baptist - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T12:39:35Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/baptistAlong the Coast: Hospitals gear up amid moves to protect seniors, others at riskhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-hospitals-gear-up-amid-moves-to-protect-seniors-o2020-04-01T18:27:53.000Z2020-04-01T18:27:53.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960951675?profile=original" /></a><em>Even health aides allowed to enter the Carlisle are screened for signs of illness such as a fever by staff members wearing masks and gloves. ‘We don’t want anything to happen to our residents,’ Carlisle executive director Richard Tournesy says. <strong>Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Charles Elmore </strong></p>
<p>A region built as a haven for retirees finds itself under siege from a virus with no respect for advanced years.</p>
<p><br /> Area hospitals and senior-care communities have barred nearly all visitors and taken a host of extraordinary steps as state health records showed the first 14 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Palm Beach County all involved residents 73 or older. That ranked as the most deaths overall in any Florida county as of March 31.</p>
<p><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="7960951698?profile=original" /></a>At Harbour’s Edge in Delray Beach, resident Nancy Flinn called herself “very supportive” of measures to stem the spread of the virus, even if they mean no more meals or activities in large groups and no visits with loved ones except by phone or computer.</p>
<p><br /> “The average age here is 88,” Flinn said. “I’m in my late 70s. They’re handling each of us as a jewel that has to be protected.”</p>
<p><br /> County deaths associated with the virus included eight men and six women ranging in age from 73 to 94, according to data the Florida Department of Health posted March 31. Three of them were known to travel, to Egypt, Germany, France and New York, and four had known contact with a confirmed case.</p>
<p><br /> Among cities with confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, Boca Raton (103 cases as of March 31), Boynton Beach (83) and Delray Beach (72) all ranked in Florida’s top 20. Also reporting confirmed cases: Lake Worth Beach (37), Lantana (6) and South Palm Beach (1).</p>
<p><br />The virus poses a threat to everyone, but its most relentless pressure has fallen on seniors.</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951479,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960951479,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960951479?profile=original" /></a><em>South Palm Beach resident Denise Bach takes clean clothes and prescriptions for her mother at the Carlisle Palm Beach in Lantana on March 28. Because the facility closed to visitors during the coronavirus crisis, Bach had not seen her mother in more than two weeks. <strong>Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><br /> A 92-year-old man who said he lives alone in Delray Beach told U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, in a teleconference March 26 he was concerned about getting help buying groceries. She and others on the call issued reassurances such help is available.</p>
<p><br /> Options include dialing 211 for Helpline Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, a telephone hotline designed to connect people with social-service agencies. Its services also include helping people who are feeling mental and emotional stress during the crisis.</p>
<p><br /> Walking outside can be fine, but it is important to try to stay about 6 feet away from others, officials said.</p>
<p><br /> “There’s no question for senior citizens and for medically vulnerable people, this is much, much more deadly than the seasonal flu,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.</p>
<p><br /> All of this hits home in a region where the median age exceeds 65 in several municipalities, according to U.S. Census data that acknowledges varying margins of error: Briny Breezes (74 years), Manalapan (66.5), Highland Beach (65. 7) and South Palm Beach (65.6). </p>
<p><br /> Other local towns and cities also surpass the national median age of about 38 years old: Ocean Ridge (58.9), Gulf Stream (54.5), Boca Raton (48.5), Delray Beach (46), Lantana (43) and Boynton Beach (41.5).</p>
<p><br /> Nancy Messonnier, director of Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said about the virus, “Starting at age 60, there is an increasing risk of disease and the risk increases with age. The highest risk of serious illness and death is in people older than 80 years.”</p>
<p><br /> Even before a state-ordered visitor ban, the Carlisle Palm Beach in Lantana had undertaken a series of precautions to protect its more than 230 residents, from curtailing group activities to building up supplies of soap, sanitizers and wipes, said executive director Richard Tournesy. “We don’t want anything to happen to our residents,” he said. </p>
<p><br /> A notice on the facility’s website says new admissions and tours have been suspended.</p>
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<p><strong>Hospitals begin to adapt</strong></p>
<p>Hospitals face their own set of challenges. Delray Medical Center, with 512 beds, became the area’s first hospital to ban visitors, on March 20.</p>
<p><br /> “We are happy to assist our patients with virtual visits via their personal devices,” the hospital’s website said.</p>
<p><br /> Spokesman Ryan Lieber added, “Our clinical leadership will work with families on an individual basis for compassionate care situations including pediatrics and end-of-life.”</p>
