Sacred Heart Hospital's Senior Services' program will present a free seminar in Pensacola on tax tips on Thursday, March 13, with the choice of two different sessions on the same topic. The day session will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Home Care, 213 E. Wright Street, in downtown Pensacola, and the evening session will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mainstay Education Center, 2810 E. Cervantes Street, at the corner of Cervantes and Perry in Pensacola.

The seminar will help attendees determine if they are paying too much for taxes, how to recognize overpayment, and what steps to take to avoid it.

The speaker will be Annalee Leonard, president of Mainstay Financial Group in Pensacola.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as three free guest meal tickets and newspaper delivery with hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information

For more information, please call Sacred Heart at (850) 416-7000 or visit us online at www.sacred-heart.org.

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Dr. Karin Pardue, a board certified family medicine physician and medical review officer, has joined Sacred Heart Medical Group at Orange Beach.

Dr. Pardue received her medical degree from Louisiana State University College of Medicine in New Orleans, La. She then completed residency training in family medicine at Earl K. Long Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Dr. Pardue also has special interests in nutrition and aesthetic medicine including microdermabrasion, Botox, skin rejuvenation, and professional skin care products. She has provided pediatric, adolescent, and adult medical care at her Orange Beach office since 2004.

Dr. Pardue is currently accepting new patients at her office located in Orange Beach. For more information or an appointment, please call (251) 981-8713.

About Sacred Heart Medical Group
Sacred Heart Medical Group is the region's largest network of primary care and specialty physicians with locations in Baldwin County as well as Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties. Patients who choose Sacred Heart Medical Group experience coordinated care with easy access to specialists, preferred scheduling of diagnostic and imaging exams, and timely follow-up care.
 
Dedicated to serving the patient, Sacred Heart Medical Group is Joint Commission accredited and follows high standards for quality, safety and infection control. In addition, patients provide constant feedback through patient satisfaction surveys, enabling the team to continually monitor and improve the care provided.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on "Advances in Acid Reflux" on Tuesday, March 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Gulf Shores Senior Center, 300 E 16th Ave. in Gulf Shores.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Jeffery Caylor, a board certified surgeon. The seminar will cover the signs and symptoms of acid reflux and new advances in treatment and prevention.

Acid reflux or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the result of problems where the stomach and the esophagus meet. The muscle there is called the lower esophagus sphincter (LES) and is designed to let food pass through to the stomach and keep it there. When the muscle is weakened or relaxed, it can let the contents of the stomach flow back into the esophagus, causing pain.

As seating is limited, pre-registration is encouraged. To register, please call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as three free guest meal tickets and newspaper delivery per hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's Senior Service's program will present a free seminar on dizziness and balance disorders on Thursday, March 13, from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at The Club in Gulf Breeze.

The seminar will be presented by Belinda Anderson, a physical therapist with Sacred Heart Rehabilitation at The Club, who specializes in balance disorders. The talk will teach attendees how to recognize the signs of a balance disorder and ways to successfully treat the problem through physical therapy.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Located at The Club at 1230 Crane Cove Blvd. in Gulf Breeze, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation focuses on patient education and provides treatments which help individuals to strive towards improving and maintaining their own health.  The clinic is staffed with two full-time physical therapists and a physical therapy assistant to help get patients back on their feet quickly after injury or illness and help reduce or eliminate pain. Services include aquatic therapy, orthopedic rehabilitation, post-arthroscopic rehabilitation, injury rehabilitation, sports medicine, and joint replacement rehabilitation

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as three free guest meal tickets and newspaper delivery per hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Live from the lobby of Sacred Heart Women's and Children's Hospital!

It's the 10th Annual Sacred Heart Children's Hospital/Children's Miracle Network Radiothon March 5th -7th. The live broadcast via Your Country 102.7 WXBM is a culmination of community fundraising efforts to help provide sick and injured children with specialized equipment needed for their care.

