The North Broward Hospital District’s Baa2 rating and stable outlook on its outstanding bonds have been affirmed by Moody’s Investor Services. According to Moody’s, “the affirmation of the Baa2 expects that the North Broward Hospital District will generate stable, but modest, margins in fiscal 2021,” adding that the system is expected to “maintain a strong cash position to help absorb the impact of COVID-19 and provide robust coverage of a low risk debt burden.”

“Maintaining the designation of ‘stable’ during a global pandemic demonstrates Broward Health’s strong fiscal positioning,” said Alex Fernandez, senior vice president and CFO of Broward Health. “Our leadership team and caregivers have worked tirelessly during this pandemic to perform at the highest level of care with financial integrity and compliance. We look forward to the future and improved financial conditions that should further positively impact our financial outlook.”
 
In the Moody’s report released February 24, 2021, Broward Health was acknowledged for its strong balance sheet and its modest debt load. “The North Broward Hospital District will continue to benefit from the system’s role as a large and diversified health system and as a safety net provider for Broward County.”


One of the best ways to stay in business is by establishing a loyal customer base—and one of the smartest ways to do this is by creating a loyalty program that recognizes and rewards customers for their repeat business.   

“Everybody understands loyalty and rewards programs; they are tested and proven methods for driving customers into stores more often and getting them to spend more than they would otherwise spend,” explained Jeff Harris, founder of springbig, a leading cannabis marketing program designed to help retailers and manufacturers increase customer retention, boost revenue and build customer loyalty. “However, if the program is not designed correctly, it can just be a cost instead of an investment that drives more revenue. It needs to be structured so that businesses get the most out of it.”
 
In 2016, springbig entered the cannabis market after spending more than 20 years of providing loyalty programs for big-box retail stores and small businesses around the country ranging from hair salons to yogurt shops. “We realized that this was a growing industry that could use our help in developing and getting their message out to the consumer,” said Harris of the company that has already established a strong foothold in the Florida market.
 
“One of the things that sets us apart is that we were loyalty experts first; we weren’t cannabis experts learning the loyalty industry,” he added. “Our core expertise is helping retailers and brands drive the most revenue out of their marketing program specifically by using loyalty programs.”
 
Loyal Customers Drive Profits
Repeat customers can make a big difference in a business’ bottom line.
 
“Depending on how they choose to use it, we usually see at least a 10 percent bump in business when companies start using loyalty programs; that’s a very meaningful percentage,” said Harris, adding that he has seen sales increases of up to 40 percent. “When we don’t send out a message on a given day, the difference in sales is tremendous.”
 
While some businesses have rewards programs, a true loyalty program encompasses more than just giveaways. “It’s more expansive than that; think of it like a frequent flyer program,” said Harris. “The reward component is the miles, but other components may include a separate check-in line, the ability to board the plane first, and free checked bags. It’s giving your most loyal customers something different than other customers get.”
 
Loyalty programs also provide vital information to retailers and manufacturers about who is buying their products. Springbig’s specially designed cannabis CRM software, for example, pulls in point of sale (POS) data and segments that information to give clients information on click-throughs, visit rates, spend rates and more.
 
“Every campaign is measured to the penny, and this information can also be used to create more targeted messages of who to talk to and what to say,” said Harris, adding that this also provides a comparison between loyalty customer groups vs. non-loyalty groups.
 
“In general, we find that when clients sign up with us, by leveraging our ability to bring in this data and segment the information, they make back their return on investment in just one day,” he added.
 
Setting It Up
Springbig makes it easy for clients to create a loyalty program that meets their specific needs. “We discuss their goals and objectives, and determine how technology can be used to accomplish what they want to achieve,” said Harris. “Once we’ve designed a program to fit their business, our special onboarding team trains their staff on the software, because even the best designed program will fail if a team isn’t correctly trained.
 
“A loyalty program can help a well-trained staff really sell,” he added. “They get excited about it and engage more with customers, which helps customers understand how to leverage the program, which in turn drives more usage.”
 
