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What’s New...What’s New... What’s New...

Jupiter Medical Center Offers First of Its Kind HeartWell’s CHIP Program Identifies
Procedure to Treat Adults with Severe Asthma Individuals for Non-Surgical Treatment

Jupiter Medical Center is pleased to announce that it now offers Bronchial
Thermoplasty (BT) delivered by the Alair™ System. BT is a safe, outpatient procedure As cardiologists, naturally the physicians at HeartWell
that is proven to reduce asthma attacks and emergency rooms visits for at least five years are accustomed to seeing patients with various heart
in adult patients with severe asthma, and is shown to improve asthma-related quality of issues. But no two patients are exactly alike – and there-
life for people living with the disease. fore, no two treatment programs are identical.
In a clinical study, at year one compared to a control group, patients who had the BT HeartWell has established a CHIP program – Complete
procedure showed: revascularization for High-risk Indicated Patients – that
• a 32 percent reduction in severe asthma attacks identifies patients who are at high risk for revasculariza-
• an 84 percent reduction in emergency room visits for respiratory related symptoms tion of their coronary artery blockages and work to estab-
• 66 percent fewer days lost from work, school, and other activities due to asthma lish a personalized treatment program to help by other
symptoms means.
Prior to the BT procedure, doctors had only pharmaceutical medications to offer their “We see patients that may have already had surgery,
severe asthma patients, which offered temporary relief from asthma symptoms. Jupiter and can’t handle another one, or may be too frail to sus-
Medical Center now has this first-of-its-kind medical device procedure to provide severe tain a surgical procedure due to their low ejection frac- Dr. Ramon Lloret
asthma patients with a safe, long-lasting, proven treatment option to help reduce asthma tion, so our goal is to work as a team in a multidiscipli-
attacks. nary approach with other cardiac specialists to formulate the right protocol for these
The treatment works by using controlled radiofrequency to heat up the lungs, coagu- patients,” said Dr. Ramon Lloret, who is spearheading the CHIP program.
lating the proteins in the smooth muscle fibers that can produce bronchial spams. The Lloret says that he, as an interventional cardiologist, consults with other doctors
tissue then becomes weaker, lessening its ability to constrict the flow of oxygen. such as cardiovascular surgeons, heart failure specialists, clinical cardiologists and
electrophysiologists to review patient records and provide advice and counsel on the
best option.
Martin Health Purchases Stuart Land He notes that there are many issues that make patients a high surgical risk. Co-mor-
bid illnesses such as diabetes, mitral valve regurgitation, severe hypertension or renal
for Outpatient Medical Complex insufficiency make surgery a less viable option. Patients who have a low-ejection frac-
tion or active heart failure as well as complex coronary anatomy including chronic
Martin Health System has purchased 13 acres of land located in the northeast corner total occlusion or left main disease are also considered at the highest risk. Patients
of Indian Street and Kanner Highway in south Stuart. This parcel will be the site of a new with advanced age and frailty are additional factors that would reduce the likelihood
state-of-the-art outpatient facility that will house a variety of health care services. a surgeon would operate.
The facility is in its early planning stages with an anticipated completion date of sum- In these cases, Dr. Lloret says that the interventional cardiologist re-vascularizes
mer 2019. More details will be made available early next year. the patient percutaneously, using balloons, stents, rotablational atherectomy, or pos-
“This project supports our long-standing commitment to provide high quality medical sible laser with the aid of hemodynamic support when necessary. Hemodynamic sup-
services to the residents of Stuart, Palm City and Port Salerno,” said Rob Lord, Martin port for a failing heart or mechanical circulatory support (MCS) can come in the form
Health System’s President and CEO. “This location enhances access and convenience for of an intra-aortic balloon pump, or percutaneous, ventricular assist device such as an
many of our current patients and provides the opportunity for future growth.” Impella, Tandem Heart or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The Team
With this significant investment in outpatient medical services, Martin Health is also of interventionalist cardiologists includes Ramon L. Lloret, M.D., Ramon Quesada,
pleased to contribute to the area’s economic development. M.D., Marcus St. John, M.D., Bernardo Lopez-Sanabria, M.D., and Alvaro Gomez,
M.D.
“We have developed several other options for these high-risk indicated patients,
including hybrid procedures that combine treatments for excellent outcomes,” added
South Broward Hospital District Board Dr. Lloret. He notes that there are many prescription medications that can also be
very effective.
of Commissioners Continues Reduction Trend HeartWell cardiologists offer a wide-range of customized treatment plans for their
cardiac patients. The establishment of the CHIP program formalizes the process and
and Adopts Lowest Millage Rate provides patients with a better understanding of how their particular heart issues will
be tackled.
Ever Recorded for the District

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The Board of Commissioners of the South Broward Hospital District, which over-
sees the operations for Memorial Healthcare System, voted to adopt a millage rate of
www.southfloridahospitalnews.com
0.1496 – making this the seventh year in a row that the Board has elected to lower www.southfloridahospitalnews.com
the overall millage rate for the District, resulting in the lowest rate in the history of
the South Broward Hospital District.
With no net tax revenue remaining from the newly adopted millage rate, the
District will use operating income to cover all uncompensated care costs for the
entire Memorial Healthcare System, including its six hospitals and its South Broward
Community Health Services. In fiscal year 2018, uncompensated care is projected to
exceed $923.1 million.
The 0.1496 millage rate represents a 7 percent decrease from last year’s rate of
0.1615. The resulting gross taxes levied are estimated to reach $8.2 million. After
accounting for early payment discounts and a certain percentage of uncollectible
taxes, the anticipated tax payments this year of $7.9 million will provide the District
enough revenue to cover only its governmental obligations, which include paying
Broward County’s Medicaid Match program and community redevelopment agencies
in several municipalities in south Broward County, as well as tax collector commis-
sions and property appraiser fees.

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