Your Country 102.7 WXBM personalities, including Marty White, Linda Lawrence, Lynn West and Ryan Andrew, will be on the air on Wednesday, March 5 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to encourage their listeners to pledge donations to Sacred Heart Children's Hospital. Young patients and parents of children treated at Sacred Heart will be interviewed on the air about their experiences with the doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals at the hospital. The public is invited to stop by the lobby of Sacred Heart's Women's and Children's Hospital to watch WXBM deejays perform their live broadcast and to make a pledge.

As part of this fundraiser, Radiothon "Change Bandits" throughout the region have been collecting coins from co-workers, friends and family members. "Bandits" are asked to turn in their "loot" to the Radiothon hosts by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7th. Coins should be wrapped to aid in counting.

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Radiothon, and our goal this year is to surpass a cumulative giving total of $1 million. In the past 9 years, Radiothon and the loyal listeners of WXBM have raised over $900,000 in support of charity care services at Children's Hospital.

Sacred Heart Children's Hospital is Northwest Florida's only pediatric hospital. It provides a range of children's services in partnership with Nemours Children's Clinic, which provides many pediatric specialists to the region.

For more information about the Radiothon, please contact Courtney O'Brien-Pate at (850) 416-4665.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's Ladies of Charity organization is sponsoring a "Chairs for Charity and Pass-Along Plants Sale" this spring. The group currently is seeking donations of chairs for artists to paint as well as artists to share their talents for a great cause. Fifty percent of proceeds from the event will be donated to the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) and the remaining will support Ladies of Charity outreach activities in Northwest Florida.

Chairs may be painted for indoor or outdoor use and may feature everything from fabric and florals to college team emblems and sports themes. Local businesses are invited to donate painted chairs featuring their logos, artists are encouraged to sign their works, and anyone interested in painting and donating a chair is welcome to participate. Deadline to donate chairs is April 11, 2008.

Pass-along plants available for purchase will include plants that have been passed along by one of Sacred Heart's Daughters of Charity and plants shared by Ladies of Charity members' family and friends. Each plant will come with a story of its history and how it came to be passed along.

The chair auction and plant sale will be conducted on Saturday, May 3, at Sacred Heart Hospital's Conference Center. The event will be designed for the entire family, with activities including musical chairs and face painting for children. Several garden and arts and crafts vendors also will feature and sell their wares. Door prizes will be given away every 30 minutes throughout the event.

To donate a chair or to offer your talents as an artist to paint a chair, please call Pippa Nicholson-Kuenn, Ladies of Charity president, at (850) 437-1669.

For more information, visit the Chairs for Charity blog at http://chairsforcharity.blogspot.com.

Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on how to lose and maintain weight as you age on Monday, March 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Dudley Greenhut Auditorium on Sacred Heart's main campus.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Anthony Huynh, a board certified bariatrician with Sacred Heart Medical Group. A bariatrician is a fellowship-trained internal medicine physician who specializes in nutrition and weight loss. The seminar will discuss how the body's metabolism changes as we age, as well as strategies on losing and maintaining weight for seniors.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as three free guest meal tickets and newspaper delivery upon hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Health System has seen a dramatic increase in the number of flu cases over the past few weeks. For the week of Feb. 10-16, Sacred Heart's Laboratory ran tests on more than 500 people who came to Sacred Heart facilities with flu-like symptoms. Of those, 172 tested positive for influenza with the great majority of cases (76 percent) affecting children under age 18.

If your child gets sick, how will you know if it¡¦s the flu or a cold?

Symptoms and Indications
Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that someone in the family will not feel a little under the weather at some point this season. Use this quick guide below to spot the symptoms of the flu vs. the common cold:

Flu                               Cold
Sudden onset of illness  Slow onset of illness
High fever                      No fever or mild fever
Severe exhaustion         Mild exhaustion
Dry cough                     Severe or hacking cough
Throat fine                     Sore throat
Achy head                    No headache
Decreased appetite        Normal appetite
Achy muscles               No muscle aches
Chills                            No chills

If most of your answers fall into the first category, chances are your child has the flu. If most of your answers belong in the second category, it's most likely a cold.

