknowns make treatment a challenge. Inhalers, steroids and other medications work well for some, but not so well for others.”

Asthma is considered a serious public health problem, impacting nearly 25 million Americans. The condition is one of the top five chronic diseases globally, along with heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. In patients with severe asthma, traditional treatment methods including inhalers and daily steroid medications do not always prevent frequent and life-threatening asthma attacks. In 2007, asthma resulted in approximately 12.8 million people experiencing asthmas attacks, 1.75 million emergency room visits, 456,000 hospitalizations and 3,447 asthma-related deaths. Severe asthma can adversely impact the quality of life for patients including limiting or impacting their ability to complete daily living tasks, work, and hobbies and enjoy other life enrichments.

About Orlando Health

Arnold Palmer Hospital Named One of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News and World Report

6/5/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (June 5, 2012) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been ranked among America’s best children’s hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s 2012-13 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings.

Arnold Palmer Hospital ranked 27th in orthopedics, 31st in gastroenterology, and 47th in cardiology and heart surgery. It was the only hospital in Central Florida to be included in the rankings.

“It is a tremendous honor to be named one of the best children’s hospitals alongside other great institutions around the country,” stated John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “This accomplishment allows us to stand out from the crowd when families are looking for the very best care for their children.”

For families of sick children, Best Children’s Hospitals provides unparalleled quality-related information in addition to rankings, including survival rates, adequacy of nurse staffing, procedure volume, and much more. Since their 2007 debut, the rankings have put an increasing emphasis on data that directly reflect hospitals’ performance over the opinions of physicians.

This year, U.S. News surveyed 178 pediatric centers to obtain hard data such as availability of key resources and ability to prevent complications and infections. The hospital survey made up 75 percent of the rankings. A separate reputational survey in which 1,500 pediatric specialists—150 in each specialty—were asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty made up the remaining 25 percent.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialtiessuch as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Baker Barrios Architects Donation Keeps Artist Program Alive at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

5/24/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (May 24, 2012) – When cancer patients walk through the doors at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando they embark on life changing experiences as they fight their disease. For many, that experience includes the Artists-in-Residence program, which helps patients use their artistic creativity to meet the challenges of their cancer journey. Thanks to a community partnership and generous donation from Baker Barrios Architects, the Artists-in-Residence Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando will continue to make an impact on our cancer patients. The Artists-in-Residence Program, in partnership with United Arts of Central Florida, involves artists working one-on-one with cancer patients on a variety of art projects, from painting to photography and beyond.

“We have seen this program blossom and grow here at MD Anderson Orlando and we hear over and over again from patients that they never imagined that art would help them heal and fight their cancer, but it does,” said Mark Roh, MD, President, MD Anderson Orlando. “Thanks to this donation from Baker Barrios Architects, and the support of United Arts, our Artists-in-Residence program can continue to have this powerful impact on our patients who are fighting the toughest fight of their lives.”

Orlando Health and MD Anderson Orlando welcome Baker Barrios Architects and United Arts of Central Florida for a tour of the Artists-in-Residence program. From left John Thiesen, Karl Hodges, Jeanne Miller-Clark, Juliana Steele, Monte Olinger, Lisa Gibson, Shanon Larimer, Tyler Kirby, Tim Baker, Carlos Barrios and Andrea Canny.

MD Anderson Orlando’s Artists-in-Residence program includes three artists who work weekly with patients. In their first year in operation artists held more than 950 art “lessons” with cancer patients.

“MD Anderson Orlando is known for providing the highest level of quality, compassionate care and we are honored to support their Artists-in-Residence program,” said Tim Baker, Founding Principal of Baker Barrios Architects. “We share the vision of building stronger, healthier communities through sustainable programs and we take great pride in supporting the creative process as a survivorship tool.”

Started in 2011 in partnership with the United Arts of Central Florida and originally funded by a grant from the LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project, the Artists-in-Residence Program brings artists to the patient’s bedside or, in many cases, chemotherapy chair. Now, with the generosity of Baker Barrios Architects, artists will continue to work side-by-side with patients, helping patients manage and cope with their cancer reality through therapeutic hands-on art projects.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Baker Barrios Architects

Established in 1993, Baker Barrios is a minority-owned, award-winning planning and design firm with a core focus in architecture, interior design and landscape architecture. Baker Barrios leverages its deep resources and diverse expertise to develop design solutions for industries including Commercial, Corporate, Education, Entertainment, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industrial, Mixed-Use and Residential properties. Baker Barrios collaborates with clients to create environments that enhance organizational performance, achieve measurable business goals, and enrich people and communities. Consistently ranked among leading firms, the company’s headquarters was awarded the 2011 “Firm of the Year” by the Orlando Chapter of the American Association of Architects. www.bakerbarrios.com

United Arts of Central Florida

United Arts of Central Florida is a dynamic collaboration of 164 businesses, 8 governments and school districts, 38 foundations, more than 50 arts and cultural organizations, and 3,188 artists and individuals. This partnership works to enhance the quality and variety of cultural experiences available throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Since its inception in 1989, United Arts has invested more than $117 million in local cultural organizations and cultural education. United Arts strengthens the community by connecting you with creative opportunities and experiences. The Arts Matter™ – for our children, for our economy, for our community. For more information please visit UnitedArts.cc, or to perform an act of philanthropy by giving for the arts, visit TheArtsMatter.com.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Opens New Pediatric Outpatient Rehabilitation Center

5/23/2012 12:00:00 AM

The approximately 10,000-square-foot center is located at 925 South Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32806. The new center complies with design standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act and includes a number of unique features to meet the needs of patients from birth up to 21 years of age.

Patients at the new rehabilitation center will have access to two separate waiting rooms, including one for patients requiring low stimulation, three large gyms, a rock-climbing wall, and a wheelchair seating and positioning clinic. It is staffed by a number of specialists, including a pediatric physiatrist, six physical therapists, six occupational therapists, six speech-language pathologists, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and certified translators. Therapists at the new rehab center are certified in serial casting, neuro-developmental treatment, oral-motor treatment, and assistive technology.

"The design and floor plan for this new rehab center were developed with a great deal of input from our doctors and therapists," states John Dimino, manager of pediatric rehabilitation at Arnold Palmer Hospital. "All aspects of the center were developed to meet the specific needs of the community of patients we serve."

Patients and families interested in setting an appointment at the Arnold Palmer Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation Center should call 321-841-6740.

One of the "Best Doctors in America" Takes Over as President at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

5/21/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL -- May 20, 2012 - This week marks a monumental transition at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, where for the first time in its history it welcomes in a new leader, a doctor who just happens to be on the list of "Best Doctors in America". Dr. Mark Roh takes the reigns as MD Anderson Orlando's President on Monday, May 21, taking over for Dr. Clarence Brown who is retiring from his post and taking on a new position with the Orlando Health Foundation. Brown had been at the helm of MD Anderson Orlando for the past 21 years since the facility first opened its doors here in Central Florida. Incoming President Mark Roh is an internationally renowned liver cancer surgeon who has been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1992. Roh has also been named among the top one percent of physicians in the nation by US News & World Report and is on the American Cancer Society's Florida Board of Directors.

Elite High School Track and Field Athletes Prepare to Gather in Orlando

5/15/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla (May 14, 2012) – Memorial Day weekend in Orlando means it’s time for some of the country’s elite high school track and field athletes to gather and compete at the 36th Annual Golden South Classic presented by adidas®.

Athletes and coaches are encouraged to register early for the competition by visiting www.goldensouth.com. The early-bird registration rate of $25 per athlete, which includes participation in an unlimited number of events, expires Monday, May 21. Competition will take place Saturday, May 26 at the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex/Warden Stadium at The First Academy in Orlando. The competition benefits the Pediatric Sports Medicine Program at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

The Golden South Classic is one of the country’s premier post-season high school track and field competitions. It consistently attracts athletes from around the nation and beyond. Since its inception as a local event in 1976, more than 30 former Golden South participants have gone on to become U.S. Olympians.

The event has been named one of three meets in the prestigious adidas® Golden Stripes series, which means winners in the men’s and women’s mile and 100-meter races will be invited to compete in the adidas® Dream Mile and Dream 100, where the top high school milers and sprinters from around the country will gather in New York City this summer for a race to determine the nation’s fastest.

For more information, including athlete commitments, directions, and schedule, please visit: www.goldensouth.com.

Media interested in attending and covering the Golden South Classic on Saturday, May 26 should contact:

Geo Morales
407-484-8533
Geo.morales@orlandohealth.com

Personal Physician to the Dalai Lama Visits MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

5/8/2012 12:00:00 AM

What:	Dr. Barry Kerzin, MD, personal physician to the Dalai Lama toured MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando today as part of a visit to the Central Florida area. Dr. Kerzin is a Western-trained physician who, through an unusal path, became a Buddhist monk and now embodies the union of Eastern and Western traditions of healing. On his tour of MD Anderson Orlando he met with patients and employees and shared his take on the practice of medicine and his experiences working with the Dalai Lama. Dr. Kerzin found his way to India 20 years ago. He continues to practice medicine and moves fluidly between the Western and Eastern traditions.
When:	Monday, May 7 11:30am – 12:30pm
Where:	MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando 1400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32806

Larry the Cable Guy, Orlando Health Open Hip and Orthopedic Institute

5/2/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (May 1, 2012) - Larry the Cable Guy, whose real name is Dan Whitney, was on hand at Orlando Health to open the Wyatt Whitney Hip & Orthopedic Institute.

The Wyatt Whitney Institute, which is named after the comedian's five-year-old son, houses a number of specialists and resources dedicated to the treatment of hip and orthopedic conditions. It will emphasize collaboration between physicians and their teams to provide patients seamless, comprehensive orthopedic care from infancy through adulthood. Patients at the institute will have access to advanced pediatric and adult orthopedic services, sports medicine, physical rehabilitation services, and state-of-the-art imaging, along with research and educational resources to enhance their experience.

Development of the Wyatt Whitney Institute is possible because of the generosity of Larry the Cable Guy. Nearly two years ago, he and his family donated $5 million through the Git-R-Done Foundation to help fund development of the institute.

"We're very appreciative of the generosity and optimism the Whitneys have shown in turning their son's experience with hip dysplasia into an opportunity to help others," states John Bozard, president of Arnold Palmer Medical Center and the Orlando Health Foundation. "Their gift will go a long way towards ensuring that we have the capability to help others do things like walk or run without pain or discomfort."

Wyatt Whitney was born with hip dysplasia, meaning that the bones of the hip joint are not aligned correctly. It's a condition that affects thousands of children and adults each year, and when it was first discovered in Wyatt, very little information about hip dysplasia was available anywhere.

That's when the Whitneys began their search for answers and found Charles Price, MD, of the department of pediatric orthopedics at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and one of the world's leading experts in hip dysplasia.

With help from Dr. Price, Wyatt successfully completed treatment for his hip dysplasia. The gift from the Whitneys allowed Price to work with other hip dysplasia experts around the world to develop the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) as a source of information and guidance to families affected by the condition. IHDI also serves as a resource for medical professionals worldwide. It includes leading orthopedists working to develop better methods of detection, prevention and treatment of hip dysplasia.

In addition to housing IHDI, the Wyatt Whitney Institute is home to Level One Orthopedics, Orlando's premier academic orthopedic center, where world-class orthopedic surgeons will continue their tradition of exemplary patient care, research, and education of the next generation of orthopedic surgeons.

"When we learned Wyatt had hip dysplasia as a baby, it was very difficult to find any good sources of information on his condition and it frustrated us that so little was being done to help kids like him," stated Larry. "We were fortunate to find Dr. Price and get Wyatt the treatment he needed. It also created an opportunity for my wife and me to make a real difference in the lives of other people."

Larry and the Git-R-Done Foundation continue to support Orlando Health with the annual "Git-R-Done Celebrity Golf Classic" held in Orlando. The two-day golf event features Larry and his celebrity friends raising money for The International Hip Dysplasia Institute. This year's event is scheduled for November 4 -5.

To arrange an appointment at the Wyatt Whitney Institute, patients should call 321-843-DOCS.

About the Git R Done Foundation
The Git-R-Done Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established by Larry the Cable Guy and his wife, Cara, as a focal point for the family's philanthropy in 2009. The foundation's mission is to provide assistance to charitable organizations that have experienced hardships beyond their control, with an emphasis on children and veterans. The Git-R-Done Foundation has made numerous donations, including donations to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation for the treatment and cure of hip dysplasia, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital and Operation Homefront. For information or to donate, visit www.gitrdonefoundation.org

About the International Hip Dysplasia Institute
The International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) is a collaborative, international, not-for-profit effort to improve the health and quality of life of those affected by hip dysplasia. Arnold Palmer Medical Center is leading several academic medical centers around the world to promote prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research for hip dysplasia. Another goal is to provide education to patients, families, and physicians as the most comprehensive and reliable resource for knowledge about hip dysplasia in its various forms. This international collaborative effort was made possible by a generous gift from Larry the Cable Guy and his family.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

ORMC Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for Redesign and Renovation Project

4/26/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 26, 2012) --- Today, Orlando Regional Medical Center team members were joined by community leaders and government officials for a groundbreaking ceremony for the hospital’s Redesign and Renovation Project.

The Redesign and Renovation Project, ORMC’s latest community investment, includes constructing a new patient bed tower and increasing the size of the Emergency Department. Additional project plans include increasing the size of and renovating existing cardiovascular, surgical, critical care, pharmacy and laboratory areas.

“Not only are we breaking ground on the Redesign and Renovation Project, we are breaking ground on a new model of care,” said Sherrie Sitarik, president/CEO, Orlando Health. “Beyond the physical construction aspects, the ORMC Redesign and Renovation Project is a part of this transition and is key to changing the way we care for patients.”

The “bricks and mortar” phase of the Redesign and Renovation Project allows the hospital to consolidate services and bring together the people, places, technology and other components necessary to foster the environment needed to truly put patients first.

For example, as part of the new approach to patient care the hospital is bringing together doctors, surgeons and clinical staff to provide advanced diagnostic services, the latest surgical and non-surgical treatment options, comprehensive education and innovative research in a more streamlined and efficient way.

The Redesign and Renovation Project creates a more centralized downtown campus to foster the new patient experience, including greater accessibility to clinical experts, more coordinated and collaborated care, advanced diagnostics and more timely results.

A component of the Redesign and Renovation Project is closing the Lucerne Pavilion and transferring inpatient care to ORMC. This consolidation will result in better service for patients and greatly improve efficiency and cost savings for the organization. The Annex area of the Lucerne Pavilion will remain open. The Annex area includes inpatient rehabilitation services.

The 190+ bed, 10-story tall tower will be 345,000 square feet in size. The Redesign and Renovation Project, at an estimated cost of $297 million, represents one of the largest and most significant projects in the organization’s history.

“The tower itself is not an expansion, rather a consolidation of our inpatient beds,” said Shannon Elswick, president, Adult Hospitals Group. “The consolidation will greatly improve efficiency and cost savings for the organization. The efficiencies and cost savings from no longer operating two facilities represent millions of dollars of potential savings per year. For example, the cost of transporting patients between ORMC and the Lucerne Pavilion is about $2 million per year; eliminating the need is a financial savings to the hospital and an invaluable service enhancement to patients.”

The ORMC Redesign and Renovation Project is one of several recent Orlando Health downtown campus patient care enhancements including the Orlando Health Heart Institute which opened November 2011, a new replacement parking garage that opened December 2010, and a new MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic that opened in March 2009.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health Pet Therapy Program Making a Difference For Our Patients

4/25/2012 12:00:00 AM

The Pet Therapy program at Orlando Health brings hope, healing and a calming presence to our patients via "furry" professionals. Our pet therapy teams consisting of canines and their owners provide our patients, their families and guests with an opportunity to connect with a loving and comforting animal, sometimes right at their bedside. The non-verbal communication between a dog and a patient is something very unique and special. With our certified and trained pet therapy teams, we are able to reach patients during difficult times and in difficult situations. Meet some of our "furry angels" who are making a difference everyday at the hospitals of Orlando Health.

PGA TOUR Golfers Brian Davis, Hunter Mahan Donate Winnings to Arnold Palmer Medical Center

4/17/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FLA (April 16, 2012) – Two more PGA Tour golfers are being added to the list of professional athletes who have made donations to Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

Golfer Brian Davis and his family continued their long-standing support of Arnold Palmer Medical Center today, donating $52,393 – one-quarter of his winnings from the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard – to Arnold Palmer Medical Center in Orlando.

Brian finished the four rounds of March’s PGA TOUR event at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge at 5-under-par, in a tie for 4th place, and collected a $209,571.43 paycheck.

Today, as a thank you to Palmer for Brian's invitation to the tournament, and in support of the hospitals bearing Palmer’s name, Brian delivered one-quarter of that money to Arnold Palmer Medical Center. One-half of the funds will be directed the expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; the other half will support the Hewell Kids’ Kidney Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

“Arnold Palmer Medical Center has been so critical to our family, and has literally saved the lives of my children,” said Davis, whose three children – Oliver, Henry, and Madeleine –have each needed medical service provided by Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “Giving back is a no-brainer for us. Mr. Palmer’s generosity made those hospitals possible, and it’s up to us a members of the community, and especially as professional golfers, to help support Mr. Palmer’s legacy of caring and philanthropy.”

Davis is not alone in his support of the work done at Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

Hunter Mahan, one of Davis’ colleagues on the PGA Tour and currently ranked fifth on the Official World Golf Ranking, designated a $30,000 gift to the NICU in the name of Kieran Foley.

Kieran is the son of Mahan’s coach, Sean Foley, and was born in the summer of 2011 with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, an abnormal opening that can allow abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity. The condition forced the newborn and his family to spend several tense days in the NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital, and then four days into life, Kieran underwent surgery. Doctors corrected the problem in 22 minutes, and he mended for a few more days in the NICU.

Since that time, the Foleys have been grateful supporters of the life-changing work of the medical team at Winnie Palmer Hospital.

Mahan responded by directing The Presidents Cup 2011 charitable donation to the hospital. The contribution is a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from The Presidents Cup 2011 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, in which Mahan participated as a member of the victorious U.S. Team for the third time in his career.

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not personally paid for their participation; instead, each competitor, captain, and captain’s assistant allocates their portion of the proceeds to chosen charitable causes. The NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital was one of five organizations chosen by Mahan.

Orlando Health Unveils New In-Patient Care System

4/16/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (April 16, 2012) – Orlando Health is introducing a new in-patient care system at Orlando Regional Medical Center beginning May 1, 2012. The new model will increase the amount of time hospital-based doctors -- known in the medical profession as ‘hospitalists’-- spend with patients inside the hospital and their families. The new approach is aimed at improving patient care by enhancing the communication and collaboration between hospitalists and patients’ primary care physicians and specialists.

“Doing what is best for our patients is at the heart of the change to our hospitalist program,” said Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “This new delivery model promotes optimal patient care, and it is an essential element in our mission to transform our systems, operations and programs so that everything we do revolves around patients’ needs.”

The program is part of Orlando Health’s patient focused strategy introduced by Mrs. Sitarik in January, 2010. The strategy is a multi-year undertaking aimed at transforming the model of care across the organization. The goal is better integration of clinical care for patients and increased collaboration between medical staff and physicians so that patient care is seamless, more effective and efficient. Orlando Health expects the new approach will improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

With the new model, hospitalists will be responsible for fewer patients. There will be a comprehensive hand off between care providers, including patients transferring from one level of care to another, such as from the intensive care unit to the step-down unit. Hospitalists will be continually on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week allowing patients and families the benefit of improved access and availability as well as enhanced communication and continuity of care. Hospitalists will also be actively involved in quality care processes. A pilot of the new in-patient model launched at Orlando Health’s Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in December, 2010. The program was implemented last fall at South Seminole Hospital. Both programs have received very positive reviews from local physicians who interact with the new hospitalists teams at Orlando Health facilities.

"One of the challenges facing physicians and patients alike in recent years has been the fragmentation and loss of continuity of care between the doctor's office and hospital settings. The new hospitalist program at South Seminole Hospital has significantly improved consistency of care and flow of information for our patients," said Martin Derrow, MD, Chief of Internal Medicine for Physician Associates.

The exclusive arrangement features hospitalists who are all employed by Orlando Health, which has tremendous benefits to patients. As employed physicians, they receive the support and resources that a large organization can provide, thereby freeing them from administrative and operational pressures. This allows physicians to more closely concentrate on patient care.

“This new approach continues to honor the relationship patients have with their primary care physicians and specialists,” said Wayne Jenkins, MD, president Orlando Health Physician Partners and senior vice president, Orlando Health. “Primary care physicians may still personally admit and manage the care of their private patients at Orlando Health hospitals, if they so choose. Orlando Health’s hospitalist program is just another option for primary care physicians that has been shown to be effective in many other markets across the nation.”

Exclusive practice agreements for hospital-based physicians are standard in the healthcare industry. Experience has shown that exclusive hospital-based providers - ranging from anesthesiologists to emergency medicine practices to pathologists – create stronger alignments and better continuity of care within a hospital setting. Orlando Health’s new hospitalist model builds on that experience and goes one step further by ensuring physicians are provided with resources and support to help them deliver exceptional care to patients.

About Orlando Health

Patients’ own stem cells may preserve heart muscle function after a heart attack

4/11/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 11, 2012) --- Stem cells from the pelvic bone may help hearts beat stronger. Doctors and other clinicians at the Orlando Health Heart Institute are researching the use of stem cells from pelvic bone marrow to restore tissue and improve heart function after muscle damage from heart attacks.

“The thought is the body may use itself to heal itself,” said Vijaykumar S. Kasi, MD, PhD, an interventional cardiologist, director, Cardiovascular Research, and principal investigator for the clinical trial at ORMC. “Because stem cells are immature cells they have the potential to develop into new blood vessels and preserve cardiac muscle cells. By infusing certain stem cells into the area of the heart muscle that has been damaged from a heart attack, tissue can be preserved and heart function restored.”

The PreSERVE-AMI Study, sponsored by Amorcyte, LLC, a NeoStem, Inc. company (NYSE Amex: NBS), is for patients who have received a stent to open the blocked artery after a specific heart attack history (in part a ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction, or STEMI, a critical type of heart attack caused by a prolonged period of blocked blood supply, affecting a large area of the heart muscle and causing changes in the blood levels of key chemical markers). The study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of infusing stem cells collected from a patient’s bone marrow into the artery in the heart that may have caused the heart attack. About 160 patients will participate in this national study at approximately 34 sites.

The infusion procedure begins with a catheter inserted through an incision in the groin. An X-ray camera is used to guide doctors in positioning the catheter in the heart artery where the stent was placed. A balloon is inflated within the stent and the infusion takes place in the area impacted by the heart attack. Because the study is randomized, double blinded and placebo controlled, patients are infused with either AMR-001, a cell therapy product comprised of stem cells taken from one’s own bone marrow, or a placebo (inactive substance).

Prior to the infusion, patients are screened using various assessments including an electrocardiogram, a cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance image) and a cardiac nuclear test. After the necessary screenings, patients have a mini-bone marrow procedure where the stem cells are “harvested” (removed) from the bone marrow in their pelvic bone, using a special needle. The stem cells are processed at Progenitor Cell Therapy, another NeoStem, Inc. company, in preparation for infusion. Patients who are randomized to placebo will have their bone marrow frozen and stored and available to them for clinical use, should they require bone marrow for any reason.

“We are excited to participate in innovative clinical trials as part of our continued efforts to play a vital role in future solutions to improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Kasi. “Heart disease remains the No.1 killer of men and women in our country.”

Effective treatment options are part of the medical journey to more heart healthy communities locally and globally.

“Severe heart failure, often the end result of large or multiple heart attacks, is a major health care challenge, impacting more than five million people in the United States and costing more than $35 billion annually,” said Dr. Kasi. “Stem cell therapy is part of the movement from treatment to cure and has the potential to overcome limitations and expenses of heart transplants and offers hope for patients who are desperately praying for another chance at life.”

For more information on the trial please visit www.neostem.com.

About Orlando Health

Arnold Palmer Hospital Reaches Highest Level in Epilepsy Treatment

4/9/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 9, 2012) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been named a Level-4 Epilepsy Center – the highest designation available for the treatment of epilepsy. The designation ismade by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) to evaluate the appropriateness and quality of specialized epilepsy care.

Accordingto NAEC, a fourth-level center should provide the more complex forms of intensive neurodiagnostics monitoring, as well as more extensive medical, neuropsychological, and psychosocial treatment. Fourth-level centers also offer a complete evaluation for epilepsy surgery, including intracranial electrodes, and provide a broad range of surgical procedures for epilepsy.

In treating epilepsy, the Neuroscience Institute at Arnold Palmer Hospital offers patients and families access to an interdisciplinary approach, featuring experienced physicians, surgeons, epileptologists, neuropsychologists, and neuroradiologists. The team provides patients a full spectrum of treatment options for epilepsy, from non-surgical options including ketogenic diet to advanced surgical treatments.

“Effectively treating patients with severe epilepsy and chronic seizures requires an extraordinary amount of resources,” stated Ron Davis, MD, co-medical directorof the epilepsy program at Arnold Palmer Hospital. “Few places around thecountry can offer epilepsy patients the level of care found at Arnold Palmer Hospital. This is a significant achievement for us and our community, andensures our patients can get top-quality treatment right in their backyard.”

ORMC Receives Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI

4/5/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 5, 2012) — Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) recently received full accreditation with PCI from the Society of Chest Pain Centers, for the second time. Commonly known as angioplasty, a PCI, or percutaneous coronary intervention, is the preferred procedure to treat narrowed arteries in the heart during a heart attack. ORMC was the first Level One Trauma Center in Florida to receive this designation.

“Heart attacks remain the leading cause of death in our country, with 600,000 people dying each year, and chest pain is the leading cause of Emergency Department visits across the United States with more than five million visiting hospitals each year for chest pain,” said David Bello, MD, co-medical director, Chest Pain Center at ORMC and ORMC’s medical director of diagnostic cardiology. “Having the expertise, protocols and treatment options allows us to prevent deaths and improve patient outcomes by diagnosing and treating symptoms sooner, and increasing the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.”

The Chest Pain Center’s protocols help reduce the time to treatment, known as “door-to-balloon time,” during the critical early stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective. The specialized approach also allows clinicians to monitor patients when it is not clear whether they are having a heart attack, helping make sure patients are not sent home too early or admitted unnecessarily.

“Our current average door-to-balloon time is 73 minutes, which is within the 90-minute door-to-balloon time recommended by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association,” said Sita Price, DNP, ARNP, FNP-BC, CHFN, Sr. Nurse Practitioner and coordinator, Chest Pain Center. “The accreditation represents collaboration from the time of the dispatch of emergency calls to first responders on the scene and from our emergency department and cath lab, and demonstrates our continued commitment to high standards of cardiac care.”

ORMC’s Chest Pain Center has processes are in place that meet strict criteria aimed at:

Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment
Treating patients more quickly during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved
Monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted to the hospital

With the increase in the number of Chest Pain Centers came the need to establish standards designed to improve the consistency and quality of patient care. The Society’s accreditation process insures centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures in emergency cardiac care.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.8 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central, South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health completes acquisition of Health Central New Board of Directors announced

4/4/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (April 2, 2012) - Orlando Health's acquisition of Health Central is complete. The $181.3 million sale became effective Sunday, April 1, 2012.

The acquisition creates a wholly owned subsidiary named Orlando Health Central, Inc. that will continue to operate the hospital under the Health Central name. A 13-member board of directors consisting of representatives from Orlando Health and west Orange County has been formed to govern the new entity. The board includes 11 voting members and two non-voting members. Board members are:

Kathy Aber, a former member and officer of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees and staff writer for the West Orange Times newspaper
Ann Blakeslee, a former member of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees and Deputy Administrator/Comptroller of the Reedy Creek Improvement District
John Cappleman, MD (non-voting), a former member and officer of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees; Board Certified - Internal Medicine
Becky Cherney, former President/CEO of the Florida Healthcare Coalition
Samuel Davis, Jr., a member of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and General Manager/CEO of the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District
Jamal Hakim, MD, Chief Quality/Transformation Officer, Orlando Health
Steve Harr, Senior Vice President Finance and Physician Services, Orlando Health
Randy June, a former member of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees and President of June Engineering
Carolyn Karraker (non-voting), a former member and officer of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees and adjunct professor at Valencia College
Michael Mercado, MD, a former member of the West Orange Healthcare District Board of Trustees; Board Certified - Family Medicine
Bob Miles, Senior Vice President Strategy/Innovation/Planning, Orlando Health
John Rinehart, a former member and officer of the Health Central Foundation Board of Directors and Vice President, Castle & Cooke Florida, LTD
Sherrie Sitarik, President and CEO, Orlando Health

"This is an exciting time for Orlando Health and the west Orange community," said Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health. "Our acquisition of Health Central will not only make the Orlando Health family stronger, but will enhance the quality and delivery of healthcare across our community."

Health Central will continue to operate much like it has in the past, with its own policies and procedures but it will now be guided by the leadership of Orlando Health. Shannon Elswick, president of Orlando Health's adult hospital group, will serve as Health Central's interim president until a new president is selected to lead the hospital.

The acquisition supports Orlando Health's efforts to change the model of care patients receive at its hospitals and facilities by increasing collaboration among physicians, better integrating clinical activities, enhancing quality outcomes and providing extraordinary care. With the purchase of Health Central, Orlando Health is better able to provide west Orange County residents with convenient access to services in their own community, while expanding the number of key services available. The acquisition also helps ensure the long-term financial strength of both organizations.

West Orange County residents and visitors to the Health Central campus will begin seeing changes that reflect the new ownership this week when several landmark signs will be wrapped with messages welcoming Health Central to the Orlando Health family.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.8 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central, South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is one of Central Florida's largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients' needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center opens location at Orlando Health’s South Seminole Hospital

4/3/2012 12:00:00 AM

Nationally recognized addiction treatment program based at the University of Florida brings new options to Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 4, 2012) — The UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center, a nationally recognized academic and clinical research-driven addiction treatment program, will bring new treatment options to patients in Central Florida with a new location at the Orlando Health Behavioral Specialists practice at South Seminole Hospital. The FRC, based at the University of Florida, is rated by the Annenberg Foundation as one of the nation’s top three addiction programs and training sites.

Beginning in April, the new center, named UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center at Orlando Health, will serve as a destination for the evaluation and treatment of people facing alcohol and drug addiction.

The UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center at Orlando Health bridges the gap in outpatient services for people suffering with an addiction, who are receiving fragmented inpatient and outpatient services, or those who are leaving the Central Florida area to seek addiction treatment elsewhere.

“Addiction is both a national and local public health concern,” said Gilbert T. Tamakloe, MD, medical director, Behavioral Health Services, Orlando Health. “Additional outpatient services for addiction are a great need in our community. Although there are programs available, there are few programs that compare to the comprehensive approach the FRC provides to its patients. We are pleased that the Florida Recovery Center will join our health care organization in meeting our community’s growing needs.”

Orlando Health and UF&Shands look forward to offering the community a partnership in alcohol and drug addiction evaluations, inpatient and outpatient services and addiction intervention and treatment, officials said.

“It is an ideal scenario to bring a new, expert Florida Recovery Center team with special training and skills to Orlando Health, which is a state leader in so many other areas of medicine and surgery,” said Mark S. Gold, M.D., a professor and chairman of the department of psychiatry at UF. “We know from the calls for help that we receive that Orlando is an underserved area. Dr. Scott Teitelbaum, our division chief of addiction medicine, is the president of the Florida Society of Addiction Medicine and we know from his work that board-certified, fellowship-trained addiction physicians are very hard to find in the Orlando area.”

Timothy Huckaby, M.D., addiction medicine specialist, has been appointed as the medical director of the UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center at Orlando Health. He will evaluate patients, consult with physicians and healthcare professionals at South Seminole Hospital and others in the Central Florida community, and oversee an intensive outpatient program (IOP), a three- to six-week program that integrates patients back into their communities, families and work lives.

The IOP also consists of group meetings four nights a week for 12 to 16 weeks. The primary goal of the IOP is to help assist patients in their recovery from addiction and help integrate them back into living healthy lives.

Dr. Huckaby and his clinical team will examine some of the behaviors that have caused the patient to have difficulty in the past, and change those behaviors to establish and maintain a sober support system. The FRC team will provide family, couples and group counseling as well. The goal of the program is to help those in recovery effectively manage the social, spiritual, physical and emotional aspects of life to maintain a lifestyle of recovery.

The FRC team will work the Orlando Health Behavioral Healthcare at South Seminole Hospital (inpatient) and the Orlando Health Behavioral Specialists (outpatient) teams of certified and experienced psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and other clinicians to provide patient care.

Dr. Huckaby is a board-certified anesthesiologist who also has been trained in an addiction medicine fellowship at UF and an obstetric anesthesiology fellowship at Harvard. His experience in pain, pain management, women’s health and iatrogenic addictions will add to FRC at Orlando Health’s suite of treatment options. In addition to addiction services, Dr. Huckaby also will offer pain medicine services through the UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center.

Because the Florida Recovery Center is affiliated with the University of Florida and UF’s McKnight Brain Institute, patients have the benefit of a bench-to-bedside approach to addiction science, receiving treatment based on the latest addiction medicine research.

The UF&Shands Florida Recovery Center at Orlando Health is part of an ongoing collaboration of health initiatives between Orlando Health and UF&Shands, making care more accessible to millions of patients over a 20-county region. The alliance was formed in 2010 as a result of a longstanding history of close working relationships.

In addition to the recent addiction medicine initiative, the organizations have formed or will begin several joint clinical programs in areas including pediatrics, neuroscience, oncology, women’s health, transplantation and cardiovascular medicine.

For additional information about the Florida Recovery Center at Orlando Health, contact 855.265.4FRC(4372), or visit FloridaRecoveryCenter.UFandShands.org.

Winnie Palmer Hospital Announces Expansion of Neonatal ICU

3/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (March 19, 2012) – Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is announcing plans to expand its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The $13 million expansion will add 30 beds to the unit, making it the largest NICU in the United States.

“Our NICU is one of the busiest in the country and we have to keep looking for ways to meet the needs of the families who turn to us for the care of their babies,” states Kathy Swanson, president of Winnie Palmer Hospital. “This expansion allows us to continue to provide the world-class care our NICU is known for, and it represents exactly what Arnold Palmer said to us when he visited our NICU nearly 30 years ago – ‘we can do better.’”

The current NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital, named the Alexander Center for Neonatology in honor of neonatology pioneer Gregor Alexander, M.D., holds 112 beds. More than 1,600 babies are admitted into the NICU annually. It is equipped to provide the highest-level of care for high-risk newborns, including babies born prematurely or with congenital heart disease, infections, and various other conditions. Once the expansion is complete, the NICU will hold 142 beds.

David Auerbach, M.D., director of the NICU, says there is a real need for this expansion in order to continue providing advanced care for these miracle babies. “The incidence of premature birth has gone up all over the country, including here in Central Florida. The 30 beds we’ll be adding to the NICU allow us to effectively meet the growing demand we’ve seen in this community.”

The current NICU exists on the third floor of Winnie Palmer Hospital. The expansion will take place on the eleventh floor of the hospital, which was originally shelled in anticipation of future expansion needs. Completion of the expansion is expected in 2014.

Virtual reality training for residents keeps patients safe in real life

3/14/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla. (March 14, 2012) --- From a distance it may look like a group of friends playing the latest interactive video games, but it’s actually a group of residents at Orlando Health using virtual reality technology to learn to perform lifesaving surgical techniques and diagnostic procedures. The virtual learning environment at the Medical Simulation Lab enhances quality, efficiency and safety in patient care.

“This is a new era,” said Jay Falk, MD, FCCM, FACEP, chief academic medical officer Orlando Health. “The old methodology of teaching, ‘See one, do one, teach one,’ is disappearing. We now teach skills on realistic, complex simulators first. Once residents have successfully demonstrated specific skills by physically performing a procedure in the simulation lab, they move to the bedside. This improves quality, is safer for patients and enhances the trainee’s experience.”

Advanced simulation systems were recently added to the Graduate Medical Education’s lab for training in surgical and diagnostic procedures including knee and shoulder arthroscopy; endoscopy, colonoscopy and bronchoscopy procedures; ultrasound assessment of thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities; general and gynecological laparoscopic surgeries.

For example, with the gastro-intestinal/bronchoscopy simulator, a resident stands in front of a box that resembles the shape of a torso. Multiple medical tools are used and guided through “torso” openings as residents watch monitors during endoscopic procedure, as they would use to navigate in a real life surgical setting.

Research behind medical simulation shows the benefits of this type of training.

“Studies have shown the skills learned in virtual reality training experiences translate to the clinical environment with a reduction in errors and an increase in efficiency,” said Eileen Bowe, RN, BSN, MBA, program manager for the Simulation Lab. “In addition, the objective criteria used during the simulated procedures are based on best practices and evidence based medicine, which makes the virtual experience reflect reality.”

The new virtual reality simulators will be integrated into the existing curriculum which includes medical training mannequins known as high fidelity manikins or human patient simulators. Training manikins include Trauma Man and Trauma Child for training in emergency procedures including chest tube insertions and percutaneous tracheotomies.

