July 28 2021 – Facing a worrisome climb in COVID-19 cases across the country, the nation’s emergency physicians are increasing their calls for everyone eligible to get vaccinated and to practice safety measures to lessen the transmission of the virus.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has been closely monitoring the ever-changing dynamics at a national and regional level and given the growing threat of the Delta variant the organization has signed onto a joint statement among medical organizations that calls on all workers in health and long-term care to get vaccinated against the virus.

“ACEP has consistently encouraged vaccination for everyone who is eligible but given the new evidence around the dangers and trends of the Delta variant, we are joining those in the medical community to say all healthcare workers and those in long-term care facilities need to be vaccinated in order to protect those in our communities,” said Mark Rosenberg, DO, MBA, FACEP, president of ACEP. “While one statement alone may not shift the needle, we need to come together and focus on system-wide solutions if we’re to beat this pandemic.”

Added Dr. Rosenberg, “We are incredibly concerned for our patients and our colleagues. Emergency departments around the country are once again seeing a surge in severely ill patients, many of them young or unvaccinated. I don’t want to have to lose another patient to this terrible disease—especially when it could have been prevented.”

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org.



July 28, 2021 – Cleveland Clinic Martin Health welcomes board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist George Lee Drake III, DO.

Dr. Drake is now accepting new patients at Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center, Stuart, located at 3801 S. Kanner Highway. Patients may call (772) 419-3301 to request an appointment, or they may also do so online at martinhealth.org/obgyn.

Dr. Drake’s special interests include normal and high-risk pregnancies, robotic surgery, management of endometriosis, minimally invasive gynecology and pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic floor repair.

Dr. Drake completed medical school at Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program at the Charleston Area Medical Center and West Virginia University.

Prior to joining Martin Health, Dr. Drake practiced as a physician, Chairman of the Department of OB/GYN Quality Review Committee and the Director of Citizenship and Professionalism at Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Ohio.

About Cleveland Clinic Martin Health
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health is part of the Cleveland Clinic Florida region. It features three hospitals with 521 total beds, a free-standing emergency center, and numerous outpatient centers and clinics across Martin and St. Lucie counties on Florida’s east coast. Cleveland Clinic Martin Health offers preventive, primary and acute hospital care, as well as cancer care, a heart center, wellness and rehabilitation services, and much more. Learn more at clevelandclinic.org/martinhealth.



July 27, 2021 – Baptist Health has once again been recognized as the most award-winning healthcare organization in South Florida based on U.S. News & World Report rankings. Our hospitals and institutes are rated as among the very Best Hospitals in America, with 48 High-Performing ratings.

Four Baptist Health hospitals – Baptist Hospital, Doctors Hospital, South Miami Hospital and Boca Raton Regional Hospital – were recognized as being among the Best Regional Hospitals. Additional Baptist Health hospitals – Bethesda Hospital East, Bethesda Hospital West, Homestead Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital – were recognized as high-performing in a number of procedures and conditions, including: heart attack, stroke, hip replacement, kidney failure, lung cancer surgery, colon cancer surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, orthopedics, geriatrics, and pulmonary & lung surgery.

Additionally, Baptist Health was recognized for excellence in cancer, heart and vascular, orthopedic, and brain and spine care with the following distinctions:

  • Cancer Care: Baptist Health is once again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best healthcare facilities in the nation for cancer care. Miami Cancer Institute, which opened in 2017, was recognized as a High Performing oncology program – which puts us in the Top 10% of high-performing cancer centers in America. The institute also received high-performing ratings in colon cancer surgery. The Eugene M. & Christine Lynn Cancer Institute received high-performing ratings in lung and colon cancer care.
  • Heart and Vascular Care: Three of the top heart and cardiovascular care facilities in the nation. Bethesda Heart Hospital, Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute and Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute have all been cited for high performance in treating heart attacks and caring for those with heart failure.
  • Orthopedic Care: Two of the nation’s top facilities for orthopedic care, Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute and Baptist Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine were honored for excellence in joint replacement surgery.
  • Brain and Spine Care: One of the nation’s best places for brain and spine care. Marcus Neuroscience Institute was honored for its excellence in neurological care, and Miami Neuroscience Institute was named one of the best places for neurology and neurosurgery. Both institutes were also recognized for clinical excellence in stroke care.

