AdventHealth Waterman

Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew said hospitals and officials have “significant concerns” around ambulance and emergency service transportation after the storm, as Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and other areas had already flooded earlier this year during “relatively minor” storms. Hospitals are finalizing contingency plans and transferring patients ahead of Hurricane Helene, which is set to make landfall in northwestern Florida late this evening as at least a Category 3 hurricane.Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 of the state’s 67 counties and has received approval for a pre-landfall disaster declaration request from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 41 counties. President Joe Biden made a similar emergency declaration the same day.Air Force hurricane hunters found the maximum sustained winds have increased to 120 mph, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said around 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday. A Category 3 hurricane has wind speeds ranging from 111 mph to 129 mph, NBC reported.The NHC called the storm "dangerous" and said further strengthening is expected before Helene makes landfall in the Big Bend Thursday evening.In Georgia, which is also expected to feel the impact in “every part of our state,” Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Wednesday that was accompanied by the president’s declaration and instructions to FEMA. Tropical storm warnings also extend into eastern Alabama.Forecasters have warned of damage from heavy rains, storm surges, strong winds and the potential for spinoff tornadoes. Multiple counties in the storm’s path have issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents.“Although Florida has had some experience with this, [Hurricane Helene] seems to be on a scale that the state hasn’t seen in a very long time,” Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, which is helping coordinate emergency preparations for its members, told Fierce Healthcare.Hospitals and health systems serving the region have posted public notices of visitation restrictions, procedure cancellations and temporary suspensions that require patient transfers.HCA Healthcare’s 46-hospital Florida division website lists 10 hospitals with restrictions as of early Thursday afternoon. The system also posted notices that it has suspended services at West Tampa Hospital and Pasadena Hospital and successfully transferred patients to sister facilities elsewhere in the state. In an 11:00 a.m., Thursday update, Tampa General Hospital said it closed its Crystal River acute care hospital and emergency center, which required discharges or transfers of all patients. Numerous other clinics, outpatient surgery centers and emergency centers in five counties were closed with plans to reopen most on Friday.The system said it activated its emergency response plan Monday and has opened an incident command center “to enable and support continued operations.” Its flagship hospital, which serves as the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, has been prepared with stockpiled supplies, on-site staff, a central energy plant built in 2022 to be capable of withstanding a Category 5 hurricane and an AquaFence able to withstand storm surges up to 15 feet above sea level.Posted notices from AdventHealth and BayCare say the systems have closed centers and clinics for Thursday but that all hospitals planned to remain open as of Thursday afternoon. Tallahassee Memorial Health also said it has closed urgent care centers and physician partner practices, and is rescheduling outpatient procedures at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.Over in Georgia, Grady Memorial Hospital will remain open but is closing its neighborhood and hospital-based centers through Friday, with elective and nonurgent procedures also being rescheduled. The Carl Vinson VA Medical Center also listed several clinic closures though its main campus is expected to remain open, according to a release.A representative for the Georgia Hospital Association told Fierce Healthcare that it is engaged with the state’s emergency management office and operations center “monitoring and coordinating any potential impacts or resulting needs, and Georgia’s hospitals are following their standard emergency preparedness plans.”The group is also keeping an eye out for member requests “related to the provision of patient care, including potential flexibilities or waivers related to prior authorization requests.”Mayhew said the Florida Hospital Association has been holding daily calls with its members and expects to do so in the days after the storm hits. These meetings allow the hospitals to coordinate each others' various needs related to transfers, supplies or electrical generators.The association also makes sure to escalate these needs to state officials when necessary, she explained.“I had a hospital yesterday that was trying to support a local nursing home that needed to evacuate,” she said. “They needed to acquire another generator. The state has been supporting that request.”Though there haven’t been any curveballs so far, Mayhew said hospitals and officials have “significant concerns” around ambulance and emergency service transportation after the storm, as Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and other areas had already flooded earlier this year during “relatively minor” storms. “The fact that our ground is saturated and susceptible to flooding, all of that [is] really playing into how the state and our local county emergency operation centers are preparing,” she said. “Hospitals need to understand all of the flood risks in their region.”The other post-storm concerns at the top of hospitals list: stepping up when community-based resources like pharmacies or dialysis centers remain closed and ensuring that their workforces are still able to work.For the latter, Mayhew noted that hospitals will have organized teams to remain on-site during the storm until they’re relieved by the next team. Ensuring that handover remains smooth, however, can be a challenge when local infrastructure is under duress.“After Hurricane Ian [in 2022], Lee Health had a very high percentage of employees that they were not able to reach [because] cell phone towers were down,” Mayhew recalled. “All of that is being taken into consideration—what kinds of communication? Where do employees go to make sure they’re aware of what the hospital needs? All of that is being planned and discussed so that everyone’s acutely aware as we respond and recover from the storm.”

