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Ademola Adewale
Magic Johnson
Health Care Trends - Around Florida
Health Care Highlights
» AIDS Aid
The University of Miami has partnered with Magic Johnson Enterprises and Clear Health Alliance, a managed care Medicaid specialty plan for HIV/AIDS, to reach the growing HIV/AIDS population in south Florida with services. Miami ranks first nationally in new AIDS cases per capita and Broward ranks second. UM Miller School of Medicine doctors created a team to provide managed care to Medicaid AIDS patients. Clear Health, offered by Coral Gables-based Simply Healthcare Plans, a managed care company, says it eventually will expand to other Florida cities and nationally.
» Post-Stroke
Riviera Health Resort in Coral Gables got its start at the site of an early Miami-Dade nursing home, built in 1952, that served as the location for the Cocoon movie sequel. That 50-bed nursing home was torn down several years ago, and developer Richard E. Stacey Sr. spent $40 million to build a new, for-profit 223-bed facility for short- and long-term care, particularly for post-stroke patients and those who have had hip or knee replacements. A floor is set aside for international medical tourists.
» Help Wanted
Three-quarters of Florida hospitals report difficulty filling the following positions:
| Position | Vacancy Rate |
| Occupational Therapist | 10.4% |
| Radiology Therapist | 9.8 |
| Pharmacy Technician | 7.7 |
| Speech Pathologist | 7.2 |
| Physical Therapist | 6.3 |
| Pharmacist | 6.2 |
| Certified Surgical Technician | 6.0 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | 5.4 |
| Medical Records Coder | 5.2 |
| Medical Technologist | 4.6 |
| Ultrasound Technologist | 4.4 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | 4.4 |
| Cardiovascular Technician | 3.7 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | 3.5 |
| Respiratory Therapist | 3.3 |
| Radiologic Technologist | 3.3 |
| Computer Tomography Technician | 2.5 |
| Mammography Technician | 2.2 |
| MRI Technician | 1.7 |
| Source: Florida Hospital Association | |
» Senior Well-Being
A goal of senior care is to move beyond simply providing drugs and treatment of immediate illness toward prevention and well-being. At the two Healthy Living Centers opened this year by Leon Medical Centers, a for-profit Medicare HMO in Miami, for instance, seniors take yoga, Pilates, stretching and Latin dance and have access to a gym where patients can track their work on individual machines on a thumb drive. The centers, two more of which are opening this year, also provide Skype, computer classes and social media, all offered to keep age from equaling marginalization.
