July 28 2021 – The North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners, which oversees Broward Health, today elected its 2021-2022 slate of officers at the July board meeting. Stacy Angier was elected Chairwoman, Marie Waugh was elected Vice Chair and Christopher Pernicano was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Former Chair Nancy Gregoire will continue to serve on the board as a commissioner.

Chairwoman Angier replaces former Chair Nancy Gregoire, who led the first all-female slate of officers in the system’s history. Under Gregoire’s leadership, the system concluded its corporate integrity agreement, expanded the number of service lines recognized as high performing by US News & World Report, and led the system through many challenges experienced due to COVID-19. Angier, building off that foundation, will focus attention on community
health and wellness to enhance prevention of acute and chronic illnesses.

“This is an extremely strong group of leaders who are going to continue to bring success to the system,” said Shane Strum, President/CEO of Broward Health. “They have a very clear vision for Broward Health and will drive us through fiscal year 2022.”

Angier was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners and sworn in at the October 31, 2018, board meeting. The Margate resident and school principal at Abundant Life Christian Academy was appointed to fill a vacant seat and served as Vice Chair in 2021.

“Thank you to the board for putting their trust in me,” Angier said. “I’ll do my best to lead this board and ensure the trust of our employees, whose hard work and diligence have brought us much success. The board is here to assist in whatever capacity we can.”

Waugh is the past chief human resources officer for APTIM, an engineering and program management corporation specializing in infrastructure, power and environmental services. Waugh was responsible for performance, benefits, compensation and recruiting. Prior to her work with APTIM, Waugh served as senior vice president of human resources for SUEZ in North America, one of the nation’s leading environmental organizations. Waugh served as Secretary/Treasurer in 2021.

Pernicano has more than 20 years in the FinTech space, with experience in all aspects of small, medium and large company operations, including executive management, technology, operations, human resources and sales. He is the Vice President of Engineering and IT with Netsmart. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Tellus, LLC, where he was responsible for delivery organization, including analytics, development, quality, project/product management and client relationship management. He joined the board in April 2021.

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.



The results of a phase 2 study looking at treating relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma with a new drug protocol were outstanding. They even surprised one of the world’s leading lymphoma experts, Craig Moskowitz, M.D., physician in chief of the Oncology Service Line at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Craig Moskowitz, M.D.

Dr. Moskowitz, who co-wrote the protocol, is senior author of the study, published June 25 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Moskowitz collaborated with colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to study the treatment, which included checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab along with chemotherapies gemcitabine, vinorelbine and liposomal doxorubicin. Investigators treated 36 transplant-eligible Hodgkin lymphoma patients who had not responded to frontline medications or relapsed within a year of treatment.

“All the patients treated with our protocol are in remission. These are the best results reported in the literature in the setting of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma,” Dr. Moskowitz said. “We actually believe because of these results that a paradigm shift is possible in the next series of refractory Hodgkin lymphoma clinical trials.”

Offering new options
While frontline therapies cure Hodgkin lymphoma patients in most cases, up to 25% of those with advanced stage disease and 10% with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma do not respond to frontline medications or their disease returns. These relapsed and refractory patients traditionally are treated with a second line of chemotherapy, which bridges them to stem cell transplant. About 75% of responding patients to second line chemotherapy go on to stem cell transplant, of whom 60% are cured.

Investigators in this study evaluated 38 patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma who had received either two or four cycles of the protocol. While there were adverse events, the treatment was generally well tolerated, according to the study.

Microscopic view of Hodgkin lymphoma

All patients in the study achieved remission with the protocol. Thirty-six patients proceeded to stem cell transplants, and all of those patients remain in remission an average 13.5 months post-transplant.

Another important advantage of the protocol is that it is administered in the outpatient setting.

“Historically all the patients in the relapsed refractory patient setting were admitted to the hospital for treatment,” said Dr. Moskowitz, who is also professor of medicine at the Miller School.

Pembrolizumab alone has been shown to have significant palliative activity in Hodgkin lymphoma patients who are doing poorly, according to Dr. Moskowitz, who has studied pembrolizumab since 2012.

“In 2018, we decided to use pembrolizumab outside of the palliative setting and then combine it with a standard program that was outpatient with the hope that this program would be efficacious, well tolerated and enable the majority of patients to go to a cure with stem cell transplant,” he said.

Promising phase 2 results
The results of the new phase 2 trial are so promising that Dr. Moskowitz and colleagues believe that using the protocol could eliminate the need for stem cell transplant in many cases.

“Because so many of the patients achieved remission, we believe it is possible that transplant may be able to be avoided,” he said. “Rather, we could administer these four simple medications in our protocol, with maintenance pembrolizumab for another six months.”

Sylvester is collaborating with Memorial Sloan Kettering to treat an additional 25 patients without a stem cell transplant.

