In Florida hospitals, lessons learned from more than 3,300 deaths

| 6/30/2020

In Florida hospitals, lessons learned from more than 3,300 deaths

As Florida infections hit new highs in recent days and patients again flood into local hospitals, nurses and doctors bring three months’ experience to the fight. The lessons learned from more than 3,300 deaths now guide the health response to a mysterious virus that may still be in its infancy. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WLRN.

Florida nursing home groups worry closures could be coming

Gov. Ron DeSantis has a $93 billion budget in his hands and what he does next could determine the fate of some nursing homes in the state, according to industry groups. The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), which represents most of the nursing homes in the state, says facilities could close if the governor vetoes an increase in Medicaid payment rates, which was approved by state legislators. [Source: NBC Miami]

Analysis: 1.75 million Floridians would lose health insurance if ACA repealed

More than 23 million Americans, including 1.75 million Floridians, would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is repealed, a Center for American Progress (CAP) analysis found. Among those losing coverage would be nearly 200,000 Floridians who have signed onto Obamacare after losing their jobs and employer-provided insurance during the COVID-19 emergency, CAP said. [Source: The Center Square ]

Another outbreak in the Florida Keys. County reports 8 new cases of dengue fever

Eight new cases of dengue fever have been confirmed in the Upper Florida Keys, the state health department said Friday. The patients received medical attention and are expected to make full recoveries. This makes 10 reported cases of dengue so far in the Keys this year, according to the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County. [Source: Miami Herald ]

Floridians look for clear messaging on masks as covid cases spike

As more people test positive, local municipalities from Key West to the Panhandle are ordering people to wear masks. But Governor Ron DeSantis has resisted a statewide rule. On the Florida Roundup, hosts Tom Hudson and Melissa Ross talked about the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, and wearing masks to protect against the virus. They spoke with Dr. Cindy Prins, Associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, and Dr. Cheryl Holder, a doctor of internal medicine and Associate Professor at Florida International University College of Medicine. [Source: WUSF]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Mayo Clinic, Medically Home team up on new hospital-at-home program [Home Health Care News]
Mayo Clinic announced Thursday that it has teamed up with technology-enabled services company Medically Home to provide hospital-level care in the home. The new program will allow Mayo Clinic’s patients to transition from the hospital back home, with support from virtual and in-person care. Once home, patients may also receive recovery services under the direction of Mayo Clinic physicians. The program will first launch in Jacksonville, Florida, in early July.

› Company agrees to sell Bayfront Health St. Petersburg to central Florida health care system [WTSP]
Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, a 480-bed hospital located in Pinellas County, and its associated assets are set to be sold to a subsidiary of Orlando Health. The hospital's parent company, Community Health Systems, Inc., announced Thursday that an affiliate of the company had signed a definitive agreement on its sale.

› Central Florida HCA hospitals offer hotline to help families find health insurance coverage [Osceola News-Gazette]
As Florida continues to experience a high unemployment rate amid the coronavirus pandemic, the loss of health insurance coverage is also a major concern of those who are unemployed. HCA Healthcare hospitals in Central Florida have made available a free insurance hotline to help individuals and families who have lost health insurance coverage find temporary coverage while they are unemployed.

› Cleveland Clinic Florida CEO stepping down [South Florida Business Journal]
Dr. Wael Barsoum stepped down as president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida to work with a for-profit health care company. He was named president and chief transformation officer of HOPCO, a Phoenix-based company that owns and manages orthopedic and musculoskeletal practices.

Tags: Health Care eNews

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