“The training manikins are very helpful in allowing training but do not provide experience in surgical and complex procedures,” said Bowe. “For example, manikins and residents are behind a one way mirror. Microphones and control equipment allow the manikin to speak as a patient and answer questions. Symptoms can be changed by the attending physician (trainer) as the resident continues the examination.”

To further enhance the learning experiences, cameras and audiovisual equipment inside the lab captures the simulation experiences to assist in debriefing residents.

Simulation has become one of the cornerstones of training, ensuring residents gain hands on experience in a safe environment in order to provide the best care for patients.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health to replace heart valves without surgery

3/12/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 12, 2012) --- Doctors at the Orlando Health Heart Institute have found a new pathway to a patient’s heart valve. In May, cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons will begin using the first artificial heart valve approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to replace a narrowed heart valve going through a leg artery instead of a traditional open heart surgery.

The new device and procedure is an option for some patients with aortic valve stenosis – an age-related heart disease caused when calcium deposits cause the aortic valve to narrow. The narrowing forces the heart to work harder to pump enough blood through the smaller opening, leading to heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, heart attack and other heart problems.

“For most patients, once symptoms from aortic stenosis develop, death occurs within a couple of years,” said Deepak Vivek, MD, director, Orlando Health Heart Institute Heart Valve Center. “Open heart surgery is too risky for some patients. Having an alternative to save lives and improve the quality of lives is a vital to caring for patients with heart disease – which remains the leading cause of death for men and women in our country.”

The artificial valve, called the Sapien THV and manufactured by Edwards Lifesciences, is made of cow heart tissue and a polyethylene skirt and is supported with a stainless steel mesh frame. To replace the diseased valve, the artificial valve is delivered through a catheter, inserted through a small cut in the leg. The new valve is released from the catheter, expanded with a balloon and is immediately functional.

“Offering patients this innovative new device through a less invasive approach is part of our ongoing efforts to provide effective treatment options to patients who cannot undergo a traditional open heart surgery to replace a valve,” said Arnold Einhorn, MD, Co-Medical Director, Orlando Health Heart Institute. “This artificial valve may also be an answer for those patients.”

The Heart Institute’s Valve Center is part of our new model of care that puts the patient first by promoting seamless coordination of all aspects of the patient experience, is made up of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, radiologists, anesthesiologists and other clinicians who work together to evaluate options to treat high-risk patients with aortic stenosis.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Recognized in Kilowatt Crackdown Challenge

2/28/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – February 28, 2012 – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital has been recognized in the Kilowatt Crackdown Challenge by the Central Florida Energy Efficiency Alliance (CFEEA). The hospital, an Energy Star partner, saved more than 950,000 kilowatt hours last year by retrofitting the lighting systems in its parking garages and implementing lighting changes in the main hospital building. This green initiative has meant a 5-10% reduction in energy expense for the hospital.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital was among seven companies recognized by the CFEEA that combined contributed to a reduction of 26,414 metric tons of CO2 greenhouse gas emission in Central Florida. The CFEEA was established in July 2009 to provide a unified voice for professional and trade organizations, local government, academia, and utilities that are committed to research, education and implementation of environmentally and socially responsible energy and building management practices that conserve energy and natural resources. CFEEA sponsors challenges, events, training, workshops, awards, and free resources to help businesses and government entities in Central Florida save money and become more sustainable.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, part of the nationally recognized Orlando Health system, is a complete medical and surgical facility serving southwest Orange County. With 237 acute care beds, Dr. Phillips Hospital offers specialized programs including cardiovascular surgery, laparoscopic surgery, emergency medicine and an accredited Chest Pain Center. Dr. Phillips serves residents and visitors to Orlando’s sprawling tourist complex, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. For more information, visit www.drphillipshospital.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Selected as Local Charity for Saks Fifth Avenue Charitable Program

1/31/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (January 30, 2012) –Saks Fifth Avenue has announced that MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is one of the local recipients to benefit from a new charitable program giving dollars back to the Central Florida community. This February, Saks Fifth Avenue will give 5% of all registered purchases made with a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card back to charity.

Customers, shopping at the Saks Fifth Avenue at the Florida Mall, may select which local charity from Saks Fifth Avenue roster they wish to allocate their 5% contribution, among them MD Anderson – Orlando. Registration is one simple step at point of sale linking the customer account with their chosen charity.

MD Anderson – Orlando and Saks Fifth Avenue have partnered before. Last fall, local male celebrities hit the runway for Real Men Wear Pink, a showcase in support for breast cancer awareness and the latest in men’s fall fashion trends. Presented by Saks Fifth Avenue at the Florida Mall, the event benefitted Women Playing For T.I.M.E®. and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and brought in thousands of dollars to support cancer care.

In addition to MD Anderson – Orlando, Saks Fifth Avenue at The Florida Mall has partnered with the following charities from February 1 to 29, 2012: A Gift For Teaching, The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, Habitat For Humanity of Winter Park–Maitland, and The Mennello Museum of American Art.

Store hours for Saks Fifth Avenue at The Florida Mall are Monday through Saturday, 10 to 9, and Sunday, noon to 6.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

ORMC’s bariatric program, medical director earns Center of Excellence designation

1/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 19, 2012) --- The Weight Loss (Bariatric) Program at Orlando Regional Medical Center was recently designated as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence® by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Muhammad Jawad, MD, the program’s medical director, was also named an ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designee.

“The designation reflects the demonstrated expertise and experience of our staff to provide patients with a program marked by high quality care, good outcomes and safety,” said Dr. Jawad.

Established in 2004, the center of excellence program, administered by Surgical Review Corporation, was developed to advance the safety, efficacy and efficiency of bariatric and metabolic surgical care. The center of excellence program uses objective requirements and evaluation processes verified through a rigorous site inspection. Requirements for bariatric programs based in hospitals include: institutional commitment to excellence, surgical experience and volumes, responsive critical care support, appropriate equipment and instruments, patient support groups and long-term patient follow-up.

With its experienced clinicians – surgeons, nurses, dietitians, behavioral specialists and program coordinator – ORMC supports patients before surgery through recovery and after discharge.

ORMC’s program offers Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding (LAP-BAND® Surgery) to help patients improve their health beyond weight loss to curing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and polycystic ovary syndrome. The program also offers revision surgeries.

The center of excellence designation also improves access for patients as the program is now formally recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which enables reimbursement from government and private health insurers.To learn more about the program or to register for a free information session, visit myormc.com/weightloss or call 321.8HEALTH.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)

The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world. It is a nonprofit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of morbid obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for morbidly obese patients. For more information on the ASMBS, visit www.asmbs.org.

About Surgical Review Corporation

Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) is an independent, nonprofit organization governed by industry stakeholders and dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy and efficiency of surgical care worldwide. Initially focused on bariatric and metabolic surgery, SRC has emerged as a leading administrator of center of excellence programs for surgical specialties. The organization manages programs on behalf of top medical societies around the world, setting a global standard for excellence. To support center of excellence program compliance and quality improvement in patient care, SRC developed BOLD, a longitudinal outcomes database. BOLD is now the world’s largest repository of clinical patient data for the bariatric surgery specialty. For more information, visit www.surgicalreview.org.

Nation’s Prescription Drug Problem Hits Local Emergency Departments

1/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 18, 2012) --- Emergency physicians at Florida Hospital and Orlando Health are responding to patients seeking pain medications, but not necessarily with a prescription. The area’s two largest health care organizations are prescribing a dose of empowerment, education and encouragement. A new Chronic Pain Management Plan empowers patients to take responsibility in the safe use of pain management treatments, educates patients about the dangers of misuse, abuse and addiction, and encourages patients to seek the best setting to care for chronic pain management conditions.

“The prescription drug problem is a local and national public health concern,” said Josef Thundiyil, MD, Orlando Health. “Emergency departments are treating more and more patients with prescription drug abuse related injuries and seeing more deaths. Deaths related to prescription drug use in Florida have even surpassed deaths from other common killers including motor vehicle crashes. Related injuries are on the rise also.”

Added to the challenge, some attempt to use Emergency Departments as an alternative method to pain clinics to obtain medications or prescriptions for pain medications. In addition, others visit Emergency Departments to seek treatment for chronic non-malignant pain.

The recent spike in patients comes on the heels of tougher laws and legislation to reduce the number of pain clinics and limit prescribing, and more aggressive policing by law enforcement agencies which has led to an increase in arrests and seized medications.

“We support initiatives to prevent abuse, addiction, diversion, injuries and deaths from prescription medications. We have seen the impact on emergency departments which has included more patients and increased use of resources,” said David Goldman, DO, Florida Hospital. “Both hospital teams met and asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to continue to ensure appropriate medical care for those in need, offer assistance to those in need?’ We developed a plan that helps empower patients to take responsibility in pain management, educate them about the dangers of abuse, and encourage treatment in the proper clinical setting.”

The policy includes guidelines for clinicians in considering treatment to ensure appropriate care, and encourages and involves more discussion among doctors and patients about pain care. The policy also includes various referral options for pain care (primary care physicians or behavioral modification programs) and includes pain medication signage inside emergency departments.

What the policy does not do is withhold pain medication from patients with medical needs.

“As emergency physicians, we understand that pain is real when someone is hurt or needs emergency care,” said Dr. Thundiyil. “We know the importance of appropriately alleviating pain for traumatic injuries and acute illness. We have done so for years and will continue to do so. However, a different approach is needed when some patients visit the emergency department for medical conditions that require long term pain management.”

Chronic pain medication is best managed between patients and their primary care physicians rather than emergency physicians who are unable to establish the long term relationship needed to appropriately treat and manage recurring pain and prevent life threatening side effects. Because sporadic, episodic care of chronic pain management may lead to worse outcomes – poorer control of pain, more side effects of medication, and increased potential for addiction, substance abuse, and community diversion – proper pain management is the best solution for the best outcomes. Referring these patients to community resources is vital to this plan.

“That physician referral to the appropriate resources is so important,” said Stacy Seikel, MD, Medical Director for the Center for Drug Free Living. “If people leave the hospital and don’t know where to turn for help, their addiction will just continue. That is why we are standing by Florida Hospital and Orlando Health and this shift in their emergency room approach. We stand ready to make sure any substance abuser in Central Florida can receive treatment.”

The organizations hope those who need help will take advantage of referrals to behavioral modification programs, and that the policy sends a strong message to and eliminates the number of those only seeking prescription medication for non-medical reasons.

“I applaud Florida Hospital and Orlando Health for taking the initiative to tackle this issue head on,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “If we are going to put a stop to the prescription drug epidemic in our community we must combat it from all angles. Getting the hospital emergency rooms and their physicians involved is an important part of making progress.”

Helping patients better manage pain helps patients get the care they need where they need it and helps in the management of the community’s Emergency Departments.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Moves Pancreatic Cancer Research Forward with Grant from The Shirley E. Noland Foundation

1/17/2012 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – January 16, 2012 – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando has received a generous donation to help in the fight against pancreatic cancer. A $75,000 grant, funded by the Shirley E. Noland Foundation, will support the Pancreatic Cancer Translational Research Project at MD Anderson – Orlando. The project will take the latest research findings to develop new treatment programs for patients with pancreatic cancer. The project will focus on testing tolfenamic acid (a drug commonly used in Europe to treat migraine headaches), to inhibit the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells and improve the chance of surviving this type of cancer. Last year the Shirley E. Noland Foundation funded preclinical research at MD Anderson – Orlando for a Phase 1 Clinical Trial for pancreatic cancer using tolfenamic acid.

“We are truly grateful to move our pancreatic cancer program forward with the continued support of the Shirley E. Noland Foundation,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “Treating pancreatic cancer poses unique challenges because so often by the time this type of cancer is detected, it has already spread. These dollars will help us fight this type of cancer by opening new doors for our researchers and oncologists as they work to beat this disease. Ultimately, this donation will save lives.“

The Pancreatic Cancer Translational Research Project at MD Anderson – Orlando is a collaboration between physicians at MD Anderson – Orlando and scientists at the Cancer Research Institute, the research arm of MD Anderson – Orlando. The project is led by Riyaz Basha, PhD, Debashish Bose, MD, PhD and Omar Kayaleh, MD. Dr. Basha will be presenting his research related to pancreatic cancer at the 4th International Conference on Drug Discovery & Therapy in Dubai, UAE in February. Dr. Bose started the Pancreas Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in 2010.

It is estimated that 44,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and more than 37,000 will die of the disease. Because of its location in the body, pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect and has often spread by the time a person has symptoms. At present there are no robust screening tests available for pancreatic cancer. Approximately 2 out of 10 people with pancreatic cancer will live at least one year after their cancer is found. Fewer than 4% will be alive after five years.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Lung Cancer Screening Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Can Save Lives

1/13/2012 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (January 12, 2012) – A MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando pilot screening program is helping to diagnose lung cancer in patients early and is saving lives. MD Anderson Orlando was the first in Central Florida to launch the pilot screening program which targets those most at risk for lung cancer, smokers and former smokers, in the hopes of catching any sign of cancer early, and improving survival rates.

MD Anderson – Orlando is offering the CT scans at a discounted rate of $375. CT Scans usually run around $1500. Studies show that CT scans can detect cancer earlier than X-rays and cut lung cancer deaths by 20%. To be eligible for this pilot screening program you must be over the age of 50 and have smoked one pack a day for 20 years or more.

MD Anderson – Orlando oncologists estimate that 25% of those screened may need further study and 4% will need treatment for lung cancer.

The pilot program is based on a study by the National Lung Screening Trial that showed that CT screenings detect lung cancer early and succeeded in cutting lung cancer deaths by 20%. The results from this landmark study have now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, bringing additional attention to the fight against lung cancer.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer in the U.S. Over 18,000 Floridians are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer this year. Each year over 222,000 people nationwide will be diagnosed with lung cancer and approximately 157,000 will die from the disease.

Read more about this study at The New England Journal of Medicine.
More information about the National Lung Screening Trial.

Call 321-843-7020 for more information or to schedule your appointment today.

American Heart Association names Orlando Health a Start! Fit-Friendly Company

12/22/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 21, 2011) --- Orlando Health was recently recognized as a Platinum-Level Start! Fit-Friendly Company by the American Heart Association’s Start! initiative for helping employees eat better and move more. Orlando Health is one of only 215 platinum level Fit-Friendly Companies in the entire nation.

“Our team member wellness program, Healthy U, is an important priority for our organization,” said Lee O’Donnell, corporate manager, Lifestyle Medicine. “We are creating an environment that supports and influences healthy living among team members and the community through various programs, initiatives and resources. We are honored and excited to be recognized by the American Heart Association.”

Platinum-level employers are cited for: offering employees physical activity options in the workplace, increasing healthy eating options at the worksite, promoting a wellness culture in the workplace, implementing at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture, and demonstrating measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.

Healthy U was established to provide information about health promotion and disease management programs, products, plans and services at Orlando Health that impact the health and well being of team members and their dependents. Healthy U initiatives also include health fairs with free dance/fitness sampler sessions, healthy food tastings/samplings and Healthy U Minutes (movement to music activity) in meetings.

“We enjoyed learning about all the wonderful activities that your company sponsors to support and encourage the American Heart Association’s mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke,” said Luanne Lumpkins, metro vice president, American Heart Association. “The simple and fun measures that you take such as, color coding your salad bar to help people make wiser choices, having Farmer’s Markets travel to your different hospital sites and holding flash mobs in the cafeterias, all pave the way for a healthier community.”

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

ORMC Announces Redesign and Renovation Project

12/21/2011 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: See attached artist’s renderings.

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 22, 2011) --- ‘Twas the weeks after pre-construction projects began and all thro’ the downtown campus everyone was stirring, what’s the excitement about? A bulldozer was parked in a recently cleared lot with care, in hopes that a new patient bed tower would soon be there. The team members were nestled all snug in their offices, while visions of a new Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) danced in their heads.

The Orlando Health Board of Directors recently approved plans for the ORMC Redesign and Renovation. ORMC’s latest project to the community includes constructing a new patient bed tower, increasing the size of the Emergency Department and constructing a proton radiation therapy building. The plans represent one of the largest redesign and renovation projects in the history of the organization. A key component of the project is closing the Lucerne Pavilion and transferring inpatient care to ORMC. The Annex area of the Lucerne Pavilion will remain open. The Annex area includes inpatient rehabilitation services. This consolidation will result in better service for patients and greatly improve efficiency and cost savings for the organization.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held in 2012.

“We are delighted to officially announce our redesign and renovation plans and we are excited about what it means for health care in Central Florida,” Linda Chapin, chairman, Board of Directors. “The project allows us to meet the growing needs of our communities, strengthening our mission to improve the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve.”

ORMC will soon begin breaking ground to build a new patient bed tower that will be 10 stories tall and feature a new entrance to the hospital, and double the size of the current Emergency Department.”

“With the ORMC Redesign and Renovation Project, Orlando Health is reinvesting in the community by providing upgraded health care facilities, health care services, and easier campus access for patients, guests and employees” said Shannon Elswick, senior vice president, president, Adult Hospitals Group. “In essence, we are making our delivery of care better for the community, which has relied on us for almost 100 years.”

The 190+ bed patient bed tower will be 345,000 square feet in size. Additional project plans include increasing the size of and renovating existing emergency medicine, cardiovascular, surgical, critical care, pharmacy and laboratory areas at ORMC and oncology areas at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando.

“As we continue during the next three to four years, there will be road closures and detours to the downtown campus,” said Mark Schaefer, administrator, Ancillary Services and Facility Planning. “Along with the dust may come a little disruption and temporary changes. We are working to minimize inconvenience for our patients, guests and team members as we work to bring the community the health care services it needs.”

The ORMC Redesign and Renovation Project is one of several recent Orlando Health downtown campus patient care enhancements including a new replacement parking garage that opened last December, a new M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic that opened in March 2009, an addition of 10,000 square feet of renovated office space in August 2009 to manage M.D. Anderson – Orlando’s growing patient volume and a new medical office building, a new parking garage that opened in the spring of 2008, and the Orlando Health Heart Institute which opened in late November.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health opens new Heart Institute

12/19/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla. (December 7, 2011) --- Orlando Health is starting something new in patient care for the community. The organization’s newest medical facility, named the Orlando Health Heart Institute, has opened. As part of a new approach to patient care the institute brings together doctors surgeons and clinical staff to provide advanced diagnostic services, the latest surgical and non-surgical treatment options, comprehensive education and innovative research.

“The Heart Institute reflects Orlando Health’s vision of creating a new model of care,” says Sherrie Sitarik, president and CEO, Orlando Health. “While the Heart Institute will be integrated throughout Orlando Health’s seven hospitals, many of the services will be provided in the new facility designed around patients and their needs.”

The new patient experience includes greater accessibility to clinical experts, more coordinated and collaborated care, advanced diagnostics and more timely results in a centralized downtown campus location.

Inside the Orlando Health Heart Institute patients will find Mid-Florida Cardiology Specialists and Orlando Heart Center, now affiliates of Orlando Health, Orlando Health Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, The Heart Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital, vascular surgery practices, advanced imaging and an accredited cardiac rehabilitation program.

While the heart of the institute is cardiac care, with 150,000 square feet of space, the new building will provide a new model of care for patients in other clinical areas and services as well. The medical facility includes Level I Orthopedics, Outpatient Rehabilitation, specialty multidisciplinary clinics, including diabetes, Pharmacy, Guest Services, Patient Financial Services and other services.

Cardiac Rehabilitation was the first department to move into the new building. During the next couple of months various services and departments will be transferred to the new building, located on the downtown campus, at 1222 South Orange Avenue – across from MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

ORMC Construction Update: Changes to ORMC entrance, Emergency Department traffic

12/19/2011 12:00:00 AM

What:	Changes to hospital entrance at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), directional traffic for Emergency Department and other key areas.
When:	Beginning the week of December 12, 2011.
Changes:	Directional signage on campus will help patients, visitors and guests navigate during the changes.
	Maps with road closures and detours will be available at www.orlandohealth.com. Select the yellow construction icon with the text “Enhancing Access. Advancing Health. Building Community.”
	Where to park: Parking for patients, visitors and guests of ORMC, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) and the Orlando Health Heart Institute is located at the new Patient and Visitor Parking Garage (Kuhl Avenue and Underwood Street).
	Where to drop off patients: Drop off area for patients and visitors is located at the loop outside MD Anderson – Orlando.
	Where to enter ORMC: The primary entrance into ORMC will move, and will be located at the side entrance of MD Anderson – Orlando. To access this entrance when leaving the Patient and Visitor Parking Garage walk in front of the ACC, and turn right onto the walkway between the ACC and MD Anderson - Orlando.
	Where to pick up patients: Patient pick up will be located at loop outside the former ORMC front entrance (Kuhl Avenue and Copeland Street). To access the patient pick up area, take Copeland Street east until it ends into the loop outside the ORMC front entrance. Note the ORMC Discharge Loop will close (on Kuhl Avenue, near Underwood Street) and will no longer be accessible. The ORMC Discharge Center inside will remain open.
	Where to valet: Valet for ORMC, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and the ACC is located at the loop in front of MD Anderson – Orlando.
	How to access the ORMC Emergency Department: Sturtevant Street in front of the Emergency Department will become one way. Access to the Emergency Department will continue to be from Orange Avenue. To exit the Emergency Department, patients and visitors will need to drive west on Sturtevant Street, turn left (south) onto Kuhl Avenue, then turn left (east) onto Miller Street. Valet parking will still be available at the ORMC Emergency Department.
About the Enabling Projects:	Enabling projects, such as underground utility work and other ancillary work that must be completed in preparation for the planned ORMC Redesign and Renovation Project. The planned project is to consolidate clinical services at ORMC and lay the foundation for future development surrounding the hospital. The changes are part of an overall plan that will make it easier for patients to find, access, and receive healthcare at Orlando Health’s downtown campus.
Patient Care:	Patient care - inpatient, outpatient or emergency medicine/trauma care will continue throughout the enabling projects.
Media Contact:	Sabrina Childress, Media Relations Manager Orlando Regional Medical Center Phone: 321.841.8748, Mobile: 407.765.728 Email: sabrina.childress@orlandohealth.com

How Can Thanksgiving Dinner Prevent Cancer?

11/21/2011 12:00:00 AM

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Nicole Santapola (Health Education & Cancer Prevention) and Dawn Napoli, RD, LD/N appeared on FOX 35’s Good Day Orlando morning show to discuss ingredients to add to Thanksgiving dinner to make it healthier and help prevent certain types of cancer.

We can prevent 1/3 of the top three cancers – BREAST, LUNG and COLON just by eating SMART and what better time to start than now as we gear up for the holiday feeding frenzy. MD Anderson – Orlando has launched a Roving Food Cart program to help people figure out exactly what they need to eat MORE OF that include cancer fighting nutrients and vitamins.

What we can add to our Thanksgiving shopping list to help prevent cancer.
- Cranberries and blueberries
- Flaxseed
- Cruciferous vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Red Cabbage, Spinach, Radishes)
- Sweet potatoes
- Whole grains

How do these items actually help prevent cancer and what types of cancers do they prevent?
Cranberries
- 1 serving (1 c raw) provides 10% of daily recommended amount of VITAMIN C and FIBER
- Lowers risk of COLORECTAL, ESOPHAGEAL, MOUTH, PHARYNX, LARYNX, LUNG and STOMACH cancers
- Have antioxidant phytochemicals (flavanoids)
- For Thanksgiving: Mix with oranges, apples, pears for a cranberry chutney over turkey. Add to brown rice, bulgar, barley, quinoa or whole wheat stuffing. Mix in for a trail mix as a snack. Add to baked apples, apple crisp, or apple pie.
Blueberries
- Excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, manganese, fiber, high in antioxidant power
- For Thanksgiving: Add to salad, muffins, fruit crumble or trail mix.
Flaxseed
- Lowers risk of COLORECTAL cancer
- Excellent source of magnesium, manganese, thiamin, selenium, protein, omega-3
- For Thanksgiving: Sprinkle on salads or green bean casserole. Include in baked items and mashed potatoes.
Cruciferous Vegetables
- Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Cauliflower, Spinach, Radishes
- Excellent source of FOLATE,VITAMIN C, VITAMIN K, POTASSIUM, FIBER, MANGANESE
- Reduces risk of COLORECTAL, MOUTH, PHARYNX, LARYNX, ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH and PANCREATIC CANCER
- For Thanksgiving: Roast or bake turnips, parsnips, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower. Dip raw in hummus or spread with peanut butter. Make a spinach salad or broccoli/cauliflower casserole.
Whole Grains
- Whole wheat breads, rolls, pasta, cereals, oatmeal, wild rice, corn, tabbouleh, tortilla chips
- Rich in FIBER, VITAMINS, PHYTOCHEMICALS
- Reduces rick of COLORECTAL CANCER
- For Thanksgiving: Whole wheat stuffing, brown or wild rice pilaf, whole wheat rolls
Sweet Potatoes
- Rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin A
- Reduces risk of LUNG, SKIN and PROSTATE CANCER
- For Thanksgiving: Bake or boil than mash with a small amount of butter or oil. Sneak into cookies or other baked goods. Use in sweet potato fries, pancakes, casserole, soup.

Sample Thanksgiving dishes:
- Quinoa/Cranberry Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Cookies
- Hummus and Cruciferous Veggie Appetizer
- Kickin’ Cancer Trail Mix

Upcoming MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Class:
Wednesday December 14: Healthy Happy Holidays
Come celebrate the season with colorful holiday foods that are both nutritious and delicious! Incorporate plant based foods into your holiday meals that help build immunity, prevent cancer and keep you healthy! Learn how to avoid overeating due to holiday stress. Food demonstration and sampling.

12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.
MD Anderson Orlando
RSVP to Orlandohealth.com/classes
321.8HEALTH

Cancer Kickin’ Thanksgiving Dishes

11/21/2011 12:00:00 AM

Quinoa Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

1 c Quinoa, rinsed
2 c Turkey, Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 ½ C Celery, chopped
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 c Chopped Pecan Pieces
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
1 Tbs Rubbed Sage
1 Tbs Emeril’s Original Essence
4 oz Dried Cranberries

Cook Quinoa according to manufacturer directions, using broth in place of water. In a separate pan (I prefer to use my stir-fry pan for this), sauté celery and onion in olive oil until onion is glossy but not caramelized. Add pecans and warm thru. Remove from heat. Add cooked Quinoa, lemon juice, rubbed sage, Emeril’s Original Essence and dried cranberries. Serve warm. Makes 4-6 servings.

Cancer Kickin’ Trail Mix

Pecans
Walnuts
Soynuts
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Peanuts
Dried Cranberries
Dried Blueberries
Raisins
Mini dark chocolate chips

Sweet Potato Cookies

2/3 cup sweet potato puree
2 TBSP ground flax seed
1/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup spelt flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*F. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sweet potato puree, ground flax seed and almond milk. Add in the remaining wet ingredients and mix well (oil, syrup, and vanilla). Sift in spelt flour, ww pastry flour, spices, soda, and salt and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in the oats, pecans and dried cranberries.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop cookie dough and drop on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave 2? of space between each cookie. Press down the scoops to form a flat patty. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden brown.

Makes ~20 cookies

Note: You can substitute pumpkin puree for the sweet potato. Be sure to add more sweetener to make up for the substitution.

Lite Hummus Dip

1 can (15 oz.) chick peas, rinsed and drained
1-2 cloves finely minced garlic (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. sesame tahini
6-8 Tbsp. reduced sodium vegetable broth or water
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot pepper sauce (optional)
Paprika

Instructions
In blender or food processor, place peas, garlic, tahini, broth or water, lemon juice and oil. Blend on high speed until mixture is smooth. Add salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste, if desired. Pour mixture into serving bowl. Dust lightly with paprika. Serve with cut-up raw vegetables and pita bread. Makes 1 1/4 cups

Nutritional Information
Per 2 tablespoons: 50 calories, 2 g fat (<1 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate,2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 195 mg sodium.

American Institute for Cancer Research

Device sands away plaque, may prevent heart attacks

11/17/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 16, 2011) --- Drilling through concrete to create an opening may sound more like construction than medicine, but the approach is similar to what researchers at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are doing in a clinical trial to evaluate a device that breaks through hardened coronary arteries, in an effort to prevent heart attacks and relieve chest pain.

The study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of the Diamondback 360? orbital technology which uses a tiny, orbiting diamond-coated crown to gently sand away calcified plaque and restore blood flow.

“This device is the next generation in the removal of this type of severe calcification in coronary arteries,” said Barry Weinstock, MD, an interventional cardiologist at ORMC’s Cath Lab and principal investigator for the clinical trial at ORMC. “During the last 20 years, technology has continued to improve with balloon angioplasty, and stents to keep arteries open, but the technology to treat calcified plaque in the arteries has not kept up as much.”

The Diamondback’s diamond-coated crown orbits in the coronary arteries with speeds varying from 80,000 to 120,000 times per minute, breaking up the plaque along the way into microscopic particles which are digested and excreted.

"The result is similar to what happens when a tablespoon of sugar is dropped into boiling water, it disappears," said Dr. Weinstock.

The procedure begins with a catheter inserted through an incision in the groin. Dye is injected to visualize the coronary arteries. A fine wire, the size of a strand of hair, is inserted into the artery through the catheter. The Diamondback catheter slides along the wire like a train on a track. Once the device removes the calcified plaque, a stent is typically placed to further open the artery and to minimize the chance of the artery re-clogging in the future.

Using orbital technology may mean better outcomes for patients.

“This new approach may be an effective, minimally invasive alternative for many patients who would otherwise require open-heart surgery," said Dr. Weinstock. “Recovery from open heart or bypass surgery can take as long as a week or longer. Using the orbital device, most patients are back home the day after the procedure and at work the next day.”

Severely hardened coronary arteries, a type of atherosclerosis, can restrict blood flow causing chest pain and other symptoms such as shortness of breath.

“More concerning, the plaque can rupture causing a blood clot which can trigger a heart attack,” said Dr. Weinstock.

Because the condition develops over time, mild atherosclerosis may not have symptoms. Once an artery is more severely clogged and blood flow is more severely restricted, common symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack, including chest pain.

“Risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of early heart disease, and smoking,” said Dr. Weinstock. “Patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes as well as more elderly patients are more likely to have severely calcified plaque that may need to be treated with a device such as the Diamondback 360.”

ORMC currently uses orbital technology to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a build-up of plaque in the leg arteries that can lead to severe and debilitating leg pain or even amputation. The device already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat PAD, is an alternative for surgery or amputation.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Paddlers from Orlando Health Raise Valuable Funds for MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Women Playing For T.I.M.E.®

11/16/2011 12:00:00 AM

Thousands of spectators turned out for the 4th Annual Walgreens Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival at Downtown Disney, which helped raise valuable dollars for MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Women Playing For T.I.M.E.® The event brought out more than 1,500 paddlers from around the country and locally. Orlando Health physicians and team members comprised 10 of the 70 teams that participated. The City of Orlando also formed a dragon boat team. City employees and Mayor Buddy Dyer presented MD Anderson – Orlando with a check for $30,000 from their team’s participation. The event helped to promote health and wellness in the community and breast cancer awareness. The festival included a ceremony to honor breast cancer survivors and remember those who lost their fight.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Is First to Receive New FDA-Approved X-ray Imaging Technology

10/27/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (October 27, 2011) - Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is the first hospital in the United States to receive innovative new x-ray imaging technology that decreases radiation exposure to young patients and produces high-quality images. The system, manufactured by Siemens, is called Luminos Agile and received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in June 2011.

A key feature on the Luminos Agile system is a large flat-panel detector that enables physicians to examine an image that is up to 117 percent larger than images generated by older technology. A larger image allows physicians to examine a wider area of the anatomy without repositioning the patient - reducing scan times and radiation dose.

Luminos Agile delivers a package of features designed to increase patient comfort and enhance efficiency in the exam room. It offers the flexibility of a table that adjusts height from 25 inches to 44 inches to easily accommodate children and patients with mobility challenges. The adjustable table also has a weight capacity of 600 pounds and a 24-inch wide opening to provide easy access for bariatric and immobile patients. It is the first to combine these features with an operator console positioned directly on the system and not in another room, which improves patient experience and operating convenience for the staff.

"X-ray imaging technology is very important to the treatment we provide for so many of our young patients, especially those here for our cardiology, gastroenterology, and orthopedic services," states Susan Smith, M.D., Chair, Department of Radiology at Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "This system has the advanced features we need to provide our patients the highest-quality care in the safest possible environment."

Keeping radiation exposure to a minimum is critical when it comes to diagnostic imaging, particularly for children, who are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of ionizing radiation. The Luminos Agile system is the third in a trio of systems Arnold Palmer Hospital is investing in to offer patients the most advanced radiology services while remaining focused on low-dose radiation options. The first was a state-of-the-art Siemens nuclear medicine gamma camera that the hospital installed in 2008 to fulfill a need for intense imaging capabilities. In 2009, the hospital further established itself as a leader in low-dose radiation imaging by becoming the first worldwide to install the Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash CT Scanner, a system that delivers the fastest speed and lowest radiation of any CT on the market.

ORMC Construction Update

10/17/2011 12:00:00 AM

WHAT:	Intersection and access to hospital entrance changes at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC).

ABOUT THE ENABLING PROJECTS:	Enabling projects, such as underground utility work and other ancillary work that must be completed in preparation for the planned ORMC expansion and renovation. The planned expansion and renovation effort is to consolidate clinical services at ORMC and lay the foundation for future development surrounding the hospital. The changes are part of an overall plan that will make it easier for patients to find, access, and receive healthcare at Orlando Health’s downtown campus.

PATIENT CARE:	Patient care - inpatient, outpatient or emergency medicine/trauma care will continue throughout the enabling projects.

WHEN:	Monday, October 17, through Friday, November 11 (estimated end date).

CHANGES:	The intersection at Kuhl Avenue and Copeland Drive will be closed. This is the area immediately in front of ORMC used for patient drop off/pick up and valet. Patient drop off/pick up and valet will move to the discharge loop – located close by also on Kuhl Avenue, near Underwood Street. The front entrance will be open and accessible to pedestrian traffic only. Patients, visitors, courier/delivery personnel and other guests may use a covered walkway from the discharge loop to continue to use ORMC’s main entrance Patient Parking Deck A will be open. Parking Deck A, located on Copeland Drive is accessible by taking Sligh Boulevard to Copeland Drive. Parking Deck C, located at Underwood Street and Kuhl Avenue, is also available. Directional signage on campus will help patients and guests navigate during the changes.

MEDIA CONTACT:	Sabrina Childress, Media Relations Manager Orlando Regional Medical Center Phone: 321.841.8748, Mobile: 407.765.728 Email: sabrina.childress@orlandohealth.com

Orlando Health Board of Directors Appoints Two New Members

10/13/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (October 13, 2011) - Orlando Health today announced the appointment of Walt Disney World executive Brian Besanceney and Broad and Cassel Chairman, C. David Brown, II, to its Board of Directors.

"We are delighted to have Brian and David join us as directors of the Orlando Health organization," said Board Chairman Linda Chapin. "As members of the Board, their experience and commitment to the community will provide valuable insight as we continue efforts to move Orlando Health forward as a leading provider of quality health care and a major contributor to the financial health of Central Florida."

Brian Besanceney is senior vice president of Walt Disney World Public Affairs and Worldwide Government and Industry Relations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. He oversees media relations, internal communications, executive communications and community relations for Walt Disney World Resort, as well as government and industry relations for the company's worldwide vacation and travel businesses.

C. David Brown, II, is chairman of the statewide law firm Broad and Cassel. His professional career has focused on domestic and international corporate, government and real estate transactions.

Mr. Besanceney and Mr. Brown are the newest members of the Orlando Health Board of Directors which includes Mrs. Chapin, Lennard Greenbaum, MD; Jamal Hakim, MD; Joshua High, Kathy Johnson, Marilyn M. King, Harvey Kobrin, Rex V. McPherson, II; Dianna Morgan, Mark Sand, MD; Ray Sandhagen, Conrad Santiago, Sherrie Sitarik, Orlando Health president/CEO; Sanford C. Shugart, Ph.D. and Craig Ustler. Orlando Health's Board has fiduciary responsibility for the success of the organization -- both the quality of care and financial viability. Board members work toward fulfillment of the mission and goals of Orlando Health by participating, deliberating, and making decisions that are in the best interest of the organization.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Orlando Health, Mr. Besanceney is a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce International Business Committee. Prior to joining Disney, Mr. Besanceney served as deputy chief of staff to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the U.S. Department of State. Previously, he also served as assistant secretary of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as deputy White House communications director and special assistant to President George W. Bush. A graduate of The Ohio State University, he currently resides in Winter Park, Fl., with his wife and two children.

Mr. Brown serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the University of Florida. He is an active member of the Florida Council of 100 serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Mr. Brown also serves on the Board of Directors for CVS/Caremark and is a member of their Executive Committee. He also serves on Rayonier's (RYN) Board of Directors and is currently a member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation and Management Development Committee.

The Florida native earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Accounting and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Florida. He has two daughters and resides in Windermere, Fl. with his wife, Wanda.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is Central Florida's fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

New test helps identify Parkinson’s disease

10/5/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 5, 2011) --- A new test is giving doctors and patients a clearer picture of Parkinson’s disease, and Parkinson’s syndrome. Nuclear medicine specialists at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are now using DaTscan – the first Food and Drug Administration-approved imaging agent to help diagnose patients with suspected Parkinsonian syndromes, such as Parkinson’s disease — a neurodegenerative disorder that afflicts nearly 1.5 million Americans, with an additional 50,000 to 60,000 new cases identified each year. ORMC is the first hospital in Central Florida certified to perform the test.

