From time to time, we like to highlight the terrific people who make up our 15 member hospitals so we may introduce you to each team’s specialties and unique offerings. Get to know the team and programs that make up this week’s featured HCA West Florida facility, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point.

Hospital Name: Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
# of Beds: 290
CEO: Steve Rector
Size of Team: 950
Contact Info: 14000 Fivay Road, Hudson, FL 34667
727-819-2929

Located in Hudson, Florida, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point is proud to serve its community with an integrated healthcare team. The hospital has been recognized at the national level for its excellent care, especially comprehensive cardiac care. The Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point team of doctors, nurses, staff, and volunteers consistently delivers outstanding care for cancer, heart disease, neurology, orthopedics, spine care, and wound treatment. Check out these quick facts about Regional Medical Center:

• The hospital was one of only three in the entire state of Florida—and the only one in the Bay area–to earn the Triple Recognition Award from the American Heart Association. The hospital earned the award by consistently surpassing guidelines for best practices in cardiac and stroke care, as outlined by the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines® program.
• The Spine Center at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point offers patients the most advanced treatments for back pain and injuries. Meanwhile, the hotel-like Center features many amenities, including private suites and sleeper sofas for family members. The experts at the Spine Center are dedicated to patient education, so they offer free seminars throughout the year. (Call 1-888-741-5119 for upcoming dates and topics.)
• Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point earned Accreditation with Commendation from the American College of Surgeons for its Community Hospital Cancer Program. Only one in four cancer programs in the United States earns that distinction. Not only does RMCBP offer the latest diagnostic tools and treatments, but the hospital also provides a full range of support options for cancer patients and their families.
• The Emergency Department at Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has earned accreditation from the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center. It has also received recognition as an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. The 18 treatment rooms and six Quick Care bays mean that patients get superlative ER care—without the wait.

If you’d like to learn more about Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point or HCA West Florida, please visit us online! Or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for answers to your health questions, information about the hospitals in our division, and free physician referrals.

During a heart attack, fast treatment is critical. Every second that the heart isn’t pumping, the heart muscles and other tissue throughout the body is deprived of life-giving oxygen. For the most serious heart attacks, ST element myocardial infarction (STEMI), the right diagnosis and rapid treatment are even more important.

Diagnosing STEMI

In many cases, patients wait to arrive at the ER before getting a diagnosis from the medical team. However, in cases of STEMI, diagnosis must occur as soon as EMS staff arrives on the scene. That’s because not every hospital has the facilities and experts to properly treat STEMI, so EMT’s need to be sure that the patient is taken to a hospital that can offer what the patient needs.

The EMS staff conducts an echocardiogram (ECG) to determine the cause and severity of a heart attack. If they believe that a patient is suffering from STEMI, they immediately work to stabilize the patient and transfer the patient to the closest appropriate hospital.

STEMI Treatment

A specialized team of cardiologists and nurses immediately meets the STEMI patient upon arrival at the hospital. Since STEMI is caused by a clot or blockage in the arteries of the heart, it’s necessary to remove that blockage as soon as possible. Cardiologists administer this treatment in a cardiac catheterization laboratory, where they can thread a catheter through the patient’s arteries and into the heart. Once the catheter is in place, the team may conduct one of these percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI):

• Balloon angioplasty: A balloon placed on the end of the catheter is quickly inflated, dislodging any blockage in the artery.
• Stenting: This procedure entails placing a mesh tube in the artery, holding it open after an angioplasty.

The team may also administer clot-busting medications, to thin the blood and dissolve any clots that may have contributed to the STEMI—or formed as blood pooled in the heart. Called thrombolysis, this procedure may also be done through the catheter, depending on the nature and position of any blood clots.

If PCI and thrombolysis are not completely effective at removing any blockage, or if blockage in other parts of the heart is also severe, the team may decide to do a coronary bypass artery graft. During this surgical procedure, a section of vein is removed (usually from the patient’s leg). A heart surgeon then attaches, or grafts, the vein to the heart. The vein serves as a “detour” around blocked arteries in the heart.

