Thursday, June 12, 2008
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Chris Evert Children’s Hospital Celebrates Official Opening of Sickle Cell Treatment & Wellness Center
Broward Health Chris Evert Children’s Hospital celebrated the official
opening of its Transitional Sickle Cell Day Treatment & Wellness
Center Wednesday at a reception. Broward Health’s Commissioners,
Broward County officials and guests gathered to enjoy refreshments and
hear remarks from notable speakers.
Through a $249,861 grant from the Health Foundation of South Florida
and a check presented by Broward County Mayor Josephus Eggelletion, Jr.
for $175,000 from proceeds that were collected at the 2007 annual
Mayor’s Gala, Broward Health established the center to improve the
quality of life for teens and young adults living with sickle cell
disease.
“These young patients and their families can take comfort in knowing
they can go directly to a center that specializes in treating the
symptoms of this disease,” said Frank Nask, President/CEO of Broward
Health.
Housed in the Chris Evert Children’s Hospital, the center is designed
with a focus on sickle cell patients 18 and older to assist them as
they leave their pediatrician and enter the world of adult care. It
includes eight patient beds, a nutrition center, and an entertainment
area for patients while they receive not only medical treatment for
sickle cell crisis, but also obtain wellness care in order to avoid a
crisis.
“This is the most exciting opportunity to improve patient care for this
patient population,” said Dr. Rudolph Roskos, Medical Director of
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the Chris Evert Children’s Hospital at
Broward General Medical Center. “Our hopes are that it will be a model
for other hospitals that wish to provide care to young adults with
sickle cell.”
Once enrolled in the program, care is monitored and overseen by a case
manager from Broward Health's Community Health Services. By offering
disease case management, wellness care and sickle cell treatment, the
program will reduce emergency department visits, inpatient hospital
stays and costs associated with treating the disease. To expedite care
and decrease the severity of a crisis, patients are able to bypass the
emergency department and go directly to the day center.
Additional services available through the day treatment and wellness
center include annual check-ups and exams; patient counseling; newborn
screening and genetic counseling; chronic transfusion services; support
groups for teens, parents, adults; and adult psychiatric services,
including stress management & family counseling.
Broward Health, providing service for more than 50 years, is a
nationally recognized system offering world class health care services
to our neighbors in South Florida. One of the five largest public
health systems in the nation, Broward Health includes Broward General
Medical Center, North Broward Medical Center, Imperial Point Medical
Center, Coral Springs Medical Center, Chris Evert Children’s Hospital,
Broward Health Weston and more than 30 facilities of the Community
Health Services and Broward Health Physician Group. For more
information visit www.browardhealth.org.
Health Foundation of South Florida, a not-for-profit grant making
foundation, is dedicated to expanding access to affordable, quality
health care and providing funding that directly benefits the health and
well being of underserved individuals in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe
Counties. Since its inception in 1993, the Foundation has awarded more
than $67 million in grants and direct program support.
Front row:
Rhonda A. Calhoun, Vice Chair, and Joseph Cobo, Treasurer, North
Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners; Frank Nask,
President/CEO of Broward Health; Rebecca Stoll, Secretary, North
Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners; Alice Taylor, Chief
Operating Officer, Broward General Medical Center; Jasmin Shirley, Vice
President, Community Health Services, Broward Health; and Shelley
Dagen, Immediate Past Chairman, Health Foundation of South Florida.
Back row:
Rudolph Roskos, Medical Director, Chris Evert Children's Hospital;
Peter Wood, Vice President of Programs and Community Investments Health
Foundation of South Florida; Rep. Oscar Braynon II, D-Miami Gardens.
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