“With a more timely diagnosis we can manage the disease earlier, which leads to better outcomes for patients,” said Mary Hart MD, nuclear medicine chair, ORMC.

DaTscan, by GE Healthcare, is performed by injecting a tiny dose of a radioactive tracer, followed by a painless imaging procedure called SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), to search for dopamine transporters (DaT). Dopamine, a brain chemical responsible for movement control diminishes in patients with Parkinson’s disease causing tremor, slowness of movement, muscle stiffness and balance problems. The tracer binds to the dopamine transporters and the scan produces images that provide visual evidence of the presence of dopamine transporters. The entire procedure requires three to four hours.

“A normal image resembles two large commas or crescents in the brain,” said Dr. Hart. “Because dopamine levels drop in patients with Parkinson’s disease and other Parkinsonian syndromes, one or both of the normal crescents is not visible or may appear more like a period or oval.”

While a diagnosis of Parkinson’s syndromes presents a challenge, the confirmation of the correct diagnosis can make a difference in treatment and progression of the disease.

“DaTscan studies show upwards of 90 percent accuracy in diagnosing early, mid and late stages of Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Hart. “When presented with more reliable diagnostic data from the DaTscan, studies show that the treating physician alters his choice of treatment more than 40 percent of the time. This evidence based affect on clinical management is important because it shows that the procedure leads to more appropriate treatment for improved outcomes.”

More definitive testing may avoid or end years of expensive testing for a conclusive diagnosis, which can be delayed for as many as six years. Clinical examinations, particularly early in the disease when symptoms are slight, can be inconclusive or misleading. Incorrectly labeling Parkinson’s syndromes as an unrelated movement disorder, such as essential tremor, can delay effective treatment.

“‘Knowledge is power,’ especially in the case of medical conditions,” said Dr. Hart. “This test helps patients and their families face, and overcome the fears and frustrations inherent with uncertain diagnoses. If we can confirm that a patient does not have Parkinson’s disease, or Parkinson’s syndromes, it is a big relief. Confirmation of Parkinson’s disease is just as critical to know because it helps the patient and family members plan for the future.”

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health and Physician Associates Sign Affiliation Agreement

9/30/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (September 30, 2011) - Orlando Health and Physician Associates have signed an affiliation agreement that will improve patients' access to primary care physicians, enhance the quality of care they receive, and better coordinate care between the in-patient and out-patient setting. The non-exclusive agreement became official July 1, 2011.

Through the affiliation agreement, efforts are currently underway to implement programs to address the four most costly chronic diseases facing Americans and Central Floridians: diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients who suffer from these ailments will be part of a joint initiative between Orlando Health and Physician Associates designed to better manage their symptoms to avoid episodic hospital visits.

"The role of the primary care physician is immensely important in providing healthcare that helps keep patients healthy," said Jennifer Endicott, vice president, clinical integration, Orlando Health Physician Partners. "This affiliation agreement makes it possible for us to work more closely with Physician Associates, as well as our own primary care practices, to provide timely and seamless care to patients."

This new agreement also encourages primary care practices to become accredited as patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). A PCMH is especially helpful to patients who might require additional services such as those provided by social workers or dieticians in order to maintain their health. This could include patients who are elderly, suffer from chronic disease, or reside in strained social situations.

"As we move toward becoming a patient-centered medical home, physicians and hospital must work more closely together," said Erik Walker, M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Physician Associates. "Our goal through this new affiliation is to broaden patients' access to primary care, enhance care coordination and patient satisfaction, and ultimately, improve our patients' health."

Furthermore, the agreement lays the foundation for development or modification of shared processes that will deliver higher quality, lower cost healthcare. These processes include a shared IT platform, shared medical data, establishing a primary care advisory board, and integrating the work performed by the organizations' hospitalists.

"Ultimately," added Endicott, "this agreement is about trying to keep patients healthy and when they must come into the hospital, reconnecting the care they receive as an Orlando Health patient with the care they receive from the specialists and primary care physicians at Physician Associates."

The affiliation agreement does not alter the status of Orlando Health, its primary care practices, or Physician Associates.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

About Physician Associates
Based in Orlando, Physician Associates is a private practice group of 37 family medicine physicians, seven internal medicine physicians, 23 pediatricians, 15 obstetric/gynecologists, two orthopaedic surgeons, two podiatrists, five hospitalists and one pediatric gastroenterologist, serving the health needs of infants, children, adults and seniors at 19 locations throughout Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties. Physician Associates' mission is to provide patients with the highest quality medical services within an atmosphere of genuine care. The group's goal is to promote health through patient-focused services and a commitment to patient and doctor relationships. To schedule an appointment or for more information, visit www.paof.com.

Orlando Health supports efforts to battle community’s leading health threat

9/28/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 26, 2011) --- More than 2,035 Orlando Health team walkers took steps to improve the community’s heart health on September 17 when they participated in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, held at Loch Haven Park. Orlando Health ranked second overall as a top fundraising company, contributing more than $151,000 to fight heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of Americans. Orlando Regional Medical Center's Patty’s Heroes team ranked fifth among all teams, raising $11,286 with 47 participants.

“Heart disease and stroke are our nation’s leading killers and impact our local community as well,” said Shannon Elswick, senior vice president and president, adult hospitals group, Orlando Health and executive champion for Heart Walk. “Joining the American Heart Association and others in the community was an opportunity for us to educate the community about the diseases and prevention and raise funds for research and programs.”

In addition to the walk, teams participated in various fun and effective activities to reach the organization’s goal. Some of the unique fundraising activities included a GIGANTIC Garage Sale which raised more than $5,000; a dunk tank with executive leaders; a talent show; and heart healthy bake sales. Some teams incorporated fitness by performing a number of pushups or cart wheels based on donations.

Together Orlando Health teams joined more than 100 area businesses and other participants to help Central Florida’s largest community walk set another campaign record — raising funds that met the $1.2 million goal.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health launches Scripts To Go

9/27/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 27, 2011) --- Clinicians are asking Orlando Health patients a new question before discharge — “Would you like your medications before leaving?” Scripts To Go is a new patient prescription program available at the organization’s downtown campus that offers bedside delivery for patients’ medications before being released from their hospital stays.

“Taking care of patients after they are discharged is just as important as caring for them when they are in the hospital and is critical to improving their quality of life,” said Ben Kelly, RPh, MBA, pharmacist and director for Orlando Health downtown outpatient pharmacies.

When patients remain healthy after discharge they are less likely to return to hospital emergency departments for the same reasons as their initial visits.

“Research has indicated the two major reasons for hospital readmissions are lack of medications and lack of follow up appointments with doctors,” said Kelly. “Scripts To Go is an initiative to help ensure patients have the medications needed to stay well and decrease readmissions for the same conditions.”

With Scripts To Go, patients can start their medications as soon as they arrive home without interruption of care and with no need to stop at the pharmacy. The program was developed in response to patients’ needs.

“As a pharmacist it’s not uncommon to receive calls from patients once they were home and realized their community pharmacy would have to order their medications or they discovered prior authorization was needed or there were other challenges with filling prescriptions,” said Kelly. “Using Scripts To Go can identify challenges like needed prior authorization or higher unexpected co-payments. In turn we are able to offer solutions to patients – a hospitalist can more immediately provide the authorization needed or we can refer patients to internal or external prescriptions assistance program.”

Scripts To Go is a very simple process for patients. Patients are able to inform the pre-registration nurse or the admitting staff or before discharge they are able to inform their nurse, case manager or doctor they would like to use the service. The caregiver forwards the prescription along with insurance information to the pharmacy. The medication is delivered to the patient room or patients (or family members) have the option to pick it up before they leave the hospital.

In addition to prescription medications, Scripts To Go offers a selection of products including: over-the-counter medications, nutritional products, diabetes supplies, rehabilitation products, blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, wound care, and ostomy supplies.

Currently the program is offered seven days a week, (Mondays - Fridays, 8:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), at Orlando Regional Medical Center, Arnold Palmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital. Pharmacy staff works directly with health care providers to process insurances and co-payments.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Rock Pink® Donation Brings Unique Benefits to Cancer Patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

9/26/2011 12:00:00 AM

MEDIA CONTACT

Rock Pink
David Sackett
407.864.7861
mohawk@rockpink.com

ORLANDO, FL. (September 26, 2011) - Rock Pink, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to raise breast health awareness and support local breast cancer charities, has donated Apple iPads to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando to serve cancer patients undergoing treatment. The donations are part of Rock Pink's music and humanity initiative.

The 10 Apple iPads donated by Rock Pink will provide patients at MD Anderson - Orlando the opportunity to watch television and movies, stream live music, play games, read books, and surf the Web all in the hopes of offering a positive distraction during chemotherapy, radiation, and other difficult cancer treatment sessions. Rock Pink Roster Bands megaphone, Traverser, and Tina Nicole Band, amongst others, donated their albums for the music and humanity project and will be featured on the iPads.

"Given the commitment of MD Anderson - Orlando to do everything possible to provide the highest level of quality and compassionate care to cancer patients," said Mark Hollamon, Rock Pink Founder, "a partnership with Rock Pink was a natural fit. We look forward to giving more in the future and intend to be a long-time supporter of MD Anderson - Orlando."

"We are very appreciative of Rock Pink's donation of this technology which will certainly benefit our patients undergoing cancer treatment," said Clarence Brown, III, MD, President and CEO, MD Anderson - Orlando. "We know that the fight to beat cancer depends upon patients maintaining a strong positive attitude. The entertainment that these iPads will provide will certainly bring many smiles to the brave faces of cancer patients who walk through our doors."

MD Anderson Orlando patient Jose Guzman, undergoing chemotherapy,
helps pass the time by enjoying games and music on an iPad donated by Rock Pink.

About Rock Pink
Rock Pink is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is on a mission to bring music and humanity together center stage while raising breast health awareness and supporting local breast cancer programs. Organizations like Libby's Legacy, the Young Survival Coalition, Florida Hospital's Eden Spa, and MD Anderson - Orlando are among those who have received financial and volunteer support from Rock Pink. Rock Pink has reached out to hundreds of thousands of Central Floridians, spreading the message "Get to Know Your Breasts" through musical events, social gatherings and partnerships with local organizations and media. Rock Pink is a volunteer organization; no salaries or benefits are received by any member of the Board or volunteers. For more info: RockPink.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked M. D. Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando's Chief Announces Retirement

9/22/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - September 22, 2011 -After more than 36 years of service to the Central Florida medical community, Clarence H. "Buck" Brown III, M.D., will retire as President and CEO of MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando at the end of 2012. Dr. Brown has been at the helm as the leader of MD Anderson - Orlando since the facility opened its doors to the public twenty years ago becoming the first outreach program of the world famous MD Anderson in Houston and bringing internationally renowned cancer care to Central Floridians.

Under Dr. Brown's leadership and guidance MD Anderson - Orlando has provided cancer care and hope to more than 75,000 patients and continues to grow using the most advanced cancer fighting technology and treatments to beat the disease. Now, twenty years later, the cancer center has grown to more than 50 full-time employed and 14 contracted physicians on staff and more than 420 employees. In addition, the number of new patients each year has doubled with approximately 5,000 new patients visiting the cancer center each year.

"We are so appreciative of Dr. Brown's commitment to this community and his many contributions to Orlando Health and MD Anderson - Orlando over the years," said Sherrie Sitarik, President and CEO, Orlando Health. "We wish him all the best as he embarks on this next phase of his life and his exciting new role with the Orlando Health Foundation."

Following his retirement as President and CEO of MD Anderson - Orlando, Dr. Brown will move into a new role with Orlando Health as President Emeritus of MD Anderson - Orlando and Vice President of Development, Orlando Health Foundation. In his new role, Dr. Brown will join the foundation's development team and continue to support Orlando Health's oncology programs.

Editor's Note: Dr. Brown's complete biography is available upon request.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bedcommunity-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

VHA Recognizes Orlando Health for Successes in Transition Services

9/16/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 15, 2011) --- Orlando Health has been recognized as a health care leader in Transition Services by VHA Inc. a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations working together to improve clinical and economic performance. The organization’s model will serve as roadmap to others as part of VHA’s Leading Practice Blueprints™ that capture and explain leading health care practices in a visual format that includes clinical, engineering, social science and design components.

Orlando Health’s Transition Services manages the coordination of continued care after a patient’s hospital discharge. Key components include: Visiting Nurse Association, the home health division, and Orlando Health Housecalls, a home-based physician practice as well as several other innovative programs.

“We are honored to be recognized among the best practices in health care,” said David Sylvester, Vice President, Post Acute and Transition Services for Orlando Health. “Our successes reflect years of collaborative efforts of clinicians, social workers, other committed team members and leadership to put patients first, and ensure safe and effective discharge planning for the continued health and wellness of our patients.”

The hospital’s Transition Services include several programs to improve health outcomes and efficiency of care, reduce the cost of health care services, reduce preventable hospitalization and reduce hospital-readmissions. Programs include Telemedicine Heart Failure Monitoring Technology (an in-home service) that alerts nurses to changes in vital signs so appropriate steps can be taken; Medication at Bedside Pre-discharge Delivery Service; Spiritual Care Home Volunteers; and Social Work Field Unit.

VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. In 2010, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.7 billion to members. Formed in 1977, VHA serves nearly 1,350 not-for-profit hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide, coordinating delivery of its programs and services through its 16 regional offices.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Paddles Up! Orlando Health Gets On Board With Dragon Boating

9/9/2011 12:00:00 AM

Dragon boating is the fastest growing water sport in North America, and for the second year in a row Orlando Health is proud to bring this sport to its employees and to the community. What is the fun all about? Hear directly from Orlando Health executives, physicians, nurses and employees about why they have fallen in love with this team sport and how you can get involved. The 4th Annual Walgreens Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival is October 15 at Downtown Disney. Proceeds benefit MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando through Women Playing For T.I.M.E. (Technology, Immediate diagnosis, Mammography, Education).

For more information log on to www.wpft.org or contact
Lynda Canatay, Orlando Health Foundation,
321-841-2272
Lynda.canatay@orlandohealth.com

Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute uses theme park ride-like technology to improve balance, prevent falls

8/29/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 29, 2011) --- It may feel like an amusement park ride, but it’s really innovative technology to restore balance in patients and keep them on their feet. Physical therapists at Orlando Health are using SMART EquiTest® — a system that provides an objective assessment of balance control and stability along with training exercises to treat patients after a stroke, traumatic brain injury, total knee or hip replacement and other medical conditions. The technology can also identify patients at risk for falls.

The EquiTest uses interactive technology inside equipment that looks similar to an oversized phone booth. The walls, which shift forward and backward, have a mural type design of the sky, clouds and mountains. The floor, which moves in various directions, has a special platform embedded.

“Balance problems are common – approximately 90 million Americans suffer from imbalance and dizziness over their lifetime,” said Marissa Conrad, MS, PT, physical therapist, Rehabilitation Institute. “The EquiTest challenges, tests and treats a patient’s balance impairments in novel ways. The system uses technology that assesses a patient’s fall risk and overall balance control to help therapists gain a better understanding of balance deficits and pinpoint specific problem areas in a way not possible before.”

For example, a patient may be asked to stand as steadily as possible on the platform. The platform has sensors that measure how well the patient is able to maintain their balance as the walls move around them and the platform moves under their feet.

The series of tests quickly help measure how well a patient maintains their balance under different conditions similar to everyday living activities such as reaching for a glass from a cabinet, placing a book on a top shelf or walking at night.

Balance has three components: the ability to sense your feet, legs, arms and know where your body is in space; vision – what you see; and the vestibular system including your inner ear and brain.

Tests may be performed with eyes open and with eyes closed and patients are supported by a safety harness throughout the testing. Patients perform tasks which are measured and compared to age and gender related norms. Results isolate different components used for balance, helping therapists focus on problem areas in the development of individual treatment plans. The evaluation also provides a baseline for retesting to track progress with balance.

“In addition to testing, this system provides treatment programs which can challenge a patient’s balance to strengthen muscles, promote improved motor control as well as vestibular functioning; all which contribute to decreased fall risk and improved mobility,” said Conrad. “The training is performed with the specific impairments and functional limitations identified in the initial testing in mind to help develop more efficient treatment programs and a faster recovery time.”

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health creates new position focused on quality

8/29/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (August 24, 2011) - Orlando Health has created a new executive level position focused on enhancing quality healthcare to patients. Jamal Hakim, M.D. has been appointed to the new position of Chief Quality/Transformation M.D. In this new role, Dr. Hakim will report to Sherrie Sitarik, president/CEO of Orlando Health and will be responsible for working with the organization's board of directors, leadership and medical staff to further develop and implement the organizational quality plan.

"Providing quality healthcare to patients has always been our top priority," said Sitarik. "With healthcare reform's new reporting requirements, coupled with our own efforts to improve reporting of our quality measurements to the community, we realized we needed someone with Dr. Hakim's experience to lead this important effort. We are extremely pleased that he has accepted this new challenge."

Dr. Hakim will work collaboratively with Orlando Health's Chief of Staff, Mark Sand, M.D. and Vice President of Patient Care Services, Anne Peach, to ensure that the organization's medical staff and all team members strive for excellence in patient quality, safety and service.

"This new role is evidence of Orlando Health's commitment to creating a patient-first clinically integrated new model of care," said Hakim. "Creating this position gets us one step closer to our goal of providing seamless, quality outcome-driven extraordinary care to patients. I look forward to the challenge."

Dr. Hakim received his B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University, completed Medical School at Indiana University, and did his Residency at the University of Florida. He is Board Certified in Anesthesiology, and is an active member of the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. Dr. Hakim, who has been on staff at Orlando Health since 1991, is the immediate past Chief of Staff, and is the Director of Anesthesia for Women's Services at Arnold Palmer Medical Center (APMC).

Over the years, Dr. Hakim has served Orlando Health in a variety of positions, including Chairman of the APMC anesthesia department, Chairman of the APMC Leadership Committee, Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Vice Chief of Staff, Co-chairman of the Quality Strategy Committee and has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2007.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Welcomes New Oncologists

8/25/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – August 24, 2011

Susan Constantino, MD, joins the hematology/medical oncology department in the specialty of breast cancer, following a three year fellowship at MD Anderson – Orlando . She completed an internal medicine residency at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

Daniel Landau, MD joins the hematology/medical oncology department in the specialty of genitourinary cancer and malignant hematology following a three year fellowship at MD Anderson – Orlando. He completed an internal medicine residency at University of South Florida, College of Medicine in Tampa.

Rebecca Moroose, MD joins the hematology/medical oncology department in the specialty of breast cancer. Dr. Moroose has recently been full time faculty at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and was formerly the medical director of the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in Orlando. She completed an internal medicine residency and her fellowship at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut.

Rajesh Nair, MD joins the surgical oncology team with special interest in intraperitoneal chemotherapy following three years with Orlando Regional Medical Center’s department of surgery. He completed a general surgery residency at ORMC and was a surgical oncology fellow at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa.

Theolyn Price, MD joins the thoracic surgical oncology section of the department of surgery. She completed her residency in general surgery and fellowship at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.

Asad Sheikh, MD joins the hematology/medical oncology department following a fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Florida. Dr. Sheikh will be based at the MD Anderson – Orlando offices at South Seminole Hospital.

Amy Smith, MD joins the pediatric hematology/oncology department in the specialty of neuro-oncology. Dr. Smith has recently been on the faculty of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She completed her residency in pediatrics and fellowship in hematology/oncology/bone marrow transplantation at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado.

Damita Thomas, MD joins the nuclear medicine department following employment at the Queen’s Medical Center/John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, Hawaii. She completed her residency in general surgery at the University of Florida, Shands Jacksonville and residency in nuclear medicine at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa.

Sajeve Thomas, MD joins the hematology/medical oncology department in the specialty of melanoma/sarcoma and endocrine cancers following a fellowship at the University of Florida. Dr. Thomas completed an internal medicine residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Kohl's Donates $313,602 to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Youth Sports Injury Prevention

8/23/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla. (August 22, 2011) - Kohl's and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children are teaming up to prevent injuries in young athletes throughout Central Florida. The Kohl's Cares® program has donated $313,602 to continue supporting the Play It Forward program which it has funded since its inception at the hospital's Pediatric Sports Medicine Center.

Since 2007, Kohl's has donated $934,127.12 to Arnold Palmer Hospital through the Kohl's Cares® merchandise program, where net profits from the sale of special merchandise supports children's health and education programs.

"We're honored to have the support of Kohl's as we look to provide great medical care to the young athletes of Central Florida," states Jay Albright, M.D., Medical Director of the Pediatric Sports Medicine Program at Arnold Palmer Hospital. "By educating coaches, parents, and young athletes on safe practice, training, and game play techniques, we can help lower the incidence of sports-related injuries and encourage our kids to enjoy sports safely."

Each year, more than 3.5 million children in the U.S. under age 15 are treated for sports injuries. Twenty-six percent of Central Florida's population is under the age of 18 and many of these children play year-round sports. This translates into a large number of sports injuries in the region.

Play It Forward is designed to meet the growing needs of active children in Central Florida by sending sports medicine professionals into the community to instruct coaches, parents and children on safe training, how to decrease risk of injury, and how to treat minor injuries.

Since its inception in 2008, Play It Forward has certified 888 coaches and parents in Central Florida in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation; provided various forms of injury prevention education to more than 20,000 people; and, provided medical attention for more than 13,500 athletes participating in underserved athletic events. Additionally, 131 local athletes have participated in Play It Forward's jump training program called Sportsmetrics, which reduces the incidence of torn anterior cruciate ligaments in young female athletes.

A check presentation took place before the first Orlando City Soccer playoff match at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. Photos and video of the check presentation are available upon request.

Orlando Health event raises awareness, philanthropic support for Central Florida’s Only Level One Trauma Center

8/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 9, 2011) --- The Orlando Health Foundation’s ONE NIGHT^SM event, with a sold-out crowd of 700, netted $260,000 for the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) Level One Trauma Center. The sixth annual event, presented by CNL Financial Group, Inc., was held May 16 in the Grand Court at The Mall at Millenia.

The ONE NIGHT program included an in-person testimonial and video presentation of an up-close look at a trauma survivor’s story and the clinical experts who provide critical care. This year’s survivor story featured David Humes, a 46-year-old Melbourne resident, who survived a diving incident that left him with a broken neck and quadriplegia. Humes was treated at ORMC’s trauma center and received a rarely used device – a diaphragmatic pacemaker, which enabled him to go to rehabilitation and live at home instead of using a respirator and living in an assisted living facility.

While raising critical funds for the trauma center, ONE NIGHT also increased awareness of the difference between trauma and emergency care. The level of “readiness” of a trauma center makes the most of the golden hour - the first 60 minutes after a traumatic injury occurs when surgical intervention can greatly decrease mortality rates and significantly improve quality of life. For example, surgical intervention within the golden hour has been shown to lower mortality rates by 20 to 30 percent and improve quality of life by as much as 85 percent.

A team of 15 to 20 doctors and other clinicians performing life-saving trauma care within the golden hour entails extraordinary resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While the cost of this level of “readiness” is great – about $18 million a year – it often makes the difference between life and death.

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children over age one and adults under 45, and accounts for more years of life lost than heart attacks, cancer and stroke combined. Last year, ORMC saw over 4,000 trauma patients, making Central Florida’s only Level One Trauma Center among the busiest in the nation.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital is Going Green Thumb!

7/13/2011 12:00:00 AM

Check out Dr. P. Phillips Hospital’s employee newsletter “Going Greener” for a Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide to help you make the most of our year round growing season. In this edition read more about our involvement with the National Building Competition and 6-ways you can become an Energy Star.

Click for more information.

How is Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Going Greener? Read all about it!

7/6/2011 12:00:00 AM

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital’s employee newsletter “Going Greener” features an update on the hospital’s participation in the EPA's ENERGY STAR National Building Competition and much more. In this edition read more about the impact of incandescent light bulbs, how the hospital is turning duds into suds and helpful do-it-yourself tips to reduce the energy used for the heating and cooling of your home.

Click for more information.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando on Cutting Edge of Battling Lung Cancer

7/1/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (July 1, 2011) – A MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando pilot program for lung cancer screening is expected to gain momentum, following the publication of a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine. On June 1st, MD Anderson – Orlando’s Rod Taylor Thoracic Care Center in conjunction with the Cancer Medicine Department was the first in Central Florida to launch the pilot screening program targeting smokers. The pilot program for current or former smokers age 55-74 was based on a study by the National Lung Screening Trial that showed that CT screenings detect lung cancer early and succeeded in cutting lung cancer deaths by 20%. The results from this landmark study have now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, bringing additional attention to the fight against lung cancer.

“This is a tremendous step forward for those of us on the frontline fighting lung cancer,” said Clarence Brown III, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “We hope this additional attention on lung cancer will make current or former smokers sit up and take notice. We hope by providing our pilot program to patients who are most at risk for developing lung cancer that we will be able to identify cancer cases earlier and in turn save lives.”

The screenings through MD Anderson – Orlando involve low dose radiation CT scan to detect suspicious nodules which appear earlier on CT scans than they do on chest X-rays. Research shows that better cure rates occur when lung cancer is detected and treated in its earliest phase. MD Anderson – Orlando oncologists estimate that 20% of those screened may need further study and 2% will need treatment for lung cancer. A team of experts will evaluate the results of these screenings to determine the best course of action for each patient.

MD Anderson – Orlando is offering the CT scans at a discounted rate of $375. CT Scans usually run around $1500. To be eligible for this pilot screening program you must be over the age of 50 and have smoked one pack a day for 30 years or more. The screening will include a medical consultation, risk assessment, CT scan and follow up consultation.

Call 321-841-6600 for more information or to schedule your appointment today.

Read more about this study at The New England Journal of Medicine
Access more information about the National Lung Screening Trial

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

ORMC Level One Trauma Center offers driving course to keep teen drivers safe on the road

5/26/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (May 26, 2011) --- OMG Orlando Health is helping parents and the community put the brakes on teens talking and texting while driving. The Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) Level One Trauma Center is offering teens and parents a free teen driving safety course – Drive with CARE. ORMC is launching the course in recognition of Trauma Awareness Month and the start of the summer travel season.

Drive with CARE (Courtesy, Attention, Responsibility, Experience), developed in collaboration with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Department of Transportation, is a 45-minute course of interactive lecture and videos designed to support teens in developing safer driving habits and parents to teach safer driving habits to their children by providing education about the dangers of driving while distracted.

“From talking and texting on a mobile phone to conversations with friends inside the car, there are several potential distractions for teen drivers that can lead to critical injuries or even death,” said Wendy Kimelman RN, BSN, trauma program coordinator. “Our objective is to help individuals, schools, church groups and community organizations spread the word about safety while driving.”

Last year, ORMC saw more than 4,000 trauma patients, making the trauma center among the busiest in the nation. The majority of trauma patients at ORMC are from motor-vehicle related incidences.

“As a Level One Trauma Center, our goal is to not only treat critical injuries, but to also help prevent traumatic events from occurring,” said John Promes, MD, trauma medical director, ORMC. “Eliminating calls, texts, emails and web surfing abilities will help teens focus on driving, keeping themselves and others more safe.”

ORMC hopes the Drive with CARE program will help reduce motor-vehicle related incidences and keep younger drivers safer on the roads.

“As an organization comprised of more than 14,000 team members, we sometimes find ourselves taking care of our team or their families as patients,” said Tim Bullard, MD, chief medical officer, Business Development, Innovation, ORMC. “The recent death of a team member’s son reminded us of the need to take extra steps to help keep younger drivers safe on the roads. We want to begin the initiative in his honor and help others.”

The course, led by ORMC team members is available at no cost to schools, churches and other community organizations. To schedule a Drive with CARE course, visit myormc.com/drivewithcare or contact Wendy Kimelman at 321.841.3859.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

The World of High School Track & Field Focuses on Orlando for 35th Annual Bert M. Warden Golden South Classic Presented by adidas®

5/24/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla (May 24, 2011) – America’s brightest high school track and field athletes are zeroing in on Central Florida for the 35th Annual Bert M. Warden Golden South Classic presented by adidas®.

The nationally-recognized competition, which benefits the Pediatric Sports Medicine Program at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, will be held Saturday, May 28, at The First Academy (2667 Bruton Boulevard, Orlando, Florida, 32805). Events will begin at 11:00 A.M.

In its 35th year, the Golden South Classic will feature a number of enhancements for athletes and spectators. The event has been named one of three meets in the prestigious adidas® Golden Stripes series, which means winners in the men’s and women’s mile and 100-meter races will be invited to compete in the adidas® Dream Mile and Dream 100, where the top high school sprinters and milers from around the country will gather in New York City this summer for a race to determine the nation’s fastest.

The Golden South Classic began as a local event in 1976 and has grown into one of the country’s most prestigious high school track and field events. It has produced more than 35 Olympians, with 12 of those winning Olympic gold. Because of this notoriety, athletes from all over the southeast have competed in the event, along with competitors from Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and South America.

This year’s event is expected to draw more than 500 athletes and will include some of the top names in high school track and field:

Octavious Freeman (Lake Wales, Florida) is the number one-ranked girl in the country in the 100-meter race by Track & Field News and holds three Florida state titles.
Marvin Bracy (Boone High School, Orlando) has run the fastest time (10.28) in 2011 in the boys’ 100-meter race according to Track & Field News.
Robin Reynolds is one of the top-ranked female sprinters in the country by Track & Field News and has one of the fastest times in the 100-meter dash (11.67).

For more information, including athlete commitments, directions, and schedule, please visit: www.goldensouth.com.

Media interested in attending and covering the Golden South Classic on Saturday, May 28 should contact:

Geo.morales@orlandohealth.com

Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children

Arnold Palmer Medical Center Ranks Among America’s Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report

5/18/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (May 17, 2011) – Arnold Palmer Medical Center has been ranked in two specialties in U.S. News Media Group’s Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, now available online at usnews.com/childrenshospitals.

Arnold Palmer Medical Center ranked 38th in orthopedics and 40th in cardiology and heart surgery. It was the only hospital in Central Florida to be included in the rankings.

“We’re very proud to be included among the best in this year’s Best Children’s Hospitals rankings,” stated John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “The rankings are a valuable tool for Central Florida parents and caretakers looking for the best healthcare for their kids.”

The new rankings recognize the top 50 children’s hospitals in 10 specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology, and urology. Seventy-six hospitals are ranked in at least one specialty.

Now in its fifth year, Best Children’s Hospitals pulls together clinical and operational data from a lengthy survey, completed by the majority of the 177 hospitals asked to participate for the 2011-12 rankings. The survey asks hundreds of questions about survival rates, nurse staffing, subspecialist availability, and many more pieces of critical information difficult or impossible for those in charge of a child’s care to find on their own. The data from the survey is combined with recommendations from pediatric specialists on the hospitals they consider best for children with challenging problems.

Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital to Compete in the 2011 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition

5/2/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (May 2, 2011) – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital has been selected to participate in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's) ENERGY STAR National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings to help improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and protect the environment. In the spirit of popular weight-loss competitions, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital will battle it out against hundreds of other teams from buildings across the country to work off the waste through improvements in energy efficiency with help from EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.

"Our hospital is honored to be a part of EPA’s ENERGY STAR National Building Competition,” said Mark Jones, President, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. "We are committed to improving our energy efficiency and excited that our entire team here at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital is on board for this important project.”

The 2011 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition includes 245 teams from 26 different types of commercial buildings - such as retail stores, schools, hotels, and museums - that hail from 33 states. Dr. P. Phillips Hospital is one 21 competitors in Florida and one of 10 hospitals nationwide.

Competitors will measure and track their building's monthly energy consumption over the next two months, with a small group of buildings selected as finalists in July. Among the finalists, the building that demonstrates the greatest percentage-based reduction in energy use intensity will be recognized as the winner this November.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital has partnered with ecoPreserve, a sustainability, building certification and operational efficiency consulting firm to reduce energy usage through behavioral changes and systems upgrades. The hospital is moving forward on a series of efficiency upgrades including:

Full building lighting upgrade including the replacement of regular bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs
Installation of smart fixtures, such as motion sensors, throughout the 550,000 square foot facility
Smart building metering and energy monitoring dashboard
Chiller plant optimization, the use of new cooling methods to make the central energy plant more energy efficient
Heat reducing window film
Be an Energy Star! – employee engagement program

According to EPA, energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and energy use at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. On average, 30% of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. Thousands of businesses and organizations work with EPA’s ENERGY STAR program and are saving billions of dollars and preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering our atmosphere each year.

Watch the battle unfold: www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings

ORMC appoints medical director for bariatric program

4/28/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (April 28, 2011) --- Muhammad Jawad, MD, recently joined the Weight Loss (Bariatric) and Metabolic Program at Orlando Regional Medical Center, as the medical director. Board certified in general surgery, Dr. Jawad specializes in bariatric surgery.

Dr. Jawad has performed more than 4,300 bariatric surgeries including laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedures. With Dr. Jawad’s extensive experience in performing laparoscopic weight loss surgery for patients with higher body weights ORMC is now able to provide the surgery for patients weighing more than 500 pounds with a body mass index up to 65.

Outside of the operating room, Dr. Jawad’s 42-year medical career includes research, lectures and published journal articles.

His scope of research includes treatment of post-surgical pain. As a national and international lecturer, Dr. Jawad has spoken about various topics including prevention of complications in laparoscopic Rou-en-Y gastric bypass and diagnosis and management of acute abdominal conditions by laparoscopy. He has been published in medical journals such as Surgery for Obesity Related Disease, the official journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, covering a range of topics including laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding complications and outcomes.

Dr. Jawad is a member of the American College of Surgeons (fellow), American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, and the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

MD Anderson - Orlando Carcinoma Patient Receives Prosthetic Ear

4/28/2011 12:00:00 AM

When William Sumpter was diagnosed with middle ear carcinoma three years ago, his focus was just to get cancer free. He successfully beat the cancer but lost his left ear in the process. Now he has taken a final step in his recovery and has received a prosthetic ear. William is one of the many cancer survivors who visit the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Head & Neck Clinic everyday with unique needs. Dr. Elizabeth Feldman, a MD Anderson - Orlando maxillofacial prosthodontist, works with Head & Neck cancer patients who have lost ears, noses, even parts of their tongue or need dental work as a result of their cancer. Dr. Feldman begins planning for the prosthesis from the time the patient is diagnosed and begins cancer treatment; making sure every step is in place to provide the patient with a prosthetic. Such intricate reconstruction is not something many head & neck cancer patients realize is an option, but for patients like William it is life altering.

"Head and neck is a very debilitating cancer," says Elizabeth Feldman, MS, DMD, MS. "When you go out in public the first thing people look at is our faces."

Watch William's story, meet Dr. Feldman and see the emotional moment when this patient receives his prosthetic ear at MD Anderson Orlando's Head & Neck Clinic.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

ORMC combines new minimally invasive heart surgery with EP lab procedure to relieve abnormal heart rhythm condition

4/26/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 26, 2011) --- Surgeons and doctors at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are bringing together the best of both worlds to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. Performing a new minimally invasive closed chest heart surgery, followed by an ablation procedure is giving patients a better chance at permanent relief from atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm condition that causes fatigue and overall weakness that often results in a significant impact to quality of life — difficulty walking across the room or even preventing employment. ORMC is the first and only hospital in Orlando to offer the combined approach.

The new care option, known as a convergent or hybrid approach, begins with a cardiothoracic surgeon navigating a special catheter to reach the back side of the heart. Once the surgeon reaches the heart, a special surgical tool burns the areas of the heart that cause the bad rhythms. The burns are made in the shape of a square, boxing in the source of the irregular heartbeats, preventing them from interfering with other areas of the heart and ultimately restoring a normal heartbeat. This approach treats the area from the outside of the heart.

Cardiothoracic surgeons Jeffrey Bott, MD, and Gregory Simmons, MD, are now able to treat areas of the heart that were unreachable before. The heart is accessed through a tiny incision in the upper abdomen, compared to a traditional open heart surgery chest incision. Patients have shorter hospital stays and a quicker, less painful recovery. Dr. Bott is thoracic surgery chair at ORMC and Dr. Simmons is a cardiothoracic surgeon at ORMC.

Once the closed chest heart surgery is complete, an electrophysiologist performs a mapping procedure to identify and treat any other problem areas from the inside of the heart.

Electrophysiologists Roland Filart, MD, David Bello, MD, and Aurelio Duran, MD, insert a special catheter through the groin area to reach the upper chambers of the heart. Once inside the chambers, the area is isolated and the tissue where the bad rhythms occur is ablated or destroyed using radio frequency (heat) or a new Arctic Front technique that uses a coolant. Dr. Filart practices at ORMC, Dr. Bello is ORMC’s medical director of diagnostic cardiology and Dr. Duran is cardiology chair at ORMC.

Traditional heart surgery to treat the area or an ablation procedure alone may give patients approximately a 50 percent or higher chance of relief from atrial fibrillation. When the procedures are done together the effectiveness may increase significantly to 70 percent or higher, including less pain, smaller incisions, and a shorter hospital stay.

