Health Matters
The latest news on the health and wellness issues that matter most • January 2015
NCH ACCREDITED
as a Chest Pain Center
Acclaimed as one of the top
50 cardiovascular hospitals in
the nation, the NCH Healthcare
System sought accreditation
from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) for its
cardiac care services, striving to
ensure a continuum of improvement in care and efficiency.
NCH’s Associate Chief
Nursing Officer of Operations
Jonathan Kling, said that in
August 2014, NCH was notified
it had achieved the accreditation for the NCH Downtown
Campus that is recognized as
the area’s eminent Chest Pain
Center with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PCI
involves balloon insertion to
open blood flow to the vessels.
While both the North and
Downtown NCH Campuses
provide exceptional cardiac
care and protocols in identifying heart attacks, cardiovascular patient care is centered at
the latter campus where heart
catheterizations, pacemaker insertions, open heart procedures
and valve replacement procedures are performed.
Two SCPC surveyors spent one day interviewing those in the
emergency room setting, including EMS partners, physicians and
catheterization lab staff to evaluate standards of care in eight key areas
with 107 measurement points.
Cardiac services evaluated included those from admission, to
procedures, to discharge for chest pain with PCI that is performed in
less than 60 minutes from arrival. NCH has hit this mark consistently
for three years running.
Kling said that the validation of the order set, established on evidencebased criteria, ensured that proper care was provided in a timely manner
and that all points of care or “bundle elements” were met.
“Now, with new standards of care, benefits are numerous: quicker intervention, quicker assessment of a patient’s condition, quicker
treatment, less time in hospital and quicker time in opening vessels to
improve blood flow to the heart,” Kling said.
“Formerly, to determine a heart attack, our lab tested for enzymes
three times in a 24-hour period. With the new standard of care protocols, physicians can determine the presence of a heart
attack within six hours of arrival rather than 24 hours. Also
measured were the partnership,
protocols and data sharing with
Lee and Collier County EMS
staff. Best practice includes a
good pre-hospitalization protocol and relationship with local
EMS providers.”
Kling noted that from the
start of the accreditation process
in Aug. 2013 to Aug. 2014, the
length of stay for the patient
program was 84 hours. Now the
time has been cut to 34.2 hours.
“Previously, after a heart attack was ruled out, you would
have had a stress test in the
hospital. Now the goal is to try
and discharge the patient and
do the stress test in the cardiologist’s office. For all cardiac
care, patients can now remain
in the community knowing
their care is the gold standard,”
Kling added.
“The chest pain protocol
and identification order process is the same at both NCH
campuses. If a patient is admitted at the NCH North Naples
Campus but found to need cardiac intervention, then we will
transfer the patient to the NCH Downtown Campus.”
With an efficient process of improved communication and a process
that is streamlined, reducing waste and variability, patients can cut
three days off their hospital stay to 1.5 days.
BENEFIT OF IMPROVED STANDARDS OF CARE
✔ Reduced costs to patients
✔ Reduced length of hospital stay
✔ Quicker diagnosis and treatment plan:
34.2 hours versus 84 hours
✔ No waiting in the ER for a bed
for those who are in need
✔ Improved patient satisfaction
For more information about the NCH Heart Institute and the
Chest Pain Center, call Jonathan Kling at (239) 552-7722.
NICU: Giving Back with a
of Love
With the completion of the NCH Neonatal Intensive
Chatham, Massachusetts and now spends part of the
Care Unit (NICU) last July, thanks to funding by local
year in Naples.
benefactors like Bill and Marie Pastore, the facility now
For the Pastores, philanthropy is very much a family
provides superior medical attention and treatment to
matter. Their decision to support the NICU was made
premature babies as well as newborns with complications.
with the agreement of their adult children and young
The Level II unit, located within the NCH BirthPlace,
grandchildren via the family’s foundation.
is the only such facility in Collier County.