<p><br /> At some hospitals, personal devices are also being encouraged for use by potential patients before they go inside the hospital itself. In addition, tents have been prepared on the grounds of at least two local facilities to assist with screening and other measures.</p>
<p><br /> For example, a patient’s first interaction could be through a smartphone, computer or tablet at 400-bed Boca Raton Regional Hospital and 467-bed Bethesda East in Boynton, affiliated with the Baptist Health South Florida system. Doctors say Baptist Health’s Care on Demand app can be a potential “front door” for people seeking care.</p>
<p><br /> “It’s very important that patients are advised properly, especially when they need to come into hospitals and emergency departments for care,” David Mishkin, medical director of Baptist Health Care On Demand, said in an advisory on the hospital’s website. “We can guide them through our tele-platform.”</p>
<p><br /> Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees said in early March that health officials expected “most individuals with COVID-19 will have a mild case” and perhaps 80% can be “home-treated,” the website noted.</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960952082,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960952082,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960952082?profile=original" /></a><em>Staffers in protective gear check in a patient at the Bethesda East emergency room on March 29 in Boynton Beach. The hospital is using an app to evaluate and advise people before they decide to come in. <strong>Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p><br /> Medical authorities nationwide have expressed concern that people with mild symptoms might inadvertently spread the virus in emergency rooms or urgent-care offices also populated with the “worried well,” making it all the more challenging to provide prompt treatment for those who might have more severe cases.</p>
<p><br /> Hospital staff will employ “specific protocols when a patient does meet (COVID-19) criteria for an in-person evaluation based on their assessment on our tele-platform,” Mishkin said, referring to Care on Demand. “We’re going to guide them by notifying the facility, working with our infection control team and the Department of Health to make sure that it’s done in a very safe and smooth manner.”</p>
<p><br /> Baptist Health spokeswoman Georgi Morales Pipkin said, “Some patients are able to self-quarantine, and others may need additional care, according to their condition.”</p>
<p><br /> Delray Medical Center’s parent company, Tenet Health, said in a statement that it has “made preparations to handle the expected surge in patients presenting for emergency evaluation of COVID-19, and we have the proper care protocols to care for the subset of patients needing hospitalization while minimizing exposure to our staff.”</p>
<p><br /> Meanwhile, Frankel told constituents, “You are the best defense against the virus.”</p>
<p><br /> Keeping a safe distance from others, washing hands often and cleaning frequently handled surfaces have become familiar advice, with the CDC reminding: “The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.”</p></div>Health Notes: Sports medicine expert to lead new orthopedic center in West Palmhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/health-notes-sports-medicine-expert-to-lead-new-orthopedic-center2020-01-28T20:28:16.000Z2020-01-28T20:28:16.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Christine Davis</strong></p>
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<p>Dr. Peter Asnis has been appointed medical director of HSS Florida, the soon-to-open new home of Hospital for Special Surgery, which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for orthopedics for the past 10 years by U.S. News & World Report. </p>
<p><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960928056,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960928056,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="142" height="217" alt="7960928056?profile=original" /></a>A specialist in knee and shoulder sports injuries, Asnis was trained at HSS in New York before serving as the lead physician/medical director for the Boston Bruins, head team orthopedic surgeon for the Boston Red Sox, and a team physician for the New England Patriots. He rejoins HSS from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was chief of the Sports Medicine Service.</p>
<p><br /> He earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in biology at Harvard College and his MD with honors in research from what is now known as Weill Cornell Medicine.</p>
<p><br /> Asnis completed his orthopedic residency at HSS in New York. He completed a fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, afterward joining the hospital staff. Asnis is an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School.</p>
<p><br /> A board certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty certification in sports medicine, he is a member of the Team Physician Societies for the National Football League, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. </p>
<p><br /> HHS Florida is at 300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. The new 60,000-square-foot center will offer outpatient orthopedic care, including radiology, ambulatory surgery, rehabilitation and sports performance programs.</p>
<p><br /> HSS Florida will specialize in hand and upper extremity treatment, hip and knee replacement, physiatry, shoulder surgery, sports medicine, and treatment of trauma and fractures.</p>
<p><br /> A satellite location is open at 1395 S. State Road 7, Suite 410, Wellington.</p>
