Florida Trend Exclusive
Cardiac care: Stem cell metrics

This in-depth look at cardiac care in Florida begins with a story about how one scientist at Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter is working to help make stem cell therapy more effective. The feature also includes a look at an alternative open-heart surgery procedure known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), Florida Atlantic University’s cardiac specialist training program, and more. [Source: Florida Trend]

See more from this series:
» Implant Option: An alternative to open-heart surgery originally designed for older and sicker people gains traction among a wider range of patients.

» A New Branch of Medicine: Soaring survival rates for children born with heart defects creates demand for adult care specialists.

» Training Cardiac Specialist: Dr. Lee Learman spearheads graduate medical education at FAU.

» Proactivity: Treatments focus on genetic testing to help stem problems before they occur.

DeSantis taps Mary Mayhew to lead Florida health agency

Mary Mayhew, director of the nation’s Medicaid program, is resigning after three months on the job to become Florida’s top health regulator, the state’s governor-elect announced. As secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, Mayhew will replace Justin Senior, who resigned in November to become CEO of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida has 17th highest drug overdose rate

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida had the 17th highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the nation in 2017, a 17 percent increase from the previous year. That's 25.1 deaths for every 100,000 people, and current projections estimate this will grow to 59 deaths per every 100,000 people by 2025. [Source: WLRN]

TGH's heart program recognized as one of nation's best

Tampa General is the only Tampa Bay hospital named on the 2018 list of “100 hospitals and health systems with great heart programs,” published by Becker’s Hospital Review, a national healthcare publication. It’s the seventh time TGH has made the annual list. Only one other hospital in Florida made the list in 2018: UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville. [Source: Florida Trend]

Mayo doctor specializes in American Indians, cancer

She was 5 years old when her grandmother, Ada Salmon, told her that she was meant to be a healer. At the time, she didn’t really know what that meant, but the words from her grandmother, a member of the Choctaw Nation, stuck with her. Judith Kaur is a doctor at Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville campus and has spent much of her career working on health issues that affect Native Americans. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› State rejects ruling on HIV-AIDS care contracts [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Outgoing Gov. Rick Scott’s administration has rejected an administrative law judge’s recommendation that the state should rebid Medicaid managed-care contracts in Southeast Florida for the treatment of people with HIV and AIDS.

› Worldwide plea for donors goes out to help Florida girl with rare blood type [WUSF]
A worldwide search is on for donors of an extremely rare blood type needed to help a South Florida toddler undergoing cancer treatment. Only people of certain ethnicities may be a match. Two-year-old Zainab Mughal has neuroblastoma, which is a nerve cell cancer that mostly affects children under the age of 5.

› Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute offers newly developed 3D casts and splints [Florida Times-Union]
The inspiration for a new high-tech, 3D alternative to traditional plaster and fiberglass casts and splints — available regionally only at Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute — was a young Colorado boy who in 2014 broke his arm. The first-grader’s cast got wet, which led to an infection and permanent scarring.

› Caravan Health, Tampa General Hospital, and USF Health team up to strengthen health care [Florida Trend]
Caravan Health, Tampa General Hospital (TGH), and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine have formed a new partnership to strengthen health care for the Tampa Bay community. The partnership will also include Tampa General Medical Group (TGMG), Florida Urology Partners, and other private physician groups.