Dr. Tarek Eldawy Mohamed, a board-certified cancer specialist associated with Sacred Heart's Medical Oncology Group, recently was credentialed by M. D. Anderson Physicians Network®. Physicians Network is a subsidiary of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, considered the nation's top cancer treatment center.

Dr. Eldawy joined Sacred Heart in 2007. In June 2006, Dr. Eldawy completed fellowship training in hematology and oncology at Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston and was named chief fellow of that program. Prior to that, he performed three years of training in internal medicine at Alexandria University in Egypt followed by residency training in internal medicine at Michigan State University. At Michigan State, he was named outstanding senior resident for 2003 and outstanding junior resident

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.

Sacred Heart Hospital's Senior Service's program will present a free seminar on lower back pain on Thursday, April 17, from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at The Club in Gulf Breeze.

The seminar will be presented by Dr. Mosi Jones, a board-certified physiatrist specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The talk will explain the common causes of lower back pain and how to treat this pain through medication and rehabilitation.

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 Health System will provide free health screenings in April at sites in Pensacola, Cantonment, Milton, Chipley, Orange Beach, Ala., and Robertsdale, Ala. The screening program targets persons who are poor, uninsured, or elderly. 

At most locations, Sacred Heart staff will provide screenings to measure blood pressure, blood sugar, total cholesterol and blood count. These screenings are helpful in diagnosing conditions that put people at high risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other health problems. 

The schedule is as follows:
. April 2 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Cantonment Council on Aging, 132 Mintz Lane, Cantonment. Osteoporosis screening
. April 3 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at St. John Catholic Church, 303 S. Navy Blvd., Pensacola. Blood screening.
. April 9 from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at Downtown YMCA, 410 N. Palafox St., Pensacola. Blood screening.
. April 10 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 401 Van Pelt Lane, Pensacola. Blood screening.
. April 16 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Little Flower Catholic Church, 65th Ave. & Lillian Hwy. Blood screening.
. April 18 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Northwest Florida Community Hospital, 1360 Brickyard Rd., Chipley. Blood screening.
. April 23 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Perdido Bay Baptist Church, 12600 Sorrento Rd., Pensacola. Blood screening.
. April 24 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Orange Beach Senior Center, 26251 Canal Rd., Orange Beach, Ala. Blood screening.
. April 25 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Bayview Senior Center, 20th Ave. & Lloyd St., Pensacola. Blood screening.
. April 29 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Waterfront Bargain Center, 2125 Fairfield Dr., Pensacola. Osteoporosis screening.
. April 30 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Milton Housing Authority, 6623-A James St., Milton. Blood screening.
    

Two locations already have been scheduled for May and are as follows:
. May 1 from 9 to 11:30 a.m., Alfred Washburn Center, 31 Murphy Lane, Pensacola. Blood screening.
. May 2 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 23035 Hwy. 59 N., Robertsdale, Ala. Blood screening.

     Mission in Motion is a community service provided by Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola. The mobile unit's free services also are made possible by support from the law firm of Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin and McLeod, as well as the Gannett Foundation and other community donors. For more information, call (850) 416-7826.

Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on anxiety and panic disorders on Monday, April 7 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. Elias Banuelos, a board-certified family medicine physician with Sacred Heart Medical Group's practice on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. The seminar will discuss the different types of anxiety disorders as well as treatment options.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental disorders, with some 40 million Americans affected by these debilitating illnesses each year.

Normally, feelings of nervousness develop in response to a particular situation, help us by making us more alert and aware of potential dangers in this situation, and then the feelings subside. But with anxiety disorders are different, anxiety symptoms often occur for no apparent reason and do not go away. Left untreated, they can drive individuals to take drastic actions to avoid the situations that trigger their anxiety and can interfere with relationships and the ability to hold down a job.

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 Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on seniors and sleep disorders on Wednesday, April 2 from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at Sacred Heart Medical Park in Pace.

The seminar will presented by Dr. Michael Rinaldi, a board-certified physician specializing in the care of the ears, nose, and throat (ENT.) The talk will discuss the signs and symptoms of common sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and snoring, as well as treatment options.

As we age, our sleep patterns may change, making it more difficult to get a good night's sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, middle aged and elderly people experience at least four types of sleep disorders more frequently than younger people, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, and advanced sleep phase syndrome.

