Page 7 - January 2021 South Florida Hospital News

Let’s Connect: ACHE of South Florida

Spotlight

ACHE of South Florida Responds to Pandemic by Providing

Members with Financial Awards and Assistance

BY VANESSA ORR a local food bank to leverage healthy food for seniors
who needed to shelter in place due to age and/or chronic
ACHE of South Florida has always been focused on supporting its members, and health conditions.
that mission didn’t change during the pandemic. In fact, the organization offered eli- “Memorial has been doing everything possible to keep
gible members two financial awards programs in 2020; one to recognize those going members of the community protected from the spread
above and beyond, and the other to help those who might be struggling during these of COVID-19,” Curtin explained. “We have a responsi-
troubling times. bility during this time to increase support due to the
“While our chapter has historically given out scholarships for students twice a year, additional challenges of virtual school, work disrup- Timothy Curtin
with everything going on right now, we thought it would be important to also do tions, business closures and increasing mental health
something broader for our membership base, “ explained ACHE of South Florida’s concerns.”
2020 President Haroula Protopapadakis, FACHE. “It’s been a long, difficult year for
our members, who are, by and large, healthcare workers. We wanted to support indi- Helping Those in Need
viduals in direct patient care by recognizing their efforts.” In addition to recognizing healthcare heroes, ACHE of
To this end, ACHE of South Florida presented the Healthcare Heroes award in South Florida also provided financial assistance to those
November, which provided $2,500 each to two deserving members. in need earlier this year through a Stimulus Fund,
The awardees include Yisell Fernandez, an ICU registered nurse at Mount Sinai which provided eligible members with $500 each.
Medical Center, and Timothy Curtin, a behavioral health administrator with “A lot of people have lost their jobs or had their hours
Memorial Healthcare System’s Community Services Department. reduced, or have been financially impacted by the
Fernandez was recognized for her efforts in supporting patients and their families COVID lockdown in some other way, such as not being
in the ICU, who have had to deal with the fact that they can’t be with their loved ones. able to pay student loans,” said Protopapadakis. “It was
“It is so much harder for them because they have to remain separated,” said our way to give back to the healthcare community that
Fernandez. “So I have been there holding hands, laughing, giving them my shoulder has been adversely affected by the pandemic.”
to cry on, and believing in faith with my patients when there is no hope. The funding for these awards came from local donors Yisell Fernandez
“There are no words to say how much I value my work, my patients and their fam- and sponsors, who typically support ACHE’s education-
ilies,” she added. “It is because of them and for them that I feel proud to be an ICU al and networking programs, as well as the student case
nurse today.” competition and student scholarships.
Curtin demonstrated incredible dedication by making sure that Memorial’s patients “This year, we were not able to do any of those in-person events, so we used that
were safe, cared for, and had access to services and supports throughout the pandem- money to support our members and the healthcare community in a different way,”
ic. He leveraged the necessary telehealth equipment to seamlessly transition his entire said Protopapadakis, adding that the organization will continue to hold virtual events
150-person department to a virtual telehealth format, and oversaw the creation of a to enable members to get the certifications and continuing education credits they
YouTube Channel to provide community resources. He and his staff provided coun- need.
seling sessions, case management services and support groups, and created a robust “We are very grateful to have been able to financially assist members during the
schedule of virtual events for Memorial’s 4,200 Senior Partners members. pandemic thanks to the generosity of our sponsors,” added 2021 ACHE of South
Curtin and his staff also created a “Front Porch Support” delivery model, driving Florida President Kenneth C. Wong, FACHE. “The level of assistance that we provid-
to patient’s homes to drop off face masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, adult formula and ed this year was unprecedented, and I hope that we can continue to support our
diapers. With 80 percent of older adults facing food insecurity, he also connected with members and the healthcare community in the year ahead.”

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Subscribe to...

SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS &
Center Now Offering Patients the HEALTHCARE REPORT today!
Subscribe online at
WATCHMAN FLX™ Device www.southfloridahospitalnews.com

for Atrial Fibrillation or call 561-368-6950

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center now offers
the WATCHMAN FLX™ for patients who have a
high risk of stroke with non-valvular atrial fibrilla-
tion (NVAF) who need an alternative to oral antico-
agulation therapy by permanently closing off the left
atrial appendage-the area of the heart where stroke-
causing blood clots commonly form in NAVF.
“Built upon the success of the WATCHMAN™
platform, this next generation WATCHMAN FLX™
device is designed to offer improved procedural out-
comes for patients, including reduced complication
risk, said Dr. David Weisman, electrophysiologist on Dr. David Weisman
staff at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. “We
look forward to bringing these benefits to our
patients at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center who need an alternative to the
bleeding risk and lifestyle challenges associated with the long-term use of blood
thinners.”
This technology features a new, fully rounded design offering physicians the
ability to safely enter, and maneuver within the left atrial appendage. It is the first
LAAC device that can be fully recaptured, repositioned and redeployed for precise
placement, and the new frame design allows for optimal device engagement with
the tissue for long-term stability and a faster, more complete seal.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com January 2021 7