EDITOR'S NOTE

Dr. Deborah German with Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Jim Palermo.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The current edition of Space Coast Medicine & Healthy Living magazine offers a diverse line-up of features and topics ranging from the birth of what will surely prove to be a World-Class institution of medical education, research and service – to innovative approaches to both new and age old healthcare problems and issues.

Dr. Deborah German is a truly remarkable individual, who, with an innovative vision and the energy and passion to make it a reality, has embedded an academic environment into the new University of Central Florida College of Medicine where students develop not only clinical knowledge and skills, but also an explicit understanding of the many dimensions of contemporary patient-centered healthcare.

The new school will open classes this week with the symbolic “white coat” ceremony, when each student will receive their traditional physician’s jacket.

Dr. German spearheaded the effort to be the first in the nation to offer full scholarships to an entire class, and, in so doing, was able to attract some of the best and brightest candidates from across the country.

Under Dr. German’s dynamic leadership and a focus on excellence in education, service, research and patient care, there is no question that in the not so distant future UCF will be among the elite med schools in the country, and have a very positive impact on Space Coast healthcare providers and our community. CLICK HERE to read the story.

Dr. Chan-Ting

HOUSE CALLS, a routine part of a physician’s life in the distant past, may have all but disappeared, but a few doctors like Dr. Rengena Chan-Ting and her colleagues in their group called Care Level Management are keeping the tradition alive.

Healthcare reform will demand more efficient systems and processes, and a focus on patient-centered rather than provider-centered care.

What these physicians and other family doctors, who still find home visits the most efficient and effective way to serve some patients, offer is a prescription for convenience, expediency and compassion, keeping frail, often home-bound individuals out of the hospital and happier in their own home. CLICK HERE to read the story.

DR. CESAR JARA explains the STEMI process.

EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT teamwork is imperative for quality, safe and timely healthcare that results in the best outcomes.

The fundamentals of evidence-based practice, meticulous planning and training, and the principles of mutual trust and respect, and shared vision and leadership characterize the Holmes Regional Medical Center STEMI Alert Team.

The emergence of physician champions from the emergency department and interventional cardiology highlights the multidisciplinary teamwork that is critical for performing life-saving STEMI interventions. CLICK HERE to read the story.

DR. GEETHA PRIYANKA, a Melbourne internist, and her husband, Naveen Venkatachalam are ahead of the curve in terms of innovative electronic management of patients’ healthcare information.

Dr. Geetha Priyanka and Naveen Venkatachalam

Having launched a commercial electronic medical record (EMR), DoctorsPartner, for physicians’ offices in 2003, and progressively improved the product over the past six years, their company is very well positioned to provide healthcare providers an efficient, effective, flexible and affordable option to meet “meaningful use” EMR standards established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Obama’s Stimulus Package), and receive federal money.

For an in-depth look at the ARRA and “meaningful use see our Healthcare Policy Department on page 74 of our print edition – CLICK HERE to read the story in Space Coast Medicine & Healthy Living magazine.

HEART ATTACKS, strokes and peripheral arterial disease account for a very high proportion of death and disability. The mechanism through which most of the risk factors for these arteriosclerotic conditions exert their harmful effects is the deposition of cholesterol and fat into the arterial wall.

Dr. Khalid Sheikh

A major emphasis in preventing and treating arteriosclerosis is to not only control each individual risk factor, but also control cholesterol and lipid metabolism.  The understanding of lipid metabolism and how to modify it to lower the risk of arteriosclerosis has become a major focus in medicine and public health.

We are delighted to have Brevard County, Florida's only Certified Lipid Specialist, cardiologist Dr. Khalid Sheikh, answer several of the fundamental questions surrounding cholesterol and lipid abnormalities and management in this issue’s Q and A.  CLICK HERE to read the story in Space Coast Medicine & Healthy Living magazine.

HOBBS PHARMACY has served the Brevard community for over 45 years, and, because of a customer-centered focus, been able to not only compete in a world of large franchised stores, but thrive and grow.  Our “Flashback” features two generations of Hobbs who have recognized the value of a personal and customized approach to meeting the needs of healthcare consumers and providers alike. CLICK HERE to read the story in Space Coast Medicine & Healthy Living magazine.

As always, we appreciate your feedback. Please contact me at jp.spacecoastmedicine@gmail.com, or call 321-615-8111.

And, don't forget to register for SpaceCoastMedicine.com's eHealthWatch, our free breaking news e-mail alert. CLICK HERE to sign up.

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