Oct. 1 is usually an interesting time here at Martin Memorial.
It’s the beginning of the new fiscal year, which means it’s something of a new start for the health system. Fall is in the air – according to the calendar at least – which means the snowbird season is just around the corner. And that means the holiday season isn’t far behind.
But this Oct. 1 also brings a couple of additional reasons to be excited.
First and foremost is the beginning of a new era. Oct. 1 marks the first day of Mark Robitaille’s tenure as president and chief executive officer of Martin Memorial. Mark, who has served as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the health system since 1991, was named to the position in September by the Martin Memorial Board of Directors.
Mark assumes the role as Martin Memorial is poised to continue building on the growth and accomplishments it has achieved in recent years. The health system is seeking to build a new hospital in the Tradition development and will open the Emergency Center at St. Lucie West in August 2009 to provide access to much-needed health care in western St. Lucie County.
Martin Memorial has also worked closely with institutions such as the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies and Moffitt Cancer Center to develop clinical medical trials, as well as the Martin County Life Sciences Initiative to bring new opportunities in the burgeoning field of bioscience research. Mark has been at the forefront of these efforts and will continue to ensure that Martin Memorial is a valued partner in bringing medical research to the region.
Martin Memorial is also on the forefront of another health initiative on the Treasure Coast. Starting Oct. 1, the entire health system will be tobacco free. That means tobacco use is not permitted at any Martin Memorial facility – inside or out – by patients, Associates, physicians, volunteers, visitors or vendors.
Each year, tobacco use is linked to tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. Diseases related to smoking, including heart disease and cancer, are the most preventable causes of death around the world. That’s why numerous hospitals and healthcare providers across the state and the country have instituted smoke-free workplaces. Two other area hospitals – St. Lucie Medical Center and Lawnwood Regional Medical Center – are also planning to go tobacco free by Jan. 1, 2009.
Patients who smoke can consult their physician on whether a smoking cessation product – such as nicotine gum or patches – would be a viable alternative. Nicotine replacement products are available at the outpatient pharmacies at both Martin Memorial hospitals.
The Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing also offers an outstanding smoking cessation program, called Living Tobacco Free, for anyone who wishes to quit.
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Health News You Can’t Always Use
Part of my job is sitting at the computer, tooling around the Internet looking to see what’s going on in the world of health.
Some days, the reports and information that hit the news are downright fascinating. Like this blurb that appeared on MSNBC.com today.
“Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman said swimming in Australian Outback waterfalls may promote fertility and might have contributed to her unexpected pregnancy over the past year.”
Seriously? Swimming around in magical Aussie waterfalls helps you get pregnant? Glad to see Hollywood once again is solving the mysteries of the scientific universe.
Here’s another one that showed up on NPR.org.
“Researchers are calling for warning labels on energy drinks. The drinks contain substantial amounts of caffeine, which could lead to symptoms associated with a caffeine overdose, including heart palpitations and insomnia. The energy drinks are marketed to adolescents, who haven’t developed a tolerance to caffeine.”
Does it come as anything of a shock to people that energy drinks contain caffeine? Lots of it? And really, will a warning label do much to convince people – especially kids – that they better not do it? People are still smoking cigarettes, right?
And finally, some good news for those exercisers who sweat a lot while they’re working out: you may have less chance of having exercise-induced asthma. According to a study that appeared in September issue of the journal Chest, researchers indicate that people who sweat less are at higher risk for exercise-induced asthma.
So don’t be afraid to drip on that treadmill – just make sure you clean it off when you’re done.
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
Some days, the reports and information that hit the news are downright fascinating. Like this blurb that appeared on MSNBC.com today.
“Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman said swimming in Australian Outback waterfalls may promote fertility and might have contributed to her unexpected pregnancy over the past year.”
Seriously? Swimming around in magical Aussie waterfalls helps you get pregnant? Glad to see Hollywood once again is solving the mysteries of the scientific universe.
Here’s another one that showed up on NPR.org.