What¡¦s the Best Medicine for the Common Cold?
"The old adage 'time cures all' may not always be true, but in the case of the common cold, it's pretty close," says Dr. Gary Pablo, Medical Director of Sacred Heart¡¦s Emergency Department. "During the duration of the cold, children should avoid vigorous activity and should get plenty of rest."

When treating the symptoms of a cold, follow these recommendations:
- Many of the over-the-counter remedies that contain zinc are beneficial and can help shorten the duration of the illness.
- Use salt water drops in the nostrils to relieve nasal congestion.
- Use a cool-mist humidifier to increase air moisture. 
- Put petroleum jelly on the skin under the nose to soothe rawness. 
- Offer an older child hard candy or cough drops to suck on to relieve sore throat pain. 
- Consume plenty of extra fluids - juice, water, and carbonated beverages.

What to do if it's the Flu
- Offer your child plenty of fluids, which can include ice pops, icy drinks mixed in a blender, water, and soft fruits. 
- Encourage bed rest.  
- Provide acetaminophen for aches and pains. 
- Dress your child in layers.  
- Ask your doctor whether you (and other family members) would benefit from a flu shot. 
- Wash hands thoroughly and often.

When to Call Your Child's Doctor
Call your doctor whenever your child has a "cold" that lasts for more than 10 days, or for symptoms of "allergies" that don't clear with the usual allergy medication. If you suspect the flu, call your child's doctor.

If your child does not have a doctor, following are some options:
- Escambia Community Clinics, located at the corner of Palafox and Maxwell streets, will see children age 1 and above through the ExpressCare walk-in clinic open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Phone number: 436-4630.
-  Sacred Heart's Pediatric Emergency Room at the ER/Trauma Center
-  Sacred Heart's Urgent Care Center located at Highway 29 and "W"¨ St. (open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Think Prevention!
To help reduce the spread of germs, wash your hands thoroughly and often, avoid sharing drinking and eating utensils, avoid picking up used tissues with your hands, and cover your cough. 

For more information about Sacred Heart services or for a free personalized newsletter about health issues of interest to you, please call 416-1600 or visit http://my.sacred-heart.org/subscribe/.

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The Northwest Florida Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) will present The Monica Fox Symposium on "Cancer: The Forgotten Facets" on Saturday, March 1, from 7:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Andrews Institute at 1040 Gulf Breeze Parkway in Gulf Breeze.

This symposium is designed for healthcare professionals and allied personnel who care for cancer patients, terminally ill patients, and their families. Speakers include the following:

• Dr. Julie DeCesare, clinical associate professor, assistant program director, Florida State University College of Medicine OB/GYN Residency Program at Sacred Heart Hospital
• Dr. Christopher Bosarge, an interventional radiologist at Sacred Heart Hospital
• Dr. Brett Parra of Pensacola Urology
• Dr. Hejal Patel of Pensacola Radiation Medicine
• Linda Wall, RN of Sacred Heart Cancer Services
• Sue Eiland, RN of Sacred Heart Medical Oncology-Davis Highway
• Myrna Carnley, a cancer survivor

Cost is $35 per person for ONS members; $40 per person for students and non-members. For more information, please call Shirley Salter, RN at (850) 474-8578.

 "Succeeding After Stroke," an information and support group provided by Sacred Heart Hospital's Regional Stroke Center, will meet Tuesday, March 4, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Hospital Conference Center on Ninth Avenue.

Debb Alonso, manager of Sacred Heart's Senior Services program, will talk about the advantages of becoming a member of the SENIORSpirit! program and how membership in the program can help one lead a healthier lifestyle.

The group is designed for stroke survivors, their families and caretakers. Topics discussed will vary from month to month to including information regarding community services, resources, nutrition and more. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month.

