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Volume 16 • Issue 2• $5.00 August 2019
THE REGION’S MONTHLY NEWSPAPER FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS & PHYSICIANS
Associations Education Associations
FIU’s BHSA and MHSA Programs
Undergoing Changes
to Meet Student Needs
BY VANESSA ORR
Education is ever evolving, and in order to remain rel-
evant, colleges and universities must change with the
times in order to meet the needs of their students. At
Florida International University’s (FIU) Nicole
Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences,
changes are being made to both the undergraduate and
Dr. Ronald F . Giffler Jenna Merlucci
graduate programs in order to better set up students for
success.
In its Bachelor of Health Services Administration
Dr. Ronald Giffler (BHSA) program, for example, closer attention is being SFHEF
paid to the prerequisites required for students to enter
Preparing for the program. Salvatore Barbera Educational
“Our BHSA program continues to have a large student
FMA Presidency following, with approximately 800 to 1,000 students on the BHSA track,” explained Opportunities
Salvatore Barbera, DHA, MHA, FACHE, interim department chair, Health Services
Administration Program, Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences,
Florida International University. “We’ve recently implemented some changes in the Keep Members
BY LOIS THOMSON
Continued on page 26
Ronald F . Giffler, M.D., understands Up-to-Date on
how it works – "it" being the progres-
sion from joining an organization to Changing
becoming its president. Dr. Giffler, who First Choice Neurology:
also has a law degree from the University
of Miami School of Law; an M.B.A. from Offering Florida Neurologists Industry
NOVA University; and is a retired U.S.
Army Medical Corps Colonel, said he an Effective Strategy BY VANESSA ORR
joined the Florida Medical Association
because he wanted to get involved. Now One of the most unique and challeng-
president-elect, he will be installed as in a Complex Healthcare Market ing facets of healthcare is that it is every-
president in August. He said he is look- changing, which means that healthcare
ing forward to it, but added, "I didn't ini- BY DANIEL CASCIATO administrators need to stay up-to-date
tially have any desire to become presi- on the latest trends and news affecting
dent. But you spend more time and get As the largest neurology group in the country , the industry. One of the ways in which to
more involved and eventually you get Medley , FL-based First Choice Neurology has do this is through the South Florida
into a leadership position, and then the more than 41 facilities in six Florida counties Healthcare Executives Forum (SFHEF),
topic comes up – do you want to and services at 35 major hospitals. which provides a wide range of educa-
progress to be president?" The single specialty neurology group was tional opportunities to its members.
Fortunately for the FMA, Dr. Giffler's formed in 2003 and became operational in 2004 “While there are many benefits of
answer was yes, and he has the experi- in response to South Florida’s increasing need for membership, the one that is most impor-
ence and background to enable him to high-quality neurology services. First Choice tant to me is the education that it pro-
accomplish quite a bit during his one- Neurology has over 75 Neurologists as well as vides because the presentations are
year term. He has been a member of the diagnostic and rehabilitative services, including extremely relevant to today’s healthcare
Florida Medical Association for 37 years, the practice of Brian Costell, M.D., a neurologist industry,” explained Jenna Merlucci,
and during that time has served as treas- based in Boca Raton, FL. director of clinical business operations
urer, vice president, and president-elect, One of the reasons that Dr. Costell became a for the Cardiac and Vascular Institute at
as well as on numerous committees and part of the group was because it was a single spe- Memorial Healthcare System (MHS).
boards. In addition, he served in similar cialty neurology group and not a multi-specialty Dr. Brian Costell “I’ve attended presentations focused on
capacities for the Broward County one. finance, diversity, quality metrics and
Medical Association, beginning in the “Being a part of a single specialty neurology group, we gain all of the knowledge of patient care, and it really helps to get dif-
late 1990s. working together and basically doing the same job for the same goal,” says Dr. Costell ferent executives’ perspectives. I’ve
Dr. Giffler said the FMA is involved in who joined the network last year. “Our other option was to join a multi-specialty group found it very helpful in my day-to-day
three main activities: education, charita- of general surgeons. It offers the same goals as other physicians but it’s from different work, as well as in looking at ways to
ble works, and political advocacy. specialties.”
Continued on page 10 Continued on page 13 Continued on page 4