<p><br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960928065,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960928065,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-right" width="154" height="226" alt="7960928065?profile=original" /></a>Dr. Larry Bush has become the 2020 president of the Palm Beach County Medical Society.</p>
<p><br /> Bush has practiced in the specialized field of infectious diseases in Palm Beach County since 1989. He is an affiliated professor of medicine at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, as well as affiliated associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.</p>
<p><br /> He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He did his residency in internal medicine at the Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, where he went on to serve as chief medical resident.</p>
<p><br /> He completed specialty training as a fellow in infectious diseases at the Medical College of Pennsylvania before relocating to South Florida. </p>
<p><br /> <br /> In addition to walking in and waiting, anyone with a minor illness or injury can now reserve a spot at a Baptist Health South Florida Urgent Care or Urgent Care Express. With the “Save My Spot” online reservation system, patients can select a desired arrival time at one of the Baptist Health Urgent Care centers, complete a basic form and wait from home.</p>
<p><br /> “During flu season, patient volumes in our centers can be high. With Save My Spot, our patients will spend considerably less time sitting in a busy waiting room when they’re feeling under the weather,” said Luis Bellmas, vice president of outpatient services, which includes Baptist Health’s Urgent Care and Urgent Care Express centers.</p>
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<p><br /> Moving from the No. 23 spot last year, Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s online master’s degree in nursing is now ranked No. 7 in the nation and is the top-ranked program in Florida for “Best Online Graduate Programs” in 2020 by U.S. News & World Report.</p>
<p><br /> FAU’s College of Business, College of Education and overall online bachelor’s programs also made the list.</p>
<p><br /> “Our college is grounded in caring science, which also extends to and is integrated into the delivery of our online graduate programs,” said Safiya George, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “Faculty, staff and students co-labor together to ensure a positive online learning experience, full engagement with the content and learning environment and mastery of content.</p>
<p><br /> “A combination of exceptional talent, use of best practices, and great leadership from our associate dean for academic programs, Dr. Kay Edwards, and our assistant dean for graduate programs, Dr. Joy Longo, are the keys attributable to this success.”</p>
<p><br /> The FAU College of Nursing’s online master of science degree programs include nursing administration and financial leadership, a 37- to 39-credit-hour program; clinical nurse leader, a 33-credit-hour program; and advanced holistic nursing, a 33-credit-hour program.</p>
<p><br /> The College of Nursing also offers a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate, a 22-credit-hour program.</p></div>Finding Faith: Two congregations join forces to deliver a community Thanksgiving dinnerhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/finding-faith-two-congregations-join-forces-to-deliver-a-communit2019-10-29T21:29:48.000Z2019-10-29T21:29:48.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960903495,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960903495,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960903495?profile=original" /></a><em>County Commissioner Robert Weinroth volunteered alongside Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer at the dinner in 2018. It’s hosted by Congregation B’nai Israel and Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and will take place Nov. 26 this year at Ebenezer. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Janis Fontaine</strong></p>
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<p>On Nov. 26, nearly 3,000 people, many of them children, will dine on dishes made by the best chefs at some of the finest country clubs in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. Another 1,000 will receive dinners packaged to go. But at the end of the meal, there will be no check to pay and no server to tip.</p>
<p>The annual Feed the Community Thanksgiving Dinner is a joint venture by two Boca Raton congregations — Congregation B’nai Israel and Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church — to feed their friends and neighbors who don’t have the resources for a full Thanksgiving meal.</p>
<p>The dinner will take place starting at 3:30 p.m. in Ebenezer’s church building and the surrounding property at the southwest corner of Glades Road and U.S. 1 in Boca Raton. Tents will shield the food, dessert and beverage areas and provide shade for diners.<br />The Thanksgiving dinner tradition has been around longer than senior Rabbi Robert Silvers, who has served the synagogue for 26 years.</p>
<p>“I will brag about it,” he laughs. “It functions as a well-oiled machine. But to us, it’s not a special event. It’s what we do.”<br /> The partnership between the two houses of worship began in 1984, when the synagogue’s leaders approached Ebenezer’s with an idea for a cooperative Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative event.</p>
<p>In 1985, the congregation at Boca Raton’s fledgling synagogue joined with the congregation of the city’s oldest African-American church for an interfaith service in memory of King, a year before Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially celebrated.</p>
<p>From there, the relationship grew.</p>