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

Sacred Heart Medical Park at Pace provides diagnostic, rehabilitation, and outpatient surgery services to the Pace community, as well as family practice, OB/GYN and other specialty physician's offices. The facility is located on the north side of U.S. 90 in Pace, between Woodbine Road and Chumuckla Highway.

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 per hospital admission and daily 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 seniors and sleep disorders on Thursday, April 2 from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at Sacred Heart Medical Park in Pace.

The seminar will presented by Dr. Michael Rinaldi, a board-certified physician specializing in the care of the ears, nose, and throat (ENT.) The talk will discuss the signs and symptoms of common sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and snoring, as well as treatment options.

As we age, our sleep patterns may change, making it more difficult to get a good night's sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, middle aged and elderly people experience at least four types of sleep disorders more frequently than younger people, including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, and advanced sleep phase syndrome.

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

Sacred Heart Medical Park at Pace provides diagnostic, rehabilitation, and outpatient surgery services to the Pace community, as well as family practice, OB/GYN and other specialty physician's offices. The facility is located on the north side of U.S. 90 in Pace, between Woodbine Road and Chumuckla Highway.

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 per hospital admission and daily 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 Women's Hospital has recently opened The Nesting Place, a full-service childbirth services boutique. Located on the first floor of Women's and Children's Hospital right outside Seton Hall, The Nesting Place offers women a central location to sign up for and participate in childbirth education classes and hospital tours, receive breastfeeding advice from certified lactation consultants, and purchase breastfeeding supplies.

In addition, the boutique will have Medela Symphony breast pumps available for rent for $55 per month, as well as breast pumps available for purchase.

"Sacred Heart Women's Hospital is proud to be able to provide these much-needed services to the women of our community," says Hella Ewing, administrative director of Women's Services. "As the only women's hospital in Northwest Florida, we felt that this new addition would help us to provide even more comprehensive care to our patients and their loved ones."

The Nesting Place is open Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments with our certified lactation consultants can be made by calling (850) 416-NEST (6378).

Sacred Heart Women's Hospital is the area's leader in childbirth services and is proud to be the only dedicated women's hospital in Northwest Florida. In addition, Women's Hospital is certified as one of 11 Regional Perinatal Centers in Florida for the treatment of high-risk pregnancy.

For more information, please call Sacred Heart at (850) 416-1600 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Attention all sailors! Hoist the main sail and batten down the hatches for the Preemie Cup Regatta April 24-26, presented by Kids' Dentist Stu Bonnin and the Fish House, to benefit the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital.

The festivities will begin at Thursday, April 24, with a silent auction, heavy hors d'ouvres, and a cash bar at the Fish House Outdoor Deck, 600 S. Barracks Street in downtown Pensacola, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.  The silent auction will feature trips to various Southeastern resorts, jewelry, spa treatments, and more!

Registration for the regatta will take place on Friday, April 25, at the Pensacola Beach Yacht Club at 6 p.m., with the Skippers meeting to be held directly after registration at 7 p.m. The fun continues the next day, Saturday, April 26, with a double-handed, spinnaker, non-spinnaker, and Laser sailing race. The race will be followed by a great post-race meal and awards ceremony at 5 p.m.

Tickets for Thursday's food and auction are $30 per person and $50 per couple. The registration fee for Saturday's regatta is $50, which includes two tickets for the Thursday night silent auction and two regatta T-shirts.

In 2007, over $28,000 was raised by the Preemie Cup Regatta to benefit Children's Hospital.

The Sacred Heart Children's Hospital 55-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery (NICU) is the area's only Level III intensive care nursery and is staffed 24 hours a day by full-time neonatologists, neonatal nurses, developmental specialists, and respiratory therapists dedicated to the care of premature and critically newborns. Nearly 80 percent of NICU babies are there because of premature birth - born anywhere from 2 to 16 weeks early.

For more information on the race or the NOR, call William Paden at (850) 968-8796 or email him at pcolabaypro@aol.com.

For more information and tickets to the Thursday dinner party, call Sacred Heart Foundation at (850) 416-4660 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola is expanding its Emergency/Trauma Services with the opening of a new EmergiCare Center designed to reduce wait times for patients with minor injuries and illnesses.