STEMI Treatment Guidelines

The American Heart Association and other professional medical organizations have laid out certain guidelines that apply to the quality and timeliness of STEMI care. Perhaps the most important is door-to-balloon (D2B) time. D2B time refers to the length of time it takes for a patient to receive PCI after entering the hospital. A hospital’s D2B time should be 90 minutes or less.

It’s important to remember that not every hospital will have a D2B time, because not every hospital is equipped to treat STEMI. If you’re looking for a hospital with advanced cardiovascular care, or simply have questions about your heart health, please contact us at HCA West Florida. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.

SOURCES
Medline Plus
American Heart Association

Although many factors that increase your heart attack risk (such as age, gender, family history, and ethnicity) are out of your control, most risk factors rest on lifestyle choices you make every day. Even small changes toward better overall health can improve your heart health—and help stave off a heart attack.

• Lower your cholesterol: Over time, cholesterol collects in the arteries of the heart, causing blockage and restricting blood flow. Cholesterol over 240 raises the risk for heart attack, and the higher the number, the higher a patient’s risk. Diet significantly contributes to cholesterol, so talk to a nutritionist or dietitian about ways to reduce cholesterol in your diet.
• Give your heart a break: High blood pressure makes your heart work harder all the time. As a result the muscles of the heart eventually begin to thicken and get rigid. The heart then pumps less efficiently, making heart attack more likely. In conjunction with other factors like diabetes or obesity, high blood pressure increases the risk for heart attack several times over. The right diet and exercise routine can help maintain healthy blood pressure.
• Don’t forget that your heart is a muscle: Just as you work the other muscles in your body, you also need to give your heart a workout. That’s the purpose of “cardio,” which refers to cardiovascular exercise. Even starting a short walk every day can lower heart attack risk. Swimming, cycling, and jogging are all also excellent options. Let your doctor help you start a safe exercise routine, and enjoy lowered heart attack risk. Exercise usually also helps to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight.
• Stay away from tobacco smoke: Smoking at least doubles a person’s risk of heart attack, in addition to increasing risk for other health complications like lung and breast cancer. Those exposed to secondhand smoke also face elevated chance of heart attack. Get help kicking the habit, and ask smokers to take it outside, so that the house is a smoke-free zone. If you or someone in your family smokes, look into community-based smoking cessation classes at your local hospital. The extra support can make all the difference in a patient’s ability to completely kick the habit.
• Regulate your reaction to stress: All of us face stress every day, but the way you handle it can significantly impact health. Failure to manage stress in a healthy way can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Look for ways to incorporate stress-busting habits into your daily routine, and take time to relax each day, even if only for a few minutes.
• Maintain healthy weight: Extra weight puts extra stress on every part of the body, from joints to the heart. Meanwhile extra weight, especially carried around the abdomen, has been correlated to increased risk of heart attack. Losing even ten pounds can decrease risk of heart attack.

Exceptional Treatment is Key

Even people who do everything they can to reduce their risk may still suffer a heart attack. When that happens, getting the right care is critical; when it comes to heart attack diagnosis and treatment, not all hospitals are equal. If you or someone in your family is at risk for heart attack, do a little research. Find out which hospitals in your area have specialized cardiac care. The hospitals of HCA West Florida offer patients outstanding heart attack care. Every hospital in the division has earned accreditation as Certified Chest Pain Center:

Central Florida
Central Florida Regional Hospital
Osceola Regional Hospital

Hernando, Pasco & Citrus Counties
Oak Hill Hospital
Community Hospital
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point

Hillsborough County
Brandon Regional Hospital
South Bay Hospital

Manatee, Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
Blake Medical Center
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
Englewood Community Hospital
Fawcett Memorial Hospital

Pinellas County
Edward White Hospital
Largo Medical Center
Northside Hospital
St. Petersburg General Hospital

If you have questions about heart attack prevention and treatment, please contact us at HCA West Florida. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.

