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Tampa Bay: Gateway to Florida's High Tech Healthcare Corridor
Tampa Bay isn't just a pretty place to live; it's the gateway into the 23-county Florida High Tech Corridor.
More than 3,000 healthcare research centers, universities, information and medical technology firms, medical device manufacturers and suppliers are nestled throughout Tampa's seven-county coverage area at the edge of the corridor formed by the University of South Florida, University of Central Florida and University of Florida.
BY GLORIA BUTLER BALDWIN |
FMA Seeks Medicaid Reimbursement Increase
The state's medical community posted an impressive record in the Florida legislature this year: two wins, no losses, one tie.
Ultimately, though, it was patients who were the clear winners. The new laws that went into effect over the summer codify some needed patient safeguards.
With the 2006 session behind them, officials for the medical industry are starting to turn their attention to the legislature's next 60-day session, which begins in March.
BY MARTY CLEAR |
Eating Disorders Wear Numerous Masks
Caused by genetic, sociological and psychological factors, eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive overeating) are among the deadliest mental disorders, with up to 10 percent of those afflicted succumbing to death as a result of starvation, cardiac arrest or suicide.
Although the stereotypical anorexic, bulimic or compulsive eater is female, eating disorders also affect men. The incidence of eating disorders among males is estimated at 10 percent and growing.
BY WENDY R. LEVINE GROSS |
Insurance Companies, Government Funded Healthcare Projects, Medical School Curriculums Often Overlook Eating Disorders
Emphasizing that the prognosis for individuals suffering from eating disorders improves when they receive treatment as soon as possible, Pauline S. Powers, director of the eating disorders program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF), urges her colleagues to take this patient population seriously.
However, according to Powers, author of two books focusing on obesity and eating disorders, getting necessary treatment for those with eating disorders is often difficult because insurance companies discriminate against these patients.
BY WENDY R. LEVINE GROSS |
Bariatric Program Takes Interdisciplinary Approach to Weight Loss
When the standard prescription of diet and exercise fails them, morbidly obese patients in the Tampa Bay area often turn to Tampa General Hospital's bariatric services program and its interdisciplinary team of physicians for help.
Nearly 1,100 patients have been surgically treated for obesity through the program since it was established in 1998. While gastric bypass, also known as Roux-en-Y surgery, is the most prevalent type of surgery, the program also provides gastric banding to qualifying patients.
BY ELLEN MOSES |
Attacking Bad Debt
To help alleviate bad debt problems, Nashville-based Affiliated Creditors, Inc. (ACI), a 20-year-old collection firm specializing in healthcare for the last quarter-century, has incorporated a collections program into its practice that has won accolades from healthcare providers.
"By focusing on the revenue cycle, we've developed a closed loop system for facilities to implement in their business office processes," explained Chad Williams, ACI vice president of sales and marketing.
BY LYNNE JETER |
Physician Spotlight: Dr. Eric B. Haura
He came to Tampa six years ago as a junior faculty member in the thoracic oncology and experimental therapeutics program at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute with an impressive resume and an ambitious vision.
After training in hematology and oncology and at the genetics department of Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Eric Haura envisioned a lung cancer research facility with the ability to take experimental treatments from the bench to the bedside.
BY ELLEN MOSES |
VeinViewer Makes Drawing Blood A Cinch
After only a few months in the marketplace, VeinViewer by Luminetx™ is a hit among doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
The device, which allows clinicians to clearly see accessible vasculature (or lack thereof) in real time, uses a combination of near-infrared light and patented technologies to image vascular structures and project their location directly on the surface of the skin.
BY LYNNE JETER |
AMA Offers Health Savings Accounts for Physicians
The American Medical Association (AMA) is helping physicians take advantage of the savings and flexibility of health savings accounts (HSAs).
The newest offering from the AMA Insurance Agency is an alternative to traditional health insurance for both personal and practice health protection needs.
"The AMA, largely through its advocacy efforts, was a major player in getting HSAs their legs in January 2004.
BY SHARON H. FITZGERALD |
The Games Doctors and Nurses Will Play
The big news story of the Christmas session past was the shortage of Sony PlayStation 3® (PS3) machines. Supply wasn't close to keeping up with demand, even though the unit retails for over $600. An estimated 20,000 buyers quickly flipped their units on eBay, fetching as much as double the retail price. Meanwhile, the cheaper Nintendo Wii™ machine sold 600,000 units in just its first eight days on the shelves.
BY RICHARD W. OLIVER |
Magnetic Leadership People Remember — And They Talk!
"I tried to tell them something wasn't right, but nobody would listen to me. They thought they had all the answers. Now look what happened. If only they would have done something earlier, we wouldn't be going through this."
"You wouldn't believe how long we had to wait! Those doctors act like they're the only ones with a schedule. My time is important, too!"
"Listen, that's the best place to get help for that. They treat you like a real person there, not just a number."
By Beverly Smallwood |
Moffitt Cancer Center Hosts Molecular Targets In Cancer Therapy Conference
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute is sponsoring an international biomedical conference, "Molecular Targets in Cancer Therapy Conference," to bring together top cancer researchers to foster exchange of the most recent findings and ideas in tumor immunology. The conference will be held January 25-28 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort on Clearwater Beach.
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