The annual Procedures & Conditions ratings, now in their 7th year, are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for common conditions and elective procedures. These ratings extend the U.S. News mission of providing consumers with patient decision support beyond the Best Hospitals rankings, which are geared toward complex specialty care.

“It is an honor to again be recognized for providing excellent care for our patients,” said Brian E. Keeley, CEO of Baptist Health South Florida. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses and entire staff, who go above and beyond each day to ensure our patients receive the best possible care.”

“With advanced technologies, state-of-the-art treatments, and a world-class team of experts, Baptist Health’s specialized institutes continue to stand out for the excellent care they provide to our patients,” said Bo Boulenger, President and COO of Baptist Health South Florida. “We’re proud of this important recognition and remain committed to innovation and providing outstanding care for our community.”

For the 2021-22 ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,750 medical centers nationwide in 17 procedures and conditions. Fewer than a third of all hospitals received any high-performing rating, and only 11 earned this rating in all procedures and conditions. The state and metro area rankings recognize hospitals that received high performing ratings across multiple areas of care.

“This year’s expanded report from U.S. News includes new ratings for important procedures and conditions to help each patient pick the right hospital for the type of care they need,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News. “Hospitals faced incredible challenges this past year, and the best of them have provided great care throughout the pandemic and continue to offer excellent care today.”

The U.S. News Procedures & Conditions methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality such as risk-adjusted outcome rates, volume, quality of nursing and other care-related indicators.

The Procedures & Conditions ratings were produced by U.S. News analysts.

For more information about the 2021-22 rankings and ratings, please visit the FAQ. The rankings will be published in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals 2022” guidebook (ISBN 9781931469975), available for pre-order now from the U.S. News Online Store and for purchase at other bookstores October 5.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.



Due to the recent COVID-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective vaccines, our health care organizations and societies advocate that all health care and long-term care employers require their workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being.

Because of highly contagious variants, including the Delta variant, and significant numbers of unvaccinated people, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are once again rising throughout the United States. Vaccination is the primary way to put the pandemic behind us and avoid the return of stringent public health measures.

Unfortunately, many health care and long-term care personnel remain unvaccinated. As we move towards full FDA approval of the currently available vaccines, all health care workers should get vaccinated for their own health, and to protect their colleagues, families, residents of long-term care facilities and patients. This is especially necessary to protect those who are vulnerable, including unvaccinated children and the immunocompromised. Indeed, this is why many health care and long-term care organizations already require vaccinations for influenza, hepatitis B, and pertussis.

We call for all health care and long-term care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

We stand with the growing number of experts and institutions that support the requirement for universal vaccination of health workers. While we recognize some workers cannot be  vaccinated because of identified medical reasons and should be exempted from a mandate, they constitute a small minority of all workers. Employers should consider any applicable state      laws on a case-by-case basis.

Existing COVID-19 vaccine mandates have proven effective. Simultaneously, we recognize the historical mistrust of health care institutions, including among many in our own health care workforce. We must continue to address workers’ concerns, engage with marginalized populations, and work with trusted messengers to improve vaccine acceptance.

As the health care community leads the way in requiring vaccines for our employees, we hope all other employers across the country will follow our lead and implement effective policies to encourage vaccination. The health and safety of U.S. workers, families, communities, and the nation depends on it.