When it comes to your heart, expert care is critical. That’s why the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have created the Get With The Guidelines® program, which sets the standard for heart attack and stroke patients. The guidelines explain best practices for cardiac care, particularly coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and stroke. Awards are made based on the extent of each hospital’s adherence to the guidelines. In total, ten hospitals in HCA West Florida earned 11 awards.

Getting the Gold

Both Fawcett Memorial Hospital and Brandon Regional Hospital earned Gold achievement awards. These hospitals maintained an 85% or higher adherence to the guidelines for either heart failure or stroke for two years in a row. Meanwhile Blake Medical Center, Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Northside Hospital, and Osceola Regional Medical Center all earned the Gold Plus Stroke achievement award. Each facility maintained at least 75% compliance for specific criteria and 85% compliance on those that apply to stroke and/or heart failure.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point was one of only three hospitals in the state of Florida—and the only one in the Bay area– to merit Triple Recognition Plus Heart Failure and Plus Stroke. Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point attained 85% compliance on all  guidelines for CAD, heart failure, and stroke. The hospital also maintained at least 75% compliance on other select guidelines for heart attack and stroke.

Earning the Silver

Community Hospital and South Bay Hospital earned the Silver Plus Stroke designation, for maintaining 75% or higher adherence to select measures, and 85% to others that apply specifically to heart failure and/or stroke. The hospitals maintained these standards for a 12-month period. Both Central Florida Regional Hospital and Northside Hospital attained the Silver award, for achieving 85% compliance for at least 12 consecutive months in CAD, heart failure, and/or stroke.

These awards illustrate our commitment to outstanding cardiovascular and neurological care. We strongly believe that exceptional care begins with knowledgeable and caring staff who are true experts in their fields. Their dedication to excellence means that each patient gets personalized treatment that meets the highest standards of care.

If you have questions about heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular conditions, please contact us at HCA West Florida. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.

Have you ever wanted to ask a doctor a question but been too embarrassed or thought of the question after you got home? At Edward White Hospital in St. Petersburg, physicians are using social media to help reach out to patients and the St. Petersburg community with medical information they can use in their everyday lives.

Edward White Gets Social

From Facebook to Twitter to blogs, Edward White’s fans and followers can learn more about treating their medical conditions and the latest surgical technology available, along with receiving health tips and the latest medical news online and on their smartphones.

But the physicians wanted to take social media a step further. They wanted to be able to talk directly to patients, answering common questions using a new tool— Ask A Doctor podcasts which are posted on the hospital’s website at www.edwardwhitehospital.com and available for free downloads on iTunes.

Ask A Doctor

“I have been a runner all my life, now I have pain with walking, what are my options?”

In his podcast, Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Michael Smith explains how each individual is unique so he tries to develop a treatment plan to fit the patient’s needs to treat common conditions as well as acute knee and shoulder injuries in athletes.

“If you’re a candidate for surgery, I routinely perform minimally-invasive arthroscopic surgery,” Dr. Smith said. “This surgery allows [for] less anesthesia and a quicker recovery time for the individual to get back into the game and into their normal day-to-day activities in the shortest period of time possible.“

“Other options for chronic back pain”

Radiologist Dr. Lee Friedman talks about the different types of fractures that can happen to a patient’s back, including a compression fracture— which is very common among older adults. Friedman explains there is a procedure that can be performed to stabilize the fracture and reduce, if not eliminate the pain.

“Many patients are bedridden or in wheel chairs before the procedure but are able to walk out of the hospital after only a few hours,” Friedman said in his podcast. “Our experience with vertebroplasty is that in the right patient, vertebroplasty provides excellent pain relief and marked improvement in our patient’s daily lives.”

Other topics include everything from wound care treatment and hip replacement surgery to common treatments for overactive bladders and allergies. To listen to Edward White Hospital’s Ask A Doctor podcasts, log onto www.edwardwhitehospital.com.