Sacred Heart's Regional Stroke Center recently was recertified as a Joint Commission Primary Stroke Center. The Joint Commission's Certificate of Distinction for Primary Stroke Centers recognizes centers that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care.
 For more information about the stroke support group, call 416-7340, or visit www.sacred-heart.org/strokecenter.

The Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing Reunion Committee is looking for all alumnae to participate in the school's reunion, celebrating the training of over 780 nurses in its 51-year history.

The Grand Nursing Reunion will be held April 24-25, 2009 at the Dudley Greenhut Auditorium on Sacred Heart Hospital's main campus, 5151 N. Ninth Ave., in Pensacola.

If you are a graduate or know a friend or family member who attended the Sacred Heart School of Nursing from 1916 - 1967, please call or email Virginia Willard at (850) 982-0476 and/or ginavw402@cox.net or Diane Padgett at (850) 939-3381 and/or dpadgett2000@yahoo.com.

The Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing celebrated the graduation of its first two nurses in 1916 and continued to educate future nurses until 1967, when Pensacola Junior College completely took over the nursing program. The former school of nursing was located next to old Sacred Heart Hospital on 12th Avenue, in the current Saltmarsh, Cleveland, & Gund office building. It then relocated to the Ninth Avenue campus when the hospital moved to its current location in 1965.

For more information, please call Cat Outzen at (850) 969-1372.

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Sacred Heart Hospital has announced plans to create an Autism Center in Pensacola to improve assessment and intervention services for children with autism-related disorders and to create new support services for parents and teachers.

"The vision of Sacred Heart is to create a regional autism center that will build upon existing programs," said Debbie Bostic, president of Sacred Heart Hospital. "We've made a commitment to expand diagnostic and treatment services for children with autism. We also aim to establish new research partnerships, improve family education services, and raise the level of awareness in our community through training and education services."

Quint and Rishy Studer of Gulf Breeze have donated $300,000 to the Sacred Heart Foundation to recruit and hire an Autism Center director for the first three years of the program.
Susan Byram, executive director of the Autism Society of the Panhandle (ASP) and a parent of a child with autism, notes that with the addition of this center, families will no longer be forced to travel elsewhere for comprehensive autism services.

"The Studers' generosity and desire to make a difference for children, joined with Sacred Heart Hospital's leadership and dedication to our community, will create a cultural shift in meeting the needs of those touched by autism," said Byram. "This position is the first step toward a center of excellence for those with autism and it will benefit our entire region. As the director of ASP and as a parent, I am deeply grateful to everyone involved in this effort and am so proud to live in this generous community."

The new program will collaborate with existing autism services based in Pensacola to better address the needs of families with autistic children.  Existing services for autistic children include programs of the Autism Society of the Panhandle, Children's Medical Services, the Florida State University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD), the Early Steps Program at Sacred Heart Hospital, the University of West Florida, and local school districts.

One in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to severe.

The behavioral therapies as well as speech and occupational therapies used to treat autism are most effective when it begins before age 3, when a child's brain is more amenable to behavior change. Sacred Heart already offers a solid foundation from which to build a center for autism. The hospital's Ninth Avenue campus already houses an early intervention program dedicated to early detection and treatment of developmental problems in children from birth to age 3. In addition, Children's Medical Services, located near Sacred Heart, is in the process of implementing an autism clinic to help diagnose young children. Other autism program components include screening in conjunction with CARD and the Autism Society's summer camp program in conjunction with the local school districts. 

For more information, please contact Joy McAfee of the Development Evaluation and Intervention program at Sacred Heart Hospital, 416-7657 or Susan Byram of the Autism Society at 450-0656. For information about autism, go to www.autismpensacola.org.

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The Mother Seton Guild, a volunteer organization at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, recently presented Sacred Heart Foundation with a check in the amount of $100,000 in support of charity care at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital. The Mother Seton Guild has donated over $1 million dollars to Children's Hospital, the region's only facility dedicated to the care of sick and injured children.