“If patients do well without a stem cell transplant, this will likely lead to a national study comparing this program versus an alternative program with a stem cell transplant, to see if we can truly remove autologous stem cell transplant from the management of first relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma and save it for a rainy day,” Dr. Moskowitz said.

Sylvester hematologist and medical oncologist Georgios Pongas, M.D., also is an author on the study.



Current Blood Supply is Critically Low

July 27, 2021 – Lee Health is seeking blood donations to help replenish supply levels. Current blood supplies are critically low, and Lee Health’s blood centers are in urgent need of donors.

As home to the region’s only trauma center, it is vital that the health system’s blood supply remains at healthy levels in order to quickly care for patients needing an urgent transfusion. Blood and blood products are not only used in the trauma center, but also to treat cancer patients, premature babies, anemia and a variety of other conditions. 

Lee Health’s blood centers are the sole supplier of all blood products for the entire health system. About 800 units of blood are needed per week, and the blood centers rely on life-saving donations from the community to maintain inventory levels.

The Lee Health Blood Mobile will be at numerous locations throughout Southwest Florida in August.  Click here for dates and times.

All blood donated at Lee Health stays within the health system to care for patients in Southwest Florida. If unable to attend one of the upcoming blood drives, donations can also be made at one of Lee Health’s blood centers to help save lives.

For more information on how and where to donate, please visit Lee Health Blood Centers.

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.



Agency appoints new board president and welcomes two new board members

July 26, 2021 – Tykes & Teens, a leading provider of the highest quality, evidence-based mental health services and programs for children and adolescents for 25 years, has announced its 2021-2022 Board of Directors.

Superintendent of Okeechobee County Schools Ken Kenworthy, who previously served as Tykes & Teens Board Secretary, took the helm as the agency’s Board President effective July 1, 2021. Kenworthy succeeds F. Shields McManus who served as President for the past two years and is continuing to serve on the board.

In addition, Tykes & Teens welcomed two new board members: Indian River County resident Linda L. Kloss and St. Lucie County resident Teresa Bishop.

“We are honored to have a diverse, supportive and highly-engaged board of directors from throughout the Treasure Coast who provide a broad range of professional expertise to the agency and who are passionate about serving children and families,” said Tykes & Teens CEO Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW.

“I am both humbled and honored to accept the presidency of an organization steeped in the tradition of quality and excellence,” says Tykes & Teens Board President Ken Kenworthy. “The services offered through Tykes & Teens are unparalleled, the commitment of the staff to reach our mission is commendable, and the expansion to all four Treasure Coast counties has provided much-needed treatment and counseling to assist our youth from infants up to adulthood. I am proud to be a part of such a remarkable organization.”

Ken Kenworthy, an Okeechobee County resident, has served as Superintendent of Schools for Okeechobee County School for the past decade. As a graduate of Purdue University, he began his career as an agriculture teacher. With 32 years of service to the District, he has functioned as a school based administrator, director of career and technical education and later led Administrative Services. During his superintendency, the district’s graduation rate has increased, mental health programs have flourished, and industry certifications and dual enrollment programs have multiplied causing significant improvement under the state’s accountability system. He operates as the largest employer in Okeechobee County with 880 staff members serving 6,200 students with an annual budget of $95 million. Kenworthy has been recognized as the Florida State Agriscience Teacher of the Year, District Teacher of the Year and has completed numerous leadership programs such as the Commissioner’s Leadership Academy, Superintendent’s Chief Executive Officer Leadership Development Program and the National Institute of School Leadership Executive Development Program. He serves as chair of the Okeechobee Children’s Services Council, Trustee for the Florida School Boards Insurance Trust, Florida Association of District School Superintendents Board of Directors and member of the Okeechobee Educational Foundation. His primary goal has been creating conditions for learning that lead to college and career readiness, including high quality instruction provided by talented employees focusing on educational equity. To accomplish that, students’ often need mental health supports. Partnerships with outstanding agencies like Tykes & Teens help make this goal a reality.

Linda L. Kloss, an Indian River County resident, served as CEO of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) from 1994 to 2011, leading a period of unprecedented growth and expanded influence for this well-respected professional society of 60,000 health information management professionals. Following her retirement, she served in thought leadership roles providing consulting to health care nonprofits, technology and service organizations. In 2011, Linda was appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to serve on the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), chaired its Privacy, Confidentiality and Security Subcommittee, and served on its Standards and Executive Subcommittees. NCVHS advises the Secretary on national health data policy. She is author of Health Information Governance: Lessons from the Field (AHIMA Press). Prior to AHIMA, Linda served in senior leadership roles with companies at the leading edge of health care information technology and quality improvement. She has served as a college trustee, director and board chair for a number of health care nonprofits, and served as president for a condominium and a homeowner’s associations. Linda holds a Master’s Degree in organizational development with a concentration in nonprofit change leadership, a Baccalaureate Degree in health information management, and she was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from the College of St. Scholastica Duluth, Minnesota in recognition of her leadership to the profession and to the College. She has been received recognition for leadership by Modern Healthcare, the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Medical Informatics Association and AHIMA.