If you have a health question that needs immediate attention or need a doctor referral, call our toll free Consult-A-Nurse® hotline at 1-877-442-2362 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

During a stroke, every minute means potential loss of brain function. Traditionally patients who had suffered a stroke had a short time frame to get treatment. However, new technology offers new hope for a medical condition that often goes undetected until hours—or even days—later. Since a stroke occurs when blood flow is cut off in the brain, these new treatment options can help prevent damage, and even salvage brain tissue.

Traditional Stroke Treatment

In the past, one of the only available options for treating stroke was the clot-busting drug tPa. Administered intravenously, this drug would dissolve the clot causing the arterial blockage. But tPa has its limitations:

• The drug can be administered only in the first 3 to 4.5 hours after a stroke. Since many stroke patients do not recognize their symptoms immediately, or suffer a stroke in their sleep (a “wake-up stroke”) , most come in after this three-hour window.
• There are many contraindications for tPa. Patients who have even one medical consideration from a very long list cannot receive the medication.
• Even among patients who are candidates for intravenous tPa, side effects remain a significant risk. After all, the drug thins the blood all over the body, not only in the brain.

Innovations in Stroke Treatment

Fortunately, an elite group of hospitals now has access to cutting-edge technology for stroke treatment. Called neurological interventions, or neurointerventions, these methods are far more effective at treating stroke and preserving patients’ brain function.

The first of these new tools is called a CT profusion scan. A regular CT shows only one-dimensional pictures of the brain. However, a CT profusion scan creates a three-dimensional picture of the brain, color coded in green and red, to represent living and dead tissue. The scan can help doctors locate the blocked artery causing the stroke and determine how much brain tissue can still be saved.

Once the blockage has been identified, neurologists have three high-tech options for restoring blood flow to the brain:

• Delivering tPa directly to the site of the clot: This can be done with a catheter, inserted in a vein in the patient’s leg and threaded to the brain. This method delivers a much smaller dose of the drug, much more precisely. Doctors have about a six-hour window for this treatment option.
• Removing the clot with the Merci Retrieval device®: This device is fitted to the end of a catheter. When the doctor has placed the catheter next to the clot, he releases the tool, which comes out like a corkscrew and grabs the clot. The tool is then pulled back inside the catheter, bringing the clot with it. Doctors can use this approach until about eight hours after a stroke.
• Suctioning the clot with the Penumbra device®: Like the Merci Retrieval device, the Penumbra fits at the end of the catheter. It is placed next to the clot, and sucks the clot inside the catheter. The Penumbra can also be used until about eight hours after a stroke.

It’s important for patients to note that very few hospitals have the equipment and medical staff to deliver these stroke interventions. Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart Institute is one of the few hospitals in west Florida that offers these neurointerventions. At the Neuroscience Institute, their team of experts has perfected the techniques that save stroke patients’ lives and preserve their brain function.

For more information about stroke care, please contact us at HCA West Florida. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.

Patients diagnosed with a cerebral (brain) aneurysm used to have only one treatment option: brain surgery. This invasive procedure is risky, and required a lengthy recovery period. Now advancements in medicine give patients better options. The emerging field of neurointervention focuses on minimally invasive interventions for different neurological conditions, including cerebral aneurysm.

Interventions for Aneurysms

An aneurysm is an out-pouching of a blood vessel, formed at a weak spot. As the out-pouching fills with blood, the walls of the aneurysm get even weaker and thinner. If an aneurysm ruptures, or breaks, it causes a hemorrhagic stroke. The resulting uncontrolled bleeding can quickly prove deadly. That’s why doctors strive to diagnose aneurysms as soon as possible, before the aneurysm ruptures.

Previously, doctors had only one intervention option for aneurysms. They could perform open-brain surgery and place a clip at the base of the aneurysm, cutting off its blood flow and eliminating the possibility of rupture. While this method is effective, it’s also an extremely invasive procedure. Patients sometimes lose some brain function, and healing takes a long time.

