November 14, 2023 – The Palm Beach County Heart Walk on Nov. 11 raised more than $1.3 million in lifesaving research dollars for the American Heart Association and saw more than 5,000 attendees. Donations can still be accepted at PalmBeachHeartWalk.org through December 31, 2023.

The walk was attended by area residents including heart disease survivors, stroke survivors and friends. The Heart Walk Chair and CFO of TBC Corporation, Scott Hurd, announced the record-breaking fundraising campaign amount of $1.3 million with a number flip by Heart Walk leadership. Event emcee Jennifer Correa of WPTV News Channel 5 announced the top fundraising individual, Sam Kato, CEO of TBC Corporation, and the top fundraising company, TBC Corporation.

Attendees enjoyed activities presented by sponsors including: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, TBC Corporation, Mount Sinai New York, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Florida Power & Light Company, HCA Florida Healthcare, supported by the HCA Healthcare Foundation and Sailun Tire. The event’s media sponsors were 102.3 WMBX, Sunny 107.9, Florida Weekly and WPTV.

The American Heart Association Palm Beach County serves the residents of Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. Staff members, volunteers and donors assist the organization in guiding efforts to reduce the incidences of heart disease and stroke, the first and fifth leading killers, respectively, of American men and women.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.



October 30, 2023 – HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, a 447-bed facility, and part of HCA Florida Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in the state, is pleased to announce the latest accolades from Healthgrades. HCA Florida Kendall Hospital has been named as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for critical care, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for orthopedic surgery and America’s 100 Best Hosptial for prostate surgery according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients.

‌Healthgrades evaluated patient mortality and complication rates for 31 of the most common conditions and procedures at nearly 4,500 hospitals across the country to identify the top-performing hospitals for specialty care.‌

“We commend HCA Florida Kendall Hospital for their ongoing commitment to providing high-quality patient care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Data Science at Healthgrades. “Consumers can feel confident that America’s 100 Best Hospitals for orthopedic surgery and critical care have demonstrated their ability to deliver consistently exceptional outcomes.”‌

Consumers can visit Healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access a patient-friendly overview of the complete methodology here.‌

‌”These awards are reflective of Kendall’s commitment to delivering superior care to our patients.  Excellent outcomes are what make HCA Florida Kendall Hospital a destination facility for patients across the state and Caribbean.  We treat the most acutely ill patients through our Level 1 Trauma Center, as well as our verified burn program.  Additionally, Kendall has a thriving pediatric program with a dedicated emergency room and pediatric ICU.” said Ben Harris, Chief Executive Officer.

About HCA Florida Kendall Hospital

As a 24/7 acute care facility, Kendall Hospital is one of only two adult Level 1 Trauma Centers in Miami-Dade County verified by the American College of Surgeons. Kendall Hospital boasts a network of over 750 physicians’ specialties. Kendall Hospital is ranked by Healthgrades in the Top 100 Best Hospitals in America for Critical Care, Prostate Surgery, Gastroenterology, Orthopedic Surgery and Stroke Care.

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital is a part of HCA Florida Healthcare, the leading provider of healthcare in the state of Florida. With an employee base of 77,000, HCA Florida Healthcare’s comprehensive network includes 49 hospital campuses and more than 450 other care sites.



By Dr. Karoline Mortensen and Dr. Danielle Ellerbe

The University of Miami is approaching its 100th anniversary in 2025, marking a century of academic excellence and active community involvement. The university’s mascot, the Hurricane, is a symbol tied to the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926, which caused significant campus damage, necessitating resilience and innovation to maintain and rebuild. This same resilience and adaptability remain critical as the healthcare system contends with disruptions from artificial intelligence, the pandemic, the shift toward value-based care, and other complex challenges. Our Health Executive Master of Business Administration (HEMBA) program, celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, alongside the Master of Health Administration (MHA), MD/MBA, and undergraduate Health Management and Policy (HMP) programs, equip our students and alumni with the vital skills needed to steer organizations through these turbulent times.

The Miami Herbert Business School has achieved a rare “triple crown status,” making it the third business school in the country to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and the Association of MBAs (AMBA). Additionally, our health care programs hold accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The department maintains active engagement with the Business School Alliance for Health Management (BAHM), fostering valuable national and global resources.