Combining the two approaches will mean better outcomes for patients, decrease or end the need for future surgeries and procedures, and eliminate some long term medication use which can lead to more medical complications.Atrial fibrillation affects millions of people in the United States. For patients with atrial fibrillation the heart’s electrical signals are out of sync and the muscles quiver instead of beating regularly and effectively. For some the condition may come and go, or in other cases it is chronic and persistent. In some patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers can start and stop on their own, for minutes or days at a time. Atrial fibrillation is also a condition that can lead to other serious health risks including stroke and congestive heart failure.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital “Go Green” Earth Day celebration launches campaign to reduce energy consumption

4/25/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – April 22, 2011 – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital celebrated Earth Day by making a commitment to go green. The hospital, an ENERGY STAR™ partner launched its campaign “Be an Energy Star at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital”, which includes committing to a 10% overall reduction in energy consumption. The Earth Day celebration helped Dr. P. Phillips Hospital employees get an inside look into conservation steps underway at the facility and learn new ways to reduce energy use at work and at home.

The hospital has already made many changes to conserve energy including replacing regular bulbs in the hospital and parking garage with compact fluorescent light bulbs. The hospital is also installing smart fixtures, such as motion sensors, throughout the 550,000 square foot building to conserve energy.

The Green Team at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital poses with compact fluorescent lightbulbs which are being used to retrofit the lighting in the facility. From left Pattie Green, Holly Charles, Kristin Yager, Sandra Frank, Daryl Benfant and Denise Anderson.

See our photo album on Facebook.

Orlando Health Teams Up With Orlando City Soccer

4/7/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (March 3, 2010) - Orlando Health is teaming with Orlando's newest sports franchise, the Orlando City Soccer. Orlando Health will be the presenting sponsor and exclusive medical provider for the team and organization. Orlando Health executives are excited to join with Orlando City Soccer in bringing this game of soccer to the Central Florida community. John Marzano, Vice President of Orlando Health stated that the organization "is proud to join with Orlando City Soccer in helping to bring a hugely popular spectator and participation sport to Central Florida. It starts with kids and families, and when you throw soccer into the mix, well it just might be a perfect storm of success in this region." The sponsorship also extends to Orlando City Soccer's youth camps and clinics for young soccer players.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals.

About Orlando City Soccer
Orlando City is a professional soccer team playing in the USL PRO league. The season kicks off April 2nd. The first regular season home game is April 9th. For more information, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com today.

Online Voting Campaign brings Unique Art and Mental Health Programs to Patients at MD Anderson – Orlando

3/22/2011 12:00:00 AM

United Arts of Central Florida
Emma Kruch
407.628.0333 x34
Emma@UnitedArts.cc

ORLANDO, FL. (March 22, 2011) – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is launching two unique programs for patients thanks to grants from the LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project. MD Anderson – Orlando was named the recipient of the two LIVESTRONG awards last fall after a nationwide online voting campaign. The grants will bring valuable cancer support programs to patients in Central Florida. The projects are created by LIVESTRONG, the organization founded by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, which serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action.

From left to right, MD Anderson – Orlando team members Jeanne Miller-Clark, Marie Mackey and Lori McCormick join Margot Knight, President and CEO, United Arts of Central Florida, Dana Nolan, MD Anderson - Orlando and Clarence Brown, III, MD, President and CEO, MD Anderson - Orlando for the kick off of the new programs for cancer patients at MD Anderson – Orlando.

Working in partnership with United Arts of Central Florida, The Creative Center’s Artists-in-Residence program will offer patients the opportunity to learn about and become absorbed in their own creative resources as they meet the challenges of diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. The program will work bedside and in small group settings with men, women and children – in oncology units, bone marrow transplant units, intensive care/respiratory units, hospice and palliative care programs.

The Cancer Transitions™ program is designed to support, educate and empower people with cancer in the transitional period after treatment is over. The program incorporates support groups, education, nutrition and physical exercise, as well as addressing other medical management, psychosocial and quality of life issues. The program also provides survivors with practical tools and resources to formulate a personal action plan for survivorship beyond their participation in Cancer Transitions.

MD Anderson – Orlando was selected as a recipient for the $20,000 in LIVESTRONG grants following a national online voting campaign involving more than 170 hospitals and cancer centers. Over a two-week period, more than 260,000 votes were cast and MD Anderson - Orlando was among the finalists.

LIVESTRONG is committed to supporting community organizations in their efforts to help cancer survivors face the challenges and changes that come with cancer. Since its inception in 1997, the organization has invested more than $68 million in community-centered organizations.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

United Arts of Central Florida
United Arts of Central Florida is a dynamic collaboration of 135 businesses, 8 governments and school districts, 33 foundations, more than 50 arts and cultural organizations, and 2,873 artists and individuals. This partnership works to enhance the quality and variety of cultural experiences available throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Since its inception in 1989, United Arts has invested more than $112 million in local cultural organizations and cultural education. For more information please visit www.UnitedArts.cc.

About LIVESTRONG
Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG's mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.

Central Florida Kids Now Have A Place of Their Own for Dialysis

2/25/2011 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (February 25, 2011) – Until now, Central Florida lacked a dialysis center exclusively for kids. Children who needed dialysis were treated at adult centers in the area.

The Hewell Kids’ Kidney Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is changing that. The new space is strictly designed with children in mind to offer comprehensive care for young patients in need of dialysis and other kidney disease treatments.

“The Hewell Kids’ Kidney Center brings together all of the resources at Arnold Palmer Hospital in a child-friendly, family-centered environment,” states Jorge Ramirez, MD, Director of Pediatric Nephrology at Arnold Palmer Hospital. “Children will receive care more quickly, feel a greater sense of control, and benefit from the comfort and strength of being with other children and families with similar experiences.”

The Kids’ Kidney Center, which cost approximately $3 million to build, was completely funded through philanthropy. A large portion of that philanthropy came from the Hewell family of Longwood, Florida, who donated $1.5 million to make the center a possibility. The center contains three exam rooms, one consultation room, four dialysis bays, and family and play areas.

In 2010, Arnold Palmer Hospital saw more than 7,000 inpatient and outpatient visits from children seeking treatment for some form of kidney disease. Additionally, eight percent of the babies admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies will develop some form of kidney dysfunction. If left undiagnosed and untreated, kidney disease can result in ongoing dialysis or transplantation, and in some cases, death.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

ORMC uses first and only pacemaker system for use during MRI

2/21/2011 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: Please see attached photos.

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 18, 2011) --- Orlando Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in Florida to implant a new pacemaker designed for safe use during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans often used to diagnose and treat conditions. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Revo MRI™ SureScan® pacing system by Medtronic, is the first and only pacemaker in the U.S. specifically designed for use in an MRI environment and approved as MR-Conditional.

“The approval of this device is a major milestone in caring for patients’ heart conditions and other problems as well,” said David Bello, MD, an interventional electrophysiologist and ORMC’s medical director of diagnostic cardiology. “Previously, an entire segment of the population with pacemakers was unable to receive the medical imaging used to uncover and treat conditions outside of their heart problems.”

An estimated 5 million patients worldwide have a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Up to 75 percent of pacemaker patients will need an MRI at some point in their lifetime to diagnose another health condition. Medical imaging provided by MRIs can be used to diagnose cancer, aneurysms, liver abnormalities, arthritis, and many other conditions. MRI technology uses magnetic fields and radio frequencies to take pictures of organs, soft tissues and bone to help doctors diagnose medical conditions.

The Revo, like traditional pacemakers, uses electrical pulses to correct slow heart rhythms, but with a twist — it has an optional "SureScan" mode that can be switched “on” for use during MRI to eliminate interference.Before now, patients with pacemakers were not allowed to have MRIs because of potential serious side effects. For example, the magnet can interrupt the pacing and prevent the output of pacemakers, causing improper heart rhythm. Also, tips of the wires used to connect the pacemaker to the heart could heat up during the scan and burn heart tissue.

The new MRI compatible pacemaker also holds far-reaching future implications.

“The new device is significant to patients who may one day need a pacemaker and later an MRI to diagnose and treat another condition,” said Dr. Bello. “As the population ages, the need for pacemakers increases. The use of MRIs as a diagnostic tool also continues to grow.”

ORMC was also a site in the international multicenter study that contributed to the evaluation of patients leading to FDA approval of the new MRI compatible pacemaker.

“Being a part of the trial was important in helping determine if patients with permanent pacemakers would be able to undergo routine MRI testing,” said Dr. Bello who was principal investigator for the study. “MRI scans are an important tool in helping doctors diagnose problems and develop treatment plans. We are honored to have been a part of helping widen the spectrum of diagnostic opportunities for patients today and in the future.”

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Photos
Click to enlarge.

New technology puts the freeze on abnormal heart rhythms

1/25/2011 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: Please see below photos. Contact Media Relations for doctor and patient interview opportunities.

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 25, 2011) --- Heart chilling technology is restoring normal heartbeats for patients with atrial fibrillation. Electrophysiologists at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are the first in Central Florida to use the Arctic Front(R) Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter system which uses a coolant to correct the irregular heart beat. The coolant targets the pulmonary veins — the source of the erratic electrical signals. The device, by Medtronic, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“With the Arctic Front, we are able to use a special catheter with a balloon at the end that inflates inside the upper chambers of the heart,” said Aurelio Duran, MD, cardiology chair at ORMC. “Once inside the chambers, a solution is injected and is used to isolate and ablate or destroy the tissue of the veins where the bad rhythms occur. We believe the new method will improve outcomes and be a safer, more effective option for patients.”

For patients with atrial fibrillation the heart’s electrical signals are out of sync and the muscles quiver instead of beating regularly and effectively. In some patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers can start and stop on their own, for minutes or days at a time.

“Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can lead to other serious health risks,” said Dr. Duran. “Because the heart muscle does not properly contract, a clot can develop and pass through the heart into the brain causing a stroke. It is important to manage the risk for stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.”

An estimated 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, the most common and one of the most undertreated heart rhythm disorders in America. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include a racing, irregular heartbeat, palpitations, fatigue and overall weakness.

“The likelihood of atrial fibrillation increases with age and 25 percent of adults will develop it at some point in their lives, increasing the need for more effective treatment options.” said Dr. Duran.

Other procedures to treat atrial fibrillation include medicines, and radiofrequency ablation which sends radiofrequency energy to destroy tissue involved in the abnormal heart rhythm.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Click photo for high-res.

ORMC plays critical role in studies to improve treatment for wounded service members and civilians

1/21/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 21, 2011) — Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) is one of two dozen major trauma centers recruited to participate in a series of national studies focused on the treatment and outcomes of major orthopedic injuries to military service members. The hospitals are part of the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC) formed in response to high number of service members who are injured. The Consortium was recently awarded $38.6 million by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to address the 82 percent of all service members in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom who sustain significant extremity trauma – many with injuries to multiple limbs.

The network of core civilian trauma centers will work together with the major military medical centers that provide definitive treatment to the service members who sustain major trauma while on active duty. The overall goal of the Consortium is to produce the evidence needed to establish treatment guidelines for the optimal care of the wounded warrior and ultimately improve the clinical, functional and quality of life outcomes of both service members and civilians who sustain high energy trauma to the extremities.

“One of only a few centers, Orlando Regional Medical Center has a unique opportunity to share expertise with an elite group of trauma centers across the country through multiple studies, helping improve patient care,” said George J. Haidukewych, MD, chief of orthopedic trauma and academic chairman and program director, Orthopedic Surgery at Orlando Health.

As Greater Orlando’s only Level One Trauma Center, ORMC treated more than 4,100 patients last year with complex injuries from high energy events including ejection from vehicles, significant falls, vehicle-pedestrian impact, firearm wounds and other traumatic injuries – making the hospital an important contributor to the consortium.

One of the studies ORMC will participate in evaluates the effectiveness of internal and external fixation for severe lower leg extremities. Comparing treatments – internal or external fixation – will lead to better patient outcomes for military members and civilians. The most common types of internal fixation include pins, rods, screws and plates used inside the body to support the bone directly. Pins, rods and screws are also used to make external fixators, like frames and rings, but outside the body, going through the skin and muscle to connect to the bone.

“A study of this magnitude requires multiple centers to answer the difficult question of whether or not internal or external fixation is a better treatment option for patients,” said Joshua R. Langford, MD, principal investigator and orthopedic traumatologist, Orlando Health Orthopedic Faculty Practice. “Together we will address the most pressing issues in orthopedic trauma care. The results of our studies will change practices, resulting in better care for all who are injured.”

While types of injuries and the environment for civilians may differ for soldiers, the principals for treatment are similar.

The recent award is in addition to the $18 million award by the DOD to establish the Consortium in September 2009 to address some of the immediate research needs of the military in the acute management of severe limb injuries.

Dr. Langford explains, when a soldier has a severe lower leg injury from an explosive device and a civilian has a severe lower injury from a motor vehicle crash, both are high energy events impacting the bone.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health serves as the coordinating center for the Consortium.

“We are thrilled to have ORMC as our partner in this effort to improve the standard of care for the wounded warrior and civilian trauma patient,” said Ellen MacKenzie PhD, Director of the Consortium’s Coordinating Center and the Fred and Julie Soper Professor and Chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health Policy and Management. “Without a large multi-center effort such as this, we would be unable to effectively study many of the issues that are critical to ensuring the best outcomes following a severe injury.”

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

MD Anderson – Orlando Celebrates 20 Years in Central Florida

1/19/2011 12:00:00 AM

Twenty years ago MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando opened its doors to the public becoming the first outreach program of the world famous MD Anderson in Houston and bringing internationally renowned cancer care to Central Floridians. Now, as one of the most recognized cancer centers in the state of Florida, MD Anderson – Orlando’s world class medical staff use the most advanced cancer fighting technology and treatments to fight cancer and provide hope to the 5,000 new patients who visit the cancer center each year.

The creation of the cancer center twenty years ago forged a historic partnership between Orlando Health and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. As it marks this anniversary, MD Anderson – Orlando celebrates with another historic milestone -- the unveiling of a new logo depicting the cancer center’s continued commitment to find a cure for cancer.

“We have certainly grown in size and scope since we opened our doors as Orlando Cancer Center twenty years ago and our growing team works everyday to find a cure for cancer,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “By using a team approach to fighting cancer, we are providing our patients with the best cancer care available. Using the latest in technology and treatment options as well as research program currently underway at our Cancer Research Institute we are continuing to forge new pathways to winning the fight against cancer, one of humanity’s greatest challenges.”

Since it opened in 1991, MD Anderson – Orlando has provided cancer care and hope to more than 75,000 patients. The cancer center began twenty years ago as Orlando Cancer Center with a staff of eight physicians and 75 employees. It has grown to 45 full-time employed and 14 contracted physicians on staff and more than 420 employees. In 1991, the cancer center saw 2,500 new patients. Now, twenty years later, the number of new patients each year has doubled and the center registers 120,000 patient visits annually.

Other notable dates:

1989 – Representatives from MD Anderson in Houston visit Orlando hospitals to discuss opening an outreach program
1993 – Women Playing For T.I.M.E. holds its first golf tournament to benefit breast cancer patients. To date Women Playing For T.I.M.E. has raised eight million dollars for MD Anderson – Orlando and the fight against cancer.
1994 – Orlando Cancer Center officially changes its name to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
1997 – Former President George Bush travels to Orlando for the official groundbreaking of the new MD Anderson – Orlando facility, the Charles Lewis Pavilion, located along Orange Avenue
2003 – MD Anderson - Orlando moves into the 10-story, 220,000 square foot Charles Lewis Pavilion
2008 – Opens Central Florida’s first Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic
2009 – Cancer Research Institute triples in size, expanding into 30,000 square feet of space in the UCF College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences building at Lake Nona Medical City
2010 – MD Anderson – Orlando places 328 patients into 239 clinical trials.
2010 – Physicians, physicists and scientists at MD Anderson – Orlando and the Cancer Research Institute publish 77 peer reviewed manuscripts in medical journals.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Rolls Out Interactive Campaign Introducing Young Patients to the Community

1/10/2011 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 6, 2011) - Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is launching a new interactive marketing campaign designed to engage consumers and introduce the community to some of its young patients.

Named "Meet Our Kids," the campaign will feature a strong web component with a microsite encouraging consumers to upload photos and videos of patients who have been treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, or the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families. Photos and video will be showcased on the microsite and users will be encouraged to share links with friends and family. The campaign, which will run throughout 2011, will feature uploaded photos and video of patients in television, print, outdoor, and digital outdoor advertising across the region.

"For more than 20 years, our top priority has been delivering the highest-quality comprehensive healthcare for children in our community," stated Betsy Culpepper, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "Many patients and families have experienced that heartfelt care at Arnold Palmer Hospital and have become our best advocates. This campaign recognizes them for their strength and shares their stories with the community. "

To upload photos and video, families should visit www.meetourkids.org.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Arnold Palmer Hospital Receives Accreditation in Diabetes Education

12/17/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 17, 2010) - The Pediatric Endocrinology Practice at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).

Accreditation ensures that patients at Arnold Palmer Hospital and Central Florida residents have access to the right tools and support to make diabetes self-care very manageable in everyday life. Diabetes education is a collaborative process through which people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions.

"We are thrilled to receive accreditation from AADE," stated Paul Desrosiers, M.D., Division Chief of the Pediatric Endocrinology Practice. "This achievement will help us in our continuing expansion and the improvement of an already professionally-staffed and well-developed pediatric diabetes program and support group."

"Trends show that diabetes education is moving out of the hospital and into the community, so AADE's accreditation program was created, in part, to encourage diabetes education where the patient is seeking care," said Leslie E. Kolb, RN, BSN, MBA, Program Director, AADE Diabetes Education Accreditation Program. "Arnold Palmer Hospital's Endocrinology Program is exactly the type of program we envisioned when we set up our accreditation program in 2009."

The Arnold Palmer Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology Practice, located at 32 W. Gore Street, Orlando, FL 32806, will now be able to offer a variety of diabetes education classes, including advanced knowledge. For more information on diabetes education at Arnold Palmer Hospital, please call 321-841-3303.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Orlando Health, GE Healthcare and Virtual OfficeWare align to offer Electronic Medical Record technology to community physicians Collaboration Delivers Solution Certified to Meet Federal Mandate

12/10/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (November 19, 2010) - Orlando Health, in conjunction with GE Healthcare and Virtual OfficeWare, has launched an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) initiative available to community physicians. Under the program, area physicians may obtain GE Healthcare's Centricity Practice Solution version 9.5, which has been certified for 2011/2012 as a Complete EHR by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®). The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 Meaningful Use measures required to qualify eligible providers for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The ARRA legislation offers physicians incentive payments for Medicare and Medicaid patients if they are deemed meaningful users of a certified EMR. Failure to comply with the new requirements will result in reimbursement penalties after 2015.

"We recognized that one of the biggest challenges faced by our community physicians was the ability to obtain, implement and maintain an effective EMR system," said Rick Schooler, Vice President/Chief Information Officer, Orlando Health. "By leveraging our relationships with respected healthcare technology providers, we are able to offer an attractive solution to area physicians."

The Centricity Practice Solution is being offered to community physicians by reseller Virtual OfficeWare with minimal up-front costs and monthly subscription fees based on a discounted per physician rate.

"At GE, we're celebrating more than forty years of customer commitment," said Jim Corrigan, Vice President and General Manager of GE Healthcare IT. "This type of project gives us the chance to further that commitment by making a frontline, low-cost EMR product available to one of the many communities we serve. We look forward to continued collaboration with Orlando Health and its physicians, going forward, and developing new ways to enhance the patient care they offer."

Effective EMR systems such as Centricity Practice Solution can assist physician offices in whole-patient care by further improving clinical workflow. Yet only 15 percent of the nation's physicians use EMRs in their office due to system costs and workflow changes. This new initiative addresses those challenges by assisting practices with system implementation and effective utilization of the application's single database, thereby relieving practices from some of the demands of running their own IT network. In addition to training and technical support being provided through the Orlando Health alliance, physicians may also work with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine's Regional Extension Center (REC) for additional EMR training and support.

The Center is one of approximately 70 offices established around the country to assist providers with achieving and documenting "meaningful use" requirements. Additional information can be found on the REC website, www.ucf-rec.org.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

About Virtual OfficeWare, Inc

Virtual OfficeWare, Inc. is an exclusive partner of GE Healthcare IT and is dedicated to serving medical professionals with innovative technological solutions to better improve the quality of care given to patients. Virtual OfficeWare specializes in healthcare technology and is a one source vendor for physicians of all specialties in 18 states along the mid-western and eastern regions of the U.S. They are headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA and have another office location in Massapequa, NY.

In conjunction to offering GE's Centricity Practice Solution, Virtual OfficeWare provides software development, on-site or Web training, customer support, and hardware technologies. Their extensive knowledge in software engineering has enabled them to develop a suite of value-added software solutions that are a customized fit to many practices' workflows and needs.

Their solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with the Centricity system for those medical offices requiring that extra edge and/or to further automate their daily tasks. Virtual OfficeWare continues to provide healthcare professionals with modern technologies to help them face heavy demands and challenges that are often encountered by practices today as well as into tomorrow. For more information about Virtual OfficeWare, visit www.virtualofficeware.net or call 1-888-950-0688.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.

For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com

Media Contacts

Orlando Health Kena Lewis, APR 321-841-8184 Kena.lewis@orlandohealth.com	Virtual OfficeWare, Inc. Erika Leroch 888-950-0688 info@virtualofficeware.net
GE Healthcare Corey Miller 414-469-5499 Corey.miller@ge.com	UCF College of Medicine REC Wendy Sarubbi 407-266-1418 wsarubbi@mail.ucf.edu

Orlando Health Receives "Employer of Choice®" Award

12/10/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (December 2, 2010) - Orlando Health has received the "Employer of Choice®" award from Employer of Choice International, Inc., a certifying body that recognizes employers for their extraordinary human resources practices. This year's recognition is valid for two years. It marks the third time the organization has received the prestigious award, which it first received in 2005 and again in 2008. The honor recognizes Orlando Health's dedication to a level of employee relationships that goes above and beyond industry human resources standards.

"We work continuously to foster an employee-centric culture," said Nancy Dinon, Vice President, Human Resources, Orlando Health. "We place a high importance on communication and dialogue at all levels of the organization. It is the only way to ensure that we serve our patients and each other with the highest quality."

Organizations earning the "Employer of Choice®" credential qualify by scoring among the top 10 percent of employers in eight areas including: enlightened leadership (vision and direction while being open and accessible); care of people (demonstrating concern of health and well-being of team members); growth and opportunities (education, mentoring, cross-training); employee loyalty (high retention); and making a difference (supporting local causes and reaching out to the community).

"The fact that Orlando Health continues to operate at a level worthy of a two-year award demonstrates an incomparable level of leadership and employee-centered practices that set it apart from most other hospitals in the country," said Joyce Gioia, President & CEO, Employer of Choice International, Inc.

Orlando Health is committed to attracting, growing and retaining professional, knowledgeable and caring team members and medical staff as part of its new strategic initiative to integrate a patient-first model of care throughout the organization. Under the patient-first model, all aspects of the organization - from policies and procedures to scheduling - are designed to ensure patients' needs take priority in each and every interaction.

Orlando Health has several practices in place to support team members' professional and personal development including continuing education programs; communication forums; mind, body and spirit wellness programs; community outreach opportunities and recognition programs.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Winnie Palmer Hospital Adds New Physician Specializing in Women’s Health

11/17/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla (November 17, 2010) – Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies has added to its roster of physicians. Bela Kudish, M.D., a urogynecologist, has joined the hospital’s Women’s Center Specialty Practice, which features a variety of gynecological services.

Kudish specializes in treating women with a wide range of pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, anal incontinence and more. “This field offers exciting new ways to approach, treat, and research aspects of women’s health that women did not discuss for years.” states Kudish. “I’m very pleased to be able to help women throughout Central Florida improve their quality of life right here at Winnie Palmer Hospital.”

Kudish completed her medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York. She also earned a master of science degree in clinical research design and statistical analysis at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center. She also completed an American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology- and an American Board of Urology-approved fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

MD Anderson – Orlando Named Recipient of LIVESTRONG® Awards to Benefit Cancer Patients

11/11/2010 12:00:00 AM

United Arts of Central Florida
Emma Kruch
407.628.0333 x34
Emma@UnitedArts.cc

ORLANDO, FL. (November 11, 2010) – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando has been named the recipient of two LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project awards bringing valuable cancer support programs to patients in Central Florida. The projects are created by LIVESTRONG, the organization founded by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, which serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for MD Anderson – Orlando and we are thrilled to be named as a recipient of these awards,” said Clarence Brown, III, MD, president and CEO, MD Anderson - Orlando. “We want to give special thanks to LIVESTRONG and to everyone who voted in support of this program here in Central Florida. We are very excited to move forward and provide these programs to our patients.”

“Through the generosity of LIVESTRONG, United Arts is proud to facilitate in bringing local artists to MD Anderson – Orlando as the fight against cancer continues,” said Cory Warren, events manager, United Arts of Central Florida. “We are honored to continue the success of The Creative Center’s Artists-in-Residence program locally by coupling the arts and medicine in the full spectrum of the healing process.”

“LIVESTRONG is dedicated to providing the best direct services to people affected by cancer and encourages our supporters to be actively involved in leading the unified LIVESTRONG movement against cancer,” said Doug Ulman, president and CEO of LIVESTRONG. “The LIVESTRONG Community Impact Project is exercising an innovative approach that engages more people in our mission and allows them to play a critical role in the organization’s programming.”

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

United Arts of Central Florida

United Arts of Central Florida is a dynamic collaboration of 135 businesses, 8 governments and school districts, 33 foundations, more than 50 arts and cultural organizations, and 2,873 artists and individuals. This partnership works to enhance the quality and variety of cultural experiences available throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Since its inception in 1989, United Arts has invested more than $112 million in local cultural organizations and cultural education. For more information please visit www.UnitedArts.cc.

About LIVESTRONG

Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG's mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.

Orlando Health, the University of Florida and Shands HealthCare Partner to Confront Health-Care Challenges, Embrace Opportunities

10/14/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. — (October 14, 2010) Orlando Health, the University of Florida and Shands HealthCare announced today their intent to collaborate on new health initiatives that will make care more accessible to millions of patients over a 20-county region and expand training opportunities for physicians.

Officials signed a memorandum of understanding that provides a foundation for these and other related efforts, a natural result of years of close working relationships.

Under the agreement, the organizations will negotiate to form joint clinical programs in the areas of pediatrics, neuroscience, oncology, women’s health, transplantation and cardiovascular medicine, including a plan to develop a regional comprehensive cardiac care program. They also will look to increase undergraduate and graduate medical residency and fellowship training opportunities at Orlando Health, and open opportunities for conducting clinical trials through UF’s robust clinical research program, while also launching common approaches to quality care and safety initiatives.

“The formal affiliation of Orlando Health with the University of Florida and Shands will build on our longstanding and valuable relationship and enhance our collective energies as regional and statewide clinical leaders,” said David S. Guzick, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president for health affairs at UF and president of the UF&Shands Health System. “As the health-care needs of patients throughout Central and North Central Florida continue to grow, we will seek out ways to collaborate on comprehensive clinical programs for adults and children and fortify our role as educational leaders in delivering the highest-quality education for future physicians and other health providers.”

This agreement will pave the way for the organizations to meet new mandates under health-care reform, particularly those addressing quality of care.

“Our focus at Orlando Health has always been to provide patients with the highest quality of health care. New health-care reform initiatives add even greater emphasis to improving the quality and efficiency of health-care services,” said John Hillenmeyer, president and CEO of Orlando Health. “This alliance will open additional opportunities for us to work together to implement programs and modify models and structures that will positively impact the quality of healthcare for patients across multiple Florida counties.”

Physicians with these organizations will play an integral role in these efforts. Through this collaboration, Orlando Health physicians could receive faculty appointments, teach UF medical students or graduate medical trainees, or participate in UF-sponsored clinical trials. The agreement also could result in increased use of Orlando Health as a training site for UF medical residents and fellows. It is also envisioned that clinical faculty from UF’s College of Medicine could participate with Orlando Health medical staff on future clinical services.

The alliance also opens up additional opportunities for the physician groups to work together to develop joint clinical protocols that will enhance quality and safety for patients.

More than 2.5 million Floridians across nearly 20 counties are served by the three health-care organizations.

In a proactive response to pending health-care reform mandates, the organizations will develop similar or compatible electronic medical records capabilities and quality information systems to ensure easy access to relevant patient health information. They also are seeking to develop a comprehensive system of care that provides a spectrum of health-care services — from primary care to the most complex, such as transplantation.

In addition, the organizations, which share a common set of values in education, research and charitable missions, will pursue joint safety net ventures to better provide care to the traditional “safety net” patient population. Safety net patients are patients with limited or no access to health care due to their financial circumstances, insurance status or health condition.

“This collaboration lays the groundwork for advancing discussions to enhance patient care, medical education and research advances and will look to build upon affiliations each of the organizations already has in place with other health-care entities,” Hillenmeyer said.

Surgeons Develop A New Approach to Alter The Way They Implant a Cardiac Support Device And Prevent Strokes

10/5/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (October 5, 2010) -A surgical team from the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has presented findings from the first study to demonstrate that the way a ventricular assist device (VAD) is implanted can have an impact on whether or not a patient may have a stroke while the device is in use.

Specifically, the surgeons reported that they can adjust the way they implant a VAD to align with a patient's thoracic anatomy and as a result, modify blood flow patterns so that blood clots don't travel to the brain and possibly cause a stroke while the VAD is in use. This landmark study on stroke prevention in heart failure patients was reported at the 2010 Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

The surgeons reconfigured the angles along which they would sew a VAD into the heart based on a magnetic resonance imaging scan of a patient's heart, aorta, and aortic arch (the main blood vessels that come out of the heart). Using computerized simulations of blood flow, the surgeons determined, for each surgical configuration, the size and percentage of blood clots that entered the two carotid arteries (arteries that carry blood to the brain). At one extreme, one of the configurations had an 18 percent average rate of embolization (blood clots travelling to the brain). At the other extreme, a configuration had an 8 percent rate of embolization.

The computerized technique, which is known as computational fluid dynamics, produces numerical simulations, not tests on actual patients. However, the surgeons applied the simulations to a real patient's aortic anatomy. "We took a patient's MRI scan and recreated the flow through it down to a fraction of a millimeter precision through computational fluid dynamic modeling. So a very real patient's anatomy went into very precise simulations as a starting point. Then, we calculated the pathway of blood clots forming within the VAD and travelling along the aorta," said William M. DeCampli, MD, PhD, FACS, a professor of surgery at the University of Central Florida and chair of surgery at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando.

The surgeons are theorizing that "we could conceivably lower the stroke rate following the implantation of a VAD from 20 percent to 7 percent by making a surgical maneuver which is not that difficult to make," he explained.

At the ACS Clinical Congress, the surgeons showed videos of blood flowing through a VAD and the path taken by blood clots formed on the interior of the device. "We will demonstrate that as you change the angle of implantation of the VAD, the blood clots will tend to bypass the carotids and travel down the descending aorta. So instead of embolizing to the brain, the clots embolize more peripherally where one would hope potential damage would not be so severe," Dr. DeCampli said. Furthermore, by using patient specific MRI data, each patient could potentially be prescribed a unique configuration in which to implant the VAD.

Findings from this study, in fact, suggest other surgical procedures during VAD place-ment that could further reduce stroke risk. "While we found that clots could be directed away from one carotid artery, they tended to go up the other carotid artery," Dr. DeCampli said.

The solution to this problem would simply be to use a graft to bypass the other carotid artery. "With the simulations, we're finding that without a whole lot of extra surgical work, surgeons could place such a graft in a suitable location to ensure blood flow to both carotids and prevent embolization of blood clots," he said.

VADs are implantable mechanical pumps that direct blood from a small conduit connected to the left side (ventricle) of a heart that is failing to the aorta. VADs take over the work of the ventricle and pump blood to the body.

VADs are used to manage patients with end stage congestive heart failure by providing a "bridge" to receiving a cardiac transplant. The devices also are being applied as destination therapy or continuous, long-term support of failing hearts. "We now have evidence that patients can live with an acceptable quality of life with an implanted mechanical VAD in lieu of a transplanted heart," Dr. DeCampli reported.

Stroke is the most frequent serious complication following VAD implantation. The annual risk of stroke varies between 10 percent and 47 percent. Efforts to reduce the incidence of stroke have focused on altering the surfaces of the devices so the mechanical elements are not considered to be foreign bodies by the immune system and do not cause blood to clot. Alternatively, stroke prevention has focused on the use of blood thinners, or anticoagulants, that prevent clot from forming. Neither approach has been very successful.

The surgical team from the University of Central Florida is following a different avenue of research. Rather than try to prevent blood clots from forming, "we just assume the blood clots will form. We're trying to modify blood flow patterns so the clots will not go to the brain," Dr. DeCampli concluded.

Also participating in the study were Ivan Ricardo Argueta-Morales, MD; Reginald Tran, BS; William Clark, BS; Eduardo Divo, PhD; and Alain Kassab, PhD.

Larry the Cable Guy's Git-R-Done Foundation Donates $5 Million to Arnold Palmer Hospital

9/24/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (September 26, 2010) - Comedian Larry the Cable Guy announced today his charitable organization, The Git-R-Done Foundation, is donating $5 million to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for further development of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI).

"My family's personal experience with hip dysplasia opened our eyes to how common this is but how little is known about it," stated Larry the Cable Guy. "Our hope is that this gift can be a springboard for more research, education, and better treatment for patients all over the world who suffer with hip dysplasia."

Hip dysplasia is the medical term for instability, or looseness, of the hip joint that affects thousands of children each year. This ranges from mild instability to complete dislocation.

Approximately one out of every 20 full-term babies has some hip instability and 2 to 3 per 1000 will require treatment. Persistent hip instability is a silent childhood condition that frequently causes disability and arthritis into adulthood.

IHDI is a not-for-profit collaborative effort between a number of medical centers around the world to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hip dysplasia. The organization is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation.

"So much of what we are doing in the institute now is possible because of the vision and support of Larry the Cable Guy and his family," stated Charles T. Price, MD, Director of IHDI. "We hope to become the most comprehensive source of information for patients, parents and physicians around the world who share our commitment to improving knowledge and treatment of hip dysplasia."

In celebration of the donation, Larry the Cable Guy is hosting The First Annual Git-R-Done Golf Classic at Grand Cypress Golf Resort in Orlando on September 26th and 27th. Celebrity guests scheduled to attend include Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White, Sean Astin, PGA's Lee Janzen, and former Major League Baseball players Frank Viola Jr. and Davey Johnson.

The Git-R-Done Foundation

The Git-R-Done Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by Larry the Cable Guy and his wife, Cara, as a focal point for the family's philanthropy in 2009. The foundation's mission is to provide assistance to individuals, families and organizations that have experienced hardships beyond their control. The Git-R-Done Foundation has made numerous donations, including donations to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation for the treatment and cure of hip dysplasia and the Children's Advocacy Center. For information or to donate, visit www.gitrdonefoundation.org

Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children

New Program Brings Health and Nutrition Information to the Parramore Community

9/23/2010 12:00:00 AM

New Program Brings Health and Nutrition Information to the Parramore Community Obesity Program Focuses on Children and Families

Orlando, FL (September 23, 2010) – A new program in Orlando’s Parramore community is tackling childhood obesity and giving children and families access to vital weight management and nutrition information.

The Collaborative Obesity Prevention Program was started by doctors at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children to address one of the most significant issues affecting childhood health, particularly in urban areas. The program is funded by a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

COPP will provide education on obesity prevention to Parramore children ages eight to 12 and their families. The family-based program involves parents and guardians who make the majority of food choices for children while providing children with the information they need to make wise food choices on their own. In addition to encouraging regular exercise, COPP also provides education on techniques to overcome media influence on lifestyle choices.

There are more than 2,000 children living in the Parramore community. A recent survey showed 41 percent of these children have chronic health conditions that are not readily addressed given the existing barriers to care.

Since 2005, the Parramore Kidz Zone project, modeled after the well-known Harlem Children's Zone in New York City, has sought to change the distressed Orlando neighborhood into a healthy place for children by linking them to positive opportunities. While there are healthcare programs currently operating in the Parramore Kidz Zone, none of them focus solely on improved nutrition and weight management for children.

“Everyday in Parramore, children’s health and education are subordinated by more pressing needs, including food, clothing and shelter,” stated Lonna Gordon, M.D. “COPP will help meet the resource needs of children and families to deal with obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity.”

Children participating in COPP will be cared for by physicians completing their pediatric training at Arnold Palmer Hospital. The physicians are part of the In the Zone Community Pediatrics program that brings them out of the examining room and into communities where they can get to know children, youth, their families and their health concerns and resources better. Through In the Zone, pediatric trainees partner with agencies serving children, youth and families in the Parramore community and beyond to provide home visitations, health education, health navigation, mentorship and advocacy.

“Our pediatric trainees are very involved in bringing resources needed to promote health and prevent disease to the children and families in the community that need them most” stated Veenod Chulani, M.D., director of In the Zone. “By doing so, our residents gain valuable training while impacting some of today’s most pressing child health problems in family- and community-centered ways.”

A kick-off event for COPP will take place Tuesday, September 28 at 5:30pm at the Callahan Neighborhood Center, 101 North Parramore Avenue, Orlando, FL 32805. For more information, please email: COPP@orlandohealth.com.