"The Guild raised these funds in 2007 through sales in our Gift Shop, which we operate Monday through Friday in the main lobby at Sacred Heart Hospital," said Janet Shelby, president of The Mother Seton Guild. "The Guild also conducts several special sales throughout the year to provide hospital employees and visitors with convenient opportunities to shop and support the mission of Sacred Heart at the same time."

Established in 1949 as the first formal volunteer organization at Sacred Heart Hospital, The Mother Seton Guild has volunteer openings available. Learn all about the rewards of volunteering at Sacred Heart by calling Volunteer Services at (850) 416-7883.

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PENSACOLA, FL -- Three physicians at Sacred Heart Hospital are now credentialed by M. D. Anderson Physicians Network®, a subsidiary of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, considered the nation's top cancer treatment center.

The newly credentialed physicians are: Gerald Lowrey, radiation oncologist who practices at Sacred Heart's Cancer Center, and Dr. James L. Nielsen and Dr. William F. Bailey, Jr., both thoracic surgeons with Cardiothoracic Surgical Associates who practice at Sacred Heart.

Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola formed an affiliation with M. D. Anderson Physicians Network® in 2006 to further enhance the level of cancer care available to patients in Northwest Florida and Baldwin County, Ala.

Physicians who earn M. D. Anderson Physicians Network's credentials undergo a rigorous review to ensure that they provide quality diagnostic and treatment services consistent with M. D. Anderson's state-of-the-art guidelines for treating cancer.   The lengthy credentialing process includes an assessment of their office practices and a medical records review, in order to ensure compliance with the program.

Patients of credentialed physicians receive care in accordance with M. D. Anderson's multidisciplinary approach to cancer care, in which physicians from various specialties, including oncologists, radiation oncologists and cancer surgeons, join together to plan the patient's cancer treatment. Physicians Network also provides Sacred Heart Hospital with ongoing rigorous review of its standards and practices to ensure it meets M. D. Anderson Physicians Network high standards of care.

For more information, please visit www.sacred-heart.org or call 1-877-904-HOPE.
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Sacred Heart Children's Hospital is looking for volunteers to support its 10th Annual Radiothon, sponsored by Your Country 102.7 WXBM, by becoming a member of Marty and Linda's Change Bandit posse. The Change Bandits will "rob" co-workers, friends and family of their change through March 7th.

All funds raised will help patients to continue to receive care at Children's Hospital, regardless of their ability to pay. The members of the Change Bandit Posse will create excitement and awareness in local communities for the Your Country 102.7 WXBM Radiothon which will be held March 5th - 7th.

Prizes will be awarded to the top individual fundraiser, and all Change Bandits will receive prizes for reaching fundraising incentive levels.

To become a member of Marty and Linda's Change Bandit Posse or to make a donation, please contact Courtney O'Brien-Pate at the Sacred Heart Foundation at (850) 416-4665 or at cobrien@shhpens.org

To make a donation online, please visit: http://www.sacred-heart.org/foundation/donate.asp or click

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A babysitting class will be offered Saturday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Dudley Greenhut Auditorium at the Sacred Heart Hospital Conference Center on Ninth Avenue.
Registration is under way for youth ages 11 to 15.  Cost is $30 per person. Snacks will be provided.

Participants receive both an American Safety & Health Institute Babysitter card and an American Heart Association Family & Friends CPR card.  Other classes scheduled for the year will be held on June 14 and Oct. 25. To register, or to seek more information, please call (850) 416-7264.

Dr. Jeffrey Lord, a specialist in weight loss surgery techniques, will present "Weight Loss Surgery: Is It Right for You?" on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Hospital Conference Center in Pensacola.

The seminar is sponsored by Sacred Heart's Institute for Surgical Weight Loss. Sacred Heart offers two types of weight loss surgery that use small incisions. The first is laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, which involves a permanent rerouting of the digestive system that leaves patients with a small stomach pouch. The surgery creates a bypass that reroutes food around a portion of the small intestine.