“Researchers are calling for warning labels on energy drinks. The drinks contain substantial amounts of caffeine, which could lead to symptoms associated with a caffeine overdose, including heart palpitations and insomnia. The energy drinks are marketed to adolescents, who haven’t developed a tolerance to caffeine.”
Does it come as anything of a shock to people that energy drinks contain caffeine? Lots of it? And really, will a warning label do much to convince people – especially kids – that they better not do it? People are still smoking cigarettes, right?
And finally, some good news for those exercisers who sweat a lot while they’re working out: you may have less chance of having exercise-induced asthma. According to a study that appeared in September issue of the journal Chest, researchers indicate that people who sweat less are at higher risk for exercise-induced asthma.
So don’t be afraid to drip on that treadmill – just make sure you clean it off when you’re done.
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Patients Provide Helping Hand to Patient
Every now and then we get messages from Associates around the health system that offer insight into the basic goodness and compassion of people. This is one that I received this week from Linda Fretwell, manager of the physician offices at our Palm City location.
I thought it was something worth sharing.
“I have an interesting story from the Palm City Medicenter. A father came in with his two small children recently. After the children were seen he informed the patient services representative that he did not have any money to make his $20 per each child co-pay and asked if he could be billed. The PSR of course did her duty and told him we do take credit cards, checks and so forth, but the father maintained that he would pay the bill when it came.
“After he left, two other patients sitting in the waiting room came to the window and said ‘We want to pay the co-pays for those two young children.’ Each patient paid one of the co-pays. They did not want the father to know who they were, they did not want any information about them relayed to the father, they just wanted to make his co-pays for him.
“The office coordinator later called the father to let him know that two people had made his co-pays for him. He wanted their names so he could thank them, but she told him they did not want to be identified. She just said Merry early Christmas.
“This just touched my heart. There really are so many good people out there.”
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
I thought it was something worth sharing.
“I have an interesting story from the Palm City Medicenter. A father came in with his two small children recently. After the children were seen he informed the patient services representative that he did not have any money to make his $20 per each child co-pay and asked if he could be billed. The PSR of course did her duty and told him we do take credit cards, checks and so forth, but the father maintained that he would pay the bill when it came.
“After he left, two other patients sitting in the waiting room came to the window and said ‘We want to pay the co-pays for those two young children.’ Each patient paid one of the co-pays. They did not want the father to know who they were, they did not want any information about them relayed to the father, they just wanted to make his co-pays for him.
“The office coordinator later called the father to let him know that two people had made his co-pays for him. He wanted their names so he could thank them, but she told him they did not want to be identified. She just said Merry early Christmas.
“This just touched my heart. There really are so many good people out there.”
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Making a Commitment to Healthy Living
OK, so I haven’t blogged in a long time. I have been asked several times to commit, but always find an excuse to postpone it. As with most things in life, you must want it, need it, have to have it, in order to commit to it. IT can be anything, from eating right, balancing a check book, proposing to the one you love or simply remembering to say thank you. As the Cardiovascular Patient Educator of the Frances Langford Heart Center I am committed to educating patients, nurses, our community and most importantly our children.
According to the American Heart Association, the rise in childhood obesity has become an epidemic that is sweeping the nation. This generation is the first in history to be expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Obesity can lead to diabetes, hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia.
Research and time have proven that education can prevent and reduce many disease processes. Our goal is to prevent heart disease through education. Our children need to be active, eat healthy and maintain an ideal body weight. The number of obese, inactive diabetic children is on the rise which can lead to heart disease.
As a parent I find myself allowing my children to eat unhealthy, play hours of video games and not educating them on the need to prevent the above mentioned life threatening disease processes. Like many parents we do this out of convenience. Do we ever take a moment to realize that this convenience may ultimately harm them? I am the parent, as such, I provide nourishment, activity and daily schedules for my children.
What can I do to change this? I have cleaned out my pantry. Good healthy snacks have replaced the “junk” food. Video games and TV are limited to 30 minutes a day. My children are actively involved in sports, spend more time outdoors and are benefiting from leading a healthy lifestyle.