Teresa Bishop, a St. Lucie County resident, serves as the Executive Director for the Roundtable of St. Lucie County, a 501(c) organization, and works closely with executive level leaders to accomplish system change that results in improved outcomes for youth. She is also the Founder and Director of Provision Training and Consulting, LLC. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Personnel Management from the University of Central Florida. Over the past 25 years, she has worked both nationally and abroad to improve capacity of communities, federal and state agencies, as well community and faith-based organizations, to achieve positive outcomes. She has focused her efforts in the children and family arena and in recent years has championed causes around community development, youth development and juvenile justice issues. Teresa has provided support to a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Labor, and The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She has and continues to work closely with state, local and grassroots organizations to provide training and technical assistance to improve staff and program development, strategic planning and organizational development to impact community change and system reform.

Tykes & Teens 2021-2022 Board of Directors:

President – Ken Kenworthy, Okeechobee County, Superintendent of Schools

Treasurer – Jamie Russell, St. Lucie County, Rehmann

Secretary – Pat Knipper, Indian River County, VNA

Governance Chair – Anne McCormick, Martin County, Keller Williams Realty

Immediate Past President – F. Shields McManus, Martin County, Mediator, Retired Judge

Directors:
• Teresa Bishop, St. Lucie County, Roundtable of St. Lucie County
• Brooke Flood, Indian River County, School District of Indian River County
• John Gonzalez, Martin County, Engel & Volkers
• Dr. Theresa Kelso, Psy.D., Indian River County, Retired Clinical Psychologist
• Linda L. Kloss, Indian River County, Healthcare Nonprofit Consultant
• Hailey Thostenson, Martin County, Bessemer Trust
• Michelle Villwock, Martin County, Martin County School District

Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer & Ex-Officio Board Member

About Tykes & Teens

Tykes & Teens has been a leading mental health provider for children and adolescent evidence-based programs and services for 25 years. Our passion and commitment are to empowering children and strengthening families by ensuring that all children have access to high quality counseling and mental health services, regardless of financial status. Our mission is prioritizing children’s mental health in our families, schools and communities through a wide range of prevention, education, and treatment programs and services. We also advocate for increased awareness of mental health to remove the stigma and shame often associated with seeking mental health treatment. We provide affordable quality mental health services for children in need across the Treasure Coast from more than 50 service locations, including outpatient offices in Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach, on-site services in all Martin County schools, and in schools in Okeechobee and Indian River counties, as well as collaboration with numerous community partners, in addition to virtual telehealth services. We have continued to offer our services and programs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual telehealth care. We accept most insurance, private payments, and we are a Medicaid-approved provider. We have successfully administered a sliding fee scale for those in need when necessary for more than 20 years. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency, we also provide $750,000 in unreimbursed services to the communities we serve each year. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.



Program includes the donation of 1.1 million servings of cereal to benefit communities across the country

July 27 2021 – Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) today announced the results of its 2021 Healthy Over Hungry® Cereal Drive. The Cereal Drive works to help those struggling with hunger and to promote the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, especially for children who lose access to school-based nutrition programs during the summer months.

The 2021 Cereal Drive took place from June 7 to June 14 across Tenet’s acute care hospitals, ambulatory facilities, call centers and corporate offices. This year’s Cereal Drive resulted in the collection of more than 1.1 million servings of cereal, benefitting more than 75 local food banks and not-for-profit pantries.

“The Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive is not only a beloved tradition, but a testament to our employees and their commitment to providing compassionate care to those in need,” said Ron Rittenmeyer, Tenet’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This program began as a grassroots initiative by a nurse who acted quickly to rally her community on behalf of children struggling with hunger. The Cereal Drive has grown into such an important part of Tenet, supporting our passion for alleviating hunger for countless families in need.”

The Cereal Drive was launched in Detroit in 2010 by a nurse at The Detroit Medical Center’s (DMC) Children’s Hospital of Michigan and the DMC Professional Nurse Council. Tenet expanded the drive nationally in 2014 after the DMC became part of the Tenet system. Since 2014, more than 20 million servings of cereal have been donated to benefit children and others struggling with the effects of hunger.

About Tenet Healthcare

Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC) is a diversified healthcare services company headquartered in Dallas with 107,000 employees. Through an expansive care network that includes United Surgical Partners International, we operate 65 hospitals and more than 460 other healthcare facilities, including surgical hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers and other care sites and clinics. We also operate Conifer Health Solutions, which provides revenue cycle management and value-based care services to hospitals, health systems, physician practices, employers and other clients. Across the Tenet enterprise, we are united by our mission to deliver quality, compassionate care in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.tenethealth.com.