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SRQ DAILY Jun 1, 2015

Monday Business Edition

Monday Business Edition

"We have to raise Americans' interest in prevention. That will single-handedly get us out of the healthcare mess we are in."

- Dr. Chippy Nalluri, Heart Specialists of Sarasota
 

[Real Estate]  Traditional Sales Dominating Once Again

Traditional sales of condominium and townhouse units, as opposed to short sales and foreclosures, in Manatee County made up a higher percentage of sales in April than any other other month over the past four years, according to statistics released by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. There were 252 traditional sales closed in April, compared to 214 the same month last year, while there were just 21 foreclosures and one short sale, compared to 25 foreclosures and six short sales in April 2014. 

[Healthcare]  The Slow Move Toward Prevention
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Years into implementation of the Affordable Care Act, physicians say the new regulations continue to put burdens on physicians while the intent of improving preventative care has failed to materialize. Now, they say, it is up to the community to improve health in their own families, and that they should not rely on government to do that job instead. “We as a community, we as individuals, we as human beings cannot wait for government to dictate or provide the ways to alter disease,” said Dr. Chippy Nalluri, a cardiologist at Heart Specialists of Sarasota. “It has to start at the grassroots, community level.” 

Physicians discussed the issue during SRQ Media Group’s most recent installment of the SB2 panel series, this one on the topic of “Taking Care: Advancements in Women’s Health Initiatives.” Within the discussion, the doctors spoke both of the challenges they face and the ones patients must deal with as well. “The Affordable Care Act was supposed to give everybody health care. It was going to increase costs, but on the flip side, someone who can’t afford insurance could get it,” said Dr. Lori Abrams, OBGYN at Abrams Center for Women. Many, though, still can’t afford that insurance, and those who have it are being affected in different ways. Most patients have $5,000 deductibles now, and even though well visits and treatment like pap smears and mammograms are covered, surgeries and other treatments are often declined by patients who can’t afford those services that go toward the deductible.

Dr. Elizabeth Callahan, dermatological surgeon and founder of SkinSmart Dermatology, said she supports changes like a move to electronic records and better sharing of information, but said physicians have to gather sometimes insignificant information on patients because of Medicare requirements. Practices also are required to direct 5 percent of patients to an online portal. “So we have gals with iPads engaging patients to go to our portal so we can make that 5 percent, which is ridiculous,” she said. But historically, Callahan said, physicians themselves have little lobbying voice on policy, as compared to insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

In the mental health area, Dr. Christina M. de Guia, psychiatrist, said many practices are no longer taking insurance. That means, for example, a parent relying on insurance who wants a child to go a child psychiatrist either ends up facing a two-month wait for an appointment or talking about similar issues with a pediatrician who may not be comfortable giving a psychiatric diagnosis. “I think this has been hard on the community, because a lot of people need to see psychiatrists,” she said.

Dr. John Fezza, cosmetic facial surgeon, said there needs to be a move toward preventative care, but neither the government nor pharmaceutical makers will be the force to make that happen. He noted doctors in school are trained with textbooks sponsored by drug companies, and doctors themselves need to find a own way to change the conversation toward prevention instead of just treating ailments. “We open up a pharma textbook and look at how to treat diabetes, and it’s with drugs by Plexor or Merck,” he said. “We are disease treatment-trained. How should we be trained? On preventative medicine. Has that changed? We’re making small changes, but we need to learn from one another.” 

Nalluri noted that in the cardiology field, many women die from diseases that could be easily prevented; 64 percent of women who die from heart disease did not know they had a condition before the event that took their lives. “Women are often the caretakers of the home, so this also goes back to their children and spouses,” she said. “We have to raise Americans’ interest in prevention. That will single-handedly get us out of the healthcare mess we are in.” 

[Agenda]  Planning Appointments on Sarasota Agenda
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Sarasota City Commission: The board today will make appointments to a number of advisory boards for the city, including the Planning Board, Police Complaint Committee and Civil Service Board. The afternoon session begins at 2:30pm at City Hall.

Sarasota County Commission: The board on Tuesday will discuss contracts to be awarded to Airbus DS Communications, Omnicom Consulting and Manatee County for design and implementation services regarding the Suncoast Regional Communications System. The morning session begins at 9am at the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice.  

Sarasota City Commission

[Recognition]  Benderson Park Named Venue of the Year
Rosie Robinson, rosier@srqmediagroup.com

The Florida Sports Commission selected Nathan Benderson Park as the "Venue of the Year" during an awards ceremony last week in Fort Lauderdale. The Sarasota County park, managed by the nonprofit Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center, hosted nearly 50 events in 2014 that drew more than 50,000 athletes and spectators and had an economic impact of more than $12 million. Benderson Park will host the 2015 US Rowing Youth National Championships next month. Rowing Magazine also recognized the park as “The Best Race Course in North America” and Sarasota County won an Alliance for Innovation Award for the project. 

Sarasota County

[Exec Moves]  Hoffberger Joins First Physicians Group
Rosie Robinson, rosier@srqmediagroup.com

Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Jonathan Hoffberger has joined Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s First Physicians Group. Hoffberger, a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon with 20 years experience, joined the surgery practice of Jeffrey Sell, chief of Cardiovascular Surgery for Sarasota Memorial, and cardiothoracic surgeon Paul Vesco. He began accepting new patients this month. His specialties and practice focus include surgery of the aortic valve and ascending/arch of the aorta, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, mitral valve repair, minimally invasive valve surgery, RF maze ablation and complex/high risk cardiac surgery. 

First Physicians Group

[Recognition]  SMH Critical Care Unit Earns Award
Rosie Robinson, rosier@srqmediagroup.com

Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Critical Care Unit has been awarded the Silver Beacon Award of Excellence, a national recognition from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses A significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and healthy work environments, the prestigious honor recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve outcomes and meet national criteria consistent with Magnet Recognition, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the National Quality Healthcare Award. Fewer than 300 of the 6,000 Intensive Care Units in the U.S. have achieved this three-year designation.  

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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