Deborah Brown has joined Broward Health North Broward Medical Center as the manager of medical staff services. Brown has worked in the field of medical staff services for more than 10 years.

Prior to joining Broward Health, Brown worked as the medical staff manager at West Boca Medical Center. She has also worked for numerous other healthcare organizations including Holy Cross Hospital, Mercy Health and Tenet Network Management.



The Florida Hospital Association (FHA) announced the recipient of its “Hospital Hero of the Year” award at the association’s annual meeting in Orlandoy. Before a room of more than 1,000 hospital executives, medical professionals, and volunteers, FHA Board Chair Jim Nathan, CEO, Lee Memorial Health System, announced that Adrianne Karanusic, an RN on the Endoscopy Unit at Broward General Medical Center in Ft. Lauderdale, was selected as the 2007 Florida Hospital Association’s “Hospital Hero of the Year.”

(l-r) Joseph F. Scott, CEO, Broward General Medical Center; Adrianne Karanusic; Alan Levine, CEO, Broward Health; and Jim Nathan, CEO, Lee Memorial Health System and Immediate Past Chair, FHA

For the past 18 years, Karanusic has been caring for patients and was nominated by Bonnie Yagid, Assistant Nurse Manager of the Endoscopy Unit at Broward General. “Adrianne Karanusic’s commitment to her patients and the people of her community symbolizes the team of hospital heroes that work in our organizations each day,” said Wayne NeSmith, President of the Florida Hospital Association, sponsor of the award.



Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, is proud to have cosponsored “The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007” that will help eliminate health disparities that leave millions of Americans in poorer health and more likely to die prematurely during their most productive life years.

This legislation will bolster efforts to remove language and cultural barriers to healthcare. The bill will help patients from diverse backgrounds, including those with limited English proficiency by assisting health care professionals in providing cultural and language services. Increasing the number minority health care providers will improve access to care because these providers are more likely to serve low-income, uninsured, and racial and ethnic minority patients.

In addition, the bill will provide grants to launch cancer prevention demonstration projects, promote positive health behaviors among women and ensure that low-income individuals can ensure access to health care for their children.

Said Ros-Lehtinen, “I am pleased to cosponsor this legislation that helps to provide better health care services to our community. We must work together in order to bring down language barriers that are afflicting our constituents in order for them to receive the best care possible. This legislation will help us address the concerns of the growing numbers of uninsured patients and reduce health disparities in low-income, minority, homeless communities in South Florida. I urge my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.”



Aventura Hospital and Medical Center recently recognized Nikhil Bhardwaj, M.D., Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine as the Physician of the Quarter.

Dr. Bhardwaj has been on the medical staff of Aventura Hospital since 2000. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease. His Residency and Fellowship are from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, NY.



Wellington Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce that Darlene Noegel, R.N., has been appointed the new Director of Critical Care and Telemetry at the hospital.

Holding a Master of Science Degree in Nursing from Barry University, Noegel most recently served as Director of Telemetry at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and before that, as Director of Nursing Support Services at Good Samaritan Medical Center, also in West Palm Beach. Prior to these positions, she served as Director of Critical Care and Dialysis at Boca Raton Community Hospital.