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Bay Medical Sacred Heart Names New CEO

Bay Medical Sacred Heart announced Barry Keel will be the new Chief Executive Officer for the hospital beginning May 17th. Keel has been a hospital CEO for more than 17 years and has also served as Chief Financial Officer and a Clinical Director during his career. Keel has worked in both not-for-profit and for-profit settings throughout the Southeast. He joins Bay Medical Sacred Heart from Health Management Associates where he served as the Alabama Market CEO with responsibility for two hospitals totaling more than 400 patient beds.

Spine Surgery Technology at Bay Medical-Sacred Heart

Spinal problems cause pain in the back and neck that can then radiate to the legs or arms. Treatments such as physical therapy and injections are sometimes used, but when that doesn't work, spinal surgery can.

"My pain was very much diminished. I was much more comfortable, much more able to get up and do things without the cramping, the leg pain or the burning...it just all disappeared." says Adana Ward, who had surgery on her spine six weeks ago to correct her spinal cord compression and to correct the alignment in her spine.

Hospital Shows off New Cath Lab Equipment

A local hospital’s doctors and staff showed off an updated cardiac catheterization lab Tuesday, freshly outfitted with new technology that will reduce radiation exposure for patients being tested for heart disease.

BayMedical CenterSacred Heart Health System has five such cath labs and two of them received equipment upgrades in the last two months, which cost $2 million.

The cardiologists raved about the new equipment, with Dr. Amir Haghighat calling it “awesome” and a “huge improvement.” It replaces machines that were 17 years old.

Heart Patient Receives Less Invasive Heart Surgery

A game-changing procedure for open heart surgery was introduced at Bay Medical - Sacred Heart. The surgery uses robotic technology without opening up the patient's chest. We were first introduced to this technology in december of last year...when Dr. Lynn Seto held a news conference. "What this means for the patient is that they have much less pain after the operation, less risk of requiring a blood transfusion, they go home quicker, and most importantly they are able to get back to their life quicker."

Bay Med Opens New Area for Chest Pain Patients

Sacred Heart is utilizing a new program to help patients get treated faster. news 13's jessica foster has more in tonight's modern medicine report. Bay Medical-Sacred Heart has opened up the clinical decision making unit or c-d-u. it's an observation unit for cardiac patients that helps doctors determine the extent of the illness. Only patients who aren't sick enough to qualify for an in patient bed are going to populate the CDU with the purpose of doing further testing and evaluation to see if they qualify to move upstairs.

Can Surgery Be Avoided with Physical Therapy?

Neck and back pain can be debilitating and often leads to surgery. Physical therapists say there are techniques to help patients alleviate the weakness, pain or numbness associated with neck and back pain and it doesn't require you to go under the knife.

Less Invasive Heart Surgery

Open heart surgery doesn’t have to mean sawing through the breastbone and large chest scars anymore.

Dr. Lynn Seto, cardiothoracic surgeon, announced two completely robotic mitral valve repairs on two local patients, a first for this area, using the da Vinci Si HD Surgical System, according to BayMedical CenterSacred Heart Health System.

Bay Medical-Sacred Heart Participates in Carotid Stent Registry

Dr. Amir Haghighat talk with WMBB's Jessica Foster about the importance of following patient's progress in a carotid stent registry. Carotid Stenting was approved in 2011 for use in all carotid patients, however select hospitals, like Bay Medical, are monitoring patients progress in a registry to enhance the care that carotid patients receive in the future all over the country.

Modern Medicine: Preventing Pregnancy Complications

Expert: Parents should model good communication

It’s time to turn off the TV and pick up books, pens, puzzles and learn.

Peggy Kundo, speech pathologist at Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health System’s HealthPlex, said speech and language development occurs in predictable sequences and when those sequences don’t happen at the right time, it can affect development and learning for years to come.

“That is one thing we see a lot more of, kids with decreased attention spans, because children are used to the flashy stimuli from the screen,” Kundo said. “It’s hard to compete with that. It’s addicting. Number one, turn off the TV, and number two, a quiet environment. Interact with the child and find out what they’re doing.”

Preventing Pregnancy Complications

After the first trimester of pregnancy, many women feel less anxious. However, a cervical insufficiency, or weak cervix, can cause problems even in the second trimester. A simple, outpatient procedure can help babies stay in the womb longer.