“This is where it starts, being able to help the
Once the decision was made to begin the expansion
children grow up in a healthy environment. We want
of the overfilled nine-bed NICU in the summer of 2013,
to encourage others to think about supporting such
an immediate need for equipment became apparent.
projects, not only to benefit our own needs but for
After being made aware of the need and responding
the betterment of the entire community,” added Marie
to the tug of their heart strings, the Pastores stepped
Pastore. “We have received so much happiness from
up and provided breast milk warmers for each of the 18
being able to support this wonderful program.”
beds that doubled the unit’s capacity. They also funded
In addition to the Pastores, other individuals, along
Bill and Marie Pastore
a critical need for four open Giraffe® incubators,
with funding from the 2012 NCH Hospital Ball, have
providing fragile newborns an ideal environment to grow and thrive.
contributed to the equipment purchases and expansion.
Later, after touring the facility, the couple decided to make a second
The expanded NICU has given the clinical team new resources to
generous donation toward the new unit’s overall construction costs.
enhance the care of the community’s tiniest treasures.
“Our grandparents came from Italy and we didn’t have very much
“We now have a three-bay private lactation room and a comfortable
growing up; but we worked hard, and now, we are fortunate in what
family waiting room where families can receive updates on their baby’s
we have. I was a premature baby and know how critical the need is for
care in privacy. Also, when the baby is ready to transition to home
specialized care and equipment,” said Bill Pastore.
care, we have a ‘rooming-in’ room where a family can stay one or two
“We are blessed with healthy children and grandchildren, and we
nights in a hotel-like setting,” said Cathy Ravelo, NCH nurse manager
love children. We have always taught our family that charity begins at
for the NICU and pediatrics.
home, and we have always helped our relatives. Now, we feel the need
“We check on the baby’s vital signs periodically, are available for questo give back.”
tions and provide support in the use of any special equipment, ensuring
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, the couple settled in North
the parents are comfortable with caring for their baby before going home.”
To make a donation contact the NCH Healthcare Foundation at (239) 624-2000,
or visit www.NCHmd.org/donate.
For more information about the NCH BirthPlace, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
call (239) 552-7724.
Meet Brian Wallace,Orthopedic Surgeon
Brian Wallace, DO, orthopedic surgeon, recently moved to
Southwest Florida from Cincinnati, Ohio. He works alongside
Dr. H. Kurtis Biggs in providing
comprehensive orthopedic care
as an orthopedic specialist in
sports medicine and arthroscopy.
Dr. Wallace has privileges with
the NCH Healthcare System.
He originally chose the field of
orthopedics after having surgery
on both knees in college and
experiencing a positive outcome.
He attended the Ohio University
Dr. Brian Wallace
College of Osteopathic Medicine
and completed a sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship.
Today, in addition to general orthopedic care and with his
extensive training in joint reconstruction and fractures, his interests
include the arthroscopic treatment of the shoulder, elbow and knee.
Among new techniques in the field, he said many are minimally
invasive with faster recovery times and decreased pain. In considering
treatment, he said that he first uses non-operative modalities such
as platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections and orthobiologics before
surgical options.
“Orthobiologics is a newer way of treating problems with options
like stem cell hierarchy. It offers increased function with the ability
for patients to get back to their daily activities more quickly than
ever before,” he said.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
(AAOS) web site (orthoinfo.aaos.org), orthobiologics, in use for
15 years, includes stem cell harvesting from the patient’s body to
assist in rebuilding cells at the injury site, turning them into muscle,
tendon, bone or cartilage. The technology results in improved and
faster healing with the goal of returning the injured site to its preinjury condition.
Future advances in the field are promising. The AAOS site states
that “researchers are currently working on a ‘bone glue’ that would
not only fix fractured bones, but also provide substances to aid the
healing process.”
A sports enthusiast, Wallace enjoys golf, fishing and outdoor
activities, plus he also serves as the team physician for Ave Maria
University, offering sideline medical coverage to players.
BENEFITS OF ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT
✔ Faster return to activities ✔ Quicker recovery
✔ Decreased pain ✔ Increased function
For more information about the NCH Orthopedic Services call Suzanne Graziano,
Director of the NCH Orthopedic Center of Excellence at (239) 624-3916.