The second, newer approach performed at Sacred Heart is adjustable gastric banding. Using a laparoscope, the surgeon places an inflatable band around the stomach, creating a small upper pouch at the top, with restricted passage to the rest of the stomach. This pouch fills quickly and creates a feeling of fullness.

The only board-certified bariatric surgeon in Northwest Florida with advanced fellowship training in weight loss surgery, Dr. Lord serves as director of the Sacred Heart Institute for Surgical Weight Loss.

Dr. Lord and his staff provide comprehensive evaluation of clinically obese patients to determine their candidacy for these life-changing procedures as well as extensive patient/family education to create a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

Reservations are required for this free seminar. To make a reservation or to obtain more information, please call (850) 416-1628 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

Kaiser currently serves as President of Non-Acute Operations for Ascension Health, the national organization of which Sacred Heart is a member. At Ascension, Kaiser has national responsibility for all of Ascension's non-acute care services including community health centers, senior care, long term care and ambulatory care facilities.

Since 1997 she has held a number of operational and strategic positions within Ascension Health. She currently resides in St. Louis and will be transitioning out of her current role into her new position in Pensacola over the next two months.

Kaiser has more than 20 years of experience in health care including management roles at hospitals in Ohio and Michigan. She also served as chief operating officer for an occupational health center and later a COO for a large physician group practice in Kansas City. Mo. She holds a master's degree in Health Care Administration and a master's degree in Business Administration, both from Saint Louis University.

In her new role at Sacred Heart, Laura will report to Patrick Madden, Sacred Heart Health System President and CEO. She will have regional responsibility for the management of all Sacred Heart operations, including Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in Walton County, and the new Sacred Heart Hospital under construction in Gulf County. She will play an active role in the development and implementation of the Health System's regional strategic and operational plans.

"Considering the tremendous regional growth of our Health System and our expansions planned in the next few years, we saw the need for an experienced executive with the vision and skills to advance Sacred Heart's mission and strategic direction," Madden said. "Laura has special expertise in health care services outside the hospital setting, such as home health care, outpatient services, senior care facilities and community health centers. We expect our services in these non-hospital settings to grow even more in the future, so Laura's experience in this area will be especially valuable as she moves into this newly created position."

About Sacred Heart's Regional System

Sacred Heart Health System has established itself as the most preferred hospital in Northwest Florida and the region's leader in providing high quality health care to children and adults. Key services include:

• The 458-bed Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola that includes the region's only Women's and Children's Hospital
• Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, a 50-bed hospital in Walton County, east of Destin
• The region's largest network of primary care and specialty doctors with offices from Foley, Ala. to Panama City Beach, Fla.
• A Regional Heart and Vascular Institute and a Stroke Center in Pensacola
• A Level II Trauma Center and Pediatric Trauma Center
• A Cancer Center affiliated with the M.D. Anderson Physicians Network®
• A home health agency
• A 120-bed nursing home
• An assisted living facility

This year, Sacred Heart also will build a 25-bed hospital in Port St. Joe and a new outpatient medical facility in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Sacred Heart is a member of Ascension Health, the nation's largest system of not-for-profit health care facilities. For more information, call 850-416-7000 or visit online at http://www.sacred-heart.org/.

About Ascension HealthAscension Health (http://www.ascensionhealth.org/) is transforming healthcare by providing the highest quality care to all, with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Ascension Health, which provided $808 million in care of persons who are poor and community benefit last year, is the nation's largest Catholic and nonprofit health system. Ascension's mission-focused health ministries consist of 106,000 associates serving in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

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Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola will offer its "Freedom From Smoking" program starting March 4 and March 5 to help with the physical, psychological, and habitual components of nicotine addiction.

Participants can choose to attend the seven-week course at sessions in the afternoon or evening. The classes will be held:

Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. starting March 4
Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting March 5

All classes will be held at Sacred Heart Hospital and will cost $75 per person.  However, the orientation class is free and a limited number of scholarships also are available for the entire program.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please call (850) 416-7764 for more information or to register.