Harris credits his own team with his company’s success, which was recently ranked 99th on the annual Inc. magazine 5000 List, and #3 on Inc. magazine’s list of Florida’s fastest-growing private companies. The company was also ranked #2 as one of the best places to work (small company category) by South Florida Business Journal.
 
“Whether a company is launching a brand new program, or doesn’t like the program they’re using, I advise them to reach out to a company like springbig that has years of experience in loyalty programs,” said Harris. “A retail loyalty program costs about 2 percent of sales, which, for a $10 million a year company, is a big expense. So it’s important to find someone you trust to make sure that it’s set up so that you have the best opportunity to succeed. When done right, it’s a great tool.”


Rep. Roach on MMJ patients and doctors: They are “Drug Seekers and doctors who just want to get rich.”

Patients using flower or high THC products, medical specialists who certify their use, and the Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) are all on high alert! A few state lawmakers have the medical marijuana program in their crosshairs. Rather than hearing proposals to make the MMJ program more robust, this fringe group of lawmakers is calling for CAPS.
 
Patients, caregivers, and loved ones are seeing the legislative process play out firsthand. Thanks to TheFloridaChannel.org showing committee hearings live, MMTCs engaging their patients, and advocates reporting from Tallahassee, the movement is more engaged than ever before. Representatives of the Florida Cannabis Action Network, Florida for CARE, Sunshine Cannabis, and the NORML affiliates are in Tallahassee meeting with lawmakers and keeping the community informed through video, social media, radio, and print news. These groups are supporting calls to action as the bill, HB 1455 moves through its committee assignments.
 
House Bill 1455, by Representative Spencer Roach (R) of Lee Co., limits the potency of flowers at 10% THC and concentrates at 60% THC. Patients who use high concentrations of THC in flower or concentrates won’t be simply buying more, the bill also CAPS the total milligrams of THC a patient can receive every 35 days. While there is an exception, high potency product availability will be limited. The existing MMTC’s have until June 2022 to comply with the new product requirements under the proposed law; but, there is no guarantee they will be able to produce enough flower under 10% THC to meet demands.
 
Cannabis Specialists – those doctors who certify patients in the program – are impacted by this proposed legislation. The bill CAPS free enterprise by mandating the Department of Health pre-approves all advertising done by MMJ practices. There are no guidelines proposed in the bill, no time limits on decisions by the Department of Health, and no appeals process.
 
HB 1455 already passed two of its three committee assignments in the Florida House. Lawmakers are voting along party lines, but behind the scenes, Republican House members are disturbed. They are hearing from constituents and friends who need high THC products. Some are in-the-know about high THC/CBD concentrates in high doses for treatment of cancer, something that would be eliminated under these proposed limits. During the first committee hearing, Republican Rep. Killebrew (Polk Co.) expressed his dislike of the bill. He voted with the Democrats on amendments to expand conditions and make the bill better but ultimately voted to pass the bill out of committee. In its second committee, Representative Trabulsy (R) St. Lucie Co, voted no on the bill, a courageous vote since opposing leadership is a sure way to get opposition in the next primary election.
 
Florida has a complicated love/hate relationship with Cannabis. Voters love it. In 2016, the medical marijuana constitutional amendment garnished over 71% of the vote. Today, regardless of party affiliation, more than 50% of all demographics now support safe, legal access to recreational Cannabis. But lawmakers, influenced by Drug-Free America founders and Republican king-makers Mel and Betty Sembler, still hear echoes of reefer madness. Those lawmakers are powerful and bipolar on Cannabis; loving FDA-approved Cannabis drugs, hating Democratic Secretary of Agriculture Nikki Fried being in charge of hemp, and intolerant of Cannabis flower being called a medicine.
 
Patients lose under HB 1455 and its Senate companion SB 1958 by Senator Ray Rodrigues, also of Lee Co.
 
Advocates have been vocal about the choices patients face if HB 1455 / SB 1958 becomes law. If safe, legal access to medical-grade Cannabis isn’t an option, they will go back where they came from. Some will return to the illicit market, but more will seek the chemical cocktail covered by insurance companies. When the legal flower isn’t an option, patients caught with flower may get an option to choose substance abuse treatment to avoid jail time.
 