To make an appointment with Dr. Wallace, call (239) 261-2663.
NCH BABY FAIR
Scheduled for February 2015
On Aug. 2, 2014, NCH held its first ever Baby Fair at the NCH
North Naples campus. The event was so successful—with 75 women
and more than 200 attendees total—that a second Baby Fair has been
announced for this upcoming February in the Telford Center at the
NCH Downtown campus.
“The Baby Fair is an opportunity for women in the
community who have either
delivered babies in the last
two years or who are currently pregnant to come
to NCH to be educated on
the services we offer,” explains Bernadine Hinton,
NCH Director of Women
BABY FAIR AUGUST 2014
The Importance of Breast-feeding
and Children Services. “It is
also a time to meet the vendors in the area that have
products or services that pertain to them or their
children, and attend some educational offerings focusing on important newborn topics,” she adds.
Last August, one educational lecture on safe
sleep with Dr. Harry Moreau was so well attended
it will reappear at the upcoming event. In the planning stages are
two other educational lectures, presented by pediatricians, focused
on the importance of breast-feeding and early interventions with children. Everyone can come or go as they please and select the topics that
interest them the most.
“The most beneficial part is the education we offer. New research
is occurring all the time,” Hinton explains.
As for vendors, there is an open invitation to everyone in the community.
Twelve vendors, including Dillard’s, Once Upon a Child, Twinkle
Twinkle Little Store, the NCH Safe and Healthy Kids Coalition and other smaller, local businesses attended in August. This February the hope
is to double that.
The Baby Fair is open to everyone: grandparents, siblings, aunts,
uncles, fathers, mothers and those who support them. We hope to see
you at the Baby Fair.
For more information, contact Bernadine Hinton, NCH Director
of Women and Children Services, at (239) 552-7571.
NCH Outpatient Rehab
Caring for the Painful Thumb
When ordinary daily tasks
look at the functional limitasuch as opening toothpaste
tions, manipulative ability and
tubes, food jars and bottles or
appearance. We then formueven turning door knobs belate a customized treatment
come painful, it may be time
plan,” McBride said. “Our goal
to seek a referral from your
is to help patients improve
general physician, rheumatoland maintain their range of
ogist or orthopedic specialist
motion, increase strength and
to treat your painful thumb.
function and decrease pain
Therapy from an occupaso that they can have a better
tional therapist is an effecquality of life.”
tive remedy. Kerri McBride,
Treatments include custom
OTR/L, CHT, is an NCH ocsplinting to rest the thumb, reccupational therapist, and has
ommendations for assistive debeen a Certified Hand Theravices, strengthening and range
pist for 20 years.
of motion exercises, instruc“While men also experition on using hands with less
ence the condition, one third
stress on the thumb joint and
of women over age 40 will exinstruction in using the entire
Kerri McBride, (left) demonstrates an evaluation of painful
perience arthritic changes in
hand rather than fingers for liftthumb with NCH staff therapist Anna Nelson.
the base of the thumb. Pain can
ing and grasping movements.
originate from overuse, laxity of the joints, trauma, a long term wear and
Other options include wrapping foam, cloth or tape around knobs,
tear of the joint or genetics. Most commonly, pain occurs with pinchkeys, pots and other handles to build them up and cushion them.
ing or grasping motions such as turning a key, writing, holding a book
Additional treatments include using lever door handles, jar openers and
or opening plastic bags,” McBride explained. “We apply pressure to the
in some cases using heat and ice and physician-prescribed medication.
base of the thumb even when it is used to support body weight when
moving from a seated to standing position. The thumb provides 50 perBENEFITS OF OCCUPATIONAL
cent of the function of the hand.”
AND HAND THERAPY
The painful thumb condition can result in contracture of the thumb
✔ Increased strength ✔ Increased range of motion
joint, changes in its shape and deformity at the base of the thumb. This
leads to a weakened and barely functional hand.
