Page 11 - CANNABIS NEWS FLORIDA JULY 2020

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A message from our President

I’m Mad as Hell, and I’m Not Gonna Take It Anymore!

For those of you that are 35 or older, this performing was going up. Then, people who don’t give a darn about others
statement might resonate from a movie that you thought that their inability to have fun, party, socialize, go to the beach in large
might have watched that was first shown in groups, not distance, and not wear a mask was more important than those peo-
1975 called “Network.” While the movie was ple who they will infect because of their “me first” attitude. And, sadly, our
much more complicated than this statement, it leaders have underestimated the power of this virus and are failing to use com-
reflected the ultimate frustration of an anchor- mon sense in its control. Well, you have won, and look what you have won,
man whose career was coming to an end and exploding numbers of infections, more hospitalizations, and more deaths. What
who had grown tired of the injustices he had a prize.
reported on. As a dark comedy, he is actually Hooray for Palm Beach for putting back into place a mandatory mask order.
assassinated while on his television show … for Hooray to those individuals and families who don’t mind getting curbside serv-
the ratings. ice and eating in the safety of their own homes or outdoor locations. Hooray
But, this needs to be the rallying cry for every for churches who are requiring that masks be worn and distancing practiced,
person who is trying to act responsibly during this is what’s responsible! Hooray for hospitals continuing to protect their
this pandemic. To wear a mask in public, to dis- patients, both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19, at great personal and emotional
Jaime Caldwell
tance, and to keep hands clean by either wash- cost. Why are we letting the irresponsible dictate how our society reacts to this
ing them with soap and water for 20 seconds or viral threat? You have won, and at what cost?
the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and to protect others. Folks, how hard To those of you who just don’t care, grow up! This isn’t about you and it
can this be? Can’t we be inconvenienced for a little while until vaccines are never has been. For once in your lives, make some sacrifices in the names of
available? Why are you risking your life and, sadly, others who you infect others and not just yourself. As Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday, “he is cau-
because they weren’t aware you were infected and asymptomatic? I guess it is tiously optimistic there will be a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year or
tough luck for them, their spouse, their kids, their grandkids, etc. But you got early 2021, but warned that the next few weeks will be critical to tamping
to party at your local watering hole … Yeah! down coronavirus hot spots around the country.” You have created these
I am mad as Hell because we had this threat on the run. All the indices were, hotspots through your irresponsible actions and now others must die to pay
for the most part, headed in the right direction. New cases were down, the rate the price.
of hospitalizations and deaths were declining, and the numbers of tests we were Is acting responsibly for the next few months too much to ask?

2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS SFHHA COMMITTEES

CHAIRMAN: Mark Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Hospital Pembroke
VICE CHAIR: Jared Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Broward Health Coral Springs
SECRETARY: William “Bill” Duquette, Chief Executive Officer, Homestead Hospital
TREASURER: Charles Felix, Publisher, South Florida Hospital News & Healthcare Report
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR: David Wagner, Kindred South Florida Market CEO
AT-LARGE: Lincoln Mendez, Chief Executive Officer, Boca Raton Regional Hospital
AT-LARGE: Joel Wherley, Chief Operating Officer, VITAS Education Committee
Doug Bartel, MBA Willian “Bill” Duquette Brian Keeley (Board Advisor) Loretta Sheffield
Senior Director of (Secretary) President & CEO Chief Executive Officer
Business Development, Media Chief Executive Officer Baptist Health South Florida Select Hospital - Miami
And External Relations Homestead Hospital Healthcare Finance and Management Committee
Florida Blue Baptist Health South Florida Ralph A. Marrinson, Mindy Shikiar
NHA, FACHA Chief Operating Officer
Wael Barsoum, M.D. Charles Felix (Treasurer) President Boca Raton Regional Hospital
Chief Executive Officer Publisher Marrinson Group Health Information Technology Committee
Cleveland Clinic Hospital South Florida Hospital News and Jared Smith (Vice Chair)
Healthcare Report Lincoln Mendez (At Large) Chief Executive Officer
Marc Bivins, M.D. Chief Executive Officer Broward Health Coral Springs
Chief Medical Officer Aurelio M. Fernandez III South Miami Hospital Marketing and Public Relations Committee
Holy Cross Hospital (Board Advisor) Steve Ullmann
President & CEO Charles Michelson Director
Kevin Conn Memorial Healthcare System Partner University of Miami
Regional Vice President of Saltz Michelson Architects Health Policy Management Membership Committee
Operations Grisel Fernandez-Bravo
Encompass Health Ana M. Viamonte Ros,
Chief Executive Officer Aristides (Ardy) Pallin M.D.
Maria Currier (General Memorial Hospital Miramar Chief Operating Officer Medical Director for Palliative Quality and Patient Safety Committee
Counsel) Catholic Health Services Care and Bioethics
Partner Michael Gittelman (Board Baptist Health South Florida
Holland & Knight, LLP Advisor) Michael Roffelson
Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer David Wagner
Steve Demers Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Encompass Health – Sunrise (Immediate Past Chair) Safety and Security Committee
Chief Operating Officer Kindred South Florida Market CEO
University of Miami Health System Patricia Greenberg Alex Romillo
Chief Executive Officer President President & CEO Joel Wherley (At-Large)
University of Miami Hospital National Healthcare Associates Health Choice Network Chief Operating Officer
and Clinics VITAS
Gino Santorio (Board
Randy Gross
Mark Doyle (Chairman) Chief Executive Officer Advisor)
Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer
Memorial Hospital Pembroke Broward Health Imperial Point Broward Health

26 July 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News