Samantha Phillips had a heartbreaking loss. An insufficient cervix caused her to deliver early, and her baby did not survive.

Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Gregory K. Morrow from Coastal OBGYN explains, "It's kind of like a trap door cervix that the baby just comes out...often alive and moving...but usually pre-viable...It's a horrible thing."

Local Autistic 5 Year Old Finds Help Through Occupational Therapy

Leona Rhodes is an energetic 5 year old who just started kindergarten.

Something her mom didn't think was possible a year ago.

"My son is only 18 months older than her and it was like years difference in their developmental skills," says Melissa Rhodes.

At the age of four when Leona couldn't identify letters of the alphabet or write her name, mom knew it was time to get help.

Beating Breast Cancer

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Self-exams and screening mammograms are helping increase survival rates.

Carlene Harper went in for a screening mammogram. That test lead to another, which helped doctors identify a very small breast cancer.

What it Means to be a Trauma Center

Survival rates increase significantly when severely injured patients are taken to a trauma center. doctors say trauma injuries range from work place accidents to gunshot wounds...but most of them are car and motorcycle accidents.

Hip Arthroscopy

At one time, hip pain lead to complicated treatment and a possible hip replacement.

Now a minimally invasive procedure is allowing patients to avoid hip replacement and recover faster. The advanced surgery is known as Hip Arthroscopy.

Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Michael Adams says, "with two or three small incisions, we can get inside the hip joint to look and treat different disease processes." He says the recovery time is much shorter than if a patient needed a hip replacement.

Less Invasive Treatment for Abdominal Aneurysms

Five percent of the American population has an abdominal aortic aneurysm and most have no clue they could be a ticking time bomb. To make matters worse, there really aren't any symptoms. If it ruptures, large amounts of blood can spill in the abdominal cavity, leading to death within a matter of minutes. The good news is, once you know it's there it can be removed. Now a Bay County doctor has a much less invasive way to get rid it.

Bay Medical Center Officials Warn Against Texting and Driving

The American Trauma Society says 20% of all the 2009 traffic accidents resulting in injuries came about because of distracted driving.

That’s why Bay Medical Center Trauma officials are raising awareness about the issue.

Currently, Florida law does not prohibit sending text messages or using a cell phone while driving.
Many health officials believe, if more people used common sense on the roads, there would be fewer deaths as a result.

Surgeon Glenn Summers is the Trauma Medical Director at Bay Medical Center.
He says he’s seen too many people in his surgery room, that shouldn’t have been there.

Bay Medical Receives Level II Trauma Designation

Bay Medical has received approval to serve as a Designated Level II Trauma Center from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Trauma effective May 1, 2012. Bay Medical is the first and only designated trauma center in Trauma Service Area Two, consisting of Bay, Gulf, Washington and Holmes counties and is the only center between Pensacola and Tallahassee in Northwest Florida and is one of 28 in the entire state.

Cure for Whiplash Related Headaches

Whiplash from car accidents can lead to severe, long term headaches.

Panama City Neurosurgeon Dr. Joel Franck has developed a revolutionary way to deal with the pain.

Nysha Baker, 22, was involved in a car accident. She says the accident caused severe headaches that made it difficult for her to function.

"I thought my life was changed, but I got my life back," said Nysha.

Bay Medical Celebrates Privatization Deal

Two days after finalizing the Bay Medical Center lease and asset purchase agreement, joint venture executives and hospital staff celebrated the historic deal Wednesday.

Sacred Heart Health System and LHP Hospital Group hosted a luncheon for employees outside Bay Medical's main entrance. Later, physicians and community leaders were guests at a reception.

"I've worked here for thirty two years and this is a beginning for Bay Medical Center," said Sheila Tison, Nurse Manager. "It's wonderful."

Hospital partners welcome Bay Med employees

Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health System officials told employees Wednesday the new capital structure that eliminated the hospital’s outstanding debt will position the hospital to grow and improve.

Hospital employees were invited to a lunch to celebrate the change in governance and the end of the uncertainty the employees felt with the fate of the former not-for-profit at the mercy of the banks that were holding the debt.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Advances in surgery are allowing Bay County doctors to perform spinal surgeries that are much less invasive than traditional methods.