✔ Decreased pain ✔ Improved function
“Initially, we evaluate range of motion, strength and sensation and
For more information, call the NCH Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at (239) 596-0834,
located at 2330 Immokalee Rd., in the Greentree shopping plaza.
Marco Urgent Care Center 1984
MARCO ISLAND CELEBRATES
ITS URGENT CARE CENTER’S
30 Anniversary
th
On Feb. 4th from 9 a.m. until noon there will be an open
house to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Marco Island’s Urgent Care Center. It will include health screenings, blood pressure screenings, “Ask-the-Doctor” booth, tour of the campus, as
well as giveaways and light refreshments.
There are many different reasons why patients drop by
the Center. “People visit the Urgent Care Center for simple
things,” Betsy Novakovich, RN, MSN, CEN, Director of NCH
Emergency Services and Marco Urgent Care explained. “These
include cold, flu, eye redness, minor lacerations, fever, sore
throat, urinary tract infections, etc.”
The center does not replace the necessity for a primary care
physician or emergency department, but it does provide a great
deal of help to many local residents who use it quite frequently.
With two physicians, seven RNs as well as their director (Novakovich), five customer service representatives, an administrative assistant, environmental service and lab personnel staff, two
radiology techs, all patients are well taken care of.
The Urgent Care Center keeps two very important relationships, one with the auxiliary and the other with the local fire/EMS department, which is directly across the street.
Patients walk into the Urgent Care Center with chest pain,
stroke and other serious problems that need to be treated at
the hospital. The fire department is key in collaborating with
the health center to safely transport them to an emergency
department for the care they need. The auxiliary provides
fundraising and hands on support year round with increased
assistance during the seasonal influx.
Many of the center’s staff members live on the island. “It’s
people caring for others in their community. That’s key. They
really do care about what we provide to all people: both fulltime residents and visitors. It’s a unique place,” Novakovich said.
“This anniversary is far from the last the center will have.”
The center opens its doors at 8 a.m. and continues seeing
patients until 7:30 p.m. It’s open 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. Not only is this incredibly beneficial to fulltime residents, but also very helpful for vacationers who wish to
seek medical help during their stay without leaving the island.
“DON’T MISS…
MARCO URGENT CARE
30TH ANNIVERSARY”
When: Wednesday, February 4, 2015
9am - 12pm
Where: MARCO ISLAND URGENT CARE
40 Heathwood Drive
Marco Island, Florida 34145
For more information, call the Marco Island Urgent Care Center at (239) 394-8234.
NCH Healthcare System on U.S.
News and World Report
Top 25 List in Florida
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The NCH Healthcare System is
the only healthcare system in Collier
and Lee Counties to make the list
of the US News & World Report
2014 top 25 medical centers in
Florida. NCH is ranked #17.
The report looked at 265 hospitals in Florida. This is the 25th year
the publication has ranked hospitals.
The 2014-15 U.S. News and World Report national rankings cover
nearly 5,000 medical centers across the country and span 16 medical specialties from cancer to urology.
NCH has been ranked “high-performing” in the following five
specialties: Orthopedics, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Diabe-
tes and Endocrinology, Urology, and Geriatrics.
“We appreciate being nationally recognized for the third time by
this most trusted news organization,” said Allen Weiss, M.D., President and CEO, NCH Healthcare System. “The residents and visitors
in Southwest Florida deserve great health care and the NCH team
continues to demonstrate its commitment to deliver the highest levels
of excellence across the board. These rankings and accolades are a reflection of the important work being done every day for our patients.”
U.S. News bases the rankings largely on objective data on hospital
performance, such as patient survival rates and resources like nurse
staffing. Each hospital's reputation, as determined by a survey of physician specialists, is also a factor.
The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://
health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.
Avoid common food portion pitfalls
by following these tips:
Familiarize yourself with healthy serving sizes.

Visual examples can be helpful when determining an
appropriate serving size; for example, a serving of cereal or pasta (1/2 cup) should be the size of a hockey puck, a serv- ing of fish (3 ounces) should be the size of a deck of cards, and a serving of butter (1 teaspoon) should be the size of the tip of your thumb.
