Our Healthcare Specialists Are Working Harder Than Ever! Don’t Miss Out on All the Excitement of New Hires and Recognition
Despite the challenges of the last nine months, Central Florida’s hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices are still going strong, providing the best healthcare possible to area residents. Explore all of the awards, new hires, openings, recognitions, and more happening at surrounding healthcare providers!
Lakeland Regional Health
In new facility news, Lakeland Regional Health opened their 12-bed high-acuity Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children in late August. The unit is staffed with highly skilled Intensivist Specialists for the treatment of adolescents suffering acute health issues.
Additionally, LRH also opened its second, comprehensive state-of-the-art Urgent Care Center at its Pablo Campus in south Lakeland in mid-October. Patients suffering sprains, burns, colds, and allergies, and/or in need of on-site advanced imaging CT studies, diagnostic radiology, rapid testing for COVID-19, and lab services can visit from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In facilities and services recognition news, Lakeland Regional Health announced in late September it achieved becoming the first health system in Florida, and one of only 11 in the world, to achieve Stage 7 of the HIMSS Adoption Model for Analytics Maturity (AMAM). A Stage 7 validation on a HIMSS Maturity Model is an internationally recognized symbol of an organization’s dedication to digital transformation in healthcare. Rated from Stage 0 to Stage 7, the highest rating indicates that a health system has fully adopted and is harnessing predictive and prescriptive analytics technology to support optimized patient care, according to a LRH press release.
Similarly, Lakeland Regional Health announced in early October that it was named one of 2020’s Digital Health Most Wired hospitals and health systems by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. It’s the sixth time the hospital has earned the recognition, and LRH is only one of 13 in Florida to be recognized as a “Level 7 Acute.”
In new facilities and services news, Lakeland Regional Health announced in late August that it will be resuming the development of the Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness on the Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Campus, which was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Serving both adolescents and adults, the center will focus on many areas of mental health services. It is slated to be completed in 2022.
Additionally, Lakeland Regional Health announced in late August that they will begin offering Cold Caps, a treatment aimed at reducing hair loss in patients receiving certain chemotherapy drugs. They currently are the only health system to offer the service in Lakeland.
Watson Clinic
In new employee news, Watson Clinic welcomed Dr. Diana Braswell, MD, to the Dermatopathology department at Watson Clinic, Bella Vista; and gastroenterologist Dr. Tammy Gebo-Seaman, DO, to Watson Clinic Highlands.
Additionally, registered nurse practitioner Angela Mann, APRN is now serving patients of pulmonology specialist Naem Shahrour, MD from the Watson Clinic Main location. Ms. Mann previously worked alongside endocrinologist Khanh T. Pham, MD.
In new services news, pain management specialist Dr. Osman A. Latif, MD, and his registered nurse practitioner, Brenda M. Giffen, APRN, have expanded their appointment availability to include a second location at Watson Clinic Highlands in south Lakeland.
Additionally, Watson Clinic started offering vaccinations at a series of walk-in Flu Clinics on September 14th. Flu vaccinations can be obtained from Watson Clinic Main, South, North Pediatrics, North Pediatrics, and North Pediatrics. Interested patients can also make an appointment.
In news on research, The Watson Clinic Center for Research is one of about 30 nationwide partners taking part in a new clinical trial that is evaluating the effectiveness of anticoagulants in the prevention of blood clots in COVID-19 patients who have been admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The trial is sponsored by the TIMI Study Group, a collective of researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.
In news of the Watson Clinic Foundation, The Watson Clinic Foundation (WCF) has donated the second of three $100,000 checks to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida (BCFCF), an organization devoted to providing financial resources and support to individuals and families impacted by breast cancer. The WCF has committed to donating $300,000 to the BCFCF over the course of three years.
Additionally, the Watson Clinic Foundation’s Arts in Medicine (AIM) program has been presented with a generous $2,000 grant from the GiveWell Community Foundation, a public charity serving Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties.
BayCare Hospitals: Bartow Regional Medical Center, Winter Haven Hospital, and Winter Haven Women’s Hospital
Bartow Regional Medical Center
In employee recognition news, Bartow Regional Medical Center nutritionist, Carla Saviñón, won the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ (FAND) Preceptor of the Year Award. FAND is a statewide association made up of more than 3,000 dietetic and nutrition professionals.
Additionally, Don Crutchfield, RN, was named the July DAISY nurse at Bartow Regional Medical Center. He works on the Acute Care Unit; and Debbie Kendrick, RN, a nurse with the Surgical Services department, was the DAISY Nurse for the month of August.
In new employee news, Bartow Regional Medical Center welcomed its new Director of Patient Care Services, Jonathan Floyd, on September 28th.
Winter Haven Women’s Hospital
In new employee news, Winter Haven Women’s Hospital welcomed their new Director of Patient Care Services, Nicci Lambert, on September 21st.
Bond Clinic
In early October, Bond Clinic announced that Dr. Sonali Lakhani will move her practice to the Bond Clinic Lakeland Complex. Dr. Lakhani is board certified in Internal Medicine.