Minimally invasive spine surgery is designed to help with pain associated with the back, leg and herniated or slipped discs.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Cyril Desilva says the minimally invasive surgery allows for less time in the hospital and a much faster recovery. Traditional surgery requires a large incision and the entire back has to be opened to get to the spine. The minimally invasive procedure only requires very small incisions.

Detecting Colon Cancer

A colonoscopy can be a dreaded procedure, but it can save your life. During a colonoscopy, the patient is sedated, and a camera is used to search the colon for abnormalities.

Even if you have misgivings, doctors recommend most people get a colonoscopy by the time they're 50. Those with a family history of colon cancer should start screening even earlier.

Sara Ballard is 61. She's getting a colonoscopy, just to be safe.

"My family has a history of cancer, so I just want to be aware. My sister had polyps. I went with her and knew it was time for me to get one too," explains Ballard.

Heart Health Month is for Both Men and Women

Earlier this month we had Go Red for Women day, where you were encouraged to wear red to bring attention to women's heart health issues. But with February being heart health month we believe you can't get the message out often enough.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, and there are ways you can keep from becoming a victim.

Heart disease does not discriminate - it can happen to anyone.

Interventional Cardiologist Amir Haghighat says he sees patients ranging from their late 20s, as well as those in their 90s.

Heart Disease and Women

Heart Disease is the leading killer of women. There are ways to lower your risks — the first step is to recognize that there's a problem.

When we think of heart attack, we think of chest pain. In women, that symptom may not exist.

Hip Replacement Goes Back To The Future

In the 1950's surgeons used what is called the Smith-Peterson approach for hip replacement. It provided a great view of the hip but surgeons had to cut through muscle which meant a long recovery time. Recently the anterior hip procedure was improved and one local orthopedic surgeon is happy to see its revival.

The Most Surgical Time of the Year

Steve McNeil saved $3000 dollars by moving his surgery up one week. His doctor had originally slated his operation to start at the beginning of next year, but McNeil told him he'd already paid off his deductible for this year. If the surgery took place a week before the New Year, he wouldn't have to pay a new deductible on January 1st.

"It didn't seem like it was a new reaction, it sounded like he'd heard it before," McNeil said of his doctor's response to the requested date change. "I didn't even have to explain it; as soon as I said it he understood that was a lot of money to come up with."

Holiday EMS Services

It may be a service taken for granted, but Bay Medical Emergency Medical Services is ready at a moment's notice to assist in emergencies. Even during the Christmas holiday.

Aside from responding to an accident at Enzo's yesterday, EMS officials say they didn't receive any unusual calls. That includes one they usually get around this time, turkey frying accidents.

"I don't think we had any of those this year, although that is a very typical call for us," says Lieutenant Liane Harding. "We see a lot of cooking injuries around the holidays, but we actually didn't have any of those yesterday."

Santa Brings Presents and Asthma Education to Students

Santa Claus brought toys and gifts to several hundred screaming and ecstatic elementary school students Tuesday morning.

Bay Medical Center, Hiland Park Baptist Church and Kohl’s teamed up to provide toys, gifts and even asthma education for 1,250 local students.

The students at Oakland Terrace Elementary School had an assembly Tuesday; they met to sing Christmas songs in the cafeteria on the last day before starting the Christmas break. The jolly old elf St. Nick made a surprise appearance at the assembly.

Bay Medical Center Submits Lease Document to the Bay County Commission for Review

The administration of Bay Medical Center today presented to the County Commission for its review an agreement to lease the hospital to a joint venture between Sacred Heart Health System and LHP Hospital Group, Inc. The Bay Medical Center Board of Trustees has not yet taken its final vote on the agreement, but last week authorized administration to forward the agreement on to the County Commission. The form of the agreement is now substantially complete. The Bay Medical Center Board of Trustees is expected to hold a workshop within the next two weeks and take a final vote on the lease transaction soon. If approved by the Bay Medical Center Board, the agreements would then require approval from the County Commission.

Bay Medical Center President and CEO Steve Johnson said, “It has taken a lot of hard work by all three organizations to finalize the details of the agreement. But I am convinced that the negotiations have produced an agreement that will greatly benefit our community and our hospital.”

Robotic Surgery Decreases Pain, Hospital Stay

Mickey Kirksey joked that when he went in for major lung surgery on a Monday morning, the next day the hospital staff told his pastor, who came for a visit, that he already had gone home.

The successful thoracotomy was performed using the da Vinci surgical robot, which made Kirksey’s recovery quick and with a minimal amount of pain.

