Donna Parsons has been named Patient Access Director at Columbia Hospital. She previously was at Raulerson Hospital in the same capacity. She began her career with HCA at JFK Medical Center in 2004 as a Financial Counselor and advanced over the years to becoming a Director.



The Homestead and Florida City communities gathered recently for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of the new Homestead Hospital. Baptist Health South Florida is building the 300,000-square-foot hospital on 60 acres located on the north side of Campbell Drive. It will broaden the healthcare services for the growing population of south Miami-Dade County and replace the existing Homestead Hospital that opened in 1940.

“This is the first new hospital to be built in Miami-Dade County in more than 30 years,” said Bo Boulenger, CEO of Homestead Hospital. “In addition to making history, the new hospital will provide patients with the latest technology available. A comfortable and healing environment will also provide a positive experience for patients and their families.”

More than 200 people gathered at the construction site of the new Homestead Hospital for a groundbreaking ceremony. With shovels in hand, kicking off the celebration were (left to right) Wendell Beard, Homestead Hospital Board of Directors; City of Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren; Rev. William Chambers III, chairman of Homestead Hospital Board of Directors; Bo Boulenger, CEO of Homestead Hospital; Brian Keeley, president and CEO of Baptist Health; George E. Cadman III, chairman of the Baptist Health Board of Trustees; and Dr. Rudy Gossman, chief of the medical staff at Homestead Hospital. Construction of the new hospital is expected to be complete in late 2006. (Photo by Mabel Rodriguez, Baptist Health)

Brian Keeley, president and CEO of Baptist Health, emphasized Baptist Health’s commitment to the Homestead community. The Rev. William L. Chambers III, chairman of the Homestead Hospital Board of Directors, gave a blessing, and City of Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren spoke about the benefits of the new hospital to the growing community. George E. Cadman III, chairman of the Baptist Health Board of Trustees, said building a new hospital in Homestead is part of fulfilling the organization’s not-for-profit mission. Dr. Rudy Gossman, chief of Homestead Hospital’s medical staff, commented on how the new hospital will help improve patient care.

The new hospital will be three times larger than the current one. The $130 million project includes a five-story main building with a three-story glass atrium at the entrance and an adjacent medical office building. It will feature all private patient rooms, an Emergency Center triple the size of the existing one, additional operating rooms and more clinical space for outpatient diagnostic services and minimally invasive surgery. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2006.

The exterior design of the new Homestead Hospital will be Spanish Mediterranean, similar to the architecture of Baptist Hospital of Miami. The interior design blends traditional elements with contemporary finishes, such as glass curtain wall detailing. A 1,300-space parking lot, lakes and a helipad also are included in the site plan.

HKS Architects Inc., one of the top 10 architectural and engineering firms in the United States that has built more than 80 replacement hospitals, created the structural engineering and exterior and interior design of the new hospital. Skanska USA Building Inc., the nation’s second-largest hospital builder, is the general contractor. Both companies are working on the new hospital from their regional offices in Orlando.

“The new Homestead Hospital is a testament to Baptist Health’s commitment to south Miami-Dade,” said Keeley. “Built with superior technology and staffed by top-notch healthcare professionals, the new hospital will ensure that patients continue to receive top-quality medical care.”



Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., Pharm.D., dean of Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) was installed as president of the Florida Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (FSACOFP). Dr. Silvagni, who has been the NSU-COM dean since 1998, was officially inducted at a special ceremony held during the 34th Annual FSACOFP Convention at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando.

Prior to joining NSU, Dr. Silvagni was vice president of academic affairs and dean at the University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, MO. He has held faculty appointments at the University of Health Sciences, the University of North Dakota-School of Medicine, the University of Arizona, State University of New York, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. Dr. Silvagni is board-certified in Family Medicine, a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and a past member of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.

He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and completed his residency in Clinical Pharmacy at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Silvagni received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.



Plans were unveiled recently to build a world-class academic medical center on the Davie Campus of Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

The hospital — described as “the next step” in a long-standing educational affiliation between NSU and the North Broward Hospital District (NBHD) — received a stamp of approval from the Board of Commissioners of the North Broward Hospital District.

The NBHD next will begin the process of seeking a state-required certificate of need.

The proposed state-of-the-art “medical village” would be located adjacent to NSU’s Health Professions Division, and have up to 150 acute care beds that would be transferred from other NBHD facilities. The hospital would focus on education, research, innovation and providing culturally sensitive care that would be unsurpassed in Broward County.

The Medical Village at NSU will be a part of NSU’s vision for an academical village. The upcoming expansion of NSU’s campus, the district’s affiliation with NSU and the large population growth projected over the next 10 years in the hospital’s service area will create a one-of-a-kind opportunity to increase access to state-of-the-art, public healthcare services.



Dionne E. Wong has been named vice president/chief human resources officer for the North Broward Hospital District.

Prior to her promotion, Wong served as Director of District and Ambulatory HR Services, and the system-wide Employee Relations and Organization Development departments.

Prior to joining the North Broward Hospital District, Wong practiced law in the labor and employment division, of the litigation department, at Greenberg Traurig, LLC.

Wong has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Florida and Pennsylvania. Her professional memberships include the Society for Human Resource Management, the Florida Bar 17th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, and the National Bar Association.