MEDICALLY SPEAKING

The region can never be described as taking a Band-Aid approach to treating hospital patients.

Two large hospital groups—Florida Hospital and Orlando Regional Healthcare—exemplify the strength of the region’s medical care. Each has an array of outstanding services and facilities. In addition, HCA Inc. hospitals serve as an important complement in serving the healthcare needs of metro Orlando. Plus, Health Central and Winter Park Cancer Care Center are independent hospitals, and there are numerous emergency medical clinics available throughout the area.

Orlando Regional Healthcare consists of eight metro Orlando hospitals. Services encompass primary, secondary and tertiary care, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, the region’s only burn unit, the region’s only teaching hospital, and specialty care facilities like the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. ORH has been recognized by such media outlets as U.S. News & World Report as one of the top-50 cardiology hospitals in the nation.

Meanwhile, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando developed Central Florida’s first clinic dedicated to brain tumor research and treatment. ORH,with its total of 1,572 beds, serves more than two million Central Florida residents and 6,000 international visitors annually.More information: www.orlandoregional.org.

Florida Hospital is an acute-care health care system with 3,025 beds throughout Central Florida, including seven hospitals in metro Orlando. It’s part of the comprehensive network of 17 hospitals of the Adventist Health System-Florida Division. Florida Hospital treats almost one million patient visits each year, making it among the busiest systems in the country. In addition to serving Central Florida residents, Florida Hospital serves as a major tertiary referral hospital throughout the southeastern United States, the Caribbean and South America. For the last six years, Florida Hospital has been recognized as one of“America's Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report. A wide range of health services for the entire family are offered, including many nationally and internationally recognized programs in cardiology, cancer, diabetes, digestive health, women's medicine, neurology/neurosurgery, orthopeadics and rehabilitation. In addition, Florida Hospital operates 15 Centra Care walk-in urgent care centers, as well as the Community After-Hours Medical Clinic. More information: www.flhosp.org.
HCA is also a leading provider of healthcare services, composed of locally
managed facilities that include approximately 190 hospitals and 91 outpatient surgery centers in 23 states, England and Switzerland.

HCA owns Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford and Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, along with the Same Day SurgiCenter of Orlando and Kissimmee Surgery Center. Central Florida Regional, with 226 beds, is the most comprehensive healthcare facility serving West Volusia and Seminole counties. Osceola Regional Medical Center contains 171 beds. More information: www.hcahealthcare.com.

As for the independents,Health Central (www.health-central.org) is a full-service, 171-bed acute care hospital. And the Winter Park Cancer Care Center serves the needs of cancer patients.

MAJOR HEALTHCARE CENTERS

Need help finding a local dentist or a doctor? If so, consider turning to the Pan-American Dental Society and the Pan-American Medical Association.

Each organization works to improve its industry by serving as a resource for professionals to continue their education and network with one another. The Pan-American Dental Society, for example, offers continuing education that is approved by the American Dental Association. Similarly, the Pan-American Medical Association operates under the guidance of the American Medical Association.

More information: Pan-American Dental Society, 407-370-4600. Pan-American Medical Association, www.pamacfl.org.

Metro Orlando has taken another step toward the creation of a world-class medical city with the establishment of the Global Robotics Institute at Florida Hospital.

The institute, part of the Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement, serves as a robotic surgery training site for physicians worldwide. Located at Florida Hospital Celebration Health and Florida Hospital Orlando, it offers robotic surgeries for prostate and gynecologic oncology patients and soon will be expanding to include many other surgical specialties.

Robotic surgery has numerous benefits to patients, including smaller incisions; spared nerves; less blood loss, pain and scarring; and quicker recovery times.

The institute is led by Dr. Vip Patel, one of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the world.

More information: Florida Hospital Celebration Health, 407-303-4000.