The Florida Senate has held the line the past two sessions when THC caps on flowers were proposed. Senator Jeff Brandes, chair of the first committee assignment in the Senate has no interest in hearing the bill. That roadblock makes it harder for the bill to get to the Governor’s desk, but it isn’t impossible. Florida Cannabis Action Network and our partners will continue to follow all the actions in Tallahassee.


John Afshar, M.D., and John Robinson, Jr., M.D., FAANS, two of the areas highly-experienced neurosurgeons announce they have returned to the Treasure Coast and opened a Palm Beach Neuroscience Institute (PBNI) neurosurgery office in Stuart.
 
Dr. Afshar is a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive surgery for the spine and brain including neck and low back pain, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, disc replacement/arthroplasty, minimally invasive microsurgery, nonfusion surgery, neck and low back fusion, brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia and stereotactic radiosurgery/CyberKnife. He is a Diplomate of the prestigious American Board of Neurologic Surgery.
 
Dr. Robinson is a board-certified double fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in computer guided minimally invasive microsurgical treatments for the spine and brain including neck surgery, minimally invasive lumbar surgery, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, brain and pituitary tumors, spine tumors, CyberKnife Radiosurgery and laser brain tumor treatment. He is a member of the American Association of Neurologic Surgeons and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
 
Dr. Afshar and Dr. Robinson are on-staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach as well as Laser & Surgery Center of the Palm Beaches, an affiliate of United Surgical Partners International (USPI).  


March 29, 2021 – While some students spent spring break at the beach or relaxing at home, a group of dedicated nursing students volunteered their time to assist patients at Broward Health vaccine sites. 
 
Through a community partnership with Broward College, Nova Southeastern University and Keiser University, Broward Health is leading a coordinated effort to combat COVID-19 and help train the next generation of nurses. 
 
“Our partnership with these three prominent nursing programs has been a tremendous success,” said Charese Crawford, RN, regional manager of clinical education & support services at Broward Health. “I have been very impressed with the caliber of the nursing students. They are not only highly skilled and helpful, but they’ve also shown an incredible amount of dedication and professionalism.” 
 
Nearly 150 nursing students were granted a unique learning opportunity and have been receiving hands-on experience, along with invaluable mentorship and training, while fulfilling clinical training hours necessary to graduate. 
 
Jade Stone NSU Nursing Student working at Broward Health North’s vaccination site
 
Jade Stone, from NSU, is among the nursing students on the frontline of vaccine distribution. “It’s so important for us as nursing students to do our part, even during spring break,” said Stone. “I enjoy meeting the patients and hearing their stories. This is an amazing learning opportunity and so gratifying and fulfilling. I grew up with the healthcare industry with my grandparents and mom so for me this is a calling.”
 
The dedicated nursing students have been in rotation at three of Broward Health’s vaccination sites, one of which includes Inter Miami CF Stadium at Lockhart Park in Fort Lauderdale.
 
Cheryl Wild-Norvell RN, MSN, MBA Chief Nursing Officer Broward Health North
 
“We are so privileged to be working with these respected nursing programs,” said Cheryl Wild, RN, chief nursing officer, Broward Health North. “When we opened our vaccination sites, we saw a huge opportunity for the nursing students to come in and not only obtain their clinical hours but also assist us in our mission to serve the community.” 
 
At the vaccination sites, students rotate through various stations, from signing patients in, escorting them to the seating areas, administering the vaccine and observing them post-vaccine. 
 
Alexandra Ruiz NSU Nursing Student working at Broward Health North’s vaccination site
 
“I love the contact we have with patients and am proud to be part of Broward Health, helping the community receive the vaccine,” said NSU nursing student Alexandra Ruiz. “We are learning so much working closely with physicians and nurses. To think that every vaccine is saving a life is huge. I am so happy to see so many in our community getting the vaccine.”