The expansion provides an additional 24 beds to the ER/Trauma Center and will bring 15 new healthcare positions to Pensacola. Patients will enter the EmergiCare Center through the hospital's Heart and Vascular Institute entrance facing Bayou Blvd.

"The Emergency / Trauma service at Sacred Heart Hospital is experiencing a rate of growth which necessitates a new approach in the care of our emergency and trauma patients," said Debbie Bostic, president of Sacred Heart Hospital.

Patients who come to the Emergency/Trauma Center with a minor injury, such as a sprained ankle or an illness such as the flu, are assigned a lower priority than patients with more serious, life-threatening conditions. That system will change at the new EmergiCare Center.

"Our patients with minor emergencies deserve our prompt attention," said Jennifer Griffin, vice president of Perioperative and Emergency Services. "At EmergiCare, they will not be competing for attention with the most serious medical emergencies. Each patient will have the same priority and will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis."

EmergiCare will treat illnesses such as colds, flu, stomachaches and sore throats; minor injuries such as cuts, burns and sprains; and other non-emergency conditions such as skin rashes, ear infections, minor wounds, animal bites and mild asthma.

The new service opened this week and will be fully operational by March 31 with dedicated physicians and nursing staff to exclusively treat patients with minor emergencies. It will serve patients daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sacred Heart's emergency room visits have increased significantly in recent years. And with the recent reduction in the number of Level II trauma centers in Pensacola, Sacred Heart expects to treat an additional 50 trauma patients per month.

"We recognize the need to provide fast, appropriate care for all medical emergencies," said Dr. Gary Pablo, medical director of the Emergency/Trauma Center. "We are stepping up to the plate to serve the extra volume of trauma patients that will be coming our way, while also providing excellent care for less serious medical emergencies," explained Dr. Pablo.

With this planned expansion, Sacred Heart Emergency/Trauma Services will be redesigned to include four specialized areas: Level II adult and pediatric trauma center, a separate pediatric emergency center, an adult acute emergency center, and the newest addition, the Emergicare Center for minor injuries and illnesses.

Sacred Heart Health System also sponsors Escambia County Community Clinic, an alternative for walk-in and primary care for poor and uninsured patients.

For more information about Sacred Heart's emergency services, call 850-416-7000. 

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Merrill Lynch will present "The Sound of Miracles," a benefit concert for Sacred Heart Health System's Miracle Camp, on Sunday, March 29, at 7 p.m. at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, 6205 North "W" St. in Pensacola. The event will feature the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra with Music Director Peter Rubardt, and the Pensacola Children's Chorus under the direction of Allen and Susan Pote.

Join us for a night of inspiring music, featuring all the songs you know by heart! The night will also include a side-by-side musical set featuring the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra performing with aspiring musicians from area Escambia and Santa Rosa high schools and a young artist concerto performance by pianist Jenny Zeng, an eleventh grader in the International Baccalaureate program at Pensacola High School.

Tickets for this benefit concert are $20 per person, and $10 for children 12 and under. To purchase tickets, please call the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra at (850) 435-2533.

Since Miracle Camp opened in 2002, hundreds of our community's children and adults with chronic and/or life-threatening illnesses have enjoyed the fun and camaraderie of camps designed especially for their needs and staffed by Sacred Heart's experienced healthcare professionals. Miracle Camp is located off Beulah Road in Escambia County and offers overnight facilities, a medical clinic, and activities from campfires to arts and crafts.

For more information about "The Sound of Miracles," please call the Sacred Heart Foundation at (850) 416-4660.

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 Attention motorcycle enthusiasts! Join Sacred Heart Foundation for the annual "Riding for a Reason" motorcycle ride to the Beulah Sausage Festival on Sunday, April 6 at Stokes Victory Polaris Dealership, 4101 Mobile Highway in Pensacola.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Sacred Heart's Miracle Camp, a retreat for children and adults who are battling life-threatening and chronic illnesses, including cancer, arthritis, and asthma.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the ride will begin at 11:30 a.m. to the entrance of the Beulah Sausage Festival at the Escambia County Equestrian Center. The entrance fee is $20 per person and $5 per additional rider, which includes admission to the Sausage Festival, and one free sausage and soda. Special "Riding for a Reason" lapel pins will be given to the first 500 riders who register.