“I went into surgery Monday morning and I was home and in bed Tuesday night,” Kirksey said. “I was very pleased and I would recommend the da Vinci procedure to other patients.”

Bay Medical Announces New Technology For Stroke Prevention

Bay Medical announced today the use of a new technology to treat carotid artery disease in patients deemed high-risk for surgery. The Mo.Ma Ultra Proximal Cerebral Protection Device is used during a minimally invasive catheterization procedure to prevent plaque debris in the carotid artery from traveling into the brain and causing a stroke.

Bay Medical Chosen by Consumers as Highest Quality Provider in Research Study

Bay Medical has been recognized by National Research Corporation (NRC) as one of the nation’s top hospitals in the 2011/2012 Consumer Choice Awards. The award identifies hospitals which healthcare consumers have chosen as having the highest quality and image in over 300 markets throughout the U.S.

Bay Medical was chosen as the image and quality leader by consumers in the Panama City – Lynn Haven, Florida area for the past three years in a row.

Importance of Mammograms

According to The American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, but millions of women are surviving this disease because of early detection.

Judy White says she had no symptoms and never thought it would happen to her. It did. Judy was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of August after a screening mammogram detected a problem. She says she "was a bad girl and didn't go every year." Her doctor kept encouraging her to get a screening mammogram. Luckily, she eventually did.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women begin screening mammograms at 40 years of age, with self-exams prior.

Uterine Ablation

Some women suffer from debilitating menstrual cycles. Women who suffer from heavy bleeding can now find relief with a procedure called uterine ablation. It's an alternative to hysterectomy.

Dr. Krystal VanLowe from Coastal OBGYN recently moved to the Bay County area and specializes in uterine ablation procedures.

"If we can stop the problem, the heavy bleeding...then we don't need to have major surgery. You don't have to be off work for 4 to 6 weeks," Dr. VanLowe explains.

BMC Introduces New Spinal Procedure

The scar on Tammy Hussar’s neck was displayed with pride Monday morning as the Florida Highway Patrol officer talked about her mark as a badge of honor and salvation.

Hussar, 47, was severely injured on duty in February when a driver fell asleep at the wheel and collided with Hussar’s patrol car. The accident caused a disk in Hussar’s spine to impinge on her spinal cord, causing severe pain and even numbness in her extremities.

“I truly believed that the rest of my life was going to be sitting on the couch taking pain medication,” Hussar said.

Impella Heart Pump Saves Lives

Imagine having a heart problem, but the only way to treat it is with a high risk procedure. This can be a tricky decision, but a new device makes treatment safer. The Impella device was FDA approved in 2008, and it's now available at Bay Medical Center. It's a mini heart pump that supports the heart during high risk procedures.

Preparing for Joint Replacement Surgery

Bay Medical Center's Joint Program is offered every week. It's designed for patients who are scheduled to undergo a hip, knee or shoulder procedure. Medical professionals say these types of surgeries are occurring in younger and younger patients.

Deborah Rodeheaver is 57 years old and had a total hip replacement. She's now undergoing physical therapy at Bay Medical Center.

"I had surgery on Tuesday, and I started walking on Wednesday," Rodeheaver stated.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

A chamber once used for diving purposes is showing benefits in the medical world. Bay Medical Center's Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help promote wound healing and treat certain types of infections.

Hyperbaric medicine is now being used to help patients who've had head and neck cancer. Radiation therapy used to treat this type of cancer can weaken the teeth and jaw, eventually leading to a condition called Osteoradionecrosis, which means cell death due to radiation. Hyperbaric medicine can help prevent this from happening.

Speech Difficulties in Children

Not being able to make appropriate sounds, a limited vocabulary, and difficulty communicating are all issues that could signal a problem with a child's speech.

Peggy Kundo is a Speech Language Pathologist at Bay Medical's Healthplex. She says, "Parents should look for how well a child says the sounds in their words."

Education the Key to Managing Diabetes

Sarah Smith found out in april she has diabetes.

"I had no idea how serious it was until I was actually diagnosed."

Smith's doctor told her about a class offered through Bay Medical Center that teaches diabetics how to better manage their disease.

New Incisionless Procedure for Reflux

Most of us have experienced heartburn at least once. When it happens more than once a week, it could mean you have Acid Reflux Disease.

