LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT FLORIDA HOSPITAL

Florida Hospital:

• Has the highest number of Medicare patients in the country
• Is the third largest employer in the Central Florida area
• Was founded in 1908, and is the oldest and largest health care system in Central Florida
• Has treated more than 1,000,000 people in 2002 and 2003, respectively
• Was the first hospital in the country to install the "Howarth-Charnley Clean Air Suite" in 1971—a new approach that would revolutionize joint replacement surgery (laminar air flow room)
• Developed the first specialty program—one designed to help mentally ill prisoners and others needing institutional psychiatric care—the area's only forensic psychiatric facility
• Established the first hospital-sponsored women's center in Central Florida
• Created the first free-standing outpatient lactation center in central Florida
• Organized the first Clinical Pastoral Education program in Central Florida to train area pastors and hospital chaplains
• Established the first diabetes center to offer comprehensive outpatient services and research in the Central Florida area
• Was the first diabetes education program in Central Florida to be recognized by the American Diabetes Association for meeting National Standards for Patient Education.

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FLORIDA HOSPITAL AWARDS

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HIGHLIGHTS THROUGH THE YEARS

• First in Central Florida to offer DaVinci, robotic-assisted surgery for radical prostatectomy
• Implanted first digital pacemaker in Central Florida

2003

• First in the state of Florida to receive Chest Pain Center Accreditation
  2003 First dedicated inpatient facility in Central Florida for pediatric seizure monitoring
• First in Central Florida to implanted digital pacemaker
• First multi-system hospital to develop a rapid response program like Code STEMI

2002

• First in Central Florida to offer PET/CT technology
• First in Central Florida to offer 4D Ultrasound
• First in Central Florida to offer mini-hip replacement

2001

• First in Central Florida to offer Code Gray
• First in the state of Florida to have clinical digital mammography
  

1999

• First in the state of Florida to have the GE Light Speed CT Scanner that allows for six times faster scanning of images than conventional
  

1996

• First in Central Florida with cardiac surgeons trained to perform transmyocardial revascularization (TMR)
  

1992

• Florida Hospital was the first in Central Florida to install an MRI.
• Installation of the first "MammoTest" unit in Seminole County
  

1991

• Opening of Central Florida's only Cancer Resource Library
  

1979

• First angioplasty
  

1977

• Installation of one of the nation's first CT scanners (the others were at the Mayo Clinic and Stanford); linear accelerator for radiation treatment, and first laboratory SMAC blood analyzer
  

1973

• First in-center hemodialysis unit in Central Florida
• Central Florida's first organ transplant and regional organ recovery agency [recovering all organs for transplant purposes]
  

1970

• Florida Hospital was the first to implement family-centered maternity care and to allow fathers in the delivery room in Central Florida
  

1969

• Orlando's first open-heart surgery
  

1967

• First cardiac catherization performed in Central Florida
  

Mid-1960s

• Development of the state's first coronary care unit and later a separate intensive care unit for heart surgery patients
  

1966

• Florida Sanitarium cared for one of the nation's first "Medicare" participants
• First heart cath performed at Florida Hospital

1964

• Installation of the hospital's first cardiac pacemaker
  

1957

• Development of the region's first hospital-based psychiatric program
  

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SPECIALTY HIGHLIGHTS

Cardiovascular Services

Since its inception in 1967, Florida Hospital has earned a national reputation as a leader in advanced cardiac care. In fact, MSNBC dubbed Florida Hospital America’s Heart HospitalSM for its continued leadership role in the treatment and prevention of heart disease.

Each year, our team of 130 board-certified cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons and more than 1,000 specially trained cardiac nurses and technicians treat more heart patients than any other hospital in the nation. Our team is not only skilled in the latest surgical and interventional procedures but is also experienced in treating the most critical heart patients.

Our team is also advancing cardiac medicine through its participation and collaboration in nationally recognized cardiac research studies. These studies test new treatment options and state-of-the-art technologies. Through research, heart patients have access to the most advanced therapies months, or even years, before they are readily available to the public.

At Florida Hospital, it is our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ through compassionate care and a commitment to excellence. We take a holistic approach to patient care, nurturing the mind and spirit as it seeks to heal the body.

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Diabetes

• The Florida Hospital Diabetes Center is the largest comprehensive Center in Central Florida.
• The Florida Hospital Diabetes Center Education Program is the only program recognized by the American Diabetes Association in Central Florida.
• The Florida Hospital Diabetes Center has established a Regional Care Network for Diabetes Centers throughout the state of Florida as well as in Tennessee and Kentucky.
• Nationally renowned Florida Hospital Diabetes Center Medical Director, Dr. Samuel E. Crockett, has been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Medical Specialists in Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism in the United States, and was chosen unanimously by his peers for excellence as a clinician. In addition, he serves as a consultant and guest lecturer to health care organizations and pharmaceutical companies including: HCFA, the Board of Directors for American Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Diabetes Association Recognition Committee and is a member of the Governor's Advisory Council for Florida.
• Program Director Barbara Joswick is a nationally recognized expert in diabetes education and reimbursement. She is a consultant and guest lecturer to health care organizations. Barbara is a national reviewer of patient education programs for the American Diabetes Association. She is also a member of the national American Association of Diabetes Education Reimbursement Committee and the American Association of Diabetes Educators Regulatory Committee. Other memberships include the Florida ACHA Practice Guidelines Committee, and the Florida Department of Health Implementation Work Group.

• The Diabetes Center participates in the following research:
  * Diabetes Newborn Genetic Study with the University of Florida
  * Growth Hormone Study
  * Diabetes Medication and Blood Pressure Study
  * Oral Insulin Study
  * Diabetes Prevention Trial
  * Technology Studies: Diabetes Blood Glucose Monitor Studies
  * Diabetes Modem Study
  * Diabetes Software Meter Studies
  * Obesity and Diabetes Study
  * Vitamin and Blood Glucose Study
  * Measuring the impact that Diabetes Self-Management Education
  has on hemoglobin A1c.

Neuroscience Institute

Firsts:

• The Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute is the first facility in Central Florida to offer interventional neuroradiology services and has the only Interventional Neuroradiologist in Central Florida. Interventional neuroradiology generally uses a minimally invasive approach with catheters placed through the arteries or veins to treat vascular diseases of the central nervous system.
• First dedicated SMART (Stroke Management and Rehabilitation Team) unit, established for the Central Florida region to provide aggressive therapies for stroke patients.

Highlights:

• The Institute treats the highest number of stroke patients in the state of Florida.
• The Institute performs the highest number of neurosurgeries in the State of Florida -- treating more than 2,000 patients per year.
  
• Bolstered by extremely strong neuroradiology and computer-assisted surgical planning divisions, physicians at the Brain Tumor Center use the latest diagnostic and treatment protocols for tumors of the central and peripheral nervous system. State-of-the-art neuroimaging (CT, MRI/MRA, biplane digital angiography and SPECT) is utilized and is essential in all phases of treatment.
• All radiologists are board certified.

Technology:

• Functional Brain Imaging—Utilizes ultra-fast brain scans that give doctors a clearer picture of what has gone wrong inside stroke victims' heads so that they can decide in a hurry how to treat them. Florida Hospital is one of about 500 hospitals in the United States that has this capability.

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