Notably, the department’s 12th annual conference, “The Business of Health Care: Managing Through Uncertainty,” hosted executives from leading professional organizations, offering insightful strategies for navigating the post-pandemic healthcare landscape. The HMP department is eagerly planning the 13th conference to occur on February 16, 2024, “AI, Elections and the Economy”. Moreover, our students, alumni, and faculty have achieved notable successes, securing first place in the South Florida Chapter of the American College of Health Executives (ACHE) case competition and attaining semi-finalist status in the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE) case competition in Atlanta. The HMP department hosted a career fair in conjunction with ACHE that was teeming with students and attended by 16 healthcare organizations across the state of Florida. Drs. Mortensen and French co-hosted the 20th annual Southeastern Health Economics Study Group (SHESG) conference this year at Miami Herbert, welcoming some of the leading health economists and health services researchers from U.S. universities. The fall semester at University of Miami kicked off with an advisory board meeting and HMP student and alumni reception, filled with a time of great connection, networking, and celebration.

Our distinguished faculty members continue to contribute significantly to the healthcare field, with recent highlights including Dr. Danielle Ellerbe joining as the academic director of the MHA program and Dr. Emma Dean presenting her research at the International Health Economics Association conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. Michael French was recently recognized by Stanford as one of the world’s top 2% scientists. Faculty members hold various leadership positions within the department, school, and university, continually enriching the academic experience including Dr. Karoline Mortensen who serves as associate dean of business programs while continuing to bring her expertise to the classroom. Dr. Stephen Ullmann received a Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Organization. Our department prides itself on fostering interdisciplinary, experiential learning, exemplified by the co-teaching of the HEMBA public health policy class by former United States Health and Human Services Secretaries, Donna Shalala and Alex Azar. In addition, our monthly distinguished speaker series and involvement of industry leaders in the classroom further enrich our students’ learning experiences.

As we navigate this era of disruption and artificial intelligence, the Miami Herbert Business School remains dedicated to cultivating transformative scholarship and nurturing principled leaders, especially in the realm of healthcare, for a brighter future.

For more information, visit www.bus.miami.edu.



By Annmarie Kaszubinski, BSN, RN, CEN

Because of the extensive number of retirees who reside in South Florida, 40% of our patients who come to the emergency department at Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale are over the age of 65. By definition, these patients are considered geriatric. However, people are living longer and maintaining healthy, active lifestyles later in life than previous generations, so not every patient above this threshold will need as many accommodations as other patients in this age bracket do.

Something that is very common for elderly patients is the need for a catheter due to incontinence or mobility issues that prevent them from being able to get to the bathroom or use a bedside commode. However, we found that patients were developing infections due to the use of Foley catheters because their skin was not being kept dry and urine with bacteria was making contact with the skin for extended periods of time.

When I was working with emergency medicine physician John P. Cunha, D.O. during the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation process, we discovered the new and improved PureWick catheter for women, which is an external device that keeps urine off the skin, and a condom catheter for men. This helps to prevent patients from developing further complications such as infections.

The American College of Emergency Physicians oversees the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation process. Holy Cross Health has been certified for four years and our current accreditation runs through August 2025, at which point we will apply for recertification. The Holy Cross Health nursing staff and emergency physicians work together to apply for this credential to give us credibility from an esteemed organization. In the application process, we must show what we have in place to provide elderly patients with the highest level of care. For example, we have walkers, bedside commodes and other assistive equipment to help patients who have mobility issues.

This distinction builds trust in our community that Holy Cross Health is the local hospital of choice for Broward County residents. Our medical team is specially trained to communicate with the elderly population by exuding patience and knowing how to handle patients who have hearing impairment, memory issues, cognitive issues, delayed response time, confusion and other conditions that often come with advanced age. The staff also listens to and acknowledges the patients’ input, as well as welcomes the opinions and questions of family members.

Holy Cross Health’s learning system, HealthStream, provides ongoing education to keep medical staff up to date on the latest trends, treatments and products. Each nurse is expected to complete courses through the platform annually, some of which are dedicated solely to elder care. Twice a year, Holy Cross Health hosts in-person skills fairs with training sessions and demonstrations of new equipment or to brush up on existing treatments.