Pink Fire Trucks Roll Into Town to Benefit MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

9/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Pink Fire Trucks Roll Into Town to Benefit MD Anderson Cancer Center OrlandoThe public may sign the trucks with messages of support in the fight against cancer

Orlando, FL Sept. 21, 2010 – A fleet of pink fire trucks rolled into Orlando area to draw attention to the fight against cancer and raise valuable dollars for life-saving care and research. The pink fire trucks were on display at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, providing the public the opportunity to sign the trucks with messages of support in the fight against cancer.

Lori McCormick, RN, BSN and Kristin Phillips, RN, BSN, OCN with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Breast Care Center pose in front of the pink fire truck on display.

The pink fire trucks are traveling the nation to spread cancer awareness as part of the “Pink Heals Tour.” The tour is manned by professional firefighters in full pink gear who call themselves the “Guardians of the Ribbon.” While on the Orlando Health campus, the pink crew visited with oncology patients at MD Anderson - Orlando and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

"MD Anderson - Orlando was honored to be a stop on the Pink Heals National Tour," said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. "Events like this not only help us move closer to finding a cure for cancer but also provide hope and support for Central Floridians battling this disease."

Pink Heals Tour 2010
The Pink Heals Tour is a national outreach initiative by Guardians of The Ribbon, a coalition of firefighters and police officers who partner with local fire departments and community leaders to raise awareness about cancer and support women battling the disease. For more information on the tour and the organization’s “Care Enough to Wear Pink” national campaign, go to www.pinkfiretrucks.org.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and Holy Family Catholic Women Team Up for Health Expo 2010

9/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL Sept. 21, 2010 – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and Holy Family Catholic Women teamed up for Expo 2010 and Health Symposium. The expo, held at Holy Family Catholic Church Parish Life Center, featured presentations on women’s gynecologic health and well-being by Drs. Peter Casella, MD; Frank Leiva, MD; John Martin, MD; and Mercedes Rodriguez, MD, MBA. The Orlando Health Air Care helicopter and Orange County Fire and Rescue teams were also on hand to display their fire truck and ambulance and provide tours for the public.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital employees helped spread the word about healthy living at Health Expo 2010. From left, Patty Bobryk, therapy dog Ballard II, Susan Scarborough, Tracy Carrasco, Erin Hyde, Jennifer Dawson-Beach, Katie Henderson

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, part of the nationally recognized Orlando Health system, is a complete medical and surgical facility serving southwest Orange County. With 237 acute care beds, Dr. Phillips Hospital offers specialized programs including cardiovascular surgery, laparoscopic surgery, emergency medicine and an accredited Chest Pain Center. Dr. Phillips serves residents and visitors to Orlando’s sprawling tourist complex, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. For more information, visit www.drphillipshospital.com.

Pink Fire Trucks Roll Through Central Florida To Raise Cancer Awareness

9/15/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - September 14, 2010 – A fleet of pink fire trucks will roll into the Orlando area this week to draw attention to the fight against cancer and raise valuable dollars for life-saving care and research. The pink fire trucks will be on display Friday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, 1400 S. Orange Ave., and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, 92 West Miller Street. The public is invited to stop by and sign the pink fire engines with messages of support in the fight against cancer.

The pink fire trucks are traveling the nation to spread cancer awareness as part of the “Pink Heals Tour.” The tour will be manned by professional firefighters in full pink gear who call themselves the “Guardians of the Ribbon.” The pink crew will share stories of hope as they visit with oncology patients at MD Anderson - Orlando and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.

Local firefighters have partnered with Pink Heals for this free event, hosting fitness challenge games for children and adults, selling pink T-shirts and collecting donations, with proceeds to benefit MD Anderson – Orlando. Pink will be the color of the day. Local firefighters will sport pink and invite others to wear pink on September 17 to show support in the fight against cancer.

"MD Anderson - Orlando is honored to be a stop on the Pink Heals National Tour," said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. "This event will not only help us move closer to finding a cure but will also provide hope and support for Central Floridians battling this disease."

Additionally, the Pink Heals fleet of fire trucks will be deployed throughout the day at locations in Winter Park, Orlando and Reedy Creek. The final stop and grand finale is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Wall Street Plaza in downtown, where crews will park the five trucks for the closing celebration of the Central Florida tour. The evening will include more opportunities to sign the trucks, firefighter challenges and music.

“Saving lives and raising awareness about cancer is fundamental to the wellness of our community, so it will be our honor to wear our pink with pride and support this worthy cause,” adds Darrel McCrystal, vice president of Orange County Professional Fire Fighters Local 2057.

Editor’s note: Members of the news media are invited to join the Pink Heals crews as they visit patients at MD Anderson – Orlando and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. For media access contact Katie Dagenais with MD Anderson – Orlando Media Relations, 407-242-0305.

Pink Heals Tour 2010
The Pink Heals Tour is a national outreach initiative by Guardians of The Ribbon, a coalition of firefighters and police officers who partner with local fire departments and community leaders to raise awareness about cancer and support women battling the disease. For more information on the tour and the organization’s “Care Enough to Wear Pink” national campaign, go to www.pinkfiretrucks.org.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando
MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Orlando Health Signs Agreement to Implement Isabel's Diagnosis Decision Support System

8/30/2010 12:00:00 AM

MEDIA CONTACT

Don Bauman
Isabel Healthcare
734.332.0612
don.bauman@isabelhealthcare.com

Orlando, FL (August 10, 2010) -- Orlando Health has partnered with Isabel Healthcare to implement an innovative web-based diagnosis decision support checklist tool to assist physicians with diagnosis decisions.

The Isabel system will be made available to over 2000 physicians practicing within the health system as part of Orlando's ongoing commitment to quality and patient safety. While most diagnoses are reached through the experience and knowledge of the physician, in 10 - 15% of the cases they are more difficult to determine. Isabel assists by accelerating the process for determining the diagnosis of a patient in those situations where there is some question.

The system is designed to complement the physician's expertise by producing a differential diagnosis checklist of those diagnoses most closely related to a given patient's clinical features. A patient's pertinent signs and symptoms are entered into the system and a differential diagnosis checklist is instantly returned. In addition to the diagnosis support Isabel assists with ongoing training by providing access to up to date information from medical journals and textbooks, hospital protocols, and online web resources.

"Missed information and delayed diagnosis can result in unnecessary testing and prolonged hospital stays, both of which can adversely affect patient care," said Jay Falk, M.D., chief academic medical officer for Orlando Health. "Isabel can be a powerful tool in helping to avoid these pitfalls while having the added benefit of helping to educate our physicians by broadening their differential diagnostic considerations."

The Isabel system was conceived 10 years ago as a direct response to the near-fatal misdiagnosis of a three-year-old girl in London named Isabel Maude, who developed necrotizing fasciitis, a complication of chicken pox. Both the girl's primary care physician and the local hospital's emergency department failed to recognize the typical clinical features of necrotizing fasciitis, a potentially fatal illness, and sent her home.

The girl's father, Jason Maude, founded Isabel Healthcare Inc. in 2000 based on his daughter's experience. Today, both Isabels are doing well. Maude's daughter is a happy and healthy teenager and his technology is being incorporated at more and more hospitals around the world. The system not only assists in making the right diagnosis, but also helps answer clinical questions with up-to-date knowledge related to specific diagnoses.

A unique aspect of the Orlando Health/Isabel healthcare partnership will provide for the Isabel system to be completely integrated into the health systems electronic medical record system. This will allow Isabel to be used seamlessly in the clinical workflow of the physician and will empower the information in the electronic record, extending its patient safety benefits to Central Florida residents.

"As always it is the responsibility of the CMIO to identify information systems that will support our clinical team in its endeavor to provide the best possible care for our patients," said Steve Margolis M.D., chief medical informatics officer for Orlando Health. "In this circumstance it means providing our caregivers with the most informed, comprehensive and timely information that will assist and support the care of our patients. By integrating Isabel into the normal care process of our providers, we hope to accelerate the care of our patients as well as improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the care process itself."

"We are excited about our partnership with Orlando Health and bringing Isabel to their physicians as an integral part of their electronic medical record" said Don Bauman, Isabel Healthcare USA's CEO. "Isabel provides vital support at the most important step in the care delivery process-determining the diagnosis of the patient. Speed to correct diagnosis has tremendous downstream clinical quality, financial, legal and patient satisfaction impacts. We are proud to be working with them on this effort."

The Isabel system will be made available to all physicians at Orlando Health via the electronic medical record system, providing access for them where and when they need the system.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.7 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

About Isabel Healthcare
Isabel Healthcare Inc. was founded in 2000 by Jason Maude, and is named after Maude's daughter who almost died after a potentially fatal illness was not recognized. Isabel Healthcare provides, Isabel Pro, a web-based Diagnosis Decision Support System designed to help mitigate risk of diagnosis error and related downstream clinical, financial and legal outcomes. Designed to complement a physician's clinical expertise, Isabel operates within their workflow either integrated into the EMR system or on its own, providing actionable knowledge where and when the clinician needs it.

MD Anderson Awarded $1.5 million Research Grant

8/25/2010 12:00:00 AM

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By: David Rosenfield
Orlando MedicalNews
Posted: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 8:14 am

Charles Rosser, MD, MBA, has a rare opportunity as a urologic oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando where he splits his time between treating patients and conducting experiments on mice.

Rosser is about to get a lot busier.

MD Anderson – Orlando, part of Orlando Health and affiliated with MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, was recently awarded $1.5 million in grants mostly for bladder cancer research.

The bulk of the funds – $1.3 million – will support a three-year project led by Rosser looking at new ways to diagnose and treat bladder cancer while Philip Arlen, PhD, and Olena Tirpak, PhD, will lead separate studies into prostate and lung cancer.

The money comes from the Florida Department of Health James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program and the Bankhead-Coley Cancer Research Program. It marks one of the largest cancer research grants in the state.

Rosser said some of the goals of the grant include how to address bladder cancer with a multi-disciplinary approach that has specialists better communicating with one another. "We want to break down these silos and get everyone working together," Rosser said.

An estimated 60,000 people in the United State are diagnosed each year with bladder cancer while 12,000 people likely die each year from the disease.

The research grants will also include some involvement with the University of Miami, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, University of Central Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center.

For the first year of Rosser's research grant he will examine the effects of a new drug developed by Altor BioScience. In the second year, provided the drug yields positive results, Rosser will administer it on patients in human drug trials. In this respect, Rosser is a physician-scientist.

"Really the only people who can successfully take a drug from the bench to the bedside are the physician-scientists," Rosser said.

Other parts of the grant include researching ways to detect bladder cancer in urine rather than using invasive tests and how tobacco use contributes to onset of the disease.

"We're all excited and proud to bring this here," Rosser said.

New Name for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital

8/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (August 21, 2010) - The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies will now be known as the Alexander Center for Neonatology in honor of Gregor Alexander, M.D., a longtime neonatologist who has cared for thousands of newborn babies in Central Florida.

"Dr. Alexander is a pioneer in the field of neonatology and he has dedicated his life to delivering heartfelt care to the most fragile lives arriving in our hospital," stated Kathy Swanson, president of Winnie Palmer Hospital. "His tremendous influence is felt by all of us throughout the hospital and so many others in the community who have experienced his compassionate touch."

Dr. Alexander joined Orlando Regional Healthcare in 1977 as Director of Newborn Services. Under his leadership, the department has grown exponentially. In 2006, Winnie Palmer Hospital opened its doors and the NICU quickly grew to become one of the largest in the nation and among the best in terms of survival and quality of life. He assembled an aggressive, dynamic, and compassionate team of nurses, respiratory therapists, family counselors and physicians. He also helped establish programs such as ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), Infant Audiology, developmentalists, counseling services of Neonatal Family Specialists, and the growth and expansion of the newborn transport team.

He currently serves as the Chairman of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation and has served as Chairman of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Chairman of the Pediatrics Department, and Chairman of the Greater Orlando Children's Miracle Network Board.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels Donates $50,000 to Arnold Palmer Hospital to Fight Childhood Cancer

8/18/2010 12:00:00 AM

MEDIA CONTACT

Eddie Garcia
Allison & Partners
310.496.4470
eddie@allisonpr.com

Orlando, FL - August 18, 2010 - Hyundai Motor America and its dealers announced today that Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida has been selected to receive a donation of $50,000 from Hyundai Hope on Wheels™. The 2010 Hope on Wheels Tour is traveling nationwide to donate more than $2.1 million to childhood cancer research institutions and will be making a stop at Arnold Palmer Hospital today at 10:00 a.m. to present the check at a ceremonial event.

Don Eslin, M.D., vice-chair for the Pediatric Oncology Department at Arnold Palmer Hospital, has been named a 2010 Hyundai Scholar, and will use the funds to support his research into the use of Tolfenamic Acid and Tamoxifen for the treatment of neuroblastoma, which is the most common solid tumor (outside of the brain) in children and accounts for nearly 10 percent of all childhood cancers. Despite steady improvements in cure rates overall in childhood cancer, the survival rates for patients with neuroblastoma continue to be low. Doctor Eslin will be recognized and the hospital's childhood cancer patients will take part in the Hope on Wheels Handprint Ceremony, during which they dip their hands in finger paint and apply their colorful handprints to a white Hyundai Santa Fe. The car, which is covered in children's handprints from all over the country, is the symbol of Hyundai Hope on Wheels.

"We are inspired every day by the brave children we meet at our Handprint Ceremonies," said Bill Nero of Universal Hyundai. "When the kids place their handprints on the car, we are honoring their brave battles against cancer, commemorating their triumphs and sharing their hope for the future with other children and their families across the country."

"On behalf of Hyundai dealers across the country, Hope on Wheels is honored to continue its support for childhood cancer research in 2010 and recognize the brave children who are battling this disease," said Oscar Leeser, President of the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Foundation and dealer owner of Hyundai of El Paso in El Paso, Texas. "We are proud to be able to award research grants to the Hyundai Scholars - they are the pediatric oncologists whose unwavering dedication to research helps to care for children facing cancer and gives them hope for a healthy future."

The Center for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders at Arnold Palmer Hospital combines the resources of the renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando to create a special place for treating children with cancer. "We are honored to host the 2010 Hope on Wheels Tour at Arnold Palmer Hospital," stated Don Eslin, M.D. "Each one of these handprints is a symbol of hope and we are proud to have Hyundai as a supporter in researching new strategies to treat our childhood cancer patients so that their hopes come true."

This year Hyundai Hope on Wheels marks 12 years of commitment to childhood cancer research efforts. Hyundai and its dealers have donated more than $14 million to children's hospitals nationwide and collected hundreds of handprints from children fighting childhood cancer. More information and the complete list of more than 40 stops on the 2010 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Tour is available at www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org.

Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through all 780 dealerships nationwide.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels
Hyundai Hope on Wheels™ is the united effort of the all 780 Hyundai dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness about childhood cancer and celebrate the lives of children battling the disease. Hyundai and its dealers have donated more than $14 million to pediatric cancer research and is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Adds Five Oncologists to Team

7/29/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – July 29, 2010 – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando welcomes five oncologists to its team.

	Debashish Bose, MD joins the Surgical Oncology team as a pancreatic surgeon. Dr. Bose comes to Central Florida from MD Anderson in Houston where he was a surgical oncology fellow. Dr. Bose was the recipient of the 2009 and 2010 Merit Award at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
	Christopher Bryant, MD, joins the Gynecologic Oncology team. Dr. Bryant completed his obstetrics and gynecology training at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. He has received many honors and awards and has 25 articles in referred journals.
	Sreeram Maddipatla, MD joins the Medical Oncology/Hematology team. Dr. Maddipatla recently completed his fellowship in hematology oncology at MD Anderson – Orlando. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals including the Clinical Cancer Research and Oncology.
	Kavita Pattani, MD joins the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology team. Dr. Pattani comes to Central Florida from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, MD where she was a head and neck surgery fellow. She has presented at several meetings across the country including the International AHNS Head and Neck Meeting.
	Justin Rineer, MD joins the Radiation Oncology department. Dr. Rineer comes to Central Florida from MD Anderson in Houston where he was an advanced radiation oncology fellow. Dr. Rineer was a recipient of the 2008 and 2009 ASCO Foundation Award for original research presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

Orlando Health hosts GIGANTIC Garage Sale to raise money for the Greater Orlando Start! Heart Walk 2010

7/28/2010 12:00:00 AM

Who:	Heartfelt named Orlando Health Heart Walk Teams including the Cardiac Cath Lab Broken Heart Menders, the Heart Strings, the Oxy-Transporters, and the Pulse.
What:	Orlando Health Heart Walk Teams invite the community to the fun frenzy of its GIGANTIC Garage Sale to find treasures while raising funds for the Greater Orlando Start! Heart Walk (October 2). More than 20 Heart Walk Teams will spend the day “wheeling and dealing” the “gently used” and “like new” items including house wares, furniture, sports equipment, clothing, books, toys and other finds. All proceeds from the sales go directly toward the teams’ total funds raised to help in the fight against the country’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, heart diseases and stroke. Unsold items will be donated to local charitable organizations. In addition to the shop for the heart opportunities, heart health information will be available.
When:	Saturday, August 14 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Where:	Orlando Regional Medical Center campus Ground Floor, Lucerne Terrace Parking Garage (Corner of Lucerne Terrace and Copeland Street) Complimentary parking available at garage.
Interview/ Photo Opps:	“Garage Sale Diva” Patty Harper, BSN, RN-BC, nursing operations manager, cardiac rehabilitation at Orlando Regional Medical Center “Go to guys and gals” on the Orlando Health Heart Walk Teams Orlando Health administrators and managers
Media Contact:	Sabrina Childress Orlando Health Media Relations & Public Affairs Manager Phone: 321.841.8748 Mobile: 407.765.7828 Email: sabrina.childress@orlandohealth.com

Winnie Palmer Hospital Triage Unit Expands

7/23/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (July 22, 2010) - Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is unveiling a newly expanded women's triage unit.

The expansion of the triage unit will add 3,346 square feet of space to the existing unit, which is currently one of the busiest in the nation. It will feature eight new exam rooms and one room with fetal ultrasound capabilities. The new triage will maintain the design philosophy evident throughout the hospital, which places special attention on creating a soothing, healing environment with warm décor and natural ambiance.

In addition to the expansion, the existing triage is undergoing a renovation to update furnishings and décor in the 18-room unit. Total cost for the expansion and renovation project will be $2 million.

"Since we opened in 2006, we've seen more than 35,000 patients per year, making this triage unit one of the busiest in the country," states Sheila Bystrak, administrator for obstetrics and women's surgery at Winnie Palmer Hospital. "This expansion and renovation mean shorter wait times for those patients and a reinforcement of our commitment to Orlando Health's patient first philosophy."

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Names New Medical and Scientific Director

7/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – July 21, 2010 – Mark Roh, MD, an internationally renowned liver cancer surgeon at MD Anderson – Orlando has been appointed the cancer center’s Medical and Scientific Director. In his new leadership role, Dr. Roh, who reports to the center’s CEO, will oversee all clinical activities within the cancer center and have responsibility for clinical, basic and translational research carried out at MD Anderson – Orlando, including the Cancer Research Institute.

Dr. Roh joined Orlando Health in August 2009 as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery of MD Anderson - Orlando and Academic Chairman of the Department of Surgery of Orlando Health. In addition to leading efforts to build world-class departments of surgery, Dr. Roh has initiated a Liver Cancer Center at MD Anderson – Orlando.

“Dr. Roh is a tremendous asset to the entire Orlando Health organization,” said Clarence Brown, III, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “Here at MD Anderson – Orlando, Dr. Roh works with patients from around the country who have been referred to him for his highly technical approaches to the treatment of very complex and serious malignant diseases of the liver. I look forward to our continued growth with Dr. Roh in the very important role as our Medical and Scientific Director.”

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Receives $1.5 Million to Fund Cancer Research

6/16/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – June 16, 2010 – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando will continue to forge new pathways in cancer research thanks to recent grant awards totaling more than $1.5 million. The three grants awarded to MD Anderson – Orlando researchers come from the Florida Department of Health James and Esther King Biomedical Research Program and the Bankhead-Coley Cancer Research Program. The funding will be used by MD Anderson Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute to find new methods to diagnosis and treat bladder and lung cancer.

“We are thrilled to receive these valuable dollars to fund the work that we are doing here in Central Florida,” said Clarence Brown, III, MD, President and CEO, MD Anderson – Orlando. “Our Cancer Research Institute has many ongoing and future research projects that are focused on developing new cancer fighting drugs and new treatments to save lives. These funds will help to steer these projects and work toward our ultimate goal of a cure for cancer.”

Charles Rosser, M.D., M.B.A., Philip Arlen, Ph.D., and Orena Tirpak, Ph.D. will serve as the lead investigators on these grants.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Ranks Among America's Best Children's Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report

6/4/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (June 3, 2010) - Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children has been ranked 30th for heart and heart surgery, and 28th for orthopedics in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 edition of America's Best Children's Hospitals. Arnold Palmer Hospital is the only hospital in Central Florida to be included in the rankings.

The annual rankings included the 30 top hospitals in cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, heart and heart surgery, kidney disorders, neonatology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, respiratory disorders, and urology.

"It is an honor to be included in this prestigious list alongside some of the most well-respected names in pediatric care," stated John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "We're very proud of the physicians and staff who lead the way in providing inspired and advanced care for kids throughout central Florida."

For 2010, 170 pediatric centers were asked to complete a 75-page online survey. Most of the centers surveyed are members of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) and fit the description of standalone centers or a hospital within a hospital. A small number of specialty and non-NACHRI hospitals were added because they were previously ranked or were recommended by trusted sources. Hospitals were ranked on how well they did in three areas: reputation, medical outcomes (such as cancer survival), and care-related indicators of quality (such as the number of patients, nurse staffing, and availability of specialized programs).

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Telemedicine Brings Congenital Heart Institute's Unique Cardiac Mri Expertise Daily To Patients In Orlando

6/3/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, Fla (June 2, 2010) -- Pediatric and adult congenital heart patients in Orlando are benefiting from a new telemedicine connection that is making cardiac MRI services more accessible to patients. Thanks to specialized MRI software, and voice and video internet connections between the two campuses of the Congenital Heart Institute at Miami Children's Hospital and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children- referred to as "one program at two locations" - patients at the Orlando campus now have ready access to cardiac MRI expertise.

Prior to the connection, Dr. Ruchira Garg, one of a small but growing number of cardiac MRI specialists nationwide, traveled monthly to Orlando to perform cardiac MRIs. Now, patients can have the procedures scheduled as needed rather than wait for Dr. Garg's monthly visits. Dr. Garg scans patients and directs on-site technical staff in Orlando through the internet connection, then relays essential results to the managing cardiologists and surgeons in Orlando.

"As more and more children born with heart defects survive and thrive, thanks to interventional advancements, the need for cardiac MRI continues to grow," said Dr. Garg. "Early in a patient's care, echocardiography is the gold standard to assess heart anatomy and function. After multiple surgeries and repairs, scar tissue often makes it more difficult to obtain diagnostic echocardiographic images. For these patients, cardiac MRI is usually the best method for evaluating heart anatomy and function," said Dr. Garg.

Dr. Garg is a pediatric cardiologist who joined the Miami Children's Hospital Congenital Heart Institute in 2006 to establish the Cardiac MRI program. She is specifically trained in noninvasive imaging, including the techniques and interpretation of congenital cardiac MRI. Dr. Garg comes to Miami from The Children's Hospital, Denver, where she successfully established a Congenital Cardiac MRI program. Dr. Garg also serves as the co-director of the Echocardiography Laboratory, where she performs fetal echocardiograms to diagnose fetal heart disease.

Dr. Garg earned her medical degree at the Medical College of Pennsylvania; she then completed her internship and residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. She completed her pediatric cardiology training at Columbus Children's Hospital (now Nationwide Children's Hospital), followed by an additional year of fellowship in noninvasive imaging at Children's Hospital Boston. Dr. Garg is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and Sub-Board of Pediatric Cardiology, and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Miami Children's Hospital

Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008 and 2009 by U.S.News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and Mark McEwen Help Raise Awareness for Stroke

5/18/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - May 18, 2010 - Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, with the help of guest speaker Mark McEwen, recently raised awareness for stroke at its inaugural Stroke Awareness Month event. McEwen, former CBS weatherman and stroke survivor, spoke at the event about his experience and the treatment he received four years ago as a patient of Dr. Phillips Hospital. Dr. David Portee, Medical Director for Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute and Dr. Nizam Razack, Board Certified Neurological Surgeon also shared valuable information about stroke risk factors, warning signs, rehabilitation and stroke survival.

David Portee, MD, Medical Director for Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute, Mark McEwen, and Nizam Razack, MD, Board Certified Neurological Surgeon

With a stroke, minutes matter. Early diagnosis and treatment, within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, can significantly improve the chance of recovery. Knowing the warning signs of a stroke is the key to surviving a stroke.

Mark McEwen encourages people to know the stroke warning signs and not to be afraid to call 911 if they experience any such symptoms. "I always say err on the side of caution," said McEwen. "It is one thing to be red faced and embarrassed. It's another thing to suffer from a stroke, you don't want that."

Stroke warning signs include:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache
Transient ischemic attack (TIA) often referred to as a "mini-stroke."

From left to right: Anthony Lado, director, Human Resources; Susan Williams, administrator, Patient Care; Anita Loggins, administrator, Patient Care; Mark Jones, president, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; Mark McEwen, Paul Johns, administrator, Ancillary Services; Carol Frechette, chief financial officer, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, part of the nationally recognized Orlando Health system, is a complete medical and surgical facility serving southwest Orange County. With 237 acute care beds, Dr. Phillips Hospital offers specialized programs including cardiovascular surgery, laparoscopic surgery, emergency medicine and an accredited Chest Pain Center. Dr. Phillips serves residents and visitors to Orlando's sprawling tourist complex, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. For more information, visit www.drphillipshospital.com.

Neurosurgery Group Joins Arnold Palmer Hospital

5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - May 13, 2010 - Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is the new home to a group of local neurosurgeons. They will join the hospital's Pediatric Specialty Practices, which houses a wide variety of pediatric specialists who provide patients efficient, high-quality care.

The group includes Greg Olavarria, MD, Jogi Pattisapu, MD, Christopher A. Gegg, MD, and Keyne K. Johnson, MD. They will offer patients at Arnold Palmer Hospital decades of experience in all areas of neurosurgery, including the treatment of epilepsy, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, brain and spine tumors, and much more.

"We're very pleased to have such an accomplished and well-respected group of physicians join us," stated Janet Livingston, administrator, Pediatric Specialty Practices. "Our new group of neurosurgeons offers our patients a wider spectrum of care with greater convenience and service."

Stroke Survivor Mark McEwen and Dr. P. Phillips Hospital’s Dr. Backer help to raise stroke awareness

5/14/2010 12:00:00 AM

Mark McEwen, former CBS weatherman and stroke survivor and Dr. Jeffery Backer, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital appeared on WKMG Channel 6 at 6pm to discuss stroke awareness. In the news story, Mark returns to Dr. Phillips Hospital’s Emergency Department, for the first time since he was treated there for his stroke four years ago, to speak with Channel 6’s Laura Diaz about his experience. Mark and Dr. Backer discussed stroke warning signs, risk factors and the upcoming Dr. Phillips Hospital stroke awareness event this Saturday, May 15. Mark will be the celebrity speaker for event. For more information and to register for the event call 321.8HEALTH or log on to http://bit.ly/ 97Ig6M.

Event Information:

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital
Stroke Awareness Event
Saturday, May 15
9am – 1pm

9400 Turkey Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32819

Click here to view the story.

A Decade of Support for Central Florida's Children

4/30/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (April 30, 2010) - Community leaders and many others gathered at the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

The Howard Phillips Center opened in 1999 with the formation of the Orange County Children's Advocacy Center, bringing a comprehensive system of child abuse assessment, advocacy and treatment to children in Central Florida. Since then, the center has grown to include other programs designed to provide dignity and healing for children, families and individuals who face overwhelming challenges like child abuse, sexual trauma, developmental disabilities, medically underserved youth, and HIV/AIDS.

The 10th anniversary celebration included proclamations on behalf of Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer establishing April 29 as Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families Day in the City of Orlando and Orange County. In addition, leaders from the City of Orlando Police Department, Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida State Attorney's Office, Orange County Public Schools, Orange County Sheriff's Office, and Orlando Health were on hand for a symbolic re-signing of the protocol establishing the Orange County Children's Advocacy Center.

"The Howard Phillips Center is a tremendous asset for this community and by this community," stated John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "This celebration is an opportunity to recognize those who have made it possible to provide a decade of support for children and families throughout Central Florida."

Programs at the Howard Phillips Center include:

The Orange County Children's Advocacy Center (Including the Child Protection Team and the Healing Tree / Sexual Trauma Recovery Center) - Provides assessment, advocacy, and treatment - all in one child-friendly location
Teen Xpress, A mobile healthcare unit that provides a medical home and mental health counseling to underinsured and uninsured adolescents in at-risk areas in Orange County.
Healthy Families Orange, a home-visitation program that prevents child maltreatment and builds healthy, positive parenting behaviors for new mothers and fathers through education, referrals and resources.
The Developmental Center for Infants & Children / Early Steps, an early intervention program that provides specialized services for children up to the age of three who have or who are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities

About the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families

The Howard Phillips Center, widely-recognized as one of the leaders in the country for its cutting-edge advocacy and outreach programs, is part of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. It is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation and serves central Florida through the following programs: The Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, Healthy Families Orange, Orange County Children's Advocacy Center, the Child Protection Team, the Healing Tree and Teen Xpress.

Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children

New Leadership Drives Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families

4/27/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (April 27, 2010) - The Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families is under the guidance of new leadership.

Marie Martinez, former vice president of case management services at Youth and Family Alternatives, Inc, has been named operations manager for the Howard Phillips Center. The new position is actually a homecoming for her.

From 1996 to 2008, Martinez held several leadership positions at the Howard Phillips Center, including program manager for the Orange County Children's Advocacy Center. She possesses a strong background in all phases of not-for-profit leadership, including management of large programs, community collaboration, grant management and relationship development with funders.

"Marie has earned respect throughout our community and the state of Florida for her tireless advocacy on the part of children and families and for her passion, knowledge and overall business savvy in the social services arena," states John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "We are pleased to announce Marie's return to Arnold Palmer Medical Center and the Howard Phillips Center and wish her all the best in her new role."

About the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families
The Howard Phillips Center, widely-recognized as one of the leaders in the country for its cutting-edge advocacy and outreach programs, is part of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. It is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation and serves central Florida through the following programs: The Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, Healthy Families Orange, Orange County Children's Advocacy Center, the Child Protection Team, the Healing Tree and Teen Xpress.

Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute uses latest technology to help patients walk, use hands

4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 20, 2010) --- A remote control is changing the "channel" in the way therapists at Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute help patients learn to walk and use their hands again after recovering from strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions. The remote control operates new functional electrical stimulation devices by Bioness® Inc. that attach to the legs or forearm and send electrical signals to the brain to stimulate muscle movement. Before now, more traditional and physical exercise methods were used without the use of this advanced technology.

With the new Bioness devices, a therapist attaches electrodes to a patient’s skin at key muscle points or areas that control foot movement for walking or hand movement for grasping and releasing. Next a device is placed just below the knee or on the forearm and hand. The system then sends electrical impulses to stimulate muscle movement. Therapists use a hand-held transmitter to program the amount of stimulation based on a patient’s needs and can make adjustments based on the patient’s progress. Patients use a remote to control the impulses and turn the devices on and off.

“This advanced technology stimulates muscles in ways we were unable to before,” said David Portée, MD, medical director, Rehabilitation Institute. “This tool in the therapists’ toolbox when used with traditional treatment options helps strengthen and re-educate muscles so patients can walk and grasp objects again.”

The devices help re-educate muscles by tapping into the muscle and facilitating contractions, explains Marissa Conrad, physical therapist, Outpatient Rehabilitation Services.

“More perfect practice in therapy sessions makes for more perfect movement, aiding in improvements with mobility and daily tasks including walking or using hands to grasp and release,” said Conrad.

The device for legs activates the muscle responsible for flexing the foot up for walking. The device for hands actives the muscles used to grasp and release objects like cups for drinking.

“For example, a person recovering from a stroke, may have a foot that is turned more inward or downward, making walking difficult,” said Conrad. “The new device stimulates muscles helping the foot move up and out to help with walking.”

The Rehabilitation Institute uses the technology in both inpatient and outpatient therapy sessions to maximize the potential for reeducating muscles for functional use, improving quality of life and safety for patients. Patient response and feedback to the new technology has been positive.

“We are seeing improvement in muscle movement from a patient’s first session throughout their therapy,” said Mariel Repetto, physical therapist, Rehabilitation Institute.

“We see the benefits carry over quickly into functional activities outside of the treatment session,” said Audra Brooks, physical therapist and rehab educator, Rehabilitation Institute. “For example, a patient using the hand device during therapy later showed improvement gripping the handles while using a walker to take steps.”

For an up close look at this new technology, the Rehabilitation Institute will host a screening day on Tuesday, May 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Rehabilitation Institute’s outpatient therapy gym at 100 W. Gore St., Suite 104. To register for the screening, or for additional information about the device, contact the Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute at 321.841.8911.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. ® Celebrate Arrival of Central Florida's First Dragon Boat

4/9/2010 12:00:00 AM

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. ®Celebrate Arrival of Central Florida's First Dragon Boat

ORLANDO, FL. (April 8, 2010) - Those affected by breast cancer now have a new avenue, on the water, to help raise both awareness and funds to fight this disease. Women Playing For T.I.M.E.® (Technology, Immediate diagnosis, Mammography and Education) in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and the Orlando Rowing Club (ORC) are celebrating the arrival of Central Florida's first dragon boat. The WPFT dragon boat is a part of the ORC Dragon Boat Program and will be housed at Lake Fairview.

"It is wonderful to see this project become a reality," said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson - Orlando. "WPFT has shown tremendous success in their golf and tennis tournaments and now their venture into dragon boat racing will provide yet another opportunity for them to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer."

Dragon boat racing has become a popular sport among breast cancer survivors worldwide. Medical research has shown repetitive upper-body exercise in women treated for breast cancer discourages lymphedema, an abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling in the arms. The dragon boat, a long, narrow, human powered boat that seats 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersperson originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. It is now becoming one of the fastest growing group sports in North America.

"There's such a rush when you are out on the water, paddling in sync," said Marci Likens, a breast cancer survivor, WPFT member and now a member of the local team Warriors on Water (W.O.W.). "The camaraderie and enthusiasm of these women is infectious and we have so much fun together." Likens and the W.O.W. team will be the first team, of many, to paddle out on Lake Fairview.

"We are grateful for all the volunteers of WPFT and the ORC who have worked together to create our dragon boat initiative," said Andrea Eliscu, WPFT dragon boat leader and ORC board member. "We know dragon boating creates a sense of teamwork, fun, health and wellness."

WPFT received a pledge of $250,000 from Harriett Lake to purchase the boat and fund the development of a dragon boat program for the Central Florida community. The WPFT dragon boat will be named in honor of Harriett's daughter, Shelley, who is a breast cancer survivor.

For more information on the WPFT dragon boat contact Lynda Canatay at 321.841.2272 or lynda.canatay@orlandohealth.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

Women Playing for T.I.M.E. ® (Technology, Immediate Diagnosis, Mammography and Education) was co-founded by Elaine Lustig and Sheila Solomon in 1993 in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, a part of Orlando Health. WPFT is a volunteer organization comprised of local women who dedicate their time, financial resources and efforts to raising awareness and financial support for the early detection, prevention and ultimately a cure of cancers affecting women. Since its inception, WPFT has raised nearly $8 million through signature golf and tennis tournaments and a variety of other events. Funds support breast cancer research and programs at MD Anderson - Orlando, including the purchase of technologies that provide for the immediate diagnosis and education of other forms of female-related cancers. More information is available at www.wpft.org.

‘Medical Marker’ Award Presented to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute

4/9/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (April 9, 2010) – MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute has received the ‘Medical Marker’ award from the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) in recognition for its investment in the Central Florida’s life science industry. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer presented the award to Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson - Orlando at a recent bioOrlando meeting. The ‘Medical Marker’ award is a part of the EDC’s bioOrlando initiative that celebrates and visually recognizes the medical, research and biotech companies that are the cornerstone of Metro Orlando’s burgeoning life science industry.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Receives Full Accreditation for Chest Pain Center

4/7/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – March 22, 2010 – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital’s Chest Pain Center has received Cycle III accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers making it the first hospital in Orlando to receive this prestigious distinction.

Dr. Phillips Hospital’s Cycle III accreditation as a chest pain center sets it apart as a cardiac care facility. To receive the accreditation, the Chest Pain Center demonstrated expertise and commitment to quality patient care for the entire hospital experience -- from the moment a patient is picked up by ambulance through discharge from the hospital. The Society of Chest Pain Centers conducted an on-site review of Dr. Phillips Hospital and its employees which evaluated the use of proven best practices and collaboration with community emergency medical services. For example, employees were evaluated on their ability to recognize heart attack warning signs and how to help patients in a hospital, or members of the community, who are having chest discomfort or displaying heart attack warning signs.

“This accreditation is a reflection of the hard work and dedication by our team at Dr. Phillips Hospital and their commitment to emergency cardiac care,” says Mark Jones, president, Dr. Phillips Hospital. “We are extremely pleased with the Society’s designation as a Cycle III chest pain center and we look forward to continuing to serve the many patients and their families in the community who come to Dr. Phillips for cardiovascular care.”

