The ENERGEN DF-4 device is one of the latest Boston Scientific FDA approved collection of high-energy and smallest devices to treat heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Central Florida patients and physicians can now benefit from its enhanced therapy options, advanced battery longevity with a backup warranty of 10 years and a DF4 universal connector system in the industry’s smallest and thinnest platform.

“Creating longer-lasting devices is simply the right thing to do for the patients,” said Naushad Shaik, M.D. “It benefits those who are living longer due to advances in device therapy, those who are receiving devices earlier in their lives based on our clinical science and those who need more frequent device changes because of their clinical condition.”

Caption: Naushad Shaik, M.D.

“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.”

Caption: Golf legend Arnold Palmer kicked off a weeklong series of events leading to the Arnold Palmer Invitational by joining administrators, team members, NICU families, and others to announce the expansion of the neonatal intensive care unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital.

The Visitor One is a compact, moveable robot with a high-definition camera and screen and is able to be used in a variety of surgical procedures. The proctor sees what the surgeon is viewing on the screen in the operating room. Not only will an experienced proctor like Dr. McCarus be able to give step-by-step instructions to the surgeon, but he can also draw on the screen, like a football analyst, to point out specific aspects of the technique and instruct on specific areas and the procedure. This process is called “telestrating.”

“The Visitor One is a very effective teaching modality to train physicians in minimally invasive surgery,” said Dr. McCarus, Medical Director of the Florida Hospital Center for Pelvic Health. “With this technology, no patient will be left behind as we will be able to provide physicians around the world with the information necessary to perform these life-saving surgeries.”

Winter Park Memorial Hospital, a Florida Hospital, is one of only five nationally acknowledged AIMIS Centers of Excellence. This new technology is another example of how the hospital is providing cutting-edge medical training for physicians.

The redevelopment project will create a new urban park in Downtown South Orlando along with a new entryway experience to the healthcare district anchored by Orlando Health.

A partnership between the City of Orlando and Orlando Health is leading to the redevelopment of Lake Beauty Park. Through a lease agreement with the city, Orlando Health will lead and fund the $4.8 million redevelopment project. It will include a redesign of Lake Beauty and the pond adjacent to Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. AECOM is the landscape architect designing Lake Beauty Park, and construction will be completed by Gomez Construction.

“The City is excited about this partnership with Orlando Health to create a new public park in Downtown South,” stated Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Lake Beauty will not only provide a substantial benefit to the patients, staff and visitors of Orlando Health, but also to the residents and surrounding neighborhoods in the City of Orlando.”

Conley has served as the Associate Chief Operating Officer and Ethics and Compliance Officer at Osceola Regional Medical Center since 2009. She took an active role in daily operations, construction management and ethics and compliance leadership. Conley has been in healthcare leadership for over eight years with previous experience in hospital strategic planning at Mission Hospitals in Asheville, North Carolina.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Joanna to this important new position. She has played a key role at Osceola Regional Medical Center. Joanna’s solid track record, impressive accomplishments and experience made her the ideal candidate and will benefit Poinciana Medical Center tremendously,” said Kathryn J. Gillette, Chief Executive Officer of Osceola Regional Medical Center.

Joanna J. Conley

Conley’s initial responsibilities as the Chief Operating Officer include connecting with the Poinciana community and local businesses. She will oversee the construction of Poinciana Medical Center and will work to enhance the availability of medical services in the area. HCA’s total investment in the medical center is $65 million, and once fully operational in the next 18 months, it will employ 200 people.

Board certified in healthcare management, Conley is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and was awarded the North Carolina ACHE Early Careerist of the Year Award in 2007. Conley received a Master of Business Administration from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She also received a Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction in Public Health, Health Policy and Administration with Honors, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

One of the three pillars to the grant is to create a standardized robotic surgery curriculum across all specialties. That process began recently with a Consensus Conference at Florida Hospital’s Nicholson Center. This two day conference consisted of 20 robotic surgeons across the specialties of gynecology, urology, gastroenterology and cardio-thoracic robotic surgery. These surgeons were selected from within their respective medical societies to join this Consensus Conference group and develop this curriculum.

“We made great strides in coming up with a standard curriculum for robotic surgery,” said Roger Smith, PhD, Florida Hospital Nicholson Center Chief Technology Officer. “We have come to an agreement on the tasks that future surgeons need to master before they are allowed to perform robotic surgery. There is more that must be decided and approved, but this was an excellent first step.”

To receive the award, the hospitals achieved 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Performance Achievement indicators for 12 consecutive months. Achievement indicators are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care. These measures focus on appropriate use of guideline-based stroke care that is known to result in improved patient outcomes.

In addition to the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke award, Florida Hospital Orlando- the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties- has also been recognized as a recipient of the association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll, for improving stroke care. Over the past quarter at Florida Hospital, at least 50 percent of eligible ischemic stroke patients have received IV rt-PA, an acute stroke treatment drug, within 60 minutes of arriving at the hospital (known as ‘door-to-needle’ time).

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and this achievement demonstrates our commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care,” said Dr. Evan Allen, medical director of the Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute Brain Attack Network. “We will continue with our focus on providing care that has been shown in the scientific literature to quickly and efficiently treat stroke patients with evidence-based protocols.”

Caption: Florida Hospital’s Orlando and Altamonte campuses

Speakers at the VIP event included J. Daniel Miller-President of HCA West Florida Division, Liz Dudek-Secretary of Agency for Health Care Administration, Anne Bell-Legislative Aide to Senator Paula Dockery, John Quiñones-Osceola County Commissioner Chairman, Brandon Arrington-Osceola County Commissioner, Kathryn J. Gillette-Chief Executive Officer, David Cashwell-Chief Operating Officer and Fernando Valverde & Annette Brown-Best-Founding Members of The Friends of Poinciana Hospital.

The first phase of the Medical Center, a Freestanding Emergency Department, is expected to open its doors in early 2013. The Emergency Department will be 11,000 square feet and house 12 exam rooms.

Poinciana Medical Center will be a two-story, 90,000 square foot building with 24 private medical-surgical beds and a six-bed ICU. In support of both inpatient and outpatient care, the facility will provide a full range of acute care services including diagnostic imaging, inpatient and outpatient surgery, cardiac catheterization, laboratory, pharmacy, and a full range of support services.