September 20, 2021 – Lee Health is pleased to announce Stephanie Stovall, M.D. has been named Chief Officer of Quality and Safety. She is responsible for patient safety error prevention and assessment, quality improvement and standardization, as well as national hospital grading and benchmarking and conformance risk assessments. In addition, Dr. Stovall also leads the health system’s COVID-19 responses as its scientific liaison and infection prevention expert.

Dr. Stovall joined Lee Health in 2011 as an attending physician for pediatric infectious diseases at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Since joining Golisano Children’s Hospital, she has also served as division director of pediatric infectious diseases, medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention, and medical director of quality and patient safety. Dr. Stovall is a former president of the Medical Staff and Medical Executive Committee, and she was the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

Before joining Golisano Children’s Hospital and Lee Health, Dr. Stovall was an attending physician for pediatric infectious diseases at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) where she also served as assistant professor of pediatrics. Additionally, she served as the medical director of the Clinical Microbiology and Virology Laboratory and co-director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team.

“Dr. Stovall is a true leader within our health system, and her experience and expertise make her the perfect choice for this key role,” said Dr. Scott Nygaard, Lee Health’s Chief Operating Officer. “Dr. Stovall often serves as a community leader in infection prevention, tapped by different organizations for her expert guidance on the handling of COVID-19 safety precautions. She is committed to the health and safety of our patients, team members and community, and I look forward to all that she’ll accomplish in her new role.”

She earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and completed a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She received her master’s degree in patient safety and healthcare quality from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Stovall is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. She is frequently invited to speak at symposiums and conferences, presenting topics ranging from pediatric HIV to the effects of influenza on health care workers. She also frequently appears in the media as a subject matter expert on topics such as vaccines, antibiotics and COVID-19.

About Lee Health

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.



September 17 2021 – Broward Health Medical Center and Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital welcome Judy Frum, RRT, BSN, MBA, as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Frum is an award-winning healthcare executive with more than 16 years of healthcare leadership experience. In her new role at Broward Health Medical Center, Frum will oversee the daily operations of the 716-bed hospital.

“We are excited to have Judy join our leadership team and contribute to our patient-centered mission at Broward Health Medical Center,” said Heather Havericak, CEO of Broward Health Medical Center and Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital. “With Judy’s proven track record of executive leadership and strong connection to the Broward community, she will quickly become a proven asset to our hospital and the entire health system.”

Frum most recently served as COO of Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., where she led strategic initiatives, business development, quality care and operational efficiency. During her tenure, she led the turnaround of urgent care centers, achieving a record-breaking 36% growth in inpatient visits. She received a Special Congressional Recognition for implementing a collaborative rescue effort to evacuate nearby nursing home residents in crisis during Hurricane Irma in 2017. She also led multiple high-profile construction and design projects.

Prior to her time as COO, Frum served as the Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Regional Hospital. In that role, she led the nursing, pharmacy, dialysis, respiratory, occupational and physical therapy, emergency services, surgical services, transplant, trauma services, Sickle Cell Day Hospital, behavioral health, critical care transport, maternal fetal medicine services, and clinical effectiveness and quality.

Frum earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida Atlantic University. She received a Master of Business Administration from Florida International University. She also completed an Associate of Nursing from Broward Community College, an Associate of Respiratory Therapy from West Virginia Community College and elementary education undergraduate studies at West Virginia University. Frum was awarded the 2017 Humanitarian of the Year award from the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, and the 2018 Hollywood Businesswoman of the Year from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

About Broward Health
Broward Health, providing service for more than 80 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.