When serving dinner at home, keep serving dishes off of 
the table. Serve food directly onto individual plates and leave any extra in the kitchen to avoid the temptation of going for seconds.
Instead of eating snacks right from the box, put an appro-

priate serving size in a bowl and put the box away to
avoid “grazing.”
 Buy single-serving treats for easy, no-stress snacks.
Forget about spoiling your dinner; eating small, healthy 
snacks throughout the day as you get hungry will help keep you from overeating at mealtimes.
Separate the contents of large packages of food into several 
smaller bags or containers to create convenient, ready-to-go snacks and avoid accidental overeating.
When buying in bulk, store what you don’t need right away 
somewhere harder to get to. If it isn’t within easy reach, you Slow down! 
While you are eating, pay atten-
tion to the color, scent, taste, and texture of each
dish, and take the time to stop be-
tween bites to talk with friends or
family. When you eat slowly, your body will be better able to recognize
when it is full, and you will be able to fully appreciate what you are eating.
For more tips to keep your portions in control,
visit choosemyplate.gov.
will be less likely to grab for it.
Keep any especially tempting or unhealthy foods out of 
sight, storing more healthy options in front at eye level.
Restaurant portions are particularly large. When eating out,

try splitting a meal with a friend or asking for a to-go box right away so that you can immediately box up half of your meal to eat later. Many restaurants also offer light or lunch menus with more appropriate serving sizes.
For more information,
call the NCH von Arx Diabetes and Nutrition Health Center at (239) 624-3450.
NCH and the NCH Physician Group
HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTORY
Cardiology
Pediatrics
David Axline, MD
1
Sarah Lindsay, APRN
11
Reisha F. Brown, MD
13
Francis C. Boucek, MD
1
Cindi Lukacs, ARNP
1
Dulce V. Dudley, MD
11
Michael S. Flynn, MD
1
Alejandrina Montas, PA-C
2
Andrew P. Podos, MD
22
Adam J. Frank, MD
1
Kearston Perfetto, ARNP
22
Debra G. Shepard, MD
22
Bruce A. Gelinas, MD
1
Todd Vedder, MD
13
Richard Prewitt, MD
1
Gastroenterology &
Hepatology
Tracey Roth, MD
1
Jan M. Barrios, MD
2
Carlo Santos-Ocampo, MD
1
Mazen Albeldawi, MD
2
Herman Spilker, MD
1
Beth Diamond, ARNP
16
David A. Stone, MD
1
General Surgery
Silvio C. Travalia, MD
1
Shona Velamakanni, MD
1
Cardiovascular Surgeons
Robert Pascotto, MD
1
Dennis Stapleton, MD
1
Concierge Medicine
Robert E. Hanson, MD
24
Jesse H. Haven, MD
24
Julie Southmayd,MD
16
1
David Lamon, MD
1
Luigi Querusio, MD
1
Geriatric Medicine
17
A. Kyle Hagstrom, MD
1
Pulmonary, Critical Care &
Sleep Medicine
Lawrence H. Albert, MD
21
Angel H. Herrera, MD
16
Kenneth Bookman, MD
21
Obayedur R. Khan, MD
16
Cartrell Cross, MD
21
Douglas Harrington, DO
21
David H. Lindner, DO
21
14
Ismael Martin, DO
21
14
Christopher A. Mendello, MD
21
14
Bruce G. Roy, MD
21
Infectious Disease
Gary A. Bergen, MD
Vato Bochorishvili, MD
Miguel Madariaga, MD
14
Jose Baez, MD
25
Andrew M. Bernstein, DO
14
Internal Medicine
14
George T. Crabb, DO
22
Natasha Choyah, MD
14
Diana Daoud, MD,
16
Ruben Contreras, MD
22
Robert Folsom, MD
23
Jennifer A. DiRocco, DO
22
Mark R. Goldstein, MD
22
Ruth Dupont, MD
11
Jorge Guzman, MD
9
Rasai Ernst, MD
22
Karen Henrichsen, DO
18
Emily Essert, DO
2
Larry Kohn, MD
18
Lisa Gallagher, DO
22
David Linz, MD
23
Richard S. Gould, MD
11
Mary Ann M. LoMonaco, MD
16
Erik Hiester, DO
2
Bryan Murphey, MD
22