Dr. John M. Bray and Dr. Frank V. Messina, both with Pensacola Lung Group, have successfully passed the exam to become recertified in critical care medicine.
This recertification is good for 10 years.

They gained recertification through the American Board of Internal Medicine, a non-profit, independent evaluation organization with a reputation for excellence for more than 70 years. The exam takes one day to complete and those who successfully pass it prove they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care.

 Both Dr. Bray and Dr. Messina also are board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonology. They are part of the five-physician practice of The Pensacola Lung Group, which was formed in 1987 and utilizes Sacred Heart Hospital exclusively for inpatient care of their patients. The group's areas of specialty include pulmonary medicine, critical care, and sleep medicine.

Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola will offer its "Freedom From Smoking" program starting March 4 and March 5 to help with the physical, psychological, and habitual components of nicotine addiction.

Participants can choose to attend the seven-week course at sessions in the afternoon or evening. The classes will be held:

Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. starting March 4
Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting March 5

All classes will be held at Sacred Heart Hospital and will cost $75 per person.  However, the orientation class is free and a limited number of scholarships also are available for the entire program.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Please call (850) 416-7764 for more information or to register.

Sacred Heart Hospital's Senior Service's program will present a free seminar on stroke awareness and prevention on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at The Club in Gulf Breeze.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Terry Neill, a critical care neurologist and medical director of the Sacred Heart Regional Stroke Center, a Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center. The talk will teach attendees how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke as well as ways to prevent and treat stroke.

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons over half a million Americans suffer a stroke each year. A stroke occurs when one of the blood vessels that carry oxygen to the brain either becomes clogged or bursts. This can result in muscle and speech impairment, brain damage, and death.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Located at The Club at 1230 Crane Cove Blvd. in Gulf Breeze, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation focuses on patient education and provides treatments which help individuals to strive towards improving and maintaining their own health.  The clinic is staffed with two full-time physical therapists and a physical therapy assistant to help get patients back on their feet quickly after injury or illness and help reduce or eliminate pain. Services include aquatic therapy, orthopedic rehabilitation, post-arthroscopic rehabilitation, injury rehabilitation, sports medicine, and joint replacement rehabilitation

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as a free daily guest meal ticket and newspaper delivery, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on "Healthy Weight, Healthy Cholesterol" on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Orange Beach Senior Center, 26251 Canal Rd., in Orange Beach, Ala.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Karin Pardue, a board certified family medicine physician with Sacred Heart Medical Group. The seminar will help attendees understand the signs and symptoms of high cholesterol, as well as ways to prevent and treat the disease.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in blood and in all the of the human body's cells. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a certain amount of cholesterol is necessary for good health, but too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to clogged arteries and is a major risk factor for heart disease.

As seating is limited, pre-registration is encouraged. To register, please call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older. Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as a three free guest meal tickets (up to $5) per hospital stay and newspaper delivery, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on "Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders" on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Dudley Greenhut Auditorium on Sacred Heart's main campus.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Lawrence King, III, a board certified neurologist with Sacred Heart Medical Group. The seminar will cover the signs and symptoms of memory disorders, as well as prevention and treatment options.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) produces a steady loss of memory and deterioration of thought processes like reasoning and judgment. For example, according to the Alzheimer's Association, it's not unusual to forget where you put the house keys. But someone with Alzheimer's may forget how to use the keys or what the keys are for. Eventually the loss can become severe enough to interfere with everyday life.

The American Medical Association says that Alzheimer's disease or some related form of dementia affects 5 percent to 6 percent of all older Americans. Over four million Americans now have Alzheimer's disease, and that number may climb to at least seven million by the early part of this century unless researchers find a cure or a way to prevent the disease.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as three free guest meal tickets and newspaper delivery upon hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information, please call (850) 416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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