Emerging Techonologies

However, now some doctors are trained in new methods for diagnosing aneurysms and preventing them from rupturing. These minimally invasive procedures have a much shorter recovery time, and much less risk of long-term brain damage:

• Doctors can insert a special kind of glue, called Onyx® glue, directly into the aneurysm using a simple needle stick. The glue fills the aneurysm and hardens, so that it can no longer fill with blood.
• A second option uses a catheter to place tiny metal coils inside the aneurysm. Blood clots around the coils, preventing further blood flow and eliminating the possibility of rupture.

Neurointerventions in Practice

Before any of these interventions can take place, doctors must first diagnose the aneurysm. The most effective diagnostic device is a bi-planar CT scanner, which creates a three-dimensional image of the brain. Only a small minority of hospitals have the equipment—and experts—to perform these procedures.

One of these is Northside Hospital. One of the only hospitals in the region to have a catheterization lab and a team of neurointerventional specialists, Northside Hospital offers patients unprecedented neurological care. The Neuroscience Institute at Northside Hospital can be used not only to diagnose aneurysms, but is also instrumental in the treatment of stroke and other neurological conditions.

If you have questions about neurological interventions, please contact us. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362.

Company Care of HCA West Florida has been honored as one of the finalists for the Outstanding Business of the Year Award by the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.  This innovative comprehensive occupational health program was developed more than 24 years ago to provide local employers with an effective option to keep their workforce healthy.

Company Care was started as a collaborative effort at Edward White Hospital, spearheaded by then hospital Emergency Services Director Barb Maxwell.  The attraction of promoting health and well-being to employers out in the work place to prevent injuries and illness resulted in this program expanding to several other HCA markets in Florida.   

Barb Maxwell, HCA West Director of Company Care

Today more than ever, keeping our workforce healthy is critical to ensuring the success of our business community. “Company Care is proud to be honored by its hometown Chamber of Commerce,” said Barb Maxwell, RN, MHA, COHN-S, CCM, CWCP, QRP, FAAOHN, who continues to lead the organization as HCA West Florida Director of Company Care.

For centuries, doctors and scientists puzzled over whether the heart or the brain was the “center” of a person. Little did they know, the two organs are so closely linked that they’re essentially inseparable. The brain regulates the heartbeat, while the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the brain. This connection means that heart health directly impacts the health of your brain—heart disease increases a patient’s risk for stroke and aneurysm.

Cardiovascular Health and Your Brain

Your heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout your body. That blood contains oxygen and other compounds necessary for the body to function. It is delivered to the body through the circulatory system, composed of a vast system of arteries, veins, and capillaries.

Patients whose cardiovascular system is unhealthy place extra stress on their circulatory systems. For instance, high blood pressure puts extra stress on the walls of the arteries, veins, and capillaries. Meanwhile artherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, makes the arteries less supple and resilient.

Eventually the walls of the arteries weaken, and may begin to bulge at these weak spots. An aneurysm forms when the bulges balloon and fill with blood. Aneurysms can rupture, causing a hemorrhagic stroke, brain damage, or death.

Meanwhile, people with heart disease are more prone to clots. These clots are dangerous because they can travel to the brain and block a blood vessel, resulting in an ischemic stroke. This kind of stroke accounts for 80% of all strokes, yet experts stress that most risk factors are modifiable.

Reducing Your Risk

That means that patients have significant control over their risk for aneurysm and stroke. The best way to protect against these conditions is to care for your heart:

• Maintain healthy blood pressure. High blood pressure (called hypertension) places extra pressure on the circulatory system, weakening blood vessels over time.
• Watch your cholesterol. High cholesterol contributes to hardening of the arteries.
• Exercise regularly. Your heart is a muscle, and needs use just like others in your body. Aim for at least fifteen minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or cycling, each day.
• Eat a heart-friendly diet. Consult a nutritionist about creating a balanced meal plan that’s both delicious and healthy.
• Kick that habit. Smoking increases your risk for numerous medical conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and aneurysm.

