The Palm Beach County Medical Society Services honored 39 men, women and organizations in health care for their outstanding service during the 16th annual Heroes in Medicine luncheon. The event was held in May at the Kravis Center’s Cohen Pavilion.
Shawn Baca, MD, Rheumatology Associates of South Florida, Boca Raton, and Colleen Haley, ARNP, Team Health, received the Hero in Medicine of the Year awards.
Other South County honorees included Michelle Lizotte-Waniewski, PhD, and medical students Jordyn Cohen and Rachael Silverberg of Florida Atlantic University; Bonnie and Jon Kaye of Kaye Communications; Pediatric Interest Group at FAU; Rhonda Goodman, PhD, of FAU nursing; Stephanie Stiepleman of West Boca High’s Medical Science Academy; Anthony Goldberg and Tatiana Cavarretta of the FAU Student Nurses Association; Mario Jacomino, MD; Ari, Gracyn and Jarrett Smith of Smith Smiles Toy Donations; Mary Labanowski, MD; Jose Castaneda, MD; and Diane Schofield, RN.
In honor of Stroke Awareness Month, Delray Beach Medical Center held its Stroke Survivors Reception and Get With the Guidelines Award presentation.
Jeffrey Walker, director of quality and systems improvement from the American Heart Association, Palm Beach County, presented the hospital’s stroke team with the Get With the Guidelines Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus award for the fifth consecutive year. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the quickest, safest and most appropriate treatment.
The Elite Plus Gold designation represents the highest level of distinction that can be awarded by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
In June, Delray Medical Center, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital and West Boca Medical Center led a community effort to provide area children and adults struggling with hunger with a healthy breakfast during the summer through the Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive.
The following partnerships took place: Delray Medical Center: CROS Ministries/Caring Kitchen of Delray; Good Samaritan Medical Center: Feeding South Florida; Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center: Feeding South Florida; St. Mary’s Medical Center & Palm Beach Children’s Hospital: Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County; West Boca Medical Center: Boca Helping Hands.
Out of approximately 460 programs nationwide, Palm Beach State College was one of 139 to receive the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. Graduates of Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care-accredited programs in the U.S. are eligible to take the registered respiratory therapist credentialing exam administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Upon passing the exam, they become registered respiratory therapists.
The college’s Respiratory Care program is also recognized by the American Medical Association. The associate’s degree program is based at the Palm Beach Gardens campus.
Andrew Burki, Hanley Foundation’s new chief public policy officer, will develop the foundation’s relationships with national recovery organizations to create grant and funding opportunities related to the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, with a focus on initiatives for young people.
Burki holds a master’s degree in social work from Florida Atlantic University. He is a member of the Young People in Recovery national board, as well as a board member of a recovery high school in Philadelphia. He served on the Florida Sober Homes Task Force and participated on advisory panels for the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration under the last two presidential administrations.
In 2012, he founded an academically focused comprehensive continuum of care offering treatment for young people with substance use disorders.
The Hanley Foundation is based in West Palm Beach.
Delray Acura collected 23 pints of blood during a drive on June 14 as part of World Blood Donor Day and Acura’s annual National Week of Service.
Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com
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