Interventional Physiatrist Caitlin Cicone, D.O., Joins Baptist Health Medical Group

Interventional physiatrist Caitlin Cicone, D.O., has joined Baptist Health Medical Group, a network of primary care doctors and specialists who provide high-quality medical care to patients of all ages, as part of Baptist Health Neuroscience Center’s Spine Care Program. Dr. Cicone specializes in the non-surgical management of spinal disorders and pain. She has extensive training in minimally invasive, image-guided procedures that help decrease a patient’s pain and improve daily function and quality of life.

Dr. Cicone is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She earned her medical degree at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, MI. She completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, and a fellowship in interventional spine and sports medicine at OSS Health in York, PA. During her fellowship, Dr. Cicone kept student athletes healthy as a team physician for college and high school athletic programs.

Dr. Cicone serves as an editorial reviewer for peer-reviewed medical journals about pain management, publishes in scientific journals and presents at academic symposiums. She is a member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Osteopathic Association.

Ronald Tolchin, D.O., medical director of the spine care program added, “Back pain is an extremely common ailment and one of the top reasons individuals visit their physicians. Dr. Cicone is highly skilled in a variety of nonsurgical pain-relieving interventions that help patients with back pain return to their normal routines.”

Interventional Cardiologist Specializing in Complex Structural Heart, Coronary and Peripheral Interventions Opens Office in Hialeah

Marquand Patton Jr., D.O., an interventional cardiologist specializing in catheter-based treatment of heart disease and cardiac ailments, has joined Tenet Florida Physician Services (TFPS) and opened his office in Hialeah, FL. Dr. Patton is on-staff at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, FL.

Dr. Patton completed a fellowship in interventional cardiology at Alleghany Health Network in Pittsburgh, PA. In addition, Dr. Patton finished a residency in internal medicine followed by a cardiovascular disease fellowship where he served as chief fellow, at Palmetto General Hospital. He graduated medical school from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ.

Dr. Patton is a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI) for vascular sonography interpretation ultrasound. He is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology, the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (CBCCT) and the Adult Echocardiography-National Board of Echocardiography. He is board-eligible in Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Intervention.

Holy Cross Medical Group Adds Gastroenterologist

Gastroenterologist R. Martin Bashir, M.D., has joined Holy Cross Medical Group.

Dr. Bashir joins Holy Cross from Washington, DC, where he was a partner in two medical practices, Capital Digestive Care and Washington Gastroenterology, for more than 18 years.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Gastroenterology, Dr. Bashir also served as a gastroenterology consultant for the Washington Nationals from 2005 to 2014 and for the Washington Redskins from 2000 to 2007.

He is the immediate past governor of the American College of Gastroenterology for Washington, DC, where he has served as fellow for over 17 years. He also is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Additionally, he serves on the board of Chris4Life, a non-profit colon cancer foundation, and is a former board member of the American Cancer Society’s D.C. Cancer Consortium. He also served as director of pancreaticobiliary endoscopy at the Children’s National Medical Center for 17 years.

Holy Cross Medical Group Adds Pediatrician

Pediatrician Maria Garay, M.D., has joined Holy Cross Medical Group.

A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Florida Medical Association, Dr. Garay previously practiced at Plantation Pediatrics. Prior to that role, she served as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa from 2015 to 2017.

Dr. Garay completed her residency in pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia and served on the hospital’s patient safety committee. She earned her medical degree with clinical honors at the Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Puerto Rico, where she received the Department of Psychiatry’s Excellence Award. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

Jenifer Montesino Appointed Vice President of Revenue and Quality at Genuine Health Group

Jenifer Montesino has been appointed vice president of revenue and quality at Genuine Health Group, a Miami-based, technology-enabled healthcare company focused on the transition to value-based care. She will oversee all programs that relate to revenue, including Medicare risk adjustment and quality. Montesino will also implement key activities to improve reimbursement accuracy in relation to patient care and quality ratings. She was previously Director of Medicare Risk Adjustment and STARS Network Performance at UnitedHealth Group.

Lee Health’s Dave Cato Joins Special Olympics Florida Board of Directors

Special Olympics Florida announced Dave Cato, Chief Administrative Officer of Outpatient Services for Lee Health, will join its Board of Directors. Cato not only brings his highly respected leadership skills and strategic business knowledge, but also his extensive background as a health care professional. He has shared this knowledge through extensive community involvement, including as a volunteer Clinical Director with Special Olympics Florida.