<p>For the Thanksgiving feast, the kitchens at St. Andrews Country Club, Addison Reserve Country Club, Mizner Country Club and Boca Grove Country Club will each make nearly 1,000 servings of mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni and cheese and green beans. VIP Caterers will roast about 80 turkeys.</p>
<p>This fete isn’t popular with just the diners. There are so many volunteers from CBI’s congregation that it limits each person’s shift to 45 minutes, so everyone gets a chance.</p>
<p>“Now we have two and three generations of volunteers,” Silvers said. “Teens who came with their parents are now here with kids of their own.”</p>
<p>Silvers says Ebenezer and CBI have more in common than one might think.</p>
<p>“We both share the same giving heart,” he says. “We know the value of helping others. It’s a blessing to us to be a blessing to others.”</p>
<p>For more information about the Feed the Community Thanksgiving Dinner and other projects, call coordinator Minda Shaiman at 241-8118, ext. 119 or email minda.shaiman@cbiboca.org, or call Ebenezer church at 391-7357.</p>
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<p><em>Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and events. Contact her at janisfontaine@outlook.com.</em></p></div>Health Notes: Baptist Health names CEO for Bethesda East and Westhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/health-notes-baptist-health-names-ceo-for-bethesda-east-and-west2019-10-29T20:56:39.000Z2019-10-29T20:56:39.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p></p>
<p><strong>By Christine Davis</strong></p>
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<p>Nelson Lazo, a chief executive at Baptist Health South Florida for 12 years, will soon be the new CEO of Bethesda Hospital East and Bethesda Hospital West in Palm Beach County. He will succeed Roger Kirk, who will retire in December.</p>
<p><br /> Lazo will oversee the continued integration of the hospitals with Baptist Health following their 2017 merger. He also will oversee the expansion of Bethesda hospitals’ services.</p>
<p><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960893873,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960893873,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="124" height="188" alt="7960893873?profile=original" /></a>Under Lazo’s leadership as CEO, Baptist Health’s Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables became home to Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, which recently opened the Miami Heat Sports Medicine Center in partnership with the basketball team.</p>
<p><br />The institute is the official sports medicine provider for the Heat, Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, Florida International University, Miami Open tennis tournament, the Orange Bowl and the Miami Marathon.<br /> <br />Teens place a lot of emphasis on popularity and are aware of the difference between being liked and being popular, and when asked to choose, most opt for popularity. Prior research found two groups of popular adolescents: pro-social and aggressive popular teens. <br /> But if you ask a teen about popularity, you might hear about a third group that is both feared and loved. </p>
<p><br /> Researchers from Florida Atlantic University and collaborators in Montreal put the idea of naughty and nice, Machiavellian-like teens to the test. In a new study, they followed 568 girls and boys in the seventh and eighth grades for two years.</p>
<p><br /> Classmates identified those who were aggressive, pro-social and popular. Results of the study, published in the journal Child Development with FAU psychology professor Brett Laursen as a coauthor, identified three distinct types of teen popularity: pro-social popular; aggressive popular; and bistrategic popular or Machiavellian. </p>
<p><br /> The Machiavellian teens were the most popular and were above average on physical and relational aggression as well as pro-social behavior. Just like in the teen comedy Mean Girls, they are aggressive when needed and then “make nice” to smooth any ruffled feathers.</p>
<p><br /> They maintain their popularity by offsetting the coercive behavior required to maintain power with carefully calibrated acts of kindness. These teens balance getting their way with getting along.<br /> <br /> As dementia progresses, the ability to participate in exercise programs declines. But an FAU study found that more than 97 percent of older adults with advanced dementia could do chair yoga or other chair-based exercises and be fully engaged. The subjects showed improvement over time, while a group that undertook music intervention declined.</p>
<p><br />The study, with the results published in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias, intended to test the safety and effectiveness of these non-pharmacological interventions. JuYoung Park, associate professor in the School of Social Work, was lead author.</p>
<p><br /> Both the chair yoga and chair-based exercise groups showed lower depression when compared to the music intervention group. The chair yoga group reported a higher quality of life score, including physical condition, mood, functional abilities, interpersonal relationships, and ability to participate in meaningful activities.<br /> <br /> A new study by researchers in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing showed that older African Americans, European Americans and Hispanic Americans are below the recommended levels of protein intake and are at risk for age-related changes in muscle, and that interventions may be needed to improve their diet and physical health.</p>
