Florida nurses rally for improved staffing, health insurance and AI safeguards
Nurses at Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah joined thousands of fellow caregivers nationwide Thursday morning to express concerns over low staffing levels, the need for up-to-date equipment, quality health insurance and artificial intelligence safeguards. The march was organized by the National Nurses United to highlight broad support among nurses for solutions that prioritize patient care. More from Health News Florida and WINK News.
For patients in Central Florida, whole-person care extends to the home
The AdventHealth Hospital at Home program launched at AdventHealth Winter Park allows patients who would have required an inpatient stay at the facility to receive care at home instead. The program will open a range of home healthcare services. Including skilled nursing, physical therapy, home infusions, speech therapy and home health aides We know people want to heal at home, and now the technology allows that to happen for more people,” said Maura Nazario, vice president of clinical operations for AdventHealth home-based services. [Source: WFTV]
USF public health expert reflects on COVID-19 in the U.S. after five years
Believe it or not, it's been five years since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the United States. It wasn't even called COVID yet when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case in Washington state. It would take a couple of months for the virus to spread in Florida and for society as we knew it to turn upside down. But Donna Petersen was already on alert. The professor and former dean of the University of South Florida's College of Public Health led the institution's COVID-19 task force. [Source: WUSF]
An appeals court weighs Florida's restrictions on gender-affirming treatment
After a district judge found “animus” toward transgender people, a federal appeals court Wednesday heard arguments in a battle about a Florida law and regulations that restrict treatments for people with gender dysphoria. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took up Florida’s appeal of a decision last year by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle that the restrictions were unconstitutionally discriminatory. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Tampa General led the nation in number of transplants in 2024
Tampa General Hospital led the nation in transplant surgeries for the first time in its history. Surgeons performed a hospital record 889 transplants in 2024, up from 756 procedures the previous year when it was ranked fourth for transplants. The Davis Islands hospital surpassed the Mayo Clinic Hospital Arizona, University of California San Francisco Medical Center and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› FAU study reveals a surprising new way to relieve back pain
Florida Atlantic University researchers conducted a pilot study that uncovered a treatment for back pain people may not have considered. The treatment called Qigong (pronounced “chee-gong”) is a traditional Chinese practice that combines gentle movements, controlled breathing, and meditation to balance the body’s energy.
› Central Florida mental health organizations raise money to provide free resources
One in five adults in America lives with a mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. That's close to 58 million people. Three Central Florida organizations are preparing for major fundraisers to help provide free resources and critical care.
› Deaths decline at Duval County jail in the first year under a new medical provider
A year after changing medical providers, Duval County jail officials reported a more than 50% decrease in the number of incarcerated people who died in the facility. Fifteen people died in the jail in 2023, compared with seven in 2024. Causes included preexisting medical complications such as cancer and infections, pneumonia brought on by COVID-19 in one case and two overdoses.
› HCA opens its second emergency room in Lee County. What to know
HCA Florida Healthcare has opened a freestanding emergency room in Fort Myers. The location is 8919 College Pointe Court. It is a nearly 11,000-square-foot center that operates 24/7 with full emergency services that include laboratory, X-rays, CT scanning and ultrasound. The ER is operated by HCA Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, which opened a similar freestanding emergency room in Cape Coral in June 2022.