When we eat, a valve opens from the esophagus to the stomach so food can pass through, then it closes. If that valve doesn't work properly, contents from the stomach can reflux into the esophagus.

Carotid stenting offering hope to at risk patients

Some patients who are at risk for stroke may not be candidates for conventional surgery to unblock the arteries for a number of reasons.

Those patients may fair better with carotid stenting, because it doesn't require general anesthesia and it's a quick procedure. It's done in about 15 to 20 minutes in a cath lab and only involves overnight hospitalization

New Technology Improves EMS Response Times

Panama City - Bay Medical EMS says thanks to some new upgrades it's made, we'll all get the help we need a lot faster. EMS recently added a new communication system between it's communication center and ambulances that help relay important information quickly.

National Nurses Week

Tuesday, Bay Medical Center showed some of their nurses just how much they are appreciated.

As part of nurses week celebration hospital officials handed out "Nursing Excellence Awards." Many nurses were nominated from the different departments, and Tuesday four outstanding nurses were given the final awards.

Heart Mapping Technology & Cardiac Ablation Returns Pilot to the Cockpit

An irregular heartbeat not only causes worry, but it can interfere with daily life. Technology available in our area allows doctors to treat the problem and get people back to their normal activities quickly.

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. Doctors can treat it by performing a cardiac ablation, all while using a mapping system to view the heart in three dimensions.

Bay Medical Uses World's Smallest Heart Pump for Critically Ill Heart Patients

Bay Medical’s Heart Institute is now using Abiomed’s Impella 2.5 heart pump, the World’s Smallest Heart Pump, as a new treatment option to assist critically ill heart patients. Interventional cardiologists Samir Patel, M.D. and Amir Haghighat, M.D. have used the new device with the first procedure being performed locally in March.

New Treatment for Acid Reflux - First Patient Shares Her Story

No more pills, no more pain. Bay Medical now offers an incisionless surgery to relieve chronic acid reflux. Using an endoscope, a new valve is created at the top of the patient's stomach preventing acid from going up into the esophagus.

Bay Medical Names Officers for 2011 Board of Trustees

Bay Medical recently elected new board officers for 2011. Floyd Skinner will serve as chairman, Don Connor as vice chairman and James T. Cook III, MD, as secretary/treasurer.

Bay Medical to Participate in Research of Placentas for Use in Tissue Grafts

Bay MedicalCenter and their current tissue donation organization, LifeNet Health of FL, will now begin collecting placentas for research. Extensive research will be conducted to evaluate the placental tissue for transplantable grafts that could be utilized for treating burns and chronic wounds as well as repair of corneal scarring.

Bay Medical Chosen by Consumers as Highest Quality Provider in Research Study

National Research Corporation Releases 2010/2011 Consumer Choice Awards

New Handheld Ultrasound in the ER Speeds Up Diagnosis

Bay Medical is putting a new twist on diagnostic technology that has been around for a few years that will save time and make patients more comfortable in the Emergency Room.

Bay Medical Opens $70 M Expansion

With a drumroll from a marching band and streamers shot from confetti cannons, Bay Medical cut the ribbon on a 5-story patient care tower and new main entrance on Wednesday, September 8^th.

Bay Medical Grand Opening Set for September 8, 2010

Bay Medical’s new patient care tower will open ahead of schedule on September 8^th. The five-story tower includes 144 private patient rooms, a new cafeteria and will serve as the new main entrance for the hospital.

Gordie Brown Headlines Society Gala to Benefit New Bay Medical Patient Tower

A Las Vegas headliner is the featured entertainment at the 25^th Anniversary Society Gala hosted by the Bay Medical Foundation this fall to benefit the hospital’s new patient tower.

Bay Medical Reveals Plan for Healing Garden

Bay Medical unveiled plans for a Healing Garden as part of the hospital’s expansion. Bay Medical’s new patient care tower and main entrance to the hospital will open in early September and will include 144 new private patient rooms.

2010 and Top 50 three years in a row

Recognized for sustained, outstanding clinical performance by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. This is the third consecutive year that Bay Medical has received this distinction.

Bay County Hospitals Become Tobacco-Free Effective Nov. 19, 2009

Bay Medical Center, Gulf Coast Medical Center and HealthSouth to Join More Than 50 Other Florida Hospitals That Have Already Adopted Tobacco-Free Policies