<p><br />The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, examined differences in protein intake, nutritional status, and muscle strength and function in these groups. Sareen Gropper, registered dietitian and nursing professor, was the lead author.<br /> <br /> Great Place to Work and Fortune named Baptist Health South Florida one of the country’s best workplaces for women — an organization that best provides resources and support to women. Baptist Health was No. 29 on the list.</p>
<p><br /> “These winning companies are thriving because women have an equal seat at every table where critical decisions are made,” said Michael C. Bush, chief executive officer of Great Place to Work. “Organizations like Baptist Health South Florida know that creating a great workplace where everyone can succeed regardless of gender is not just the right thing to do, but a must-do if you want to be the very best of everything in the marketplace.”</p>
<p><br /> Bethesda Hospital and Boca Raton Regional Hospital are part of the Baptist Health South Florida network.</p></div>Birthday celebration — Seven Bridges, Delray Beach — Aug. 23https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/birthday-celebration-seven-bridges-delray-beach-aug-232019-10-01T19:00:00.000Z2019-10-01T19:00:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960896091,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960896091,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960896091?profile=original" /></a><em>Candace Tamposi and David Barninger. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><em>Monsignor Tom Skindeleski, a member of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller’s Florida Commandery, was the man of the hour at a fundraiser that generated more than $15,000 for a project in western Palm Beach County that will result in a children’s development center at the First Haitian Baptist Church of Belle Glade. Hosts were Matt and Thais Piotrowski, and among the guests was Toni Mastrullo, commander of the order.</em></p></div>Health Notes: Baptist Health merger with Boca Regional is completehttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/health-notes-baptist-health-merger-with-boca-regional-is-complete2019-07-30T20:02:38.000Z2019-07-30T20:02:38.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p></p>
<p><strong>By Christine Davis</strong></p>
<p><strong>Boca Raton Regional Hospital</strong> has officially merged with <strong>Baptist Health South Florida</strong>.<br /> The final merger was announced on July 1, more than a year after Boca Regional began discussions with Baptist in hopes of elevating the hospital’s position as an academic referral center in South Florida.<br /> It was the final step in growing up for a beloved community hospital born out of tragedy in 1967. The poisoning deaths of two young children became the impetus for its funding. The town had about 10,000 residents at that time and a devoted group of volunteers with a mission.<br /> The new partnership ensures both not-for-profit organizations will continue to meet their mutual missions and commitments to elevate health care in an area that reaches across four counties.<br /> “Our organizations share the same calling to improve the health and well-being of individuals and deliver compassionate health care to our patients at the highest standards of excellence and safety,” said Brian E. Keeley, Baptist Health president and CEO. <br /> “We foresee an exciting future at Boca Regional Hospital that will cement its title as the preeminent health care provider in the community.” <br /> <br /> Boca Raton Regional Hospital has earned <strong>Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center</strong> certification from The Joint Commission, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.<br /> “Our expertise in treating stroke through this minimally invasive, catheter-based technique helps improve patient outcomes,” said Brian Snelling, MD, director of cerebrovascular neurosurgery and stroke at Marcus Neuroscience Institute. “This capability also significantly adds to the spectrum of advanced stroke-related services offered at the institute.”<br /> <br /> <strong>Quantum Foundation</strong> recently funded $1.1 million to Palm Beach County programs aimed at access to health-related resources. Of the 12 honorees, <strong>Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches</strong> received $75,000 for its Meals for Veterans program. It supports lower-income, homebound, isolated veterans aged 75 to 95. <br /> In addition, <strong>Genesis Community Health Center,</strong> with sites in Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, received $100,000 to provide access to health resources and a medical home for underinsured and uninsured people in southern Palm Beach County. <br /> Also, <strong>South Tech Skills Academy</strong> received $35,000 to serve South Palm Beach County by providing hands-on training in its practical nursing and medtech program for a traditionally underserved student population.<br /> <br /> Florida is home to approximately 1.5 million military veterans and has the third-largest veteran population in the United States. Researchers from <strong>Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing</strong> have received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to form a primary care workforce of practicing registered nurses who understand the needs of military veterans. <br /> The project, “Caring-based Academic Partnerships in Excellence: Veteran RNs in Primary Care,” is designed to educate and provide clinical training for bachelor of science in nursing students in primary care and to provide professional development to practicing registered nurses in primary care.<br /> <br /><em>Sallie James contributed to this story.</em><br /><em>Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com</em></p></div>