Get the Best Care

If you do suffer a stroke or aneurysm, timely care is critical. Call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately. Know which hospitals in your area offer the most effective treatments for these conditions:

• All the hospitals of HCA West Florida are certified as Primary Stroke Centers by the Joint Commission.
• Northside Hospital offers cutting-edge interventional neurology for diagnosis and treatment of aneurysm and stroke.
• Both Largo Medical Center and Blake Medical Center deliver specialized rehabilitation for stroke and aneurysm patients.

If you have questions about heart health, stroke, aneurysm, or other health issues, please contact HCA West Florida. Visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362.

For centuries, scientists have worked to understand how our brains work. That practice of studying the brain is called neuroscience. Over time the science has evolved, and new technologies called neurointerventions help patients with various neurological conditions maintain brain function and recover more completely.

Common Neurological Conditions

Patients may develop a wide variety of neurological conditions. Usually they affect memory, like Alzheimer’s disease, or movement, like Parkinson’s disease. These diseases cause degeneration in specific areas of the brain. While scientists have yet to understand the mechanisms that cause these diseases, they have developed treatment options that slow their progress.

Some neurological conditions result from a sudden traumatic event in the brain. The most common—and preventable—of these are stroke and aneurysm. These conditions occur when a blood vessel in the brain weakens. If the blood vessel ruptures, the brain is deprived of oxygen, and tissue begins to die. Meanwhile, the patient can also bleed through the ruptured vessel.

Since neurology addresses the entire nervous system, neurologists also treat conditions like peripheral nerve disorder and any ailment that impacts the spinal cord. Patients who develop spinal tumors or other disorders usually see a neurologist to ensure that any treatment protects that central nerve in the spinal cord.

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Treating most neurological conditions requires a highly interdisciplinary approach, because the brain affects how all the body’s systems work—and it’s dependent on those other systems. For example, patients may need physical therapy, guidance from a nutritionist, or other support due to a neurological condition.

Meanwhile, a patient’s risk for stroke or aneurysm is closely tied to cardiovascular health. Poor heart health places extra strain on the entire circulatory system, including the blood vessels in the brain. Over time, these blood vessels can weaken, leading to either stroke or aneurysm. That means doctors who treat these serious conditions must be well versed in both cardiology and neurology.

The Future of Neurology

Interventional neurology offers patients much better outcomes. Doctors trained in this field perform minimally invasive procedures that can be used to diagnose and reverse the effects of blood clots, stroke, and aneurysms in the brain. Patients who get this kind of treatment enjoy shorter and more complete recoveries, without the risk associated with open brain surgery and other traditional treatments.

The cutting-edge technologies used by interventional neurologists include bi-plane scanners, which create 3-D images of the brain, along with several mechanical interventions to remove blood clots in the brain or prevent aneurysms from rupturing. Northside Hospital is one of the few hospitals in west Florida whose team includes specialists who are experts in interventional neurology.

All other hospitals in the division are Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Care Centers. Evaluated by the Joint Commission, these hospitals have met strenuous standards for stroke care, patient outcomes, and staff expertise.

· Central Florida
Central Florida Regional Hospital
Osceola Regional Hospital

· Hernando, Pasco & Citrus Counties
Community Hospital – The Future Medical Center of Trinity
Oak Hill Hospital
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point

· Hillsborough County
Brandon Regional Hospital
South Bay Hospital

· Manatee, Sarasota & Charlotte Counties
Blake Medical Center
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota
Fawcett Memorial Hospital

· Pinellas County
Edward White Hospital
Largo Medical Center
Northside Hospital

If you have questions about neurology or other health conditions, please visit us online or call Consult-a-Nurse® at1-877-4-HCA-DOCS for answers to your questions and free physician referrals.