SIGNATORIES

Listed Alphabetically

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)

American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)

American Academy of Nursing (AAN) American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) American Academy of PAs (AAPA)

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

American Association of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE)  American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)

American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) American College of Physicians (ACP)

American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) American College of Surgeons (ACS)

American Epilepsy Society (AES) American Medical Association (AMA) American Nursing Association (ANA) American Pharmacists Association (APhA) American Psychiatric Association (APA)

American Public Health Association (APHA) American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) American Society of Hematology (ASH)

American Society of Nephrology (ASN) American Thoracic Society (ATS) Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN)  Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS)

HIV Medicine Association

Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) LeadingAge

National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)

National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) National League for Nursing (NLN)

National Medical Association (NMA) National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA) Nurses Who Vaccinate (NWV)

Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS)  Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc (PNAA) Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO)

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM)

Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Texas Nurses Association (TNA)

The John A. Hartford Foundation Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS)

Virgin Islands State Nurses Association (VISNA)

Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN)



The Health Care District of Palm Beach County has launched a premier Epic electronic health record (EHR) system that now links thousands of primary care clinic and rural hospital patients to a single, shared platform for quality, integrated care. The new “Connect PBC” patient portal ensures patients within the Health Care District’s safety net system, many who are underserved, have convenient and secure digital access to their health information. 

“Our new Epic-based integrated platform provides best-in-class technology to meet the needs of our patients, many of whom have complex conditions and find it challenging to navigate the healthcare delivery system,” said Belma Andrić, MD, MPH, the Health Care District’s Chief Medical Officer. “With Epic, our providers now have a more complete picture of their patients’ health across the continuum of care right at their fingertips.”

After going live on July 1st, 2021, the new software now serves the more than 50,000 unique C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics’ patients at nine locations in communities of need, as well as over 27,000 patients a year at Lakeside Medical Center, the Health Care District’s rural, acute-care teaching hospital in Belle Glade. The Epic system provides medical staff with immediate access to test results, the ability to place orders remotely and seamlessly communicate with other providers and Health Care District departments. The EHR system also helps to promote population health by identifying health trends, which can lead to initiatives that improve the overall health of the community.

“A consolidated patient medical record across clinical areas allows informed decisions to be made more quickly and efficiently,” said Karen A. Harris, the Health Care District’s VP of Field Operations. “Epic is a scalable system that allows us to effectively manage our volume of patient care across our programs, provide continuity of care, reduce duplication, and improve patient outcomes for years to come.”

Hollywood-based Memorial Healthcare System extended its clinical, professional and technical integration to the Health Care District through its strategic Epic Connect program, which extends Epic EHR software with community physicians and other hospitals. The year-long implementation process in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic was a monumental achievement. The Epic Community Connect project team worked virtually to design and build applications, conduct testing and training, and roll out the technology on schedule.

“Memorial Healthcare System and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County are committed to maintaining the health and well-being of our communities by empowering physicians and patients with all the resources required to proactively address medical issues in the context of population health through an optimal infrastructure that helps elevate the delivery of care,” said Jeff Sturman, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Memorial Healthcare System. “A partnership through Epic Connect, which Memorial offers, brings all healthcare providers – hospitals, community physicians and other points of care – into a single, comprehensive longitudinal patient record that stimulates joint collaboration, significantly benefiting the hosting organization, community physicians who are part of the extended network, and especially the patients they serve.”

Epic software is the most widely-used and comprehensive health records system in the nation, handling the private medical records of about 60 percent of patients nationwide. Epic is used by a majority of U.S. News and  World Report’s top-ranked hospitals and medical schools that work collaboratively to improve patient care, innovate healthcare delivery and achieve financial health.

“Our new electronic health record system is revolutionizing the way we operate at the Health Care District by providing patients with one continuous health record across all of our services, as well as access to their providers and medical record on ‘Connect PBC’, our patient portal,” said Patricia Lavely, the Health Care District’s VP and Chief Information and Digital Officer  “I am in awe of the great work that our 200+ team members and our partners with Memorial Healthcare have achieved during an unprecedented year in health care.”

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.