Florida’s strategy for tackling its top 5 health concerns

You don’t want your nursing home to abuse you, your hospital to overcharge you, or life-saving medical care to be outside your grasp. The job of ensuring this in Florida is challenging. That challenge lies with Mary Mayhew, secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Mayhew oversees $29.4 billion in spending for healthcare, close to 31% of Florida’s total state budget. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Florida’s race to stop the spread of new coronavirus before it hits

Florida’s role in the race to prevent the new coronavirus from turning into an outbreak in the United States will be critical with the state’s vulnerable elderly population and the flood of international visitors. Florida’s health officials say there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state. But health care providers and government officials in Florida desperately want to get ahead of the new virus that originated in China and has spread to more than two dozen countries. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, WUSF, and WLRN.

See also:
» A Miami man who flew to China worried he might have coronavirus. He may owe thousands

Passage of parental consent bill draws strong reaction on both sides

Proponents and critics reacted strongly to the Florida Legislature’s passage of a measure that will require minors seeking an abortion to get their parents' approval. On Thursday, the Florida House of Representative passed the contentious bill by a vote of 75-43. [Source: Health News Florida]

Florida’s top doctor: Majority of hepatitis A-infected restaurant workers kept secret from public

Florida health bosses have only told the public about 20% of hepatitis A cases in food services statewide, according to the state’s surgeon general – a stunning admission in the wake of a Dirty Dining I-Team Investigation which uncovered dozens of restaurant workers testing positive for hepatitis A. [Source: WFTS]

Senators back changing opioid law

A Senate panel last week approved blunting a broadly written 2019 opioid law that left many Florida physicians confused. The Senate Rules Committee unanimously approved a bill (SB 1080) that would exempt hospital critical-care units and emergency departments and health care providers who dispense or administer anesthesia from a requirement to provide patients with information about non-opioid alternatives. [Source: WUSF]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Crews discover time capsule during construction at Florida hospital [Action News Jax]
Crews discovered a time capsule during construction of a new emergency department at a Florida hospital. The capsule was labeled “1953-1963.” AdventHealth Winter Park CEO Justin Birmele opened the time capsule and discovered news clippings and other historical documents from the early days of the hospital.

› Northwest Florida State nursing program stays among state’s elite [Northwest Florida Daily News]
It’s no secret that Florida, being the third-most populous state in the country, is home to quite a few colleges and universities. And quite a few of those feature nursing programs — around 150 at last count. Northwest Florida State College’s nursing program recently found itself in some elite company among that group.

› Sarasota Ballet will use dance, movement to help Parkinson’s patients [Tampa Bay Times]
Movement helps slow the progression of Parkinson’s Disease. And what better way is there to move than dance? The Sarasota Ballet wants to use dance to help Parkinson’s patients. Their dancers will be teaching classes at the Parkinson’s Expo presented by Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s on Feb. 29 at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd.

› Baptist Health expanding its focus on children at downtown campus [WUSF]
Baptist Medical Center is expanding its mental health acute care clinic to include children. Terrie Andrews with Baptist Behavioral Health said Thursday the clinic was created to make sure people with mental health issues can get immediate help. “Often times you can wait for weeks, sometimes months, to see an outpatient provider. And what we’re trying to do is quickly provide access to patients so that we can avoid any type of crisis.”