Karen Hiester, DO
2
Nelly Perez, MD
9
Mark E. Josephson, MD
14
David I. Sommerfeld, MD
22
Brian Menichello, MD
27
Joseph Stafford, MD
9
Monica Menichello, MD
27
Tracy Walsh, MD
16
Albert Scafuri, Jr., MD
26
David C. White, MD
16
Gary Swain, MD
1
Victoria Wadsworth, ARNP
16
Ashley L. Tunkle, MD
14
Orthopedic Surgery
Venkata Yerramilli, MD
26
Jon S. Dounchis, MD
19
Angela B. Beckwith, PA-C
2
Howard J. Kapp, MD
19
Christian O. Beskow, MD
E. Sean Kelley, MD
Psychiatry
JB Brockman, MD
Mark A. Brown, MD
Family Medicine
Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation
Rheumatology
Eric J. Hochman, MD
15
Jay Bombero, PA
15
Urgent Care
Karl Korri, MD
10
Steven A. West, MD
10
Michael Tanner, PA
10
Barb Hulser, PA
10
For an
appointment
with a
physician,
please
call
(239) 436-2855
1
NCH Downtown Naples
Hospital Campus
NCH Downtown Naples Hospital: 624-5000
Breast Health Navigator: 624-4988
Business/Occupational Health: 624-4630
Community Blood Center: 624-4125
Dr. John N. Briggs Wellness Center: 624-2750
NCH Heart Institute: 624-4200
Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation: 624-1680
Outpatient Infusion Services: 624-4370
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: 624-1600
Physician Referral / Access Healthline: 624-1999
vonArx Diabetes & Nutrition Health Center: 624-3450
2
NCH North Naples Hospital Campus
NCH North Naples Hospital: 552-7000
The BirthPlace: 552-7724
NCH Wound Healing Center: 596-8814
Outpatient Infusion Services: 552-7747
Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation: 624-6800
The Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging &
Rehabilitation: 552-7222
3
9
W. Terry St.
12 8
4
NCH Wound Healing Center: 403-2600
5
NCH Central Campus: 513-7144
White Elephant Thrift Store: 513-7111
6
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: 596-0834
Whitaker Wellness Center: 596-9200
7
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: 657-2228
8
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: 947-4440
9
NCH Wound Healing Center: 495-4995
Bonita Community Health Center: 949-1050
10
NCH Urgent Care Center: 596-9482
12
NCH Heart Institute Bonita: 390-1562
15
NCH Physician Group - Rehabilitation Center: 254-9798
20
NCH Physician Group - Women’s Imaging Center: 624-8350
22 14
7
2
27
24 15 22 6
10
5
18
NCH Marco Island Campus
Marco Urgent Care Center: 394-8234
Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation: 393-4033
Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation: 393-4076
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center: 393-4079
26
1
21
16
2513
19 14
17
4
11
20
NCH Physician Group - Imaging Center: 643-8890
For information on any of the NCH Healthcare System services,
please call 624-1999 or visit us online at www.NCHmd.org.
3
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The NCH Health Matters is a bi-monthly publication of the NCH Healthcare System. Every effort is made to ensure information
published is accurate and current. NCH cannot be held responsible for any consequences resulting from omissions or errors.
NCH Healthcare System, 350 7th Street North, Naples, FL 34102, Telephone: (239) 624-5000, www.nchmd.org
WAIT
TIME
Wait from home, not the ER, Urgent Care Center
or Doctor’s Office.*
• Go to NCHmd.org and click on the InQuicker banner.
• Select a projected treatment time
• Complete a simple online form
• Arrive at our facility at your projected treatment
time to be seen by a health care professional
* For patients with non-life or limb-threatening conditions.