In 2018, Cato was awarded the Golisano Health Leadership Award, Special Olympics' highest honor for health partners and health care professionals. He was recognized for his extraordinary efforts and dedication to improving the health of people with intellectual disabilities and advancing Special Olympics' movement and vision towards inclusive health.

For the past six years, Cato has served as a Clinical Director for Special Olympics Florida overseeing "Fun Fitness" which provides physical therapy examinations for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities at local, regional and state Special Olympics Florida events.

Palm Beach Atlantic University Appoints King as Interim Nursing Dean

Provost and Chief Academic Officer E. Randolph Richards has appointed Dr. Phyllis King, professor of nursing, as interim dean of the School of Nursing.

Dr. King joined PBA in 2011, having taught in the nursing program at Milligan College and established her career in adult, pediatric and maternal/child health. She earned her Master of Science degree in nursing and Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She is also a graduate of East Tennessee State University with her B.S.N. degree.

Palm Beach County Medical Society Services, Inc. Announces Four New Board Members

Palm Beach County Medical Society Services, Inc. announces the announces the appointment of four new members of its Board of Directors, Bob Broadway, Madelyn Christopher, Barbara James and Ben Starling III. PBCMS Services board members embody the spirit of community and bring talent, expertise and energy to the table.

The officers for 2019-2020 are Michael Dennis, M.D., President, Ivy Faske, M.D., Vice President, Don Chester, Treasurer, and Matt Gracey, Secretary.

Survivor of Horse Accident Meets and Thanks Lifesaving Trauma Hawk Flight Team

Morgan Temple’s life changed in an instant on January 5, 2019. That is when the horse groomer says one of the horses she was handling in Wellington became excited and kicked her in the face, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. Temple was transported by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s Trauma Hawk air ambulance to St. Mary’s Medical Center’s Trauma Center in West Palm Beach for emergency surgery.

Temple, a 21-year-old resident of Ontario, Canada, recently got the chance to meet and express her appreciation to the Trauma Hawk flight team that rescued her for the first time since her freak accident.

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County owns, operates and maintains two FAA-certified helicopters that have a cruising speed of up to 178 miles per hour. Safe, rapid air transport is critical in the “Golden Hour," the 60-minute window when the human body can compensate for injury. After that, the chances for recovery diminish significantly. The Health Care District’s Trauma Hawk pilot, along with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue medical personnel - Firefighter-Paramedic and Flight Nurse - comprise the aircraft’s flight team. Together they save lives by ensuring that critically ill and injured patients quickly receive the specialized care they need.

The National Institutes of Health Awards FIU Stempel College $2.8 Million to Study the Effects of Soluble Corn Fiber on Bone Mass

The National Institutes of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has awarded Cristina Palacios, associate professor in the department of Dietetics and Nutrition at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, a $2.8 million grant to study the effects of soluble corn fiber as a dietary supplement to optimize bone mass in adolescents.

Currently, calcium intake of U.S. adolescents is inadequate with only 30 percent meeting the dietary recommendations. The current recommendation set by the Institute of Medicine is 1,300 mg/d for children and adolescents, or the equivalent to four servings of dairy products (1 cup of milk, ¾ cup of yogurt, or 1 ounce of cheese).

Puberty is one of the most important windows of development to prevent osteoporosis later in life. More than 1.5 million bone fractures occur yearly in the U.S. and osteoporosis fractures are estimated to cost $25 billion by 2025.

“The main source of calcium in our diets comes from dairy products and adolescents tend to replace dairy consumption with sweetened beverages. Usually dairy product consumption is high just before adolescence but then it falls off during puberty, which is a crucial time for bone mass development,” Palacios said. “As the bones grow and become elongated, they can remain a little hollow if calcium intake is low, which leads to bone loss and fractures later in life.”

Maximizing calcium intake during the key growth period of adolescents is expected to be a key strategy in preventing osteoporosis. Pilot studies have shown that there is a 12 percent greater absorption of calcium into the body when soluble corn fiber, which can be found in powder form and added to foods or drinks, is added to a diet.

The 12-month study will include 236 adolescents who will consume either soluble corn fiber or a placebo twice daily to determine if the soluble corn fiber results in greater bone mass.

“The soluble corn fiber changes the gut microbiome to allow more calcium to be absorbed, but now we need to understand if that greater absorption actually translates to greater bone mass,” Palacios said. “This fiber could be added to foods that are commonly consumed by adolescents to help give them a lifetime of stronger bones.”

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