Sure my children were very sad, cranky and upset for several days. Their snack cakes were gone, they couldn’t finish their video game or sit on the couch for hours. Now, they make smart choices, because I am providing only healthy choices. It’s amazing how simple it is to recondition a young one. Our entire family has benefited from this lifestyle change.
As for educating other children, I recently visited Mrs. Sanchez’s fourth grade class at Crystal Lake Elementary. They’re studying anatomy and physiology this semester. I provided the series on the cardiovascular system. As a bonus, I challenged each student to keep their heart strong, eat right, be active, and maintain an ideal body weight.
I am hopeful that these smart, enthusiastic children will go home and encourage their parents to commit to making a lifestyle change in order to prevent heart disease.
--Melissa Zinderman, RN
Cardiovascular Patient Educator
Frances Langford Heart Center
According to the American Heart Association, the rise in childhood obesity has become an epidemic that is sweeping the nation. This generation is the first in history to be expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Obesity can lead to diabetes, hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia.
Research and time have proven that education can prevent and reduce many disease processes. Our goal is to prevent heart disease through education. Our children need to be active, eat healthy and maintain an ideal body weight. The number of obese, inactive diabetic children is on the rise which can lead to heart disease.
As a parent I find myself allowing my children to eat unhealthy, play hours of video games and not educating them on the need to prevent the above mentioned life threatening disease processes. Like many parents we do this out of convenience. Do we ever take a moment to realize that this convenience may ultimately harm them? I am the parent, as such, I provide nourishment, activity and daily schedules for my children.
What can I do to change this? I have cleaned out my pantry. Good healthy snacks have replaced the “junk” food. Video games and TV are limited to 30 minutes a day. My children are actively involved in sports, spend more time outdoors and are benefiting from leading a healthy lifestyle.
Sure my children were very sad, cranky and upset for several days. Their snack cakes were gone, they couldn’t finish their video game or sit on the couch for hours. Now, they make smart choices, because I am providing only healthy choices. It’s amazing how simple it is to recondition a young one. Our entire family has benefited from this lifestyle change.
As for educating other children, I recently visited Mrs. Sanchez’s fourth grade class at Crystal Lake Elementary. They’re studying anatomy and physiology this semester. I provided the series on the cardiovascular system. As a bonus, I challenged each student to keep their heart strong, eat right, be active, and maintain an ideal body weight.
I am hopeful that these smart, enthusiastic children will go home and encourage their parents to commit to making a lifestyle change in order to prevent heart disease.
--Melissa Zinderman, RN
Cardiovascular Patient Educator
Frances Langford Heart Center
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Robitaille named President and CEO
Mark E. Robitaille, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Martin Memorial since 1991, has played a key role in the health system’s growth over the past two decades. This fall, that role will become even more significant.
Today, the Martin Memorial Health Systems Board of Directors announced that Robitaille will take the reins as president and chief executive officer of the health system on Oct. 1, 2008. He will replace Richmond M. Harman, who is retiring after serving as president and CEO since 1989. (Read full press release here).
“I am
excited and honored to be taking on this new role,” Robitaille (pictured at left) said. “Martin Memorial holds a special place in this community and I am dedicated to continuing that legacy of care.”
Following Harman’s announcement earlier this year that he intended to retire, the executive committee of the board of directors engaged a succession planning consultant from the firm Witt/Kieffer to find an ideal candidate to replace him. The search process included extensive interviews with key Martin Memorial constituents, including medical staff physicians, community members and health system personnel.
“We were committed to finding the person we felt would best lead Martin Memorial,” said George H. Rittersbach Jr., M.D., chairman of the board of directors. “Mark brings a vast amount of experience, vision and familiarity with Martin Memorial and the community. We believe that Mark has all the tools necessary to provide new direction and leadership for Martin Memorial.”