Teen Xpress to receive the 2010 Community Innovation Award in Tallahassee

4/5/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 2, 2010) - Teen Xpress, a program offered by the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families, will be recognized in Tallahassee next week and awarded the 2010 Children's Week Community Innovation Award.

"It is truly an honor to accept this wonderful recognition," stated Rita Soza, PhD, manager of Teen Xpress. "We work proudly with other organizations in our community to provide vital healthcare services and make a difference in the lives of so many children and families."

Teen Xpress is a mobile healthcare unit bringing free physical and mental healthcare to teens and adolescents who may otherwise not have access to such resources. Teen Xpress provides one-on-one attention from caring professionals including physicians, nurse practitioners and counselors who specialize in working with teens. Services are free, confidential and do not require health insurance.

The United Way of Florida and The Lawton Chiles Foundation designed the Community Innovation awards program and luncheon at the Capitol to recognize the collaborative work that is being done in communities across the state. "I've traveled all over the state, and it is amazing to see how communities and people join together to solve problems" said Bud Chiles, President of The Lawton Chiles Foundation.

Four collaborative projects were reviewed and selected by the independent Southeast Evaluation Association from a statewide pool of applicants. The award winners consist of four or more organizations who worked together to address and solve specific problems in their communities. On April 12 in Tallahassee, Teen Xpress will have their award presented to them at the Children's Week Community Innovation Awards Luncheon presented by the United Way of Florida and The Lawton Chiles Foundation, and co-chaired by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator George LeMieux, and former U.S. Senator Bob Graham.

"We want to provide policy makers in Tallahassee with a glimpse of the innovation that is taking place in neighborhoods and communities statewide, so hopefully they can replicate these innovative ideas in other communities across Florida." said Ted Granger, President of United Way of Florida.

About The Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families
The Howard Phillips Center, widely-recognized as one of the leaders in the country for its cutting-edge advocacy and outreach programs, is part of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, is supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation and serves central Florida through the following programs: The Developmental Center for Infants & Children/Early Steps, Healthy Families Orange, Orange County Children's Advocacy Center, the Child Protection Team, the Healing Tree and Teen Xpress.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Helps Ease Shortage of Local Pediatric Neuropsychologists

3/19/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla (March 19, 2010) - A new doctor at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will help ease a shortage of pediatric neuropsychologists in Central Florida.

Robyn J. Cohen, Ph.D., is the newest doctor to join Arnold Palmer Hospital's Pediatric Specialty Practices. She is a graduate of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and completed doctoral studies in clinical psychology at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, Illinois.

At Arnold Palmer Hospital, Cohen will provide neuropsychological care for pediatric patients affected by any cognitive-behavioral consequences of medical treatments for other ailments. She will treat patients with a wide variety of developmental disabilities, including language problems, autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mobility and more.

"We are very pleased to have Dr. Cohen join Arnold Palmer Hospital," said Janet Livingston, Administrator, APH Pediatric Specialty Practices. "Her presence here allows us to provide a greatly needed service to our patients."

Cohen will be based at the Arnold Palmer Hospital Pediatric Specialty Practice located at 83 W. Columbia Street, Orlando, Fl 32806.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Boosts Capacity for Cardiac Care

3/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (March 2, 2010) - The Congenital Heart Institute at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is opening its new cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU), expanding its capacity to provide state-of-the-art cardiac care to a greater number of pediatric patients.

At $1.3 million, development of the 5,700-square-foot CVICU was funded by donations from the Children's Miracle Network. It will contain 20 beds dedicated to the treatment of children under the care of the cardiac physician team at Arnold Palmer Hospital. A unique feature in the new unit is the addition of six beds for the provision of cardiac care to neo-natal patients.

"The new CVICU is a place built just for kids and reflects the holistic approach we take in treating our young patients," says Harun Fakioglu, MD, Medical Director, CVICU. "We want this to be a place where children and their families can receive the individualized, focused care they expect with increased efficiency and in a space where every detail is designed to promote healing."

The Congenital Heart Institute at Arnold Palmer Hospital has provided cardiac care to the children of Central Florida for nearly a decade. In the last three years alone, more than 40,000 cardiac tests, 2,000 cardiac catheterization procedures and 700 surgeries have been performed at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Patients undergoing these procedures will now have the new CVICU to help achieve a faster road to recovery.

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Orlando Health Board of Directors selects the organization's next president/CEO

2/23/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (February 23, 2010) - Orlando Health's Board of Directors, led by Chairman Linda Chapin, has selected Sherrie Sitarik as the next president and CEO of the organization. Mrs. Sitarik will succeed John Hillenmeyer, whose retirement becomes effective the end of the year.

"The vote followed a 14-month succession planning process following John's announced plans to retire," said Mrs. Chapin. "During this period, we updated the strategic plan, conducted focus groups internally and with key constituencies and developed a role profile of the ideal candidate. After this very deliberate process, we evaluated Sherrie as the internal candidate and felt that she exemplified the qualities, characteristics and experience necessary to lead an organization the size and scope of Orlando Health into the future."

Mrs. Sitarik has served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Orlando Health since 2008. In that role, she was responsible for leading the organization's strategic planning process, including its ten-year strategic vision and plan, which was adopted by the board in 2009. Mrs. Sitarik's extensive executive experience also includes roles as president of Orlando Regional Medical Center/Lucerne Pavilion, vice president/patient care executive of acute services for the corporation, executive director of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women, and administrator for patient care at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Mrs. Sitarik has been with the organization since 1978, starting as a graduate nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

"I am honored by the board's decision and the trust placed in me to lead Orlando Health," said Mrs. Sitarik. "The future of our industry will be both challenging and exciting as we continue the work of delivering extraordinary healthcare to this community."

The board will work with Sherrie and John on a smooth transition to ensure the organization continues to provide the highest quality of care for patients and maintains a strong financial position to allow it to be a provider of choice in Central Florida.

"John Hillenmeyer is to be commended not only for the gift of time to allow us a smooth transition but also for identifying Sherrie's talents and positioning her as his successor," adds Mrs. Chapin.

Orlando Health will continue to move forward with strategic planning initiatives that benefit the community and enhance its already strong position as a regional healthcare provider. It will continue to work with numerous partners in the community and its medical and professional teams will continue to provide the best care available to patients.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Teen Xpress Announces Partnership with YMCA of Central Florida

2/16/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (February 16, 2010) - The Teen Xpress mobile healthcare unit, a part of the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families, is partnering with the YMCA of Central Florida - Wayne Densch Family Center to begin offering free medical services to adolescents and teens.

The partnership will provide medical services such as physical exams and immunizations to adolescents and teens ages 11 - 21 beginning February 17, 2010. Services will continue to be available the third Wednesday of every month until June 16, 2010 from 4:30pm - 6:30pm at the Wayne Densch Family Center located at 870 N. Hastings Street , Orlando, Florida 32808.

The partnership will serve as a pilot program for Teen Xpress, with hopes of expanding services in the area to more than one day per month. Assessments will also be made regarding the need for mental health counseling at this location in the future.

"Partnering with the YMCA of Central Florida is a great opportunity for Teen Xpress to reach a new audience of teens and adolescents who could really use our help," says Rita Soza, PhD, manager of Teen Xpress. "We are excited to be able to provide them with a medical home where they can feel safe and can get the help they need. I truly believe that we will be an asset to the kids in this area and a great resource for those who don't have regular access to doctors or nurses."

Teen Xpress' services will be available to adolescent members of the YMCA as well as to middle school students from St. Andrew Catholic School. Current Teen Xpress clients, from various community settings or schools such as Evans High School, may also take advantage of this new location by calling 321-843-5146 and scheduling an appointment.

Participants ages 12-18 who do not currently belong to the YMCA will have the opportunity to earn a one-year teen membership scholarship, generously donated by the Wayne Densch Family Center. Upon registering to receive services at Teen Xpress, adolescents who meet income requirements will have the chance to earn the membership scholarship, valued at more than $300.

About the YMCA of Central Florida
The YMCA of Central Florida is a place where commitment is high and making a positive impact on the lives of everyone living in Central Florida is priority number one. With 27 Family Centers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard and Marion counties and thousands of volunteers, the YMCA of Central Florida impacts the lives of more than 200,000 kids, teens, adults and seniors each year.

About the Wayne Densch Family Center
For the past 17 years, the YMCA of Central Florida has been committed to serving the Pine Hills community of Orlando through the Wayne Densch Family Center. It offers the community a variety of constructive activities and programs for school-aged youth during after-school hours and the summer months. The Wayne Densch Family Center is a 24,000-square-foot facility with more than 3,000 members. In 2007, the center revealed a newly-renovated pool that includes a zero-depth feature. Other amenities include a wellness center, gymnasium, child development area, group exercise room, locker rooms, and 12 acres of ball fields on its campus.

ORMC electrophysiologists use new device to support the heart while performing life-saving procedures

2/10/2010 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: Please contact Media Relations for doctor and patient interview opportunities.

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 10, 2010) --- Sometimes a patient’s heart needs a little extra support in order to receive the specialized treatment it needs. Electrophysiologists at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are using Impella®, a new device to help hearts beat more efficiently, providing improved circulation, in order to perform procedures to treat cardiac conditions. ORMC is the first in Central Florida to use the device during electrophysiology procedures.

“This is a very significant advancement,” said Aurelio Duran, MD, cardiology chair at ORMC. "Mechanical assistance to the heart is like having a temporary artificial heart. It makes performing the needed procedures safer for patients and gives doctors greater control over patients’ blood pressure and stability.”

Having the assist device might be critical for the hundreds of thousands of patients with advanced heart failure with significantly weakened hearts as it makes it possible to receive other critical procedures like ablation to cure arrhythmia, angioplasty to clear blocked arteries, or a defibrillator implanted to help regulate heart beats.

The Impella device, by Abiomed, Inc., is a minimally invasive catheter-based pump that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for partial circulatory support for up to 6 hours. The pump is approximately the size of a pencil with a small catheter, which drives up to two and a half liters of blood flow per minute. This is about half of a normal heart's pumping capacity while at rest.

“Using a small tube or catheter, the device is temporarily placed in the heart, making blood circulation more effective and improving the overall cardiac function,” explains Dr. Duran, cardiology chair at ORMC.

Before the Impella device doctors used adrenaline like medicines and other devices such as a balloon-based pump for support.

The device is currently an option for ORMC patients with advanced heart failure during electrophysiology and other cardiac procedures. It is also used to help stabilize patients during heart attacks.

About Orlando Health

Wolverine Anesthesia Consultants pledge $600,000 for Orlando Regional Medical Center

2/4/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (January 18, 2010) -- Wolverine Anesthesia Consultants, the principal anesthesia group at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), has made a $600,000 philanthropic pledge to the Orlando Health Foundation to support the future expansion of ORMC.

"As one of Florida's most comprehensive centers for cardiovascular care and the state's busiest Level One Trauma Center, the operating rooms at ORMC stay busy 24 hours a day! " explains Roger Murbach, MD, president, Wolverine Anesthesia Consultants.

While other hospitals have anesthesiologists on-call during the night, Wolverine Anesthesia Consultants maintains two board-certified anesthesiologists and two nurse anesthetists in-house at ORMC between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. to care for patients who need immediate surgery.

"We see first-hand the benefit that advanced medical facilities and leading-edge technology can have on patient outcomes," continues Murbach. "Our group is dedicated to helping Orlando Health and ORMC continue to offer the best healthcare to our community."

John Hillenmeyer, president and CEO, Orlando Health; Edward Stockton, MD; Sherry Buxton, administrator for Surgery, ORMC; Roger Murbach, MD; Andre Pichon, MD; Jay Gewolb, MD; Matthew Stewart, MD; Shannon Elswick, president of Adult Hospitals Group, Orlando Health; and John Bozard, president, Orlando Health Foundation and senior vice president, Orlando Health

In addition to his role as an anesthesiologist with Wolverine and chairman of anesthesiology at ORMC, Edward Stockton, MD, is a former chief of staff of Orlando Health. His experience offers another perspective to the importance of their charitable gift. "We realize that given the financial pressures hospitals face in today's healthcare environment, philanthropic support is more important now than ever. We want to do our part to help ensure ORMC is able to meet the growing needs of the community."

Says John Bozard, president, Orlando Health Foundation, "We are grateful for the tremendous leadership of Wolverine Anesthesia Consultants and other physician partners who not only provide excellent patient care, but who also support our mission through generous philanthropic efforts."

About Orlando Regional Medical Center

Orlando Health's flagship medical center, ORMC, is a tertiary care center with 808 acute care beds and is recognized as having one of Florida's largest cardiac programs.

ORMC is home to Central Florida's only Level One Trauma Center, which is one of only six in the state. It is Florida's first Level One Trauma Center to have an accredited Chest Pain Center and is supported by Central Florida's only hospital-based emergency air rescue transport service.

One of the state's six major teaching hospitals, ORMC offers graduate medical education in several specialties, including emergency medicine, OB/GYN, orthopedics, pediatrics and general surgery. Fellowship programs include colon rectal surgery, critical care surgery, pediatric orthopedics and hematology/oncology.

Additionally, ORMC provides sophisticated diagnostic and laboratory testing, medical and surgical services, intensive and progressive care, and wound management. ORMC also operates one of the state's regional burn and tissue rehabilitation centers and houses other special services including epilepsy monitoring and an in-patient acute rehabilitationprogram at its Lucerne Pavilion. For more information, visit www.myormc.com.

Orlando Health collects 24 pallets of supplies for Haiti

1/26/2010 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (January 25, 2010) --- Today, Orlando Health delivered the first of 24 pallets of supplies to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. The first shipment, consisting of 10 pallets of personal hygiene items, donated by Orlando Health team members, was delivered to Harvest Time International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is active in providing relief, both emergency and long-term, to hurricane, tornado, floods, etc. in Central Florida as well as nationally and internationally.

Orlando Health team member volunteers sorted, palletized and stretch-wrapped the donated supplies in preparation for the deliveries.

Last week, a group of Orlando Health team member volunteers sorted, palletized and stretch-wrapped the donated supplies in preparation for the deliveries. The donation and preparation projects gave team members a way to participate in the relief effort.

“The effects of this disaster are far-reaching, particularly here in Central Florida and Orlando Health, where many of our residents and team members are of Haitian origin with family who have been directly impacted by the earthquake,” said Michael Howell, MD, chief medical quality officer, Orlando Regional Medical Center. “The outpouring of compassion from within Orlando Health was so great, we established drop-off points to give all of our team members a way to participate in the relief effort.”

The remaining 14 pallets, consisting of 10 pallets of medical supplies and four pallets of water, will be delivered directly to a medical facility in Haiti by an international shipping company later this week. Combined, the 24 pallets represent 337 cases of supplies.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health Takes the Art of Parking to New Heights

1/18/2010 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (January 7, 2010) – Orlando Health today took the art of parking to new heights when it unveiled its latest addition to the downtown campus; a new $27.5 million parking garage. The garage, located at Orange Avenue and Columbia Street, is adorned with a total of 16 palm tree murals ranging in height from 32’ to 61’ tall. The palm trees replicate original artwork created by nationally known local artist, Maria Reyes-Jones. The unveiling of the new, scenic garage further advances Orlando Health’s recently announced plans to renovate and expand its downtown campus.

“This new garage represents more than just a place to park cars,” said John Hillenmeyer, president & CEO of Orlando Health. “It symbolizes a new chapter in Orlando Health’s beautification and redevelopment efforts, as well as those of our neighbors who live, work and play in the area south of downtown Orlando, which is often referred to as SODO. The addition of the vibrant artwork highlights our commitment to do all we can to assist and encourage further community improvements.”

“The City of Orlando is working diligently to assist residents and businesses located south of downtown Orlando in enhancing the community,” said Phil Diamond, Orlando City Commissioner for District 1, which borders on SODO. “We are pleased that Orlando Health is involved in the process and has committed to investing resources to assist in this effort.”

In December 2009, Orlando Health announced plans to expand and renovate Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). The ORMC expansion will be one of the largest expansion efforts in the history of Orlando Health with anticipated construction ranging between $125 and $150 million. The organization is expected to select anarchitectural firm to provide architectural and engineering design services for the project by the end of this month with the design process commencing in February.

The main goal of the expansion and renovation effort is toconsolidate clinical services at ORMC and lay the foundation for futuredevelopment surrounding the hospital such as the proposed SunRail commutertrain stop. The rail stop will belocated on the west side of the campus on Sligh Boulevard at the existing Amtrakstation.

The unveiling of the new parking garage comes on the heals of several Orlando Health downtown campus enhancements including a $10 million parking garage that opened in the spring of 2008 at the corner of LucerneTerrace and Copeland Street, a new $500,000 MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic that opened in March 2009, and an addition of 10,000 square feet of renovated office space in August 2009 at a cost of $1.7 million to manage MD Anderson – Orlando’s growing patient volume. A new $39 million medical office building, currently under construction adjacent to the new garage, is expected to open in October 2010.

The new nine-level parking garage boasts a total parking capacity of 2,246 spaces and contains six gearless traction elevators, three stair towers, a mechanical/electrical service yard with a 500KW emergency generator and offices for Orlando Health parking services team members.

Approximately 250,000 man-hours (with no loss-time accidents) were required to build the garage, which includes 1.32 miles of storm/sewer/water piping; 1,300 lighting fixtures, and more than 52 miles of wiring pulled through conduits.

The parking deck footprint is equivalent to two football fields. Its total gross square footage is equal to 18 football fields. A sidewalk, created from the 5,700 cubic yards of cast-in-place concrete for the project, would be six feet wide, six inches thick and extend nearly 10 miles. The 16 graphic art banners constitute 15,360 square feet, or about 1/3 of an acre.

Contractors on the project were Jack Jennings & Sons, design/builder; Finfrock Design, architectural and structural engineer of record; Baker Barrios Architects, architectural facade designer, IngenuityEngineers, mechanical and electrical engineers; GAI Consultants, civil engineering; Glatting Jackson, landscape architect; Finfrock Industries, precast contractor; and Sundance Architectural Products, LLC, exterior aluminum architectural elements and art banner contractor.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health careorganization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers in theOrlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P.Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellenceare heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health recognized for technology innovation for more efficient sepsis diagnosis

11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 24, 2009) — Orlando Health was recently awarded the Eclipsys Circle of Excellence Award for its technology innovation to improve patient health status and enable faster time to treatment for patients with sepsis. Eclipsys, a leading provider of advanced integrated clinical, revenue cycle and business process improvement software, clinical content and professional services, presents the award annually to healthcare organizations that demonstrate innovation and achievements.

Among a select group of six healthcare organizations to receive the award, Orlando Health was recognized for process improvement for its efforts in earlier identification of patients with sepsis, to meet an internal goal to decrease the relative risk of mortality by 25 percent. Sepsis, an infection-induced organ failure condition, is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Severe sepsis is associated with a 20 percent to 50 percent mortality rate among patients and represents an annual cost of nearly $17 billion.

Orlando Health used Eclipsys’ computerized physician order entry solution, Sunrise Acute Care™, to develop sepsis-related order sets, a nursing documentation tool and an emergency department structured note to identify and initiate treatment of Septic patients within one hour.

“Developing ways to more efficiently and effectively diagnose sepsis is a part of our ongoing commitment to using technology and clinical expertise to deliver quality care to patients,” said Debbie Sherwin, BSN, MSMIS, RN-BC, manager, Clinical Informatics. “In taking the project to the next level, we are in the process of developing a module to alert clinical staff that patients meet the criteria for sepsis.”

Award recipients receive a $2,000 grant for its foundation or charity of choice. Adding to its initiatives to care for patients with sepsis, Orlando Health chose the Foundation for Sepsis Research.

“We are pleased to honor Orlando Health for their outstanding efforts and innovations that have resulted in improved care delivery and patient health status,” said Diane Bradley, MD, chief quality and outcomes officer, Eclipsys. “We believe Eclipsys clients are among the best and brightest healthcare professionals who are focused on using enabling technologies to improve the quality and efficiencies of healthcare, which has taken center stage in national debate. Orlando Health is a valued client that exemplifies the higher-performing organizations in the healthcare industry diligently working to utilize enabling technologies to improve care efficiencies and patient outcomes.”

Orlando Health began the framework for improving the management, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with sepsis several years ago with initiatives led by Michael L. Cheatham, MD, director, Surgical Intensive Care Units; Edgar Jimenez, MD, director, Medical Critical Care; and Daleen Aragon Penoyer, PhD, RN, director, Advanced Practice Nursing & Research. Efforts include participation in the Prowess Study published by Eli Lilly for the use of Xigris in patients with sepsis in 2002; participation in the International Surviving Sepsis Campaign was launched by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, the International Sepsis Forum, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine in 2003; and the development of a hospital program in 2005.

About Orlando Health

About Eclipsys

Eclipsys is a leading provider of advanced integrated clinical, revenue cycle and business process improvement software, clinical content and professional services that help healthcare organizations improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes. For more information, see www.eclipsys.com or email info@eclipsys.com.

Orlando Health Earns a Spot on InformationWeek List of Top Technology Innovators Across America

11/18/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 18, 2009) — Orlando Health was recently recognized as one of InformationWeek’s 250 Top Innovators. In the annual listing of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology, Orlando Health ranked 185 overall, and 16 out of the 20 healthcare provider/delivery systems. The hospital received the top innovator designation in honor of its overall status as an industry leader in the deployment and adoption of Information Technology.

“Recognition for our efforts to pursue innovations that drive results and produce more efficient and effective outcomes is an honor,” said Rick Schooler, vice president and chief information officer, Orlando Health. “Over the past several years we’ve invested in progressive technologies as well as our Information Services team. Together, both have helped Orlando Health fulfill its mission.”

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing, now in its 21st year, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. Top winners have included: Conway, National Semiconductor, Kimberly-Clark, Hilton Hotels and Unum. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

“For over 20 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology,” said InformationWeek Editor-in-Chief Rob Preston. “Year after year, InformationWeek 500 companies harness technology to improve efficiency, boost productivity, drive revenue, and establish a competitive advantage. We applaud this year’s winners, and the CIOs and other executives whose ingenuity and risk taking are at the center of business technology innovation.”

Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500.

About Orlando Health

About InformationWeek Business Technology Network
www.informationweek.com

The InformationWeek Business Technology Network provides IT executives with unique analysis and tools that parallel their work flow – from the defining and framing of objectives through to the evaluation and recommendation of solutions. Anchored by InformationWeek, the multimedia powerhouse that looks across the enterprise, the network scales across the most critical technology categories with online properties like DarkReading.com (security), IntelligentEnterprise.com (application architecture), Network Computing (networking and communications) and PlugintotheCloud.com (cloud computing). The network also provides focused content for key IT targets such as CIOs, developers and SMBs with Dr. Dobb’s InformationWeek Global CIO and bMighty.com, as well as vital vertical industries with InformationWeek Financial Services, Government and Healthcare. With content at the nucleus of our information distribution strategy, IT professionals turn to our network of expert voices, research and communities to stay informed, get advice, and research technologies to make strategic business decisions.

About TechWeb
www.techweb.com/aboutus

TechWeb, the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; online resources such as the InformationWeek.com, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, bMighty.com, and Advanced Trading; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek and Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, market research, and analyst services.

TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on # of monthly connections across TechWeb brands.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Hosts 2nd Annual Research Symposium, First at Lake Nona Medical City

11/5/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - October 28, 2009 - Top cancer researchers and hundreds of physicians and clinicians from around the country converged on Lake Nona Medical City for the MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Research Symposium. This second annual MD Anderson - Orlando event, and the first conference of its kind at Medical City, focused on the work by cancer researchers here in Central Florida and nationally as well as collaborative projects taking place among Medical City partners. MD Anderson - Orlando's Cancer Research Institute recently opened its doors at Medical City and is housed in the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences building.

The symposium welcomed researchers from top cancer institutes. Presenters included experts from MD Anderson - Orlando, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston, The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, UCF College of Medicine, UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, UCF Nanoscience Technology Center, and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

"We are excited to bring this caliber of work to Medical City and to Central Florida," said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. "This is a phenomenal opportunity for medical researchers in our area to showcase their accomplishments and to provide a location where cancer experts from around the country can converge to learn more about the latest developments to fight this disease."

Among the latest developments and advancements in cancer research discussed include novel targeted therapies and the study of a DNA repair protein identified in breast cancer that may be responsible for drug resistance and metastasis, a new clinical trial for pancreatic cancer that involves Tolfenamic Acid, and the use of nanoparticles as radioprotectants.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Takes World-Wide Lead in Pediatric CT Capabilities

10/28/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (October 28, 2009) – Today, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children becomes the first dedicated pediatric hospital in the world to install a new Siemens CT scanner. Siemens Healthcare’s SOMATOM® Definition Flash features the lowest radiation dose and the fastest scan speed on the market, two characteristics that make it ideal for pediatric patients.

The dual-source computed tomography (CT) scanner requires only a fraction of the radiation dose that systems previously required to scan even the tiniest anatomical details. The low dose feature is vital to children since the younger the patient, the greater the impact radiation can have.

With the Definition Flash scanner, images are acquired in the blink of an eye making breath holds for children optional and eliminating the need for most patients to be sedated.

“We are extremely pleased to be the first dedicated pediatric hospital in the world to provide this new technology,” said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “For our young patients, the SOMATOM Definition Flash scanner means faster images, reduced radiation exposure, and significantly lessens the need for contrast dye injections.”

Decreased radiation exposure with the new scanner is made possible by a special application that selectively reduces the radiation exposure to dose-sensitive anatomical regions, such as thyroid, gonads, and breast region, by as much as 40 percent. An adaptive dose shield blocks irrelevant radiation, thus ensuring that only a clinically essential radiation exposure occurs. This enables an additional 25 percent reduction of the dose required for routine examinations.

As children and babies are at a great risk to radiation exposure, the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle is, in particular, a more sensitive issue when concerning younger patients and CT scans.

“Siemens is the leader in pediatric CT imaging, not only in highest image quality, but most importantly, in patient safety and comfort that creates peace of mind in the community,” said Kulin Hemani, vice president, Computed Tomography, Siemens Healthcare. “The speed of the SOMATOM Definition Flash, combined with the lowest deliverable dose, ensures that pediatric patients receive the best care and in the fastest scan time.”

Owing to its high scanning speed, the SOMATOM Definition Flash also features new possibilities for performing CT examinations of the heart. This represents up to a much lower radiation dose than is obtainable with conventional systems. For the first time ever, the heart can be examined at a radiation exposure level that is three times lower than the background radiation a person naturally absorbs in a year. The SOMATOM Definition Flash is the only CT scanner on the market that enables the use of noninvasive cardiological diagnostic techniques with routine applications at the lowest possible radiation exposure levels routinely below 1 mSv.

Siemens Healthcare Sector
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens is the only company to offer customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 49,000 employees worldwide and operates in over 130 countries. In fiscal year 2008 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.2 billion euros and profit of 1.2 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.

ORMC’s Air Care Team soars to impressive 25–year mark as new communications center opens

10/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (October 23, 2009) — Often referred to as heroes and angels by patients, the critical care helicopter transport team at the Orlando Regional Medical Center Level One Trauma Center is officially known as the Air Care Team. Whichever name they go by, the team has responded to community needs for more than two decades. October marks the Air Care Team’s 25th anniversary and the installation of a new communications center to continue managing rescue calls, which is the starting point of the team’s life saving efforts.

“From the beginning we have been committed to delivering high-level care to patients in the field – the critical start of the golden hour,” said Beth Rudloff, chief nursing officer, ORMC. “Throughout our 25 years we have expanded to three helicopters and our new communications center is another step to ensure we meet the critical health care needs of our growing communities.”

Inside the new communications center the Air Care Team’s communications specialists have state-of-the-art tools to perform the critical role of dispatching calls and sharing and receiving information from the medical crew and Level One trauma center. The additional space will allow for increased staffing to meet the community’s growing needs for trauma care.

“The new communications center also means greater safety measures,” said Nathan Allsop, communication center supervisor. “Aircrafts are tracked by a new satellite tracking and monitoring system and a window-view provides inbound and outbound air traffic visibility. Awareness and efficiency is key to effectively managing calls and communicating with the Air Care Team and the other 10 air ambulance programs we work with on any given day, along with the clinicians in our trauma center.”

The communications center manages an average of 260 requests for service and an average of 480 emergency transfer requests calls per month. The Air Cares Team’s communications specialists have undergone specialized training in air ambulance communications and are certified by the National Association of Air-medical Communication Specialists.

Once calls are received, the communications specialists efficiently relay the information to the on-board team comprised of a flight nurse, a flight paramedic and a pilot. The Air Care Team’s 24-member medical crew is one of the highest credentialed flight crew in the state.

“Working together, we bring the services of ORMC’s Level One Trauma Center and cardiac services to remote locations so that we can begin treatment on the scene,” said Mikel Dirks, chief flight paramedic, Air Care Team.

The only hospital-based multiple aircraft flight program in the area, the Air Care Team uses three helicopters based in three counties – Lake, Osceola and Seminole. Air Care Team’s service area encompasses a 100-mile radius that covers 15 counties including Orange, Brevard, Citrus, Lake, Marion, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia. In its 25 years of service the Air Care Team has treated more than 23,000 patients and flown over 1.4 million miles. The crew’s primary scene response calls are for motor vehicle incidents. Other calls include electrical injuries, falls and hospital to hospital transports for acute cardiac and stroke care, and other specialized services provided by Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Omniflight Helicopters Inc., which has been providing helicopter transportation services for 47 years, provides the pilots, mechanics and aviation services to ORMC’s Air Care Team and has worked with ORMC since the program began. Omniflight is a leading provider of air medical services throughout the United States. The company operates over 100 aircraft nationally from 72 bases in 18 states, with a strong presence across the Southeast in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

"Omniflight is very proud to have been in partnership with ORMC for the past 25 years,” said Brian Burrell Regional Manager for Omniflight in the Southeast. “Together with ORMC our commitment to the citizens of Central Florida is stronger than ever and we look for many more years of providing safe air operations and life saving transports to those that need it most."

In addition to helping save lives after critical injuries occur, the Air Care Team also spends valuable time in the community increasing trauma awareness and participating in prevention initiatives – safety fairs, mock scenarios with area schools and lecture series.

About Orlando Health

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Opens New Research Facility at Lake Nona Medical City - Just In Time for 2nd Annual Cancer Research Symposium

10/20/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – October 20, 2009 – With breast cancer awareness month in full swing, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is focusing renewed attention on the importance of cancer research to battle all types of cancer including breast cancer. MD Anderson – Orlando’s Cancer Research Institute has opened its doors of its new research facility in the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences building, officially becoming a part of Lake Nona Medical City.

The MD Anderson - Orlando Cancer Research Institute, which was previously housed on the Orlando Health campus in downtown Orlando, is now based on the 5th floor of the Biomedical Sciences building. This 30,000 square foot facility will triple the Cancer Research Institute’s wet lab space and provide thousands of additional square feet of work space. The Cancer Research Institute is currently conducting extensive research on treatments for many types of cancer including the development of a new treatment drug that has shown promising results for battling pancreatic cancer and the development of an over-the-counter prostate cancer diagnostic test with UCF researchers.

The presence of MD Anderson’s Cancer Research Institute on the Medical City campus will provide additional opportunities for collaboration with UCF and The Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

On October 28, MD Anderson – Orlando will kick off its 2nd annual Cancer Research Symposium, the first at the Lake Nona Medical City campus.
The two-day symposium will bring together researchers from MD Anderson – Orlando, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston, The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, as well as researchers from UCF College of Medicine, UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, UCF Nanoscience Technology Center, and H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Among the latest developments and advancements in cancer research that will be discussed include novel targeted therapies and the study of a DNA repair protein identified in breast cancer that may be responsible for drug resistance and metastasis, a new clinical trial for pancreatic cancer, and the use of nanoparticles as radioprotectants.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Kicks off “Pink October” with Annual Hope Hike from City Hall

10/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

“Pink October” is officially here! MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando kicked off “Pink October”, a month dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer, with its annual Hope Hike from City Hall. The hike, which began on the steps of City Hall and continued down Orange Avenue to MD Anderson – Orlando’s cancer treatment facility on the Orlando Health campus, brought together community members, government leaders, oncologists, and breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.

Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty and Commissioner Robert Stuart were present at the kickoff of the Hope Hike, issuing proclamations declaring October as “Pink October.” MD Anderson – Orlando breast cancer oncologist Nikita Shah, MD provided a medical update on the fight against breast cancer and the work going on at MD Anderson – Orlando to diagnose and treat breast cancer patients in Central Florida. A breast cancer survivor also shared her personal experience battling the disease.

“MD Anderson – Orlando’s ‘Pink October’ is a chance to recognize those who have successfully fought and those who are currently fighting this disease, but also an opportunity for us to remind everyone that with early diagnosis and current treatments more women are surviving breast cancer and going on to live very full lives,” said Clarence Brown III, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “In order to continue to save lives we must focus on raising awareness and spreading the word about this disease. That is what ‘Pink October’ is all about.”

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in the United States. Every three minutes a new case of breast cancer is diagnosed and every 13 minutes a woman dies from breast cancer. Yet this type of cancer is being diagnosed earlier and earlier and as a result fewer women are dying of this disease each year. In 2009, it is estimated that 180,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which is down 20,000 cases over the last few years.

ORMC medical critical care director elected president of international critical care organization

10/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 29, 2009) — Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) is pleased to announce Edgar Jimenez, MD, director of Medical Critical Care at Orlando Regional Medical Center, has been elected to a four-year term as president of the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine. He was elected at the 10th World Congress in Florence, Italy. His term begins immediately and will continue until 2013.

With a membership of more than 136,000, the World Federation is comprised of the Critical Care Societies of 56 countries, with a Council that includes the United States, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Spain.

“Traditionally the World Federation has been a scientific forum,” said Dr. Jimenez. “Now we are also taking a very active role in developing and supporting critical care in some areas of the world that need it the most, such as Asia, the Middle East and Africa, by coordinating the efforts and resources of the largest societies in the federation. I plan to continue this focus during my tenure.”

In addition, the organization will begin important, immediate strategies to coordinate the efforts to mitigate the H1N1 pandemic, including guidelines for treatment and research initiatives, in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

Dr. Jimenez is a member of the United States Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and their representative to the World Federation. He was past-chair of the SCCM’s Fundamental Critical Care Support Steering Committee and of its Education and Training Steering Committee. He co-developed their Fundamental Disaster Management course that focuses on the communication, decontamination procedures and dynamic case management during a mass casualty crisis.

Dr. Jimenez joined ORMC in 2004. His 25-year career includes various positions in organizations throughout the United States and abroad: director, ICU, Corpus Christi Medical Center, Corpus Christi, Texas; medical director, U.S. Embassy, Costa Rica; and medical director, National Red Cross, Costa Rica. He received a doctorate of medicine and surgery from the University of Costa Rica School of Medicine. Dr. Jimenez completed an internal medicine and pediatrics residency at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a critical care fellowship at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center and St. Louis University Hospital.

About Orlando Health

Former *NSYNCer Joey Fatone hosts kid karaoke contest at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

9/25/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (September 24, 2009) - A dozen pint-sized singers took to the stage at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children on Thursday, September 24 for a karaoke contest hosted by former *NSYNC singing sensation, Joey Fatone. Other judges included members of Nigels 11, a new band created by former *NSYNCer Chris Kirkpatrick, and local radio favorite, Jayde from XL 106.7.

The event was part of the 20 Days of Caring special event series being held during the month of September to commemorate the hospital's 20th birthday.

"The kid karaoke contest is a fun way for children to show their appreciation to Joey and his family for all they have done to help the hospital," said John Bozard, president of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center. "It also gives all participants an opportunity to help us celebrate this festive occasion in a language we all understand; music."

Immediately prior to the karaoke contest, members of the Fatone Family Foundation presented the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation with a check for $325,000 to support the hospital's new music therapy program. The new program is dedicated to using music and music therapy to assist in the treatment of pediatric oncology and hematology patients. Over time, the program will be expanded throughout the entire hospital.

According to the American Cancer Society, research has found that music therapy, used along with anti-nausea drugs for patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy, can help ease nausea and vomiting; can help reduce short term pain and help decrease the overall intensity of the patient's experience of pain; and can reduce heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

While the physical benefits of music therapy can be measured over time, the emotional and psychological benefits in patients can be seen immediately. In one study, patients who were visited by a trained music therapist reported less anxiety and better overall mood than patients who did not receive music therapy.

Ten year old Jasmine Forsberg won the karaoke contest and will perform in front of what is expected to be a crowd of thousands attending the 20 Years of Caring Block Party Saturday, September 26 on the Arnold Palmer Medical Center campus.

The block party is the culmination of hundreds of special offers, events and activities being held during September as part of the 20 Days of Caring. Other activities include retail and dining offers that result in a donation to the hospital, lectures by and about golfing legends, clinics that teach parents how to keep kids safe and healthy, and special appearances by representatives from Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. A complete list of activities is available at www.arnoldpalmerhospitalbirthday.com/ClientResources/20DaysCaring.

About Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics and labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, maternal intensive care and women's services. Annually, more than 14,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state of Florida. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com.

