March 2, 2021 – The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP), an organization that promotes the health and welfare of Florida’s children and supports pediatricians and pediatric specialists as the best qualified provider of their healthcare, has launched a statewide public service announcement to raise awareness on the benefits and importance of children’s routine vaccinations. 
 
“Skipping or delaying annual immunizations raises the risk of children catching preventable diseases, especially during the pandemic,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Associate Professor, Clinical Pediatrics and Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “We want to encourage parents and the community to ensure children’s routine vaccinations remain a priority to help them stay healthy, safe and save lives.”
 
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend children continue to receive routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, there was a 26 percent decrease in vaccine doses, and 40 percent of parents said children missed shots due to COVID-19, according to recent data released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
 
Families without vaccine insurance coverage may be eligible for vaccines at reduced or no cost through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. To learn about the Florida VFC program, visit www.floridahealth.gov and to find a pediatrician, visit www.fcaap.org/parents. 
 
 
 
About FCAAP
Through its more than 2,400 members, the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the health & welfare of Florida’s children and supports pediatricians & pediatric specialists as the best qualified providers of their healthcare. Learn more by visiting www.fcaap.org. 
 


March 2, 2021 – The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP), an organization that promotes the health and welfare of Florida’s children and supports pediatricians and pediatric specialists as the best qualified provider of their healthcare, has launched a statewide public service announcement to raise awareness on the benefits and importance of children’s routine vaccinations. 
 
“Skipping or delaying annual immunizations raises the risk of children catching preventable diseases, especially during the pandemic,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Associate Professor, Clinical Pediatrics and Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “We want to encourage parents and the community to ensure children’s routine vaccinations remain a priority to help them stay healthy, safe and save lives.”
 
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend children continue to receive routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, there was a 26 percent decrease in vaccine doses, and 40 percent of parents said children missed shots due to COVID-19, according to recent data released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
 
Families without vaccine insurance coverage may be eligible for vaccines at reduced or no cost through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. To learn about the Florida VFC program, visit www.floridahealth.gov and to find a pediatrician, visit www.fcaap.org/parents. 
 
 
 
About FCAAP
Through its more than 2,400 members, the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the health & welfare of Florida’s children and supports pediatricians & pediatric specialists as the best qualified providers of their healthcare. Learn more by visiting www.fcaap.org. 
 


As of February 26, 2021:
 
SB 54:  Waiting to be scheduled with the Rules Committee after it successfully passed the Banking & Insurance and Judiciary Committees.   
 
SB 420: Referred to the Banking & Insurance, Judiciary and Rules Committees.  
 
HB 719: Currently in the Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee. Afterwards, HB 719 would be sent to Insurance & Banking Committee and Judiciary Committee.   
 
HB 420: Currently in the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee. Afterwards, HB 420 would be sent to the Commerce Committee.   
 
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New aortic aneurysm center provides life-saving cardiac treatment when every second counts
 
MARCH 2, 2021 – Mercy Hospital, an industry leading, acute care hospital that has been providing high quality services in South Florida for more than 60 years, is excited to announce that it has launched a groundbreaking Aortic Emergency Center that will provide urgent vascular treatment for all aspects and stages of aortic aneurysms, a weakened area in the major blood vessel that feeds blood to the body (aorta).  Aneurysm ruptures or dissections can be fatal if not treated immediately. 
 
Mercy Hospital’s Aortic Emergency Center can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling (866) MIAORTA or (866) 642-6782
 
“We are making significant investments in Mercy Hospital’s cardiovascular programs in order to provide comprehensive care for all aortic diseases,” said David Donaldson, CEO of Mercy Hospital. “This new center enables us to offer pioneering medical and surgical solutions to our most urgent heart patients in a time frame that will save lives.”
 
The Aortic Emergency Center at Mercy Hospital is led by Dr. Allan Stewart, one of the country’s leading experts on multi-disciplinary, innovative solutions to treat aneurysms throughout the aorta.  Dr. Stewart and his team have deep expertise and experience with minimally invasive surgical procedures that can repair or replace patients’ aortic valves with small incisions that do not require the opening of the breast bone at all. 
 
“Aortic complications are a leading cause of death and disability in both men and women,” said Dr. Allan Stewart, Head of Cardiovascular Surgery Programs at Mercy Hospital. “Our team at Mercy Hospital offers a depth and breadth of surgical experience that is unparalleled in South Florida. We tailor every treatment plan to the individual patient as our goal is always to create life-long solutions to aortic disease.”
 