CELEBRATION, Fla., Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebration Pediatrics is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. Victoria Larson, MD, to their team of dedicated healthcare providers. Dr. Larson brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion for pediatric care, making her an exceptional addition to the Celebration Pediatrics family. Continue Reading Victoria Larson, MD Dr. Larson graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in biology. She went on to earn her medical degree from the prestigious University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Following her medical education, Dr. Larson completed her pediatric residency at AdventHealth for Children in Orlando, Florida, where she honed her skills and developed a deep commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care. With a strong belief in the power of education and a deep-seated passion for helping others, Dr. Larson is dedicated to guiding her young patients toward healthy, happy lives. Her approach to pediatric care is rooted in compassion and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of children and their families. "We are incredibly excited to welcome Dr. Larson to our team," said Robert Dabrow, MD, FAAP, Medical Director. "Her commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care aligns perfectly with our mission at Celebration Pediatrics. We are confident that Dr. Larson will be a wonderful addition to our community, and we look forward to the positive impact she will have on our patients and their families." Outside of her professional life, Dr. Larson enjoys reading, playing the piano, traveling, and spending quality time with her family and friends. Her diverse interests and warm personality make her a well-rounded and approachable physician who is eager to connect with her patients and their families on a personal level. Dr. Larson is now accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment or learn more about Celebration Pediatrics and their services, visit Celebration Pediatrics or call (407) 566-9700. About Celebration Pediatrics At Celebration Pediatrics, our board-certified pediatricians believe exceptional care is obtained when there is an on–going relationship between the doctor and patient. As a Patient-Centered Medical Home, our approach is to provide our patients with comprehensive health care. We want to be lifelong partners in your child's health and know we can achieve this goal by listening to your questions and concerns as we educate you on how to promote a healthy lifestyle for the entire family. We have two locations to serve you better in Central Florida, and our patients come from all over to ensure they receive the best care for their children. Contact: Celebration Pediatrics 1530 Celebration Blvd. Suite 301 Celebration, FL 34747 Phone: (407) 566-9700 Website: Celebration Pediatrics Media Contact: Nicole Meyer Marketing Coordinator Celebration Health & Wellness (407) 902-1742 [email protected] SOURCE Celebration Pediatrics WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Abvance is developing ABV100, a proprietary, clinically validated combination of insulin and glucagon with a goal of improving glycemic control while reducing hypoglycemia for people with diabetes who require rapid acting insulinABV100 has the potential to extend the therapeutic window of insulin by adding the clinical benefits of glucagon in a single formulationAbvance will host a key opinion leader virtual event on the promise of its transformative insulin-glucagon combination and its product pipeline on September 26, 2024 NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abvance Therapeutics (“Abvance” or “The Company”), a development stage biopharmaceutical company founded on breakthrough discoveries from the Vanderbilt University Cherrington Lab, today announced that it has secured a $3.9 million Program Related Investment in the form of a loan from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The funding is non-dilutive and will support the pre-clinical development of ABV100, the Company’s initial proprietary insulin-glucagon combination candidate. The risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, is an ever-present challenge for the insulin-treated across all geographies, including the nearly 10 million people across the USA and the EU/UK alone. Despite advances in diabetes technology, hypoglycemia occurs frequently and can be serious, resulting in seizure, coma, and death. The cost of direct medical treatment for severe hypoglycemia remains significant, as do the indirect costs of lost productivity for affected individuals. Fear of hypoglycemia commonly results in patients underdosing insulin, causing their blood glucose to run dangerously