New actions will create new enrollment opportunities for low-income people, expand services provided by Navigators, and re-launch Champions for Coverage program

The Biden-Harris Administration, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is taking a number of steps that will make it easier for the American people to sign up for quality, affordable health coverage and reduce health disparities in communities across the country. Beginning this year, consumers will have an extra 30 days to review and choose health plans through Open Enrollment, which will run from November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022, on HealthCare.gov. CMS is also expanding services provided by Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) Navigators—experts who help consumers, especially those in underserved communities, understand their benefits and rights, review options, and enroll in Marketplace coverage. Additionally, CMS will re-launch its “Champions for Coverage” program. The program currently includes more than 1,000 local organizations that are active in providing outreach and education about the Health Insurance Marketplace and how consumers can enroll in coverage through HealthCare.gov, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

“We’re continuing to answer the clear call from the American public for affordable, accessible care,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Biden-Harris Administration has already made historic investments to help connect communities to coverage. By continuing to build a policy framework that can support this momentum, we’re also building back better for communities in need.”

“Health care is a basic human right, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to making health coverage more accessible than ever. With the Affordable Care Act and the American Rescue Plan, the President has brought affordable health coverage to millions—many of whom now have insurance for the first time,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Today’s action to extend the Open Enrollment Period by a month, to continue our investment in local health care Navigators, and to establish a special enrollment period for many low-income people further demonstrates our commitment to connect families to coverage.”

Today’s final rule on the 2022 Payment Notice expands Navigator services to help reduce health disparities. Navigators in FFMs will now provide consumers with information and assistance on certain post-enrollment topics, such as the Marketplace-eligibility appeals process and Marketplace-related components of premium tax credit reconciliation. CMS will support more outreach and engagement through modest increases to Marketplace issuer user fee rates. All 2022 Marketplace user fee rates remain lower than those for 2021, which should help keep premiums low. Additionally, four times as many Navigators—1,500 in all—will be available for consumers who use HealthCare.gov for the 2022 plan year thanks to $80 million in grant funding provided earlier this year by CMS.

To enhance these efforts, CMS will connect this work to the Champions for Coverage program, a community initiative to spread the word about Open Enrollment with educational resources and “event-in-a-box” materials. Organizations can learn more about becoming Champions for Coverage by visiting: https://marketplace.cms.gov/technical-assistance-resources/assister-programs/champion.

“We invite national and local organizations representing uninsured communities to join the Biden-Harris Administration as we work to share the peace of mind that comes with health coverage,” observed Administrator Brooks-LaSure. “Champions for Coverage know their communities best. CMS is committed to listening to and working with our community partners as we embark on our most robust outreach and engagement campaign in the agency’s history.”

In addition to extending the Open Enrollment Period and supporting the work of Navigators, CMS established a new monthly special enrollment period targeting certain low-income individuals in Marketplaces through HealthCare.gov. This opportunity provides the vast majority of eligible consumers with one or more options to enroll in free or very low-cost plans thanks to provisions in the American Rescue Plan.

The provisions CMS announced today also include important flexibilities for state partners. For example, state Marketplaces with their own eligibility and enrollment platforms will be able to set their own annual Open Enrollment Period end dates, so long as these dates are on or after December 15, 2021. More details on these and other components of the 2022 Payment Notice can be found in the fact sheet available here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-updating-payment-parameters-section-1332-waiver. Today’s “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond” final rule completes the rulemaking process for the 2022 Payment Notice, which included parts 1 and 2 issued on January 19 and May 5, 2021, respectively. To view the rule released today, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-9906-f-nbpp-webposting-version.pdf



September 17 2021 – Delray Medical Center promotes Maria Morales-Menendez to the position of Chief Operating Officer.  In her role, Morales-Menendez will manage the daily operations and oversee the development and implementation of long-range plans, goals and objectives for Delray Medical Center. 

“We are very pleased to expand Maria’s scope of responsibility into her new role as COO.  Her commitment to operational excellence will benefit our hospital and community greatly,” said Maggie Gill, chief executive officer for the Palm Beach Health Network and Delray Medical Center. “We feel confident that Maria’s passion for healthcare will continue to be an invaluable asset to our hospital.”

Prior to her appointment as COO, Morales-Menendez started at Delray Medical Center as an associate resident, before being promoted to the position of associate administrator.  She led several process improvement and operational initiatives at Delray Medical Center, and for the Palm Beach Health Network. 

Morales-Menendez graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky with a degree in biosystems engineering. She then went on to earn her Master’s in Business Administration with a healthcare specialization from Baylor University in Waco, Texas.      

