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Florida's universities get creative to meet demand for new nurses

Florida’s universities get creative to meet demand for new nurses

With more rehabilitation facilities, urgent cares, walk-in medical clinics and outpatient facilities, it is easier than ever to get medical treatment outside of a hospital or doctor’s office. But will there be enough nurses to provide proper care? Amid a potential nursing shortage that threatens Florida’s healthcare system, the state’s universities and colleges are devising creative solutions to graduate more nurses. [Source: ]

Florida mom warns: 'There's Lyme disease everywhere'

The number of people in Florida infected with Lyme disease has spiked dramatically. And Florida mom Melanie Milner is living proof that Sunshine State doctors can be slow to diagnosis the disease, which is more prevalent in the Northeast where the deer ticks that spread it are more common. According to a recent Quest Laboratories study, there was a 77% increase in the number of Lyme disease infections in Florida between 2015 and 2017. [Source: WJXT]

Could Florida have one of the biggest medical marijuana programs in the U.S.?

Florida’s $250 million medical marijuana market is poised to swing its doors open to new companies next year after two judicial rulings in recent months that could reshape the competitive landscape. More competitors would be a change for the Sunshine State’s large MMJ market, which currently is dominated by about a half-dozen vertically integrated operators. [Source: South Florida Reporter]

Latest in medical technology expected to draw thousands to Florida International Medical Expo

The latest in medical technology is only part of what awaits the thousands of visitors expected at this month's 29th annual Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) in Miami Beach. The expo June 26-28 at the Miami Beach Convention Center will attract attendees from around the world, FIME Exhibition Manager Gil Alejo said in the interview. [Source: ]

Fewer Florida children enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP in 2018

The number of children covered by Medicaid declined in Florida and other states for the first time in more than a decade. With the unemployment rate at historic lows, that could mean that more children are being covered by their parents’ employers. But some experts say something else is at play. [Source: ]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida doctor publishes book on physician burnout
Dr. Amaryllis Sánchez Wohlever knows firsthand what it’s like to experience burnout. Several years after dealing with and recovering from burnout in her practice, she’s written a book to help other doctors identify and address the symptoms so that they can better care for themselves and their patients.

› Mental health support a top concern for Duval County
Mental health and substance abuse are two of the biggest problems plaguing local families, according to a new study released Friday by Northeast Florida healthcare groups. The latest "Community Health Needs Assessment" identifies mental health as an area where the need is strong in Northeast Florida.

› First measles, now mumps - and Florida is on the list
Mumps has begun to make a comeback in Florida and around the globe, and Alachua County in Florida is among the places it’s gotten a foothold. An increased number of reports of the contagious virus — which brings fever, muscle aches and headaches and its trademark puffy jowls look, among other symptoms — has local health officials worried.

› Surge in Florida health workers suspended for student loan defaults
The U.S. Department of Education estimates Americans are past due on more than $1.5 trillion worth of student loan debt, with Florida ranking in the top 10 of states with the most number of defaulted loans. A state statute allowing the Florida Department of Health to suspend medical licenses for defaulting on a student loan has gotten little attention, until recently.