For more information, please call Sacred Heart Foundation at (850) 416-4660 or visit www.sacred-heart.org/miraclecamp.

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Sacred Heart Health System will provide free health screenings in March at sites in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Baldwin and Washington counties. The screening program targets persons who are poor, uninsured or elderly.

At most locations, Sacred Heart staff will provide screenings to measure blood pressure, blood sugar, total cholesterol and blood count. These screenings are helpful in diagnosing conditions that put people at high risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes and other health problems. In South Baldwin County, Sacred Heart will provide bone density scans for osteoporosis on March 20.

The schedule is as follows:

• March 6 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Davisville Community Center, Hwy 97, Davisville. Blood screening

• March 7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Loaves and Fishes, 257 E. Lee St., Pensacola. Blood screening

• March 11 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Joseph's Clinic, 140 W. Government St., Pensacola. Blood Screening.

• March 13 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the South Walton Council on Aging, 194 N. County Hwy. 393, Santa Rosa Beach. Blood screening.

• March 18 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Waterfront Bargain Center, 2125 Fairfield Drive, Pensacola. Blood screening.

• March 19 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Westwood Homes, 4400 Westover St., Pensacola. Blood screening.

• March 20 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Orange Beach Senior Center, 26251 Canal Road, Orange Beach, Ala. Osteoporosis screening only.

• March 25 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Washington County Council on Aging, 1348 South Blvd., Chipley. Blood Screening.

• March 26 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Warrington United Methodist Church, 301 E. Winthrop St., Pensacola. Blood screening.

• March 27 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Waterfront Bargain Center, 4467 Avalon Blvd., Milton. Blood Screening.

Mission in Motion is a community service provided by Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola. The mobile unit's free services also are made possible by support from the law firm of Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin and McLeod, as well as the Gannett Foundation and other community donors. For more information, call (850) 416-7826.

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The American Stroke Association recently awarded Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola its Get With The GuidelinesSM-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) Bronze Performance Achievement Award at the association's International Stroke Conference 2008. The award recognizes Sacred Heart's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment and education according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

Sacred Heart's Regional Stroke Center has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes always being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.

To receive the GWTG-Stroke Bronze Performance Achievement Award, Sacred Heart consistently followed the treatment guidelines in the GWTG-Stroke program for 90 days. These include aggressive use of medications like clot-busting medications and clot prevention, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation. The 90-day evaluation period is the first in an ongoing self-evaluation by the hospital to continually reach the 85 percent compliance level needed to sustain this award.

"The American Stroke Association commends Sacred Heart Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols," said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee Member and director of the acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients."

GWTG-Stroke uses the "teachable moment," the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they are most likely to listen to and follow their healthcare professionals' guidance. Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second stroke. Through GWTG-Stroke, customized patient education materials are made available at the point of discharge, based on patients' individual risk profiles. The take-away materials are written in an easy-to-understand format and are available in English and Spanish. In addition, the GWTG Patient Management Tool provides access to up-to-date cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care.

According to the American Stroke Association, each year approximately 780,000 people suffer a stroke - 600,000 are first attacks and 180,000 are recurrent. Of stroke survivors aged 49 and older, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women die within a year.  For those aged 70 and older, the percentages are even higher.

For more information on Sacred Heart's Regional Stroke Center, please call (850) 416-1600 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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Sacred Heart Hospital's SeniorSpirit! program will present a free seminar on colon cancer on Thursday, March 6 from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at Sacred Heart Medical Park in Pace.

The seminar will presented by Dr. Fares Hakim, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Gastroenterology Associates. The talk will discuss the signs and symptoms of colon cancer, prevention and treatment options.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in this country. ACS estimates that there will be about 112,340 new cases of colon cancer and 41,420 new cases of rectal cancer in 2007 in the United States. Combined, they will cause about 52,180 deaths.

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

Sacred Heart Medical Park at Pace provides diagnostic, rehabilitation, and outpatient surgery services to the Pace community, as well as family practice, OB/GYN and other specialty physician's offices. The facility is located on the north side of U.S. 90 in Pace, between Woodbine Road and Chumuckla Highway.

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 per hospital admission and daily 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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