About Delray Medical Center

For nearly 40 years, Delray Medical Center, part of the Palm Beach Health Network, is a 523-bed acute care hospital, has served the communities of South Palm Beach County. As both a community hospital and state-designated Level I Trauma Center located on a 42-acre medical plaza, Delray Medical Center has the ability to offer several specialized services including cardiac care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, neurosciences, emergency care and more.

For the past 14 years, Delray Medical Center has been named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades®, a leading independent healthcare ratings organization. Delray Medical Center is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award, a designation recognizing superior performance of hospitals preventing the occurrence of serious, potentially avoidable complications for patients during hospital stays.  The hospital is also a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for 17 years in a row (2003-2019).

Delray Medical Center is a state-designated Comprehensive Stroke Center by the DNV-GL and received Get With The Guidelines award for advanced therapy for Thrombectomy. In addition, the hospital earned the Get With the Guidelines – Heart Failure and Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association in 2020. Delray Medical Center was also named by Healthgrades as a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke for 12 years in a row (2008-2020).  Pinecrest Rehabilitation and Outpatient Hospital at Delray Medical Center is a CARF accredited rehabilitation unit, and the only state designated brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation program in Palm Beach County by the state of Florida, Department of Health.

Delray Medical Center is actively involved in community outreach, sponsoring several events, community lectures and fundraisers. The hospital is also a smoke-free campus. For more information or for a free physician referral, please call 1-800-897-9789 or visit the website at www.delraymedicalctr.com.



September 17 2021 – For the third year in a row, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognized the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics as a gold-level “Health Center Quality Leader” for ranking among the top 10% of health centers nationally for clinical quality.  HRSA also honored the Brumback Clinics for its contributions in responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency with countywide COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

“These awards honor the work of our dedicated staff who provide quality care for our adult and pediatric patients, including the homeless and migrant populations, and who also go above and beyond for the entire community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Belma Andrić, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer, VP and Executive Director of Clinical Services of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.

HRSA’s Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges recognize Health Center Program awardees and look-alikes (LALs) that have made notable quality improvement achievements in the areas of access, quality, health equity, and health information technology.  HRSA introduced COVID-19 badges this year to recognize health centers’ contributions to the public health emergency response. To date, the Brumback Clinics’ team has provided over 170,000 COVID-19 tests and more than 219,000 COVID-19 vaccinations to those eligible throughout the community.

“Expanding access to quality primary care is core to our mission,” said Darcy J. Davis, CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. “This recognition reflects our swift and unwavering crisis response that began with mobilizing and operating our mass COVID-19 vaccination and drive-through testing sites and continues today in our free-standing clinics and through our mobile clinic vaccination efforts.”

The Brumback Clinics also received two additional awards:

  • Advancing Health Information Technology (HIT) for Quality, which recognizes health centers that meet all criteria to optimize HIT services that advance telehealth, patient engagement, interoperability, and collection of social determinants of health to increase access to care and advance quality of care.
  • Patient Centered Medical Home, which recognizes health centers that provide health care that is relationship-based with an orientation toward the whole person.

HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary federal agency for improving health care to people who are geographically isolated, economically or medically vulnerable.

The C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics provide quality medical, dental, behavioral health, Medication Assisted Treatment and pharmacy services to adults and children with or without insurance. The nine clinic sites throughout Palm Beach County, Florida, along with three mobile health clinics are Federally Qualified Health Centers owned and operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.

About the Health Care District 

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County provides primary medical care and dental services for adults and children at the C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics, a coordinated and lifesaving Trauma System that includes two FAA-certified Trauma Hawk air ambulances, registered nurses in nearly 170 public schools, short and long-term skilled nursing at the Edward J. Healey Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Riviera Beach, and acute care at its teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center, which is accredited by The Joint Commission and serves the rural Glades’ communities.

About the C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS25684 for Health Center Cluster in the award amount of $7,111,563.  Of the total project, 81.9% is financed with nongovernmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. The C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics were granted Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) deeming status effective January 1, 2021.