Orlando Health Orthopedic Faculty Practice adds new specialty surgeon

9/24/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 24, 2009) — The Orlando Health Orthopedic Faculty Practice recently added George J. Haidukewych, MD, an orthopedic surgeon to the team. Dr. Haidukewych specializes in orthopedic traumatology and adult reconstructive orthopedics, and joins the practice as co-director of Orthopedic Trauma, chief of Complex Adult Reconstruction and program director of the Orthopedic Residency Program.

Internationally recognized for trauma and joint replacement surgery, Dr. Haidukewych has previously served as co-director of the Adult Reconstructive Fellowship and member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute in Tampa; and chief of Orthopedic Trauma at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Dr. Haidukewych graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He completed his orthopedic residency at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, and his fellowship training in orthopedic traumatology and post traumatic reconstruction at the Florida Orthopaedic Institute.

A noted researcher, Dr. Haidukewych, has published more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and has presented numerous educational lectures on topics including trauma and hip and knee replacement. He currently holds several patents and has developed multiple innovative implants for fracture fixation and joint replacement.

In continuing his academic career, Dr. Haidukewych will teach medical students, residents and fellows and serve as a professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health Vascular and Endovascular Practice adds specialists, expands services to community hospitals

9/22/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (September 22, 2009) — The Orlando Health Vascular and Endovascular Practice has added two new doctors to expand services to its downtown campus and community hospitals. Vascular surgeons Patrick Austin, MD, and Raj Patel, MD, will provide vascular and endovascular procedures at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and South Seminole Hospital. They join Dr. Mark Friedell, a practicing vascular surgeon at ORMC for over 20 years and program director of Orlando Health’s General Surgery Residency. In addition to treating patients, Drs. Austin and Patel will teach general surgery residents.

Dr. Austin received his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine where he also completed his general surgery residency. His vascular surgery fellowship was completed at the University of South Florida. He has presented research at state and national conferences on various topics including aortic dissections and lower extremity arterial disease.

Dr. Patel received his medical degree from Temple University. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cleveland Clinic Foundation; and a vascular and endovascular surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. He has a strong background in science and clinical research, has been published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, and has presented at regional and national conferences.

Dr. Friedell received his medical degree from the University of Bologna in Italy. He completed his surgical residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and a vascular fellowship at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. As a national and international lecturer, Dr. Friedell has spoken about various topics including deep vein thrombosis, carotid endarterectomy and vascular trauma. He has been published in several medical journals such as the Journal of Vascular Surgery, the Annals of Vascular Surgery and The American Surgeon covering a range of subjects including lower extremity venous disease, carotid endarterectomy and carotid angioplasty and stenting. Board certified in surgery and general vascular surgery, Dr. Friedell is a member of the Society of Vascular Surgery, the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery, the Association of Program Directors in Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

About Orlando Health

Arnold Palmer Hospital Pediatric Specialists Open Satellite Office in Seminole County

9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (August 19, 2009) - Children in the Sanford/Lake Mary area of Seminole County can now see pediatric specialists from Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children's Pediatric Specialty Practice close to home. The specialists are now available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1481 WP Ball Boulevard at the corner of 417 and Rinehart Road near the Marketplace at Seminole Town Center. This satellite office is located in the After Hours Pediatric Urgent Care Center office prior to it opening for urgent care services.

The following specialty services will be available by appointment: endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, orthopedics, nephrology, rheumatology, hematology/oncology and craniomaxillofacial. To make an appointment please call:

Craniomaxillofacial Surgery	407.839.8407
Endocrinology	321.841.3303
Gastroenterology	321.841.3338
Hematology/Oncology	321.841.8588
Nephrology	321.841.7970
Orthopedics	321.841.3040
Pulmonology	321.841.6350
Rheumatology	352.392.2961

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Arnold Palmer Hospital Celebrates 20 Years of Caring

9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

August 31, 2009 (Orlando, FL) -- Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will celebrate its 20^th birthday on September 10, coinciding with its legendary namesake, Arnold Palmer’s 80^th birthday. For the past 20 years Arnold Palmer Hospital has been providing advanced, highly specialized medical care to children and women from across Central Florida and the world. To commemorate this milestone birthday, several celebration events are planned throughout the month of September including a community leader breakfast hosted by the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and hospital visit by Arnold Palmer (September 4), a VIP 80^th Birthday dinner for Arnold Palmer hosted by Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Studios Orlando® (September 5) and a community block party (September 26). For more information, log on to www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com/birthday.

“We are honored to be celebrating 20 years of caring along side Arnold Palmer as he celebrates his 80^th birthday. We are extremely appreciative of all he and his family have done for the babies, children and women here in Central Florida and beyond,” said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “Through his generosity and those of others thousands of lives have been touched over the past 20 years and we look forward to continuing the Palmer legacy of caring for many years to come.”

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children opened its doors on September 10, 1989, as Central Florida’s first freestanding children and women’s hospital. The 281-bed facility offered pediatric, obstetric and women’s services all in one facility and was built to accommodate 6,500 births. Over the past 20 years, the hospital’s staff has delivered 179,000 babies, cared for 296,000 inpatients and 840,000 outpatients. It also saw the birth of a new facility, Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, named after Mr. Palmer’s late wife Winnie. The 285-bed facility opened on May 30, 2006, expanding the hospital’s obstetric, neonatal and gynecological services. With the opening of Winnie Palmer Hospital, Arnold Palmer Hospital became a dedicated, 158-bed children’s hospital and the two facilities in addition to the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families formed the Arnold Palmer Medical Center, which is one of the largest children and women’s facilities in the nation.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Joey Fatone to host kid karaoke contest at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (September 2, 2009) -- So you think you can sing? Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children invites Orlando-area kids to show their singing talent for a chance to perform for Joey Fatone at a kid karaoke contest. Children under the age of 13 are asked to send Internet links of their singing performances to 20days@orlandohealth.com by September 18.

A panel of judges from the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation will review the performances and select up to 15 finalists, ensuring that the various age ranges - from toddlers to teens - are represented. The finalists will have the opportunity to perform for former NSYNC singing sensation Joey Fatone at a kid’s karaoke contest Thursday, September 24 at the hospital. The event is part of the 20 Days of Caring special event series being held during the month of September to commemorate the hospital’s 20th birthday.

“Joey Fatone and his family have been tremendous supporters of the hospital in numerous ways,” said John Bozard, president of the Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “This kid karaoke contest is a fun way for children to show their appreciation to Joey for all that he has done to help the hospital and allow him to interact with area children during this festive occasion.”

The new music therapy program at Arnold Palmer Hospital is one example of the Fatones’ support. Joey Fatone and his family hosted a series of events to raise funds to develop the program, which is dedicated to using music and music therapy to assist in the treatment of pediatric oncology and hematology patients.

One finalist from the kid karaoke contest will be selected to perform in front of what is expected to be a crowd of thousands attending the 20 Years of Caring Block Party Saturday, September 26 on the Arnold Palmer Medical Center campus.

The block party is the culmination of hundreds of special offers, events and activities being held during September as part of the 20 Days of Caring. Other activities include retail and dining offers that result in a donation to the hospital, lectures by and about golfing legends, clinics that teach parents how to keep kids safe and healthy, and special appearances by representatives from Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. A complete list of activities is available at http://www.arnoldpalmerhospitalbirthday.com/ClientResources/20DaysCaring.

About Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

About Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics and labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, maternal intensive care and women’s services. Annually, more than 14,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state of Florida. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Announces Gift Registry Honoring its Namesakes’ 80th Birthday

8/17/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (August 14, 2009) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children turns 20 on September 10, 2009, the same day its legendary namesake, golfer Arnold Palmer celebrates his 80th birthday. In honor of Mr. Palmer’s birthday, a gift registry has been created where family, friends and fans can make a donation in his name to help the children, women and babies cared for at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Individuals wishing to make a contribution can log on to http://www.arnoldpalmerhospitalbirthday.com/GiftRegistry.

“We are proud to be celebrating 20 years of caring along side Arnold Palmer as he celebrates his 80th birthday. We are extremely appreciative of all he and his family have done for the babies, children, and women here in Central Florida,” said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center. “Through their generosity and that of our community through programs like the birthday gift registry, we have been able to provide highly-specialized care to those in need and we look forward to continuing the Palmer legacy of caring for many years to come.”

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women opened its doors on September 10, 1989, coinciding with its namesake’s, Arnold Palmer’s, 60th birthday. The 281-bed hospital was the first freestanding children and women’s hospital in Central Florida offering pediatric, obstetric and women’s services in one facility. Due to the area’s rapid population growth and increased demand for obstetrical services, Arnold Palmer Hospital expanded its obstetric, neonatal and gynecological services with the addition of Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, a 285-bed facility, located across the street. With the opening of Winnie Palmer Hospital, Arnold Palmer Hospital became a dedicated, 158-bed children’s hospital and the two facilities in addition to the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families formed the Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

ARNOLD PALMER HOSPITAL for CHILDREN
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

WINNIE PALMER HOSPITAL for WOMEN & BABIES
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics and labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, maternal intensive care and women’s services. Annually, more than 14,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state of Florida. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com.

Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute earns distinguished accreditation

8/13/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 13, 2009) --- The Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute recently received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for each of its 13 programs, including specialty inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation programs for children, adolescents and adults. The Rehabilitation Institute provides care for various conditions including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and stroke.

CARF is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services. CARF-accredited programs and services have demonstrated that they substantially meet internationally recognized standards and made a commitment to continually enhance the quality of its services and programs, and its focus is on consumer satisfaction.

“On a daily basis helping patients on their road to recovery brings its own rewards for our team,” said Jack Fitzpatrick, administrator of Ancillary and Rehabilitative Services. “To receive peer recognition from CARF is a tribute to and a reflection of the excellent care, support and commitment our multidisciplinary team provides to patients, their families and to each other.”

The CARF survey team recognized the Rehabilitation Institute for several strengths in patient care including relevant and well researched education materials for patients and families; dedicated private space for patients and family to access resources; creative approaches to build relationships with volunteers who share their talents and skills; and identifying needs for patients and finding solutions with limited funding, including the use of a gift registry and donations from team members.

The Rehabilitation Institute was also cited for the demonstration of its mission and values throughout operations; strong executive and physician leadership for rehabilitation services; the clinician and administrative team members’ longstanding history with the organization; its physician collaboration in development of the adolescent sports medicine program; and the organization’s position at the forefront of computerized records and accessibility for staff.

The Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute is the only state designated Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program (BSCIP) facility in Orlando. BSCIP designated facilities are required to maintain the highest level of expertise and experience to address the medical, rehabilitation, and physiological needs of individuals who sustain traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. BSCIP Accreditation requirements include the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

About Orlando Health

MD Anderson - Orlando patient enrolls in groundbreaking clinical trial to fight Glioblastoma

8/11/2009 12:00:00 AM

Portable CT Scanner now in use at Arnold Palmer Hospital

8/5/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – (August 5, 2009) – Pediatric patients at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will now benefit from a mobile, wireless scanner that can be rolled to the bedside or into surgery eliminating the need to move critically-ill or surgical patients to the Radiology Department.

By producing high resolution, two- and three dimensional images of the head and neck areas, the CereTom® portable CT scanner improves the diagnosis, treatment or surgical intervention of head and neck injuries. It will be used in the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and surgical suites.

“This technology allows us to obtain immediate, high-resolution images at the beside in the PICU or in the operating room which is revolutionalizing neurosurgery,” said Dr. Jogi Pattisapu, medical director of the Pediatric Neuroscience Program at Arnold Palmer Hospital. “It is a great advantage because we can now see real-time images of the head and neck during surgery aiding us tremendously with the placement of shunts and other devices.”

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Set to Open Expanded Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders

6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (June 23, 2009) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will open its expanded Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders later this month, tripling the size of its outpatient unit and doubling its inpatient capacity. The five million dollar project was funded by philanthropic support.

“We’re very excited about our expanded space which enhances the healing environment for our patients,” said Mary Rogers, patient care administrator for pediatric services at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “Our patients spend a great deal of time in the healthcare setting and we wanted to give them an area that would allow their complex medical needs to be met without forgetting the joy of childhood.”

The center has a serene Florida golf theme featuring mammals in the outpatient unit and water animals in the inpatient unit. The Haley Family Kid’s Place Outpatient Unit expanded from 2,594 to 10,672 square feet. It features eight private infusion bays, three long stay infusion rooms, eight physician exam rooms, two sedation rooms, a video conference room, a playroom and Child Life work area and an audiology testing booth to serve not only the pediatric cancer patients but all pediatric patients in need of hearing tests. The outpatient unit will open on June 29.

The Edward Joseph and Helen Hall Leon & Family Inpatient Unit increased from 11 to 20 beds and grew from 5,512 to 13,513 square feet. It also includes two sedation rooms, two playrooms with one being dedicated exclusively to teenagers, a dedicated sibling corner and a family gathering room. Patients will move to the new unit on July 6.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Orlando Health's 4th Annual ONE NIGHT^SM Raises Awareness and Support for Central Florida's Only Level One Trauma Center

6/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (June 16, 2009) --- Despite a challenging economy, ONE NIGHT's guest list grew for the fourth consecutive year, as the Orlando Health Foundation hosted more than 700 people during a black tie gala to raise awareness and support for Central Florida's only Level One Trauma Center. The event was held on April 19 in the Grand Court of The Mall at Millenia. In four years, ONE NIGHT has raised more than $850,000 for the Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) Level One Trauma Center.

CNL Financial Group, Inc., Presenting Sponsor, stepped forward once again as a substantial community partner in promoting the mission of the Trauma Center. "In addition to significant philanthropic funding for the capital expansion of the Trauma Center, CNL provides tremendous ongoing support through advocacy and organizing tours for which we are immensely grateful," explains Cheryl Collins, vice president, Orlando Health Foundation.

Maintaining the Trauma Center's high level of life-saving care 24/7 requires tremendous resources totaling $14,000,000 each year. Due to the high cost, few hospitals provide trauma services. As the only Level One Trauma Center in Central Florida, ORMC treats the most critically injured patients from across 15 counties.

"Demand for this highest level of life-saving care has tripled over the past decade, making our region's trauma center one of the busiest in the nation," explains Jeremy Gamble, vice president, Orlando Health Foundation. "We have a critical and urgent need to expand to meet the growing needs of our community."

Orlando Health is committed to providing trauma care for our community but relies heavily on philanthropy to fulfill this mission.

"Philanthropic support for the expansion of our region's only Level One Trauma Center is as vital as the care that the trauma team provides to patients," says Jim Seneff, Chairman and CEO, CNL Financial Group, Inc. "CNL is proud to support the Trauma Center so that our work family, personal families, friends and loved ones won't have to worry whether care will be available when they need it most."

Demonstrating the highest level of life-saving care provided by the Trauma Center, this year's theme, "all for one moment…," portrayed the remarkable story of trauma survivor, Nate Winters. Nate's life was saved at the Trauma Center after a terrible boating injury caused him to lose over 75 percent of his blood - and ultimately his left leg. Within minutes of Nate's injury, the air medical team rushed him to the Trauma Center. Nearly 20 trauma professionals were ready and waiting the moment he arrived. Nate was rapidly stabilized and underwent emergency surgery for his massive orthopedic and soft tissue injuries.

Today, Nate and his family look back at their night in the Trauma Center not as the night Nate lost his leg, but the night Nate's life was saved.

ONE NIGHT^SM 2009 Sponsors:

Presenting - CNL Financial Group, Inc.
Host - The Mall at Millenia
Silent Auction - Walt Disney World Co.
Dinner - FreshPoint
Transportation Services - Omniflight Helicopters Inc.

Community Partners
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
Blaine & Rebecca Sweatt
FFVA Mutual Insurance Co.

For more information about ORMC's Level One Trauma Center or to arrange a tour, contact Jeremy Gamble, vice president, Orlando Health Foundation at 321.841.8870 or jeremy.gamble@orlandohealth.com.

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit healthcare organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area's only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation's premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health's areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is Central Florida's fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this every day with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at orlandohealth.com.

Orlando Health study examines technology developed by UCF

6/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 15, 2009) - A high-tech robotic arm may be the helping hand that patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) need to make their lives more independent. The medical director and rehabilitation therapists at Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute are evaluating the technology used to operate the robotic arm in an effort to help design controls that are best suited for patients as they reach forward for a greater quality of life. The interface technology used for the robotic arm was developed by the Assistive Robotics Laboratory team at the University of Central Florida’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and NanoScience Technology Center. The robotic arm used in the study, known as the Manus ARM (Assistive Robotic Manipulator), is made by Exact Dynamics based in The Netherlands.

"The assisted robotic arm is designed to help people with certain spinal cord injuries who have limited arm function as they complete everyday living tasks like feeding themselves, pouring a drink, opening a cabinet, or picking up something they have dropped," said David Portée, MD, medical director of the Rehabilitation Institute and principal investigator for the study. "The impact of functional technology in a person's life can be far reaching beyond improved ability to perform tasks. It can increase family, social and professional participation and restore an overall level of independence that had been believed to have been lost after the spinal cord injury."

The Manus ARM, which has already received approval for use in Europe and is in the process of obtaining FDA approval for use in the United States, can be attached to the user's wheelchair or positioned near the user. The robotic arm weighs 28.6 pounds and has a reach of 31.5 inches. Its appearance is a more modern spin on the character Number 5 or Johnny Five in the '80s hit movies "Short Circuit" and "Short Circuit 2." The two types of interfaces tested are Cartesian mode and Auto mode. In Cartesian mode, users use a switch or speak commands to first move the robot arm (front, back, left, right, up, and down) and then appropriately orient the hand of the robot (yaw left, yaw right, pitch up, pitch down, roll clockwise, and roll counterclockwise) in order to grasp a desired object. In Auto mode, users simply select an object of interest on a computerized screen and the robotic arm uses a pair of video cameras and touch and grip sensing to automatically guide itself and grasp the object in a single process.

"Using robotic arms for assistance in completing tasks is not experimental," explains Dr. Portée. "However, the controls used for the robotic arm are still being developed and changed to improve the function. We are working to explore and understand which candidates may benefit the most from this technology. We also want to determine which of the two interfaces being used in this study allows patients with spinal cord injuries to manipulate the robotic arm most effectively and efficiently for more independent function with daily living activities."

Over the years, many assistive robotic arms have been developed, though some are cumbersome or limited in adaptability to a user's specific needs. For example, controls may be limited to a joy stick, key pad or sip and puff mechanisms, or the interfaces may require numerous or complicated steps to move the robotic arm.

“In our preliminary testing of commercially available systems, we found that users were frustrated by the unnatural motion control interface for commanding the robot. Our goal in designing the automated system was to reduce the cognitive load for the users and to reduce the time to task completion,” said Dae-Jin Kim, PhD, who is the leader of the development team at UCF.

Orlando Health and UCF are a natural fit for the project.

“Partnering with an industrial collaborator (Exact Dynamics) and a clinical collaborator (Orlando Health) makes sense because it will facilitate rapid translation and adoption of this technology” said Aman Behal, PhD, director of the Assistive Robotics Laboratory at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and NanoScience Technology Center and principal investigator of the study.

There are an estimated 259,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the United States. Each year, there are approximately 12,000 new cases.

More information about the study

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Women Playing For T.I.M.E. ® and Orlando Rowing Club Raise Valuable Funds to Fight Breast Cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

6/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (June 16, 2009) – Recently, rowers from rowing clubs across the country took to Lake Fairview to participate in the 2nd Annual Florida Masters Regatta and raise valuable funds in the fight against breast cancer. This year’s Regatta had an impressive first year raising $1,900 to benefit local cancer treatment and research at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando through Women Playing For T.I.M.E.® (Technology, Immediate Diagnosis, Mammography and Education).

"We're very pleased to partner with Women Playing For T.I.M.E. to benefit MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando," says Orlando Rowing Club President Greg Kerrebrock. "Money raised during the Regatta will help support important research and activities to fight cancer locally."

Orlando Rowing Club novice rower and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. board member, Andrea Eliscu, helped forge the partnership. “As the beneficiary of the donations from the Masters Regatta, we will continue to contribute to our goal of treating and eradicating breast cancer for the women of our community,” she explains. “We have several rowers in our club who are cancer survivors. This is a great sport for fitness, mental concentration and overall health. It benefits survivors, caregivers, family and friends alike.”

The Regatta made for a great day of masters and open racing and included a Corporate Challenge 500-meter dash with teams from Orlando Health and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. amongst others. Some of the participants were breast cancer survivors, and for many, it was a chance to contribute directly and locally to a cause that has touched so many.

About Women Playing For T.I.M.E. ®
Women Playing For T.I.M.E. (Technology, Immediate Diagnosis, Mammography and Education) is an all-women volunteer group, focused on defeating breast cancer that began 17 years ago in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. WPFT raises valuable funds through golf, tennis and other fundraising events in Central Florida. Since its beginning, WPFT has raised more than $7.5 million for breast cancer research and programs at MD Anderson – Orlando. In addition, monies raised have helped to purchase technologies that provide for the immediate diagnosis and education of other forms of female-related cancers. WPFT is led by a core of volunteers with a history of generating strong financial support throughout the community. To learn more about Women Playing For T.I.M.E., contact Lynda Canatay at 321.841.2272 or Lynda.Canatay@orlandohealth.com

Dr. Phillips Hospital expands cardiac services, offers elective angioplasty, stenting

6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 11, 2009) – New state rules have cleared the way for patients in the Southwest Community to have elective procedures to unclog their arteries at the hospital in their neighborhood – Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. Dr. Phillips Hospital is the first community hospital in Greater Orlando to provide elective angioplasty and stenting for patients. Before the rule change, state guidelines required these elective procedures be performed only at hospitals with onsite open-heart surgery capabilities. Under previous guidelines patients at Dr. Phillips Hospital needing these elective procedures would have been transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

“We know that time is muscle when it comes to the heart,” Mark A. Steiner, MD, an interventional cardiologist who practices at Dr. Phillips Hospital’s Cath Lab. “More timely intervention without delays will help improve outcomes. We are pleased to offer this service for our community in our community.”

Dr. Phillips Hospital has provided diagnostic services in its cath lab since 2000. Taking services one step further to perform an immediate procedure to restore blood flow to the heart, known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is even more beneficial to patient care. PCI options include angioplasty and stenting.

“Patients benefit from having a PCI performed in the same setting of initial care,” said Dr. Steiner. “Coordination of care is maintained, treatment begins more quickly, medical resources are used more efficiently and transportation costs are reduced.”

Previous state guideline requirements determining where certain cardiac procedures could be performed date back to years ago when PCIs often required emergent bypass surgery afterwards, explains Dr. Steiner.

“Due to improvements in the technology of angioplasty and stents, specialized training and the experience of our cath lab team, the number of patients needing surgery after a PCI has dropped dramatically,” said Dr. Steiner.

In the unlikely event of needed surgery after PCI, state guidelines require a hospital to be able to transport a patient from a cath lab to a hospital that can provide open heart surgery in less than 60 minutes. Dr. Phillip’s has protocols in place to insure that those patients would be transported from the cath lab-to-surgery at ORMC within the time frame.

In addition to the new elective angioplasty and stenting services offered, Dr. Phillips Hospital continues to provide these immediate cardiac care procedures for patients during heart attacks. The hospital began the later services in February 2008.

Current state guidelines for patients having a heart attack require a door-to-treatment time, also referred to as door-to-balloon time, of 90 minutes or less. Dr. Phillips Hospital’s current time averages 56 minutes.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

ORMC among the first hospitals to offer new implantable deep brain stimulation device for patients with Parkinson’s disease

6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 8, 2009) – Patients with Parkinson’s disease have new options to control the life-impacting movements they face on a continual basis. Today, Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) becomes among the first hospitals in the nation to implant the Activa® PC. The Activa PC and the Activa® RC, by Medtronic, are two deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices available for the treatment of the symptoms of movement disorders, including advanced Parkinson’s disease. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the devices deliver small electrical pulses to precisely targeted areas within one or both sides of the brain to help achieve greater control over disabling body movements. ORMC offers both options.

“Both the Activa RC and Activa PC neurostimulators mark significant progress for patients with movement disorders, helping improve their health and quality of life,” said Nizam Razack, MD, a neurosurgeon and chair of neurosurgery at ORMC. “This type of surgery also represents significant advancements as neurosurgery moves more towards bionic technology-enhancing anatomical structures with electronic components. Historically neurosurgery involved removing things from the body. Today we are able to implant devices like neurostimulators to send electrical signals in the brain to affect movement throughout the body, in essence telling the brain how to artificially do what it cannot naturally do.”

Both Activa RC and Activa PC can provide bi-lateral stimulation (to both sides of the brain) and have new programming options that give surgeons greater ability to fine tune stimulation. For patients, the devices’ hand-held programmer has new features, including an LCD screen that provides valuable information, including neurostimulator battery status. The programmer also allows patients to choose between pre-set clinician-configured stimulation parameters to customize their therapy to suit different lifestyle needs.

The Activa RC and Activa PC devices have unique features.

Activa PC, expected to become the most implanted DBS device, offers multiple benefits of greater patient control without regular maintenance by the patient, improved surgeon programming options and a smaller size. The Activa PC neurostimulator represents a 20 percent reduction in size and weight compared to previous bi-lateral, primary cell devices but with a similar two-to five-year battery life.

The Activa RC is the first and only rechargeable DBS neurostimulator in the world and lasts for nine years before replacement is necessary. Patients need to recharge the device at home on a regular basis depending on their stimulation settings. Activa RC, also significantly smaller than previous bi-lateral devices, is expected to be used for some patients with high-energy stimulation requirements.

“Activa RC and Activa PC expand our family of Medtronic DBS therapy devices to give patients and physicians the flexibility they need to customize a successful DBS treatment program to manage the debilitating symptoms of movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor,” said Richard E. Kuntz, M.D., senior vice president and president of the Neuromodulation business at Medtronic. “These devices also accentuate Medtronic’s place as the long-time pioneer and leader in neuromodulation technology, represented by the only commercially available DBS therapy system in the United States, 20 years of DBS experience, and an ongoing commitment to further pursuit of technology innovations to improve the lives of patients.”

About Orlando Health

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Receives Chest Pain Center Accreditation

6/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 28, 2009) — Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Chest Pain Center recently received full accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers’ Accreditation Review Committee.

The Chest Pain Center is designed to deliver more timely care during the beginning stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective, and to better monitor patients when it is not clear whether they are having a problem with their heart. The specialized procedures help ensure that a patient is neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted.

Dr. Phillips Hospital’s Chest Pain Center has demonstrated expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a review team. Key areas include:

Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly
Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
Ensuring Chest Pain Center personnel competency and training
Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
Having a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

With the increase in the number of Chest Pain Centers came the need to institute guidelines to improve the consistency and quality of care provided to patients. The Society’s accreditation process insures designated centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine.

###

About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

About the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC)
The Society of Chest Pain Centers is a patient centric non-profit international professional organization focused upon improving care for patients with acute coronary syndromes and other related maladies. Established in 1998, the Society is dedicated to patient advocacy and focusing on ischemic heart disease. Central to its mission is the question, “What is right for the patient?” In answer, the Society promotes protocol based medicine, often delivered through a Chest Pain Center model to address the diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, and to promote the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers. To best fulfill this mission, the Society of Chest Pain Centers provides accreditation to facilities striving for optimum Chest Pain Center care. SCPC is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

For more information on the Society of Chest Pain Centers visit www.scpcp.org, or contact Robert Lipetz, Executive Director at 614.442.5950 or director@scpcp.org.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Receives $1.3 million to Support Cancer Research

4/21/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – April 20, 2009 – The MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – Cancer Research Institute has received a generous donation to provide support for ongoing research in the search for a cure for cancer. The donation of $1.3 million dollars, funded by the Arnold D. Palmer Charitable Trust, will establish the Winnie Palmer Endowed Directorship, supporting the role of the director of the Cancer Research Institute.

“We are truly appreciative and grateful for the continued support of the Palmer Family,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “Their commitment to help find a cure for cancer is inspirational. Our researchers, lead by director Dr. Cheryl Baker, are making tremendous strides in cancer research and are saving lives. This generous donation, funding the continuation of valuable research of our Cancer Research Institute will undoubtedly save additional lives. “

The Cancer Research Institute will be expanding this summer to Medical City at Lake Nona. The research facility, which will be located within the UCF College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences building, will play a pivotal role in the future of cutting edge cancer research.

ORMC Receives Chest Pain Center Accreditation

4/9/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDOA, Fla. (April 9, 2009) — Orlando Regional Medical Center’s (ORMC) Chest Pain Center recently received full accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers’ Accreditation Review Committee. ORMC is the first Level One Trauma Center in Florida to receive this designation.

“Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in our country and chest pain is a leading chief complaint in our Emergency Department,” said Gary Parrish, emergency medicine physician and chair, Emergency Department. “Our Chest Pain Center is designed to improve outcomes by beginning treatment sooner, and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.”

The Chest Pain Center’s special protocol helps to reduce the time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective, and to better monitor patients when it is not clear whether they are having a coronary event. Such observation helps ensure that a patient is neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted.

ORMC’s Chest Pain Center has demonstrated expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluations by a review team. Key areas include:

Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly
Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
Ensuring Chest Pain Center personnel competency and training
Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
Having a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

With the rise of Chest Pain Centers came the need to establish standards designed to improve the consistency and quality of care provided to patients. The Society’s accreditation process insures centers meet or exceed quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is Central Florida’s fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

About the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC)

The Society of Chest Pain Centers is a patient centric non-profit international professional organization focused upon improving care for patients with acute coronary syndromes and other related maladies. Established in 1998, the Society is dedicated to patient advocacy and focusing on ischemic heart disease. Central to its mission is the question, “What is right for the patient?” In answer, the Society promotes protocol based medicine, often delivered through a Chest Pain Center model to address the diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, and to promote the adoption of process improvement science by healthcare providers. To best fulfill this mission, the Society of Chest Pain Centers provides accreditation to facilities striving for optimum Chest Pain Center care. SCPC is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

For more information on the Society of Chest Pain Centers visit www.scpcp.org, or contact Robert Lipetz, Executive Director at 614.442.5950 or director@scpcp.org.

ORMC opens state-of-the-art Endovascular Surgery Suite

4/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 7, 2009) — Endovascular surgeons at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) are now using a new high-tech operating room (OR) that integrates digital imaging diagnostics, radiological, catheterization and surgical capabilities in one suite instead of treatment in various hospital areas. For patients the new suite means they spend less time in surgery and the hospital, and recover with less pain, returning more quickly to an improved healthier lifestyle. ORMC is the only hospital in Greater Orlando with an Endovascular Surgery Suite in the OR.

Endovascular surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgery that allows access to various areas of the body through a small puncture via major blood vessels, instead of large incisions. Typically the chosen vessel is the femoral artery or a vein near the groin. Common surgeries and procedures include carotid artery stenting, abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs and treatment for lower extremity peripheral vascular disease like blood clots in the legs.

“We are excited to bring our community this technological advancement,” said Jon M. Wesley, MD, a vascular surgeon who practices at ORMC. “We are able to perform endovascular surgery and other procedures to treat vascular problems more efficiently and effectively while improving the quality of life for patients."

The new endovascular suite combines the best of both worlds: the cutting-edge imaging and image processing found in independent radiological and angiography suites and the more sterile environment of an OR which is needed in more complex endovascular procedures.

The smaller incisions mean less post-operative pain which in turn leads to more time enjoying the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. For example, a traditional approach to treating abdominal aortic aneurysm would entail a surgical incision from a patient’s breast bone to their belly button, followed by a possible 10-day hospital stay. This same procedure can now be done using a minimally invasive technique, may only require a 3-day stay.

The Endovascular Surgery Suite can also be used for traumatic injuries such as thoracic tears (a major artery tear in the chest area) – a common injury from the force of impact sustained in a motor vehicle or motorcycle crash or a traumatic fall.

About Orlando Health

Pink Lemonade Stand Raises Nearly $24,000 for MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

3/24/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL - March 24, 2009 - When friends Victoria Petrucelly and Jesse Theobald first came up with the idea to have a pink lemonade stand they were hoping to raise at least $50. When Victoria`s mother Angela was diagnosed with breast cancer, the event took on more meaning. On Monday, the girls presented MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando with a check for $23,856.73.

Friends and family of Angela Petrucelly join Dr. Clarence Brown, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando, for a pink lemonade toast as he accepts a check for $23,856.73 from Victoria Petrucelly and Jesse Theobald.

"This money will help find the cure for breast cancer," said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson - Orlando as he accepted the check from Victoria and Jesse. "This is just a tremendous accomplishment, we are so proud and appreciative of these young ladies and we know Angela would be proud as well."

Angela Petrucelly, Victoria`s mother, lost her battle with breast cancer in February at the age of 40. In her honor, the girls launched their lemonade stand last weekend to benefit MD Anderson - Orlando where Angela was treated. They spent the weekend with classmates pouring up glasses of pink lemonade and collecting donations.

"It started small but ended up being one of the biggest things in Orlando," Victoria said. Jesse added, "I`m just happy it happened. When you`re a kid, things usually don`t happen."

"Angela loved the care at MD Anderson - Orlando," said Victoria`s father, Reid. "They treat the person as a whole as well as the family." In addition to Victoria, she and her husband, Reid, have a 4-year-old son, Vincent.

The "Think Pink Lemonade Stand" began as a simple idea from two little girls, and others joined the cause. Countless companies and individuals donated to the effort, including Publix at the Paramount - Downtown Orlando and Chick-Fil-A of Central Florida. Two local companies, Lilly Pulitzer - Park Avenue and Palmer`s Garden & Goods, donated a portion of their weekend sales to the lemonade stand.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children launches In the Zone

3/19/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (March 19, 2009) - Physician leaders and executives from Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children were joined today by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, renowned pediatrician Thomas Tonniges, MD, director of the Institute for Child Health Improvement with Boys Town National Research Hospital and the American Academy of Pediatrics` Leonard P. Rome Visiting Professor and representatives from several community organizations to introduce In the Zone. The new medical education program will officially roll out in Orlando`s Parramore community Monday, March 23, 2009. It is designed to teach residents to recognize and understand the numerous community factors that can impact a child`s physical health.

"We hope to provide residents with innovative educational experiences in community settings where they can get to know children, youth, their families and their health concerns and resources better," said Veenod Chulani, MD, director of the In the Zone program for Arnold Palmer Hospital. "In the Zone will equip residents with the knowledge and skills to serve as effective leaders and agents of change for children in our community or in communities where their future practices may lead them."

The Parramore community was selected as the program site due to statistics which indicate the community could benefit from a program like In the Zone. Based on census data from 2000, the Parramore neighborhood is home to more than 2,000 children, of whom 73% live in poverty, 84% in single parent households and 31% in households where no parent works. The infant mortality rate in the community is almost two-and-a-half times the national mortality rate and the rate for Orange County. And 41% of the community`s children have chronic health needs that are not readily addressed given barriers to access to care. In the Zone will promote community health through collaboration and further complement efforts by the city of Orlando, residents and local businesses to revitalize the community.

"Forty-one percent of Parramore households have at least one child with chronic health needs," said Mayor Dyer. "Leveraging community partnerships with Arnold Palmer Hospital`s In the Zone project will help us achieve one of the fundamental goals of Parramore Kidz Zone by identifying those children with acute and chronic health care needs ensuring they receive appropriate treatment."

In the Zone will provide innovative training experiences that help prepare residents to be advocates for children. The program`s goal is to eliminate health care disparities for people of diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds while improving the quality of services and health outcomes in the community. "The field of community pediatric training places the residents back in the community and teaches them about the environments in which their patients actually live and go to school," said Joan Younger Meek, MD, academic chairman, Medical Education Pediatrics, Arnold Palmer Hospital. "The discipline also exposes pediatric residents in training to the social support networks in place in the community and trains them to be better advocates for their patients and families. We are excited about the opportunities that In the Zone will provide for our pediatric residents to engage with the local child advocates and families in the Parramore community in Orlando."

Several community organizations in the Parramore area will serve as In the Zone partners including the Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention, the Orlando Day Nursery, the Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County and the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families` Teen Xpress program. (A complete list is attached.) Arnold Palmer Hospital`s residents will participate in activities of community partner agencies for their two week rotation, during which they will provide health education, health navigation, mentorship and health advocacy. They will also function as liaison, resource person and consultant in matters of child, adolescent and family health to community partners during their residency.

About Arnold Palmer Hosptial for Children

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

About the Department of Pediatrics

The Department of Pediatrics at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children consists of 11 faculty general pediatricians and community pediatricians who maintain privileges and participate in department-sponsored educational activities, nurse practitioners and support staff who provide a full range of pediatric services. Arnold Palmer Hospital is the training site for 42 pediatric residents and is the only pediatric training residency training program in the Greater Orlando area. The department delivers pediatric services from a 158-bed hospital, a 112-bed neonatal intensive care unit and an outpatient facility that handles more than 20,000 visits each year.