high. This is reflected in large patient data sets that consistently report only 1 in 4 patients who require insulin are currently at glycemic target levels set by the American Diabetes Association and American Association of Clinical Endocrinology. Glucagon, in contrast to insulin, is used to treat hypoglycemia and raises blood sugar levels. Abvance is developing ABV100, a proprietary rapid-acting insulin and glucagon combination that offers the potential to reduce rates of hypoglycemia while simultaneously allowing patients and their healthcare providers to pursue tighter glycemic control. The Company’s vision is that ABV100, as well as other solutions in its pipeline will one day offer a wider therapeutic window than with insulin alone. “There is an increasing appreciation of the complex relationship that exists between insulin and glucagon, and this offers innovative treatment potential,” stated Alan Cherrington, co-founder of Abvance Therapeutics and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University. “We demonstrated that, at certain plasma concentrations, the two peptides work in a glucose dependent manner where insulin dominates glucagon when plasma glucose rises, and the converse occurs when plasma glucose falls. These findings informed the conduct of a human proof of concept study in subjects with type 1 diabetes where the concept held true,” Dr. Cherrington added. “Abvance is pleased to receive significant support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust. It will help our team advance the development of ABV100,” stated David Maggs, MD co-founder and CEO of Abvance Therapeutics. “ABV100 has the potential to replicate the attributes of a glucose- responsive insulin, increasing the insulin therapeutic window and reducing the risk of hypoglycemia, while also offering the benefit of additional favorable glucagon effects,” Dr. Maggs added. “Given the risk of serious complications, the fear of hypoglycemia is one of the biggest burdens for people with insulin-requiring diabetes and their loved ones. At Helmsley we are committed to finding solutions to allow people to avoid hypoglycemia,” said Sean Sullivan, Program Officer for the Type 1 Diabetes Program at Helmsley. “We are excited to support Abvance Therapeutics to help them bring this novel treatment concept one step closer to the type 1 community,” Dr. Sullivan added. Abvance Therapeutics will host a key opinion leader (KOL) event on the promise of ABV100 in the treatment of people with insulin-requiring diabetes on September 26, 2024 at 10:00AM Eastern. The event, moderated by the Managing Director of the T1D Fund, Katie Ellias, will feature an overview of Abvance in a discussion with panel of distinguished KOLs, and a question-and-answer period. KOL and Abvance corporate participants for the September 26 event will be: Dr. David Maggs, co-founder and CEO of Abvance Therapeutics Dr. Carol Wysham, former President of the Endocrine Society and is a practicing clinical endocrinologist at MultiCare Rockwood ClinicDr. Steven Smith, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of AdventHealth Dr. Sean Sullivan is a Program Officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Type 1 Diabetes Program’s Better Drugs and Devices Portfolio. Dr. Sullivan has a PhD in Biomedical Engineering and was previously an R&D Engineer at BD-Diabetes Care. The Abvance Therapeutics KOL Virtual Event Details are as follows: September 26, 2024, at 10:00AM EasternEvent registration at: https://lifescievents.com/event/abvance/A replay of the Event will be available on the company’s website at https://abvancetherapeutics.com/ About Abvance Therapeutics Abvance Therapeutics is a development stage biopharmaceutical company founded on breakthrough discoveries from the Vanderbilt University Cherrington Lab. The Company’s lead program, a proprietary insulin and glucagon combination, promises to reduce hypoglycemia, fundamentally improving glycemic control and quality of life for people who require rapid acting insulin. For more information, visit https://abvancetherapeutics.com. About The Helmsley Charitable TrustThe Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed $4.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. The Helmsley Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Program is the largest private foundation funder in the world with a focus on T1D, with more than $1 billion to date committed to transform the trajectory of the disease and to accelerate access to 21st century care, everywhere. For more information on Helmsley and its programs, visit helmsleytrust.org. For additional information, please contact:David MaggsChief Executive Officerdavid@abvancetherapeutics.com Steve DalyChief Operating Officer steve@abvancetherapeutics.com