News headlines also contribute to the latest trends in elder care. More patients are inquiring about not only COVID-19 vaccines, but also RSV and shingles. We work with them to make sure they are up to date on their vaccines to help keep them healthy.

The other headline that has gotten people talking is actor Bruce Willis’ diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. When people with notoriety bravely come forward and openly discuss a medical diagnosis, it makes it less taboo. The general population becomes more comfortable discussing it too, rather than brushing it under the rug or living in denial. Of course, celebrities and non-celebrities deserve the right to keep their medical conditions private, but we praise the Willis family and other famous families for sharing their stories because it truly is making a difference in helping seniors get the care they need because they are being more honest and transparent about their symptoms.

At Holy Cross Health, our primary goal is to enable seniors to maintain their independence, live in the comfort of their home environment and stay out of the hospital for as long as possible.

 

Annmarie Kaszubinski is Nurse Manager, Emergency Department at Holy Cross Health.

 



By Philip Smith

Who wouldn’t give a thumbs up to a warm seaside vacation? So, why not make it a ‘smart’ vacation with long-term benefits for overall physical health, weight loss, improved mental attitude and environmental support at the Balance For Life Health Retreat in the Wyndham Hotel in Deerfield Beach, Florida?

The Balance For Life (BFL) mission is that every life should be filled with vibrant physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and a sense of purpose—and teaches the practical tools to attain them in an all-inclusive program focusing on nutrition, fitness, mindfulness and natural treatments. BFL offers a variety of options with specialized programs in juicing, water-only fasting and a SOS-free (no added salt, oil or sugar) plant-based menu for optimal health.

According to Reservations and Information Director Terry Michael, guests overwhelmingly take advantage of this holistic opportunity to de-stress, detoxify and reboot following this gold standard program of plant-exclusive whole food nutrition. “Our remarkable, life-changing program helps guests reduce dependence on medications and processed foods, in addition to experiencing tai chi, yoga and aqua exercises, along with daily health education and recipe/shopping/meal planning workshops from expert physicians, nutritionists and exercise specialists. The overriding goal is to help the guests ensure and promote success at home,” she explains.

Harold Lebovic, founder, was involved in health spas in Florida and the Midwest during the 80s and 90s, and personally benefited by losing weight and maintaining a healthier lifestyle after he found himself a member of the obesity epidemic and threatened with acquired chronic diseases. It was that personal journey that motivated him to create Balance for Life in Florida and offer a comprehensive all-inclusive lifestyle program with health director Dr. Frank Sabatino, who brings four decades of research and expertise in health and wellness spa environments. He personally supervises the vegan whole food plant program, as well as the juice cleansing and water-only fasting programs.

In recent years, the medical community has been investigating more holistic and functional healing options in addition to traditional medicine. Balance for Life clients are people from all different walks of life including educated clinicians, nurses, teachers and moms and daughters who want an ocean front, nurturing sanctuary to start a healthier lifestyle with like-minded people in an intimate group setting.

According to Lebovic, they are not looking for magic potions or lotions, but want to unplug and experience the beginning of a genuine, livable lifestyle. “After the one- or two-week programs, with a daily routine of health education, beach walks, yoga and aqua/fitness exercises classes and a smorgasbord of plant-based meals (which our clients always are amazed at feeling full and satisfied at the end of the day), clients go home rejuvenated, with tips on continuing a successful transition to their home environment minimizing the temptations in their ‘real’ world. They get recipes, tips on using equipment like air fryers and instant-pot meal prep and inspiration that comes from how much better they feel after letting the body heal naturally—even after a short period.

“We encourage our clients to take it a day at a time, with small, consistent changes in every aspect of their day-to-day lifestyles. These small consistent steps yield big results as the guests develop healthy routines and make lifelong friends that they often keep in touch with. And many typically come back as repeat guests for a weekend or longer to reset and take their experience to the next level,” Dr. Sabatino confirms.

While the program isn’t a one-size-fits-all, if you are interested in personally learning the basic steps toward a healthier lifestyle while supporting the ethical treatment of animals and caring for the environment, call the reservation line and consult with experts about the value of an all-inclusive retreat at the oceanfront Balance For Life program in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

 

Philip Smith is the editor-in-chief of Life Extension magazine. For more information about Balance For Life retreats, call (800) 663-929 or visit BalanceForLife.com.