In the Zone Community Partners

1. Dr. J.B. Callahan Neighborhood Center

2. Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention - Project Connect

3. Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County

4. Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families - Early Steps

5. Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families - Healthy Families Orange

6. Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families - Teen Xpress

7. John H. Jackson Community Center

8. Nap Ford Community School

9. Orange County Health Department WIC Clinic

10. Orlando Day Nursery

11. Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando

12. Stephanie C. Spinelli and Associates, Inc.

Count Birdies to Help Babies in Need of Critical Care

3/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 6, 2009) — Each year the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard donates a portion of its proceeds to Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation. In an effort to further strengthen and showcase this long-standing relationship, the Foundation has launched the Birdies for Babies fundraising program, collecting monetary pledges per birdie scored by PGA TOUR professionals during this year’s 31st tournament, held March 23-29 at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Running now until tournament play begins on March 25, the entire Orlando community can get into the golf action by pledging $.01 and up for every birdie scored during the tournament, or by making a one-time donation, to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. A "birdie" occurs when a golfer completes a hole one shot under par; there have been an average of 1,149 birdies a year over the past five tournaments, ranging from a low of 1,057 in 2005, to a high of 1,261 in 2006.

The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies NICU is the fourth largest in the United States and is organized to provide highly skilled, life saving care to Orlando`s tiniest babies. More than 1,600 babies are admitted into the NICU each year, and the unit consistently demonstrates the best outcome statistics in Florida.

“Each year the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard helps raise much-needed funds for both Arnold Palmer and Winnie Palmer hospitals. This program is a great extension of that relationship and allows us to further involve the community in helping babies in need,” said Jeffrey Muddell, Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation vice president.

Those interested in pledging can complete a Birdies for Babies pledge form online, download one from ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com by clicking on the “Charities” page, or pick one up at any of the community golf and retail partner locations listed on the Web site. Just for filling out a pledge form, participants are eligible to receive one of several hundred gifts provided by local businesses, including gift cards and free rounds of golf. Plus, they will have the chance to guess the total number of birdies that will be scored at this year’s tournament, with a correct guess making them eligible to win one of three grand prizes:

Stay-and-Play at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge; includes two (2) deluxe rooms for one (1) night, buffet breakfast and a round of golf for four (4).
Four (4) weekly clubhouse badges for the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard.
Four (4) Annual 2-Park Power Passes to Universal Orlando Resort.

“Our partnership with the Foundation is a key element of the Tournament, and paramount to our commitment to the Orlando community,” said Scott Wellington, Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard tournament director. “We are proud to support the Birdies for Babies program and hope that all tournament birdie records are broken this year.”

About Winnie Palmer Hospital For Women & Babies
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 285-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of women and babies. The hospital includes comprehensive fetal diagnostics and labor and delivery services, a regional center for neonatal intensive care, maternal intensive care and women’s services. Annually, more than 14,000 babies are expected to be born at Winnie Palmer Hospital, making it the busiest labor and delivery unit in the state of Florida. To learn more, visit www.winniepalmerhospital.com.

About The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By Mastercard
The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard will hold its 31st annual tournament March 23-29, 2009. The Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard is one of Central Florida’s signature events, a premier sporting event and a highlight of the PGA TOUR, attracting some of the greatest talent in golf. The entire event is overseen and directed by one of the game’s all-time greats — Arnold Palmer. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, including Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies.

For more information visit ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Launches Central Florida’s First Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic

3/3/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL – March 2, 2009 – At MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, patients ring a special bell, signifying the successful completion of cancer treatment and their transition to cancer survivorship. Now, breast cancer survivors will be able to benefit from the first cancer survivorship program in Central Florida, the MD Anderson – Orlando Survivorship Clinic. The Clinic, located on the Orlando Health campus just south of downtown Orlando, will provide long term physical and emotional healthcare needs to breast cancer survivors who have no evidence of active cancer.

“The opening of our Survivorship Clinic marks the beginning of a new phase of cancer care here in Central Florida,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “Cancer survivors, who have always been an important part of our Breast Care Center, now have their very own clinic focused on their individual needs. These patients have fought and won their battle with cancer and as a result their healthcare needs are very unique.”

At the MD Anderson – Orlando Survivorship Clinic, each breast cancer survivor will work closely with a nurse practitioner to chart out an individual Survivor Care Plan, including future plans for cancer screenings and appropriate follow up care with primary care physicians. MD Anderson – Orlando joins an elite group of cancer survivorship programs serving some of the more than 10 million cancer survivors nationwide. This program was based on similar survivorship programs at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Houston, Sloan Kettering Memorial, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,780-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdandersonorlando.org.

Colon Cancer Surgery Gives Florida Lacrosse Star a Second Chance

3/3/2009 12:00:00 AM

A 21-year-old lacrosse player at the University of Florida, Kaley Pendley is survivor. Last year at just 20 years old, Pendley was diagnosed with colon cancer. Dr. Paul Williamson performed her surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center and she received care at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. One year later, Pendley is cancer free and back on the lacrosse field. View her story.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Receives Donation from Business Leaders Donald Trump and Stewart Rahr

2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM

Donald Trump, Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization (Left) and Stewart Rahr, President and CEO of Kinray Inc. (Right) present Arnold Palmer with a $350,000 cash donation to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Orlando, FL (February 25, 2009) - Donald Trump, CEO of the Trump Organization and Stewart Rahr, CEO of Kinray Inc., donated $350,000 to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Trump and Rahr were given a tour of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies by golf-legend Arnold Palmer.

Rahr previously donated $400,000 to Arnold Palmer Hospital through a charity event in Las Vegas where he purchased a package that included a round of golf with Arnold Palmer.

"We appreciate the generosity of both Mr. Trump and Mr. Rahr and their support of our mission to provide state-of-the-art, specialized care to our patients," said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation. "Their donation will touch the lives of many children and families."

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital provides expertise in pediatric specialties such as cardiac care, craniomaxillofacial surgery, emergency and trauma care, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology and sports medicine. Visit arnoldpalmerhospital.com to learn more about all of our specialties.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Appoints Leaders for Pediatric Neuroscience Program

2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (February 23, 2009) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children announced today the appointment of the physician leadership team for its Pediatric Neuroscience program.

Jogi Pattisapu, MD, was named medical director for the Pediatric Neuroscience program. Dr. Pattisapu has served the children of Greater Orlando for 17 years as a pediatric neurosurgeon helping to establish and grow pediatric neurosurgery capabilities. As medical director, Pattisapu will expand services at Arnold Palmer Hospital for kids with neurological disorders and surgical needs.

He received his medical degree from the University of Texas and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and his fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Pattisapu is board certified in pediatric neurosurgery.

The hospital also appointed Ronald Davis, MD, Christopher Gegg, MD, and Greg Olivarria, MD, as associate medical directors.

Dr. Davis will serve as the associate medical director of Epileptology. He received his medical degree and completed his residency in pediatrics at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. He completed his fellowship in pediatric neurology at Children’s Hospital Boston and is board certified in pediatrics and neurology.

Dr. Gegg will serve as the associate medical director of Neurosurgery. He received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center. He went on to complete his fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at Children’s Medical Center/University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and is board certified in neurosurgery.

Dr. Olavarria will serve as the associate medical director of Neuroscience Research. He received his medical degree from UCLA School of Medicine and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Emory University Hospitals. Following his residency, he attended Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago to complete his fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery and is board certified in neurosurgery.

The Pediatric Neuroscience program offers comprehensive specialized services to children with neuromuscular conditions such as, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy; craniofacial disorders; epilepsy; hydrocephalus; neonatal disorders; cererovascular disorders; congenital disorders and neurocardiology disorders. The medical team includes pediatric physicians specializing in neurology, neurosurgery and craniofacial disorders.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, supported by the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation, is a 158-bed facility dedicated exclusively to the needs of children. Located in Orlando, Arnold Palmer Hospital includes comprehensive, specialized programs and services for children including acute care, adolescent medicine, a Congenital Heart Institute in partnership with Miami Children’s Hospital, pediatric intensive care, emergency medicine, nephrology, neurology and trauma services to name a few. To learn more, visit www.arnoldpalmerhospital.org.

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children offers breakthrough scoliosis test

2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (February 24, 2009) – Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children today announced it is offering a new, non-invasive genetic test that can predict the progression of mild cases of scoliosis. The hospital is one of only 40 in the nation and of only two in Florida to offer the new ScoliScore test.

“This test is a breakthrough in determining the severity of scoliosis,” said Charles Price, MD, director of orthopedic education and assistant director of the orthopedic residency program for Arnold Palmer Hospital. “With it, we can predict whether the curvature of spines in some patients will worsen or not.”

The ScoliScore will help doctors reduce unnecessary treatment for non-progressive curves and encourage early treatment of curves that are at high risk of progressing.

“With this test, we can identify some scoliosis patients who need treatment at a much earlier stage and begin that treatment as early as possible,” said Raymond Knapp, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Arnold Palmer Hospital who specializes in treating spinal deformities including scoliosis. “It is possible that early scoliosis treatment using non-invasive procedures may prevent the need for surgery at a later date.”

Scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine, is a disorder of growth that often develops during the adolescent growth spurt when the spine is growing rapidly. It strikes 2% of adolescents and requires treatment in approximately 10% of those who suffer from the disorder. If left untreated, scoliosis can be disfiguring, cause disability and in extreme cases, interfere with lung function. There is no known cause for scoliosis but it does run in families.

Dr. Price, along with Dr. Knapp, served as investigators of the initial multi-year study that helped prove the test’s reliability. That research demonstrated that this test is reliable in Caucasian girls between the ages of 9 and 14. To be considered for eligibility to take the new test, patients must have a previous diagnosis of scoliosis and reflect the demographics of the original study group. With ongoing research in other demographics, the ScoliScore is expected to be available to all populations by the end of the year.

For more information about test eligibility, call Arnold Palmer Hospital’s Pediatric Orthopedic Specialty Practice at 321-841-3040.

About the Pediatric Orthopedic Specialty Practice

The Pediatric Orthopedic Specialty Practice at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children treated more than 950 scoliosis patients last year. Of those, 105 required surgery. The practice, which consists of six pediatric orthopedic surgeons, is recognized for developing cutting-edge treatments for scoliosis and has been at the forefront of scoliosis care for several decades.

Dr. Price has been a leader in the non-operative treatment of scoliosis. He is past chairman of the non-operative management committee of the Scoliosis Research Society. He has been involved for ten years in research to develop a laboratory test for scoliosis. Dr. Price is a leading developer

Heart Surgeon encourages community members to take care of their hearts

2/19/2009 12:00:00 AM

As we prepare to recognize Valentine’s Day by exchanging gifts and cards embossed with hearts, I want to urge all central Floridians to honor the special day by taking care of the heart that beats inside each chest.

It is fitting that February is Heart Month, and the week of February 8 – 14 has been designated by the U.S. Senate as Heart Failure Awareness Week. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in our country, and over five million Americans have been diagnosed with heart failure.

Nationally, there are between 500,000 and 700,000 new cases of heart failure diagnosed every year and about 60,000 deaths a year are attributable to the condition. Heart failure is the only major cardiovascular disease on the rise, and it causes more hospitalizations than all forms of cancer combined.

Unfortunately, millions of people are living with heart failure but are unaware of it because the symptoms are often mistaken for signs of “just getting older”. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, ankle swelling, and chest congestion.

Heart failure is not a heart attack, but a progressive condition in which the heart’s muscle becomes weakened after it is injured from something like a heart attack or high blood pressure and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body’s needs. While there is currently no known cure for heart failure, early diagnosis and proper treatment can offer patients a more normal life expectancy.

If you have had a heart attack or experience shortness of breath and are unable to partake in your daily activities like you used to, I encourage you to see a physician and seek treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to slow the progression of this devastating disease.

Sincerely,

Javier A. Lafuente, MD, FACS
Director Heart Transplant Program
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Orlando Health

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Mientras nos preparamos para celebrar el “día de los enamorados o de la amistad”, intercambiando regalos y tarjetas embozadas con corazones, quiero hacer un llamado a todos los habitantes de la Florida Central para que honren este día tan especial cuidando el corazón que late dentro de sus pechos.

Tiene sentido que el mes de febrero sea el “mes del corazón”, y la semana del 8 al 14 de febrero ha sido designada por el Senado de los Estados Unidos como la “Semana de Reconocimiento de la Insuficiencia Cardiaca”. Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son la segunda causa de muerte en nuestro país, y más de 5 millones de personas viven en este momento con insuficiencia cardiaca.

En todo el país, se diagnostican cada año entre 500,000 y 700,000 casos nuevos de insuficiencia cardiaca, y cada año también, más de 60,000 personas mueren como consecuencia de ello. La insuficiencia cardiaca es la única enfermedad cardiovascular que va en aumento, y causa más hospitalizaciones que todos los tipos de cáncer combinados.

Probablemente, y desafortunadamente, millones de personas viven con insuficiencia cardiaca sin saberlo, porque los síntomas se confunden frecuentemente con “síntomas de envejecimiento”. Síntomas frecuentes incluyen falta de aire, cansancio y fatiga, edema o hinchazón de los tobillos, y congestión del pecho.

La insuficiencia cardiaca no es un ataque al corazón o un infarto, sino una enfermedad progresiva en la cual el músculo del corazón se va debilitando progresivamente debido a lesiones como un infarto o presión alta, y gradualmente va perdiendo la habilidad de bombear la sangre en cantidad suficiente para las necesidades del cuerpo. Aunque actualmente no existe una cura para la insuficiencia cardiaca, el diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento adecuado permiten una sobrevida casi normal.

Si usted ha tenido un infarto o ataque al corazón en el pasado o padece de presión alta, y si sufre de falta de aire, o le cuesta realizar sus labores cotidianas, le aconsejo que vea a su doctor y busque tratamiento. El diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento adecuado pueden ayudar a retardar el progreso de esta enfermedad tan devastadora.

Sinceramente,

Javier A. Lafuente, MD, FACS.
Director del Programa de Transplante de Corazón
Jefe del Servicio Académico de Cirugía Cardiovascular y Torácica
Orlando Health

Orlando Health and UCF College of Medicine firm up affiliation for teaching tomorrow’s doctors

2/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL (February 9, 2009) – Third and fourth year students attending the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine will perform some of their core rotations through clerkships at Orlando Health facilities.

Third year students will have the opportunity to rotate through internal medicine, surgery, OB-GYN, pediatrics and neurology at Orlando Health facilities. Fourth year students may rotate through emergency medicine and critical care. Fourth year students may also participate in select sub-internships and electives including cardiology, oncology, pediatric orthopedics and other subspecialties at Orlando Health facilities.

These are some of the details explained in a new addendum to the agreement between UCF and Orlando Health. The original agreement was announced in October 2007.

“This clerkship program with UCF’s College of Medicine gives some of our doctors the opportunity to become UCF faculty and teach UCF medical students at Orlando Health,” said Jay L. Falk, MD, FACEP, FCCM, vice president, Medical Education, Orlando Health. “It’s a tremendous advantage for us, for the students and for the entire greater Orlando community.”

As one of only six statutory teaching facilities in the state, Orlando Health’s graduate medical education program offers seven accredited residencies and 12 fellowships. More than 200 physician residents and fellows are enrolled in the program and more than 200 "affiliate" faculty plus hundreds more medical staff members are available and willing to help train the doctors of tomorrow.

“Embracing Orlando Health as a partner is an important part of the academic and community mission of the UCF College of Medicine,” said Deborah German, MD, dean of the College of Medicine. “It reinforces our efforts to become an integral part of the central Florida community. We appreciate OH’s support and look forward to working together as an academic medical community.”

The University of Central Florida College of Medicine was established in 2006 to increase opportunities for medical education in Florida, address the growing physician shortage nationwide, and provide economic benefits to central Florida and the state through research and technology. The college is assembling a talented and experienced faculty and developing an innovative medical school curriculum. The college will partner with many hospitals and clinics in Central Florida and will offer a doctor of medicine (MD) degree program beginning fall 2009. The college expects to enroll an initial class of 40 students and eventually produce about 120 medical graduates each year.

A recent economic study showed that the UCF College of Medicine is projected to help create more than 30,000 local jobs and have an estimated economic impact of $7.6 billion in 2017.

UCF Stands For Opportunity

The University of Central Florida is a metropolitan research university that ranks as the 5th largest in the nation with more than 50,000 students. UCF’s first classes were offered in 1968. The university offers impressive academic and research environments that power the region’s economic development. UCF’s culture of opportunity is driven by its diversity, Orlando environment, history of entrepreneurship and its youth, relevance and energy. For more information visit http://news.ucf.edu.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health helps break the silence of heart failure

2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: National Heart Failure Awareness Week is February 8-14, 2009. To interview Greater Orlando’s newest cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon about heart failure and to hear one family’s story, contact the Media Relations Department.

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 3, 2009) – If walls of hearts could talk they would help break the silence of heart failure, a disease that worsens over time and affects millions in their daily lives and kills thousands each year. Currently there are five million people with heart failure and 500,000 to 700,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Last year alone there were over 60,000 deaths. As part of the hospital’s annual heart disease awareness and educational campaign, Orlando Regional Medical Center will host a Red February Heart & Vascular Disease Symposium on February 14, 2009.

“Heart failure is very concerning because the incidence is increasing,” said Dr. Javier Lafuente, heart transplant program director and cardiothoracic surgery academic chairman at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC). “Thousands dying each year is serious and five million cases is no light task. Heart failure is a crippling disease with many potential complications and progression over time.”

Many people confuse early stages of heart failure with growing old, said Dr. Lafuente. However, while aging may be a contributing factor, heart failure is not about getting old. In heart failure, at any age for men and women, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s demand. When this happens fluid builds up into the body or the lungs, causing swelling in the arms, legs or abdomen and shortness of breath.

To help paint a picture of heart failure symptoms, the Heart Failure Society of America’s message is “Think FACES (Fatigue, Activities limited, Chest congestion, Edema or ankle swelling and Shortness of breath)”.

“The No. 1 cause of heart failure is high blood pressure,” said Dr. Lafuente. “The most important step is controlling high blood pressure properly to prevent its main complications, which are stroke and heart failure. High blood pressure is a very silent disease and can only be found if a person checks their blood pressure on a frequent basis.”

Another cause of heart failure is coronary artery disease.

“Everything that we do to prevent coronary artery disease applies to preventing heart failure,” said Dr. Lafuente. “That includes not smoking, controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and weight, eating healthy and exercising.”

Other factors that contribute to heart failure include obesity, advancing age and diabetes.

There are various stages of heart failure: in mild to moderate heart failure symptoms of slight fatigue, shortness of breath and palpitations occur with exercise, for example walking up a flight of stairs, running a block or walking at a fast pace; however the symptoms resolve at rest. In more severe heart failure, symptoms occur with minimal effort activities such as getting dressed, showering and other daily living activities. There may be shortness of breath even while lying in bed or at rest.

Ways to treat heart failure varies based on severity and includes medications such as water pills, ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor blockers, vasodilators, digitalis preparations, blood thinners, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers or potassium; devices like pacemakers or implantable defibrillators; procedures like coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty or valve repairs or replacements; or more advanced technology like ventricular assist devices or heart transplantation.

“Not everyone with heart failure will need a heart transplant,” said Dr. Lafuente. “Typically the need for a heart transplant occurs in patients with more severe heart failure.”

Orlando Health was awarded a certificate of need by the state’s Agency for Healthcare Administration to establish a heart transplantation program at Orlando Regional Medical Center. Orlando Health began the program to meet a community need to provide a continuum of cardiac care close to home so patients and their families will no longer have to leave the area for heart transplants.

For additional information about heart failure, visit www.orlandohealth.com/heartfailure.

About Orlando Health

Women`s Imaging Center at South Seminole Hospital Receives $20,000 Donation to Purchase New Equipment

2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

Longwood, FL (January 23, 2009) - The Women`s Imaging Center at South Seminole Hospital, a part of Orlando Health, received a $20,000 donation from Dr. Joyce and Mr. Buddy Hewell, A.T.A.P. COMPANIES. Dr. Hewell serves on the hospital`s Women`s Advisory Council. The money will be used to purchase a special video camera for monitoring patients during a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan.

The camera gives the MRI technologists the ability to visually monitor the patient while they are in the magnet versus only being able to hear and speak with them.

"We are very appreciative of Dr. Hewell`s donation as it will allow our MRI technologists to observe our patients much more closely than in the past and to communicate with them much faster should they become uncomfortable or apprehensive during their scan," said Kristen Hickey, manager, Women`s Imaging Center at South Seminole Hospital. "However most importantly it will give our patients a new level of comfort, especially those who are claustrophobic, that we are right there with them and can see them every step of the way."

South Seminole Hospital`s Women`s Advisory Council comprises of women from throughout Seminole County who volunteer their time and serve as community advisers to the hospital`s leadership. For more information about the Women`s Advisory Council, contact the Orlando Health Foundation, at 321. 841.5194.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area`s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation`s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health`s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health is Central Florida`s fifth largest employer with nearly 14,000 employees and more than 2,000 affiliated physicians, all of whom support our philosophy of providing high quality care and service when it matters most. We prove this everyday with over 100,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $198 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

South Seminole Hospital provides Free Screenings and Lectures about Women and Heart Disease

2/4/2009 12:00:00 AM

Longwood, FL (February 4, 2009) - South Seminole Hospital, a part of Orlando Health, will provide free health screenings and lectures about women and heart disease at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 28. The women-only event will be held at the Lake Mary Senior Center, 911 Wallace Court, Lake Mary.

Screenings will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and will include Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressures and cardiopulmonary screens. A complimentary lunch will be served from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., followed by a presentation by Javier Lafuente, MD, academic chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery and director of the Heart Transplant Program at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), also part of Orlando Health, and Barry Weinstock, MD, a cardiologist who practices at ORMC and its Cardiac Cath Lab. Dr. Lafuente will speak about heart failure and Orlando Health`s exciting new heart transplant program while Dr. Weinstock will discuss women and heart disease.

Reservations are required due to limited seating. To register, please call HealthLine at 321-8 HEALTH (321.843.2584).

About South Seminole Hospital

South Seminole Hospital is a 206 acute care hospital-serving the residents of Seminole County. Part of the Orlando Health family of hospitals, South Seminole Hospital is conveniently located in Longwood on State Road 434 between I-4 and Highway 17-92. For more information, please call 321.842.5969 or visit website southseminolehospital.com.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Physicians Recognized for Service to Pediatric Patients

1/22/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (January 21, 2009) – Two MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando physicians have been recognized for their service to pediatric cancer patients in Central Florida. Physicians Don Eslin, M.D. and Vincent Giusti, M.D. of MD Anderson – Orlando are the recipients of the BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation 2008 “Extraordinary Service for Children with Cancer” Award.

“Drs. Eslin and Giusti are extraordinary physicians and well deserving of this recognition for their commitment to our youngest cancer patients,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “We thank BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation for recognizing our work here at MD Anderson – Orlando in the fight against cancer.”

Drs. Eslin and Giusti were presented their awards by BASE Camp at a special concert of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in early January.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Celebrates 18 Years

1/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (January 16, 2009) – For nearly two decades, MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando has been providing exceptional cancer care to Central Florida and beyond. It was 18 years ago, on January 14, 1991 that MD Anderson – Orlando, then known by its original name Orlando Cancer Center, saw its first patient. Since then the cancer center has grown in both size and scope to become one of the recognized cancer centers in the state of Florida and around the nation.

“Here at MD Anderson – Orlando we have a very dedicated staff of professionals committed to excellence in both medical care as well as customer service,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando. “They are to be applauded for our accomplishments over the past 18 years. It is because of them that we are continuing to develop the highest quality of cancer care for our patients and expand our clinical, basic and translation research programs and move up the academic ladder.”

When MD Anderson – Orlando began in 1991 as Orlando Cancer Center it started with eight physicians and approximately 75 employees. Since then it has grown to 36 full-time employed and 20 contracted physicians on staff, and more than 350 cancer center team members. In 1991 the cancer center saw 2,500 new patients. Nearly 18 years later, in 2008, it registered more than 4,500 new patients. In 1994, Orlando Cancer Center became MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and in 2003 moved into the Charles Lewis Pavilion along Orange Avenue on the Orlando Health campus.

Orlando Health Forms Lifestyle Medicine Program with the University of Central Florida and World-Renowned Rippe Health

12/3/2008 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 2, 2008) – Lifestyle is the new best medicine and Orlando patients and physicians are the new beneficiaries! Beginning in December, Orlando Health is partnering with the University of Central Florida (UCF) and renowned cardiologist, James M. Rippe, MD, one of the nation’s foremost lifestyle medicine experts, to become the first hospital in America to create a lifestyle medicine department and integrate it into patient care and resident education. The goal is to keep patients healthy and help decrease their chances for cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes by providing counseling and materials about lifestyle changes that can impact their health.

According to Dr. Rippe, an estimated 70 to 80 percent of all deaths in the United States each year can be tied to poor lifestyle choices. Lifestyle medicine is the study and practice of how to help individuals understand that their daily habits and practices have a profound impact on their short and long term health and quality of life. Dr. Rippe will conduct further research on the subject both at his clinical research laboratory, Rippe Lifestyle Institute, and at the UCF Center for Lifestyle Medicine and use his latest findings to create curricula for Orlando Health’s medical staff and patients.

“Lifestyle medicine isn’t simply about prolonging life, it’s about ensuring people can enjoy their later years with less pain and disease,” said Dr. Rippe. “The future of health care is not only in treating the sick, but also in caring for those who are still well. Bringing lifestyle medicine to patients at Orlando Health is an important step in improving the health of the entire community.”

Jay Falk, MD, vice president, Medical Education, expects the hospital system’s partnership with Dr. Rippe and UCF to put the Greater Orlando area on the forefront of lifestyle medicine. “This new partnership will allow us to not only educate seasoned doctors and residents about the potential benefits of lifestyle medicine on their patients, but it will also enable us to counsel patients who have risk factors for disease before they even leave the hospital,” said Dr. Falk.

One unique aspect of the relationship between Orlando Health and Rippe Health will be the publication of quarterly conferences entitled “Lifestyle Medicine Rounds at Orlando Health” in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (AJLM). AJLM is the only peer reviewed journal in this emerging area of medicine and is received by over 20,000 physicians and other health care workers throughout the United States and internationally.

Doctors who graduate from UCF’s new School of Medicine will have the opportunity to enroll in the residency program at Orlando Regional Medical Center - the area’s only statutory teaching hospital – and learn lifestyle medicine principles that they can pass along to their patients. The eventual goal will be to build a formal fellowship program in lifestyle medicine.

About Orlando Health

About Rippe Health

Rippe Health is one of the leading research and health promotion organizations in the country focused on helping people choose healthier lifestyles. Founder James M. Rippe, M.D. is a nationally recognized authority on preventive cardiology, health and fitness, and healthy weight loss in the U.S. Dr. Rippe is the Director of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute (RLI) and Rippe Health Evaluation (RHE). He is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Central Florida. Over the past 20 years, RLI has become the largest research organization in the world to explore how daily habits and actions impact short and long-term health and quality of life. RLI has published hundreds of studies that form the scientific basis for the fields of lifestyle medicine and high performance health. Rippe Health Evaluation offers comprehensive health evaluations for individuals. Dr. Rippe also serves as the Chairman of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at the University of Central Florida. The CLM at UCF is the first University based organization to conduct research and teach students at all levels in the area of lifestyle medicine. For more information on Dr. Rippe and Rippe Health, visit www.rippehealth.com.

About The Center For Lifestyle Medicine at UCF

The Center for Lifestyle Medicine at UCF (CLM at UCF) is the first multi-disciplinary, academic center at a major University devoted to research on the impact of lifestyle habits and choices on the prevention and/or management of disease. For more information on the CLM at UCF, visit <a href="http://www.l

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando Shares Latest in Cancer Research

11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (November 6, 2008) – Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando shared their latest accomplishments in the fight against cancer at a two-day symposium held on the Orlando Health campus. The inaugural research symposium, held October 30 and 31, brought together MD Anderson – Orlando physicians, scientists and researchers to exchange ideas and discuss new collaborations. In total, updates were provided on 22 ongoing research projects at MD Anderson – Orlando.

“This symposium was an opportunity for our researchers to share with our entire Orlando Health team a snapshot of the groundbreaking work they are doing here to fight cancer. The research advances taking place here are a testament to our commitment to provide state-of-the-art cancer care and hope to our patients,” said Clarence Brown, MD, President and CEO of MD Anderson – Orlando.

Presentations at the symposium ranged from updates on clinical trials to the latest in ongoing bench research projects at the Cancer Research Institute. Currently, MD Anderson – Orlando is at the forefront of cancer research. So far in 2008, its researchers have published an impressive number of peer reviewed scientific articles. The more than 50 articles have appeared worldwide in national and international scientific journals.

Orlando Health’s Information Systems Awarded for Innovation in Patient Discharge Procedures

11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL. (November 12, 2008) – Orlando Health’s Information Services (IS) team has received the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Innovator of the Year Award for its development of an interactive voice response (IVR) automated discharge process. The Patient Discharge Solution, now in use, was proposed by MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando physicians Wayne Jenkins, MD, and Marc Demers, MD. Working together, Orlando Health’s IS team and Nortel designed and developed the innovative solution to improve the efficiency of the discharge process. The pilot program, rolled out on specific floors of MD Anderson – Orlando in 2007, showed an average reduction in patient discharge time by four hours.

“Although IVR and Web technologies are not new to healthcare, it is truly innovative to utilize these technologies to assist clinicians, physicians, patients, family members and potentially dozens of other departments and their staff representatives to discharge patients earlier and more efficiently,” said Rick Schooler, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Orlando Health.

The Patient Discharge Solution works by contacting the appropriate physicians with a discharge request, and allowing them to respond using either touch tone or voice recognition to accept or decline the request. In the past, nursing staff spent considerable time contacting physicians individually to obtain approvals for discharge. The new call system, using Nortel technology, streamlines the process. Nurses now use the automated system to contact multiple physicians, who in turn can quickly and easily respond remotely to a discharge request. Plans are currently underway to deploy the system in all nursing units at Orlando Health facilities.

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Orlando Health Expands Air Care Program with Addition of Third Helicopter

11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM

Orlando, FL (November 11, 2008) – Orlando Health expanded its Air Care program today with the dedication of a third air ambulance helicopter that will be based at its South Seminole Hospital. It is the first hospital-based EMS helicopter in Seminole County. The addition of the aircraft to the Air Care fleet will give residents in Seminole County and throughout Central Florida faster access to specialized care. Orlando Health also has Air Care Teams based at St. Cloud Hospital in Osceola County and South Lake Hospital in Lake County.

“The addition of the Air Care Team to South Seminole Hospital is going to provide lifesaving emergency care to those in need, which will be a tremendous benefit to our community,” said Steve Glazier, executive director, South Seminole Hospital.

The new helicopter is a Eurocopter BK117 with special beamless, pillarless layout which allows for the complete use of the cabin area for medical care. It also has a larger rear “clamshell” door used for loading and unloading patient stretchers. Additionally, the BK117 allows for specialized transports including neonatal babies, intra-aortic balloon pump patients and double patient loads from the same scene.

“As a leader with the Seminole County Emergency Management Services, I understand the significance of transporting patients in a timely manner to receive the most appropriate level of care as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Todd Husty, medical director, Seminole County Emergency Management Services. ‘We are pleased to have the air ambulance service in our community.”

Orlando Health’s Air Care Team began in 1984 and is the only hospital-based scene responder flight program in Central Florida. Since then, more than 21,000 patients have been transported to Orlando Health’s Level One Trauma Center. The Air Care Team averages 100 flights per month and services an area encompassing a 100-mile radius of Orlando. Omniflight Helicopters Inc., which has been a leader in providing medical transportation services to the health care industry for 45 years, provides the aviation services to Orlando Health’s Air Care Team.

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston.

Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. P. Phillips Hospital opens new patient tower

11/14/2008 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 13, 2008) --- Brick by brick, stone by stone, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital has grown every step of the way along side the community to meet the needs of Southwest Orlando residents and the surrounding tourism area. To keep pace with the rapid growth and demand for health care services, Dr. Phillips Hospital will open a new five-story patient tower adding capacity for 142 additional patient rooms and enhanced medical services. Clinicians will begin treating patients in the new tower on Monday, November 17.

Steve Graffham, Winter Park Photography

The new patient tower includes: 46 intensive care unit private rooms; 48 progressive care unit private rooms; space for 48 medical surgical beds; eight surgical suites; five cardiac catheterization rooms; an infusion therapy area; an 80-seat outpatient diagnostics services waiting area; a 70-seat surgical waiting area; expanded imaging and non-invasive diagnostics departments; and expanded support departments.

“For nearly 23 years providing medical care has always been a privilege and a passion for our team members.” said Mark Schaefer, chief operating officer, Dr. Phillips Hospital. “The new patient tower is one more milestone in our continuing efforts to provide world-class health care to our neighbors in the Southwest community and out-of-town guests. Our new patient tower reflects today’s needs while allowing for room to continue growing with our community.

The new construction reflects more than an additional 315,000 square feet of space. The new patient tower was designed with warm hues and tones and soft lighting. Artwork, furnishings and other decor reflect elements of nature along with a harmonious blend of natural materials like marble, stone and bamboo flooring creating a more relaxing atmosphere for health and healing. Each area was planned with the patient in mind to enhance their experience. For example, the infusion therapy area, for patients who visit the hospital on a frequent basis for special, extensive treatment such as chemotherapy, features 12 outpatient bays overlooking a terrace and walled garden. The reception area includes a faux fireplace and large, flat screen television so families can also wait comfortably.

Several key design elements were incorporated in expansion plans to enhance the patient experience, including the centralized location of patient registration, outpatient services such as cardiac catheterizations and endoscopy, and inpatient surgery, forming a one-stop-shop convenience for patients and their families. Also, the new patient care units feature a nursing sub-station per two rooms, allowing clinicians to enter orders and access critical information closer to bedside.

Another addition to the patient experience is the Skylight ACCESS system. A feature in each room, this technology directly connects patients to staff, customized health information, education and interactive services from the bedside.

“Hospital stays can bring anxiety and stress for patients and families as they face medical conditions,” said Phyllis Byles, chief nursing officer, Dr. Phillips Hospital. “In addition to providing excellent clinical care we want to help them overcome those feelings by offering in-room technology to help communicate more efficiently with staff about needs, learn more about health matters and enjoy high-speed Internet, email and other entertainment options like movies, music and games.

The new tower expansion compliments previous projects and enhancements including a 44-bed emergency department, a chest pain center, a stroke center, and advance diagnostic imaging and cardiac diagnostic technology, including a 64-slice CT scanner.

Dr. Phillips Hospital services also include a wound care center, a multiple sclerosis comprehensive care center and Campisi Health Centers, a medically-based wellness program focusing on health, weight loss and lifestyle changes. Also, the Cynthia C. and William E. Perry Pavilion, a two-story hospitality home within the hospital, offers lodging for families of patients from outside the Orlando area.

Dr. Phillips Hospital opened as Orlando Regional Sand Lake Hospital in December 10, 1985 to provide quality medical care to Southwest neighborhoods and the tourism corridor. From the beginning, a supportive, people-centered environment was built in the plans.

“. . . Sand Lake Hospital was designed with the patient in mind,” said John Hillenmeyer, Orlando Health president/CEO, about the hospital’s opening in 1985. At the time, he was senior vice president responsible for the hospital project. “We sought advice from many patients, doctors and nurses before we allowed the architect to draw a line.”

Since that time, doctors and team members have treated more than 2.5 million inpatients, outpatients and emergency department patients. Today more than 1,000 employees and 300 physicians work together to manage over 12,000 admissions and nearly 90,000 emergency department visits each year.

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About Orlando Health

ORMC Trauma Center Granted $500,000 Gift

10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL - (October 27, 2008) - A local philanthropist has pledged $500,000 to Orlando Health`s Orlando Regional Medical Center. The pledge, made by Lori Gardner Sommer, will be used to help support expansion of the hospital`s Emergency Department and Level One Trauma Center. ORMC is home to the only Level One Trauma Center in the region.

"I am extremely pleased to be able to provide this support to a service that is critical to the health and welfare of the entire central Florida community," said Lori Gardner Sommer. "From my time as a volunteer in ORMC`s Emergency Department and Trauma Center, I witnessed first-hand the amazing, life-saving work performed there. I know the funds will be used well to serve this growing need in our community."

Ms. Sommer began volunteering at ORMC following a medical scare of her own. She had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma in 2003 and successfully treated at Orlando Health`s MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando. Today, her cancer remains in remission. In addition to serving as a volunteer, Ms. Sommer has also participated with the Women Playing for T. I. M. E. (Technology, Immediate diagnosis, Mammography, Education) program, which raises funds for breast cancer. She is currently serving as a committee member for Orlando Health Foundation`s ONE NIGHT event, which raises awareness and funds for the Level One Trauma Center.

In recognition of the gift, ORMC renamed the Emergency Department`s central desk the Gardner Sommer Family Central Desk. The central desk is the location from which emergency and trauma physicians, nurses and clinical staff coordinate patient care.

"This gift will have a major impact on the expansion of our trauma and emergency services," said Sherrie Sitarik, executive vice president of Orlando Health and president of Orlando Regional Medical Center/Orlando Regional Lucerne Hospital. "The number of trauma patients treated at ORMC has tripled over 10 years and the number of emergency patients also continues to rise. This gift will help us continue to meet the community`s expanding need for emergency and trauma care."

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $1.5 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of nine hospitals and care centers in the Orlando region. The organization, which includes the area`s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Lucerne Hospital; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; South Lake Hospital (50 percent partnership); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent partnership) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando - the first affiliate of one of the nation`s premier cancer centers The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando in Houston. Orlando Health`s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.