How Florida missed out on $2.2 billion in Medicaid funding for schools
Florida lawmakers reached a rare consensus after the deadly Parkland school shooting: More money was needed for mental health counseling at schools. Two years later, lawmakers passed a bill allowing Medicaid dollars assigned to school districts to be used for more types of care for kids, including counseling. But state officials didn’t adopt the changes. And they have refused to comply with federal guidelines that would help school districts provide that care. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Trend Exclusive
Healing hub
After two years of construction, Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery opened their joint $140-million, 100,000-sq.-ft. orthopedic complex next to NCH North Hospital. The team offers minimally invasive and specialized treatments for foot and ankle injuries, hip and knee replacements, and spine and sports medicine. [Source: Florida Trend]
State leaders seek community input to improve Florida’s health care system
State lawmakers are trying to get a betting understanding of Florida’s health care system. Dozens of leaders from hospitals, insurance companies, schools, and more discussed the issues during a round table in Tallahassee Monday afternoon. They shared what they thought of how many state initiatives were working and what needed to be improved. Representative Gallop Franklin said the idea is to address some of their concerns in next year’s legislative session. More from WTXL and WCJB.
Cosmetic surgeries in Florida led to disfiguring injuries, patients allege
Cosmetic surgery chains have been the target of scores of medical malpractice and negligence lawsuits alleging disfiguring injuries — including 12 wrongful death cases filed over the past seven years. Injured patients have accused the chains of hiring doctors with minimal cosmetic surgery training, of failing to recognize and treat life-threatening infections and other dangerous surgical complications, and of high-pressure sales tactics that minimized safety risks, court records show. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida is now a haven for unproven stem-cell treatments
Florida is the latest state to sidestep the authority of the Food and Drug Administration by allowing patients to access certain stem-cell treatments that have not been rigorously evaluated and approved. Under a new law that went into effect July 1, doctors in Florida can administer unapproved stem-cell therapies for wound care, pain management, or orthopedic purposes. Supporters say the law helps protect patients, while critics argue it opens the door for physical and financial harm. [Source: Wired]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› AI with bedside manner: IntelePeer is rewriting healthcare ops from Dania Beach
Frank Fawzi doesn’t have a medical degree, but he’s helping doctors sleep better at night. Literally. The longtime South Florida tech executive and CEO of IntelePeer is betting big on AI tools that lighten the administrative and clinical load for healthcare providers – from handling patient intake and appointment logistics to triaging late-night prescription requests. It’s not a moonshot vision. It’s already in motion.
› AdventHealth Orlando earns top Florida spot in annual hospital rankings by U.S. News
AdventHealth Orlando earned the top spot in Florida on this year’s U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings released Tuesday. For 36 years, the publication has compiled the rankings to help patients make informed decisions about where to seek care. AdventHealth Orlando came out nationally ranked in 11 adult and three pediatric specialties and rated high performing in 22 adult procedures and conditions. It was also one of 20 facilities on the honor roll, which highlights consistent excellence across multiple specialties and procedures.
› Ashley Norse installed as President of the Florida Medical Association
Dr. Ashley Norse of Jacksonville is officially the new president of the Florida Medical Association (FMA). Norse was installed as the 149th president of the FMA during its annual meeting in Orlando this past weekend. She succeeds retired Dr. Lisa Cosgrove in the role. A board-certified emergency medical physician, Norse has held leadership roles in Florida medicine since joining the FMA Board of Governors in 2008.
› DeSoto County’s only hospital considers sale or merger as Medicaid cuts loom
In DeSoto County, where cattle pastures and orange groves stretch for miles and a shortage of doctors already strains access to basic care, the only hospital is weighing its future at a time of deep uncertainty for rural health care nationwide. The 49-bed DeSoto Memorial Hospital in Arcadia issued a request for proposals that could lead to new ownership or outside control — just as looming Medicaid cuts and a wave of rural hospital closures leave communities like this one increasingly vulnerable.