Today, the Martin Memorial Health Systems Board of Directors announced that Robitaille will take the reins as president and chief executive officer of the health system on Oct. 1, 2008. He will replace Richmond M. Harman, who is retiring after serving as president and CEO since 1989. (Read full press release here).
“I am
excited and honored to be taking on this new role,” Robitaille (pictured at left) said. “Martin Memorial holds a special place in this community and I am dedicated to continuing that legacy of care.”Following Harman’s announcement earlier this year that he intended to retire, the executive committee of the board of directors engaged a succession planning consultant from the firm Witt/Kieffer to find an ideal candidate to replace him. The search process included extensive interviews with key Martin Memorial constituents, including medical staff physicians, community members and health system personnel.
“We were committed to finding the person we felt would best lead Martin Memorial,” said George H. Rittersbach Jr., M.D., chairman of the board of directors. “Mark brings a vast amount of experience, vision and familiarity with Martin Memorial and the community. We believe that Mark has all the tools necessary to provide new direction and leadership for Martin Memorial.”
Robitaille will succeed Richmond Harman, who came to Martin Memorial in 1975. He served as an assistant administrator until 1984 when he was named chief operating officer, and became president and chief executive officer in 1989.
“Once the Martin Memorial Board of Directors made its decision that Mark was the best person for the job, the board and I recognized that now is the time for me to step aside and allow him to begin moving forward,” Harman said. “I love this organization. I’ve devoted myself to it for three decades and I feel comfortable that it is in good hands with Mark at the helm. He has innovative ideas and a passion for health care that will continue to make Martin Memorial a place in which we can all take tremendous pride.”
--Scott Samples
Public Information Coordinator
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Include health care in your storm planning
With three tropical storms lurking in the Atlantic Ocean like burglars casing a house, people are starting to get a little nervous. And after going through Tropical Storm Fay and watching Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, residents of the Treasure Coast should be well prepared.
Of course there are some among us – and I know from experience – who wait until the very last minute to prepare. Often when we wait until the last minute, we tend to overlook things. Unfortunately, one of the things that can be overlooked is one of the most important: our health.
Recently I got an email from the Florida Hospital Association, which raised the point that people need to prepare more than just their homes for an impending storm. While stocking up on food and water, they suggested that people also gather necessary healthcare-related items that will be needed when a storm hits.
One of the recommendations was to create a personal health record, which can include a current list of prescriptions, immunizations and other health information. It can also include your medical history, past diagnoses and treatments that you’ve undergone.
And because paper records can be bulky and tough to carry around – not to mention prone to being destroyed during a storm – they suggest creating an electronic version of your personal health records. An electronic record would give healthcare providers all the information needed to properly treat you if necessary.
So be prepared as the storms churn our way. Gather your medical information, as well as prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that you use now, while you still have the opportunity.
To find out more visit www.floridahealthfinder.gov. This site, created by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, has information on how you can use personal health records as part of your hurricane preparedness plan.
--Scott Samples
Public information coordinator
Of course there are some among us – and I know from experience – who wait until the very last minute to prepare. Often when we wait until the last minute, we tend to overlook things. Unfortunately, one of the things that can be overlooked is one of the most important: our health.
Recently I got an email from the Florida Hospital Association, which raised the point that people need to prepare more than just their homes for an impending storm. While stocking up on food and water, they suggested that people also gather necessary healthcare-related items that will be needed when a storm hits.
One of the recommendations was to create a personal health record, which can include a current list of prescriptions, immunizations and other health information. It can also include your medical history, past diagnoses and treatments that you’ve undergone.
And because paper records can be bulky and tough to carry around – not to mention prone to being destroyed during a storm – they suggest creating an electronic version of your personal health records. An electronic record would give healthcare providers all the information needed to properly treat you if necessary.
So be prepared as the storms churn our way. Gather your medical information, as well as prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that you use now, while you still have the opportunity.
To find out more visit www.floridahealthfinder.gov. This site, created by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, has information on how you can use personal health records as part of your hurricane preparedness plan.
--Scott Samples
Public information coordinator
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