The team at the Aortic Emergency Center begins their assessment of patients by enrollment in the Aortic Surveillance Program. The surveillance focuses not only on the individual patient, but also on the search for genetic causes of the disease process. This stringent program for patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections carefully monitors changes in the size of the aneurysm in order to provide the most effective, customized treatment possible. 
 
The Aortic Emergency Center’s extensive, confidential database benefits patients by using the vast amount of information and research collected to identify risks, common complications and aneurysm growth expectations – all of which lead to better patient care and improved outcomes.
 
 
 
 
About Mercy Hospital
Mercy Hospital is a comprehensive medical facility that has been serving the healthcare needs of South Florida for more than 60 years. The 488-bed, acute care hospital is an award-winning facility that specializes in emergency services that are kid and senior friendly, maternity with level III NICU, general and robotic surgery, hyperbaric and wound care center, cardiology, cancer care, orthopedic and spine, primary stroke center, weight loss center and more. Sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph and an HCA Healthcare affiliate, Mercy is Miami-Dade’s only catholic hospital and provides patients with the best quality care in a compassionate and caring environment. Affiliated with over 1,000 physicians, Mercy’s Centers of Excellence include: The Heart Center, the Maternity and Women’s Health Center, the Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery Institute, the Orthopedics & Spine Institute, the Miami Cancer Center and the Behavioral Health Center. Mercy Hospital is located in the heart of Coconut Grove, FL with a bay front property that makes Mercy the only hospital in Miami to be accessible by land, air and sea. For more information on Mercy Hospital, visit mercymiami.com, follow us on Instagram @mercyhospitalmiami and like us on facebook.com/MercyHospitalMiami/
 
Mercy Hospital is part of HCA East Florida. HCA East Florida is the largest healthcare system in Eastern Florida and an affiliate of HCA Healthcare. HCA East Florida has 14 hospitals, multiple ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices and free standing emergency care facilities, as well as a supply chain center and an integrated regional lab. Together, HCA East Florida employs more than 18,000 employees and has nearly 7,000 physicians on staff. For more information, visit HCAEastFlorida.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fort Lauderdale-based wholesale distributing company celebrates corporate social
responsibility with creation of community charity, UNCS Cares Foundation

March 2, 2021 – United National Consumer Suppliers® (UNCS), a leading Fort Lauderdale-based wholesale distribution company that sources products worldwide and places them strategically within consumer markets, has pledged $250,000 to assist families at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. 
 
UNCS made the charitable donation through the creation of the company’s new charity, UNCS Cares Foundation, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds to help other organizations and programs that align with their employee driven foundation.
 
“Having a child with a serious illness is one of the most difficult experiences anyone can face," said Brett Rose, Founder & CEO of UNCS. "Our donation is grounded in the shared belief that families should have the necessary resources to care for a hospitalized child, along with the support to strengthen their well-being and resiliency during a challenging time."
 
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. A level one trauma center, it combines advanced technology, the expertise of board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered approach to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those it touches. 
“This donation from Brett Rose and the UNCS Cares Foundation will improve the lives of the children and families we serve at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital,” said Kevin Janser, senior vice president and chief development officer for Memorial Healthcare System. “Their generosity and community focus are an example of the power of impactful philanthropy.”  
 
Since its inception, UNCS, its employees, families, and friends have been dedicated to make a difference in the community and has raised and donated over $500,000 to South Florida-based organizations with programs that fill the gaps and meet the needs of at-risk children and families in the community. This includes their yearly bike and back to school drive where they have been the provider of more than 5,000 bicycles and 7,000 back-packs. The company’s stakeholders sit on various charitable organization boards and have ingrained philanthropy into the culture of UNCS.
 
 
“Our company DNA is steep in community development and charitable endeavors. UNCS Cares has been created to advance our mission of “making a positive difference” and will encourage and incorporate numerous initiatives from the past like our bike and food drives as well as new endeavors.”
 
 
About UNCS
United National Consumer Suppliers (UNCS) is a leading international wholesale distributor specializing in manufacturer’s closeouts, excess inventories and overstocks. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., UNCS is a versatile wholesale company able to provides products to Macy’s, Ross Stores, TJX Companies, Dollar Tree, Amazon resellers, and many more. The company sources over 50 different product categories for over 120,000 retailers and e-tailers in 34 countries. For more information, please call 954.524.DEAL (3325) or visit http://www.uncs.com 
 
About Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation
The children’s hospital’s nonprofit foundation focuses on philanthropy to positively impact patients, families, and underwrite programs, facilities, and equipment that support the pediatric facility’s mission.  To learn more or make a donation, please call 954-265-3454.
 
To connect with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, visit jdch.com and interact with @jdchospital on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and  Instagram.