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Bigger & Better

New Lakeland VA Clinic Increases Access to Care for Nearly 49,000 by PAUL CATALA For five years, Jeffrey Mann of Bartow has had to drive about 45 miles each way to Tampa for his medical needs. But now, Mann only has to drive about 11 miles to see his doctors and nurses and get medical…
Expanding Care

Central Florida Health Care Building New Lakeland Clinic by RYAN MILEJCZAK As healthcare organizations across the county aim to better serve our growing population, Central Florida Health Care is expanding access to health care by building a new center in Lakeland. Ann Claussen has been the CEO of Central Florida Health Care since 2014 and…
Recruiting the Future

Area Nursing Programs Tackling Nursing Shortage Head On by REBEKAH PIERCE With the rapid expansion of the healthcare sector in Central Florida, you’d think the number of nurses is booming right along with it. But it’s not, and that’s putting the pressure on nursing programs at area schools to recruit more students into the profession.…

Brain Attack (Stroke or Mini-stroke): Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke or brain attack is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…
Punctal Plugs

Many patients suffer from dry eye, and eye care professionals have many tools at their disposal to help with symptoms. For many patients, over-the-counter lubricating drops such as Blink or Systane can be helpful. It is important to avoid redness relieving drops, as these tend to cause more problems over time. When over-the-counter drops are…
Understanding Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Last year, I wrote about heart failure. At that time, I had said that about half the patients admitted with congestive heart failure have normal systolic function. This is true. The most common way to express heart function is by measuring ejection fraction (EF). This is the proportion of the amount of blood in the…