Life at AdventHealth Central Florida

Over the last 40 years, Loaves and Fishes of Apopka has provided much-needed support to the west Orange County community and beyond. AdventHealth has been a longstanding partner of the organization and we are blessed to partner with local organizations who are making a remarkable impact in our community. Congratulations! Learn more here: https://bit.ly/4boJnG9

This celebrates the incredible friendships blossoming at AdventHealth. These friendships are built on shared experiences and moments. From laughs to moments of unwavering support, our team members experience camaraderie and bonds that make our workplace feel like a second home.

Congratulations to our physicians Vip Patel, MD, and David Varnagy, MD, who were recognized by Newsweek and Statista among the best surgeons and specialists in their respective fields.

They were selected among a field of 200 physicians across the country in their specialties. Results were determined by industry surveys, physician performance data, certifications and statewide quality scores.

Join us in wishing them a warm congratulations!

AdventHealth announced an opening date for the AdventHealth Millenia ER, which is planned for July 9, 2024. The announcement came during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new offsite emergency room located in the Millenia area of Orlando, bringing trusted emergency care for Central Florida residents and visitors. https://bit.ly/3z9eKqs

Eight years ago, 49 lives were lost in the Pulse tragedy. We remember the victims, and we pray for continued healing and peace for all of those impacted – the survivors, victims’ families and friends, first-responders and health care workers.

For the second year in a row, AdventHealth University wins the Generosity Champions Leadership Challenge!🏆66% of AHU leaders participated in the Team Member Giving Program, which helps students succeed in becoming compassionate health care professionals. Thank you to all of our leaders for your generous hearts in giving back to our community.

Statins, commonly prescribed for the heart, are some of the most frequently used medications in the U.S,, but can statins cause dementia? Dr. Rajesh Shah, an AdventHealth interventional cardiologist, weighs in on the topic in the national Readers Digest publication The Healthy saying that not only do statins have benefits from a cardiovascular standpoint, but they could even reduce dementia.

Do Statins Cause Dementia? Cardiology and Brain Experts Respond This medication, commonly prescribed for heart, has caused confusion for some patients. Here, heart and brain experts convey where they stand.

AdventHealth University is embarking on the largest expansion project in its 32-year history. A multi-phase expansion and renovation, begun in June 2024, will allow for more classroom space, leading-edge simulation equipment and technology, and new student spaces. https://bit.ly/3V9liwR

In a remarkable season of medical innovation, physicians with the AdventHealth Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute performed three groundbreaking procedures, marking significant advancements in patient care. These “firsts” represent a leap forward in the treatment of cardiovascular conditions for residents of Central Florida.

Innovative spring sees three groundbreaking cardiovascular procedures performed by AdventHealth physicians This spring, AdventHealth marked significant advancements in patient care with three “firsts” representing a leap forward in treatment of cardiovascular conditions.

This spotlight features Brianna Veas, a patient service coordinator at the AdventHealth Transplant Institute. In her three years in the role, Brianna says she enjoys the smiles she helps bring to patients’ faces while they go through difficult times and how AdventHealth keeps her connected to her faith. She feels whole when she builds a connection with patients by getting to know them as individuals.

Housing is health care, and people with stable, safe housing have better health outcomes than those without. That’s why AdventHealth is proud to partner with Ability Housing to celebrate the opening of the Wayne Densch Apartments Community Center.

For nearly two decades, the Wayne Densch Apartments have provided much-needed transitional housing to our neighbors in Central Florida experiencing homelessness. This community center furthers that mission, providing a multipurpose room, laundry facilities, offices where residents can meet privately with case managers, a computer lab and library. The space will also be used by AdventHealth University and the Hope Clinic to provide free services to residents.

Congratulations to Ability Housing on this milestone, and thank you to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and former U.S. Rep. Val Demings for securing the funding necessary to make this community center a reality.

As the Official Healthcare Provider of Osceola County School District Athletics, AdventHealth provided free physicals to hundreds of Osceola County public middle and high school students at Osceola Heritage Park. As parents prepare for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, we were happy to help ensure that student athletes feel healthy and whole. Thank you to all who participated and made this event a success. Orange County Public Schools student athletes will be able to get free physicals at the Camping World Stadium on June 22.

A new study shows Ozempic had positive effects on chronic kidney disease, and an AdventHealth physician finds it could lead to more access and more treatment options.

“This treatment positively affects multiple organs to decrease risk and this study confirms it’s a whole body, holistic type of treatment. It’s not just a medication focused on lowering blood sugar (diabetes); it has other major benefits.”

Pratley was one of the researchers on this trail, called FLOW, which showed dramatic results with kidney failure, kidney function and death from cardiovascular disease. Read more on this exciting news.

What’s Next for Ozempic? Scientists are exploring whether the new diabetes and weight-loss drugs could also treat addiction, kidney disease and more.

Since his early years, Dr. Miles Bennett, chief medical officer at AdventHealth Winter Garden, has immersed himself in the world of Legos. He started with off-the-shelf sets, but quickly began to crave larger challenges. On this we celebrate the creative spirit of Dr. Bennett.

A new way of treating bladder cancer is expected to deliver promising results and the AdventHealth Cancer Institute is the only site in Florida, and the first in the U.S., to open this groundbreaking treatment.

Revolutionizing bladder cancer treatment: AdventHealth is only site in Florida for customized treatment to attack cancer A new bladder cancer Phase II randomized trial opens in Central Florida. The V940 mRNA immunotherapy injection represents precision medicine at its best, according to Dr. Guru Sonpavde.

Exciting news from the Trina Hidalgo Heart Care Center, which has relocated to a new home on the AdventHealth Orlando campus. The center's mission to serve the most vulnerable members of the community remains steadfast and offers hope to our communities from all walks of life. We also congratulate the center’s team for receiving the Press Ganey 2023 World Class Practice Award for exceptional patient experience. https://bit.ly/3URYvFy

AdventHealth is pleased to announce we’re working on AdventHealth Lake Nona, a state-of-the-art hospital that will offer leading-edge treatments to patients from Central Florida and around the globe. The 10-story hospital will offer world-class clinical care in specialties including men’s health, bariatrics, neurology, cardiology, orthopedics and much more. AdventHealth Lake Nona is expected to open in 2026. https://bit.ly/4asgLuR

The goal of transcreating the “Be a Mindleader” initiative into Spanish is to get curated, expert information designed specifically for a multicultural Hispanic audience directly into the hands of adults to encourage open conversations about mental health with children, family or friends.

United Way, AdventHealth bring mental health destigmatization campaign to Hispanic community “Lidera ConscienteMENTE" is an adaptation of the "Be a Mindleader" initiative, which, since launching a year ago, has connected hundreds of families to counseling services.

AdventHealth EMS critical care transport nurse, Austin Johnson, was just honored with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing’s 2024 Distinguished CTRN (critical care ground transport) Award. AdventHealth EMS Director, Kevin Wall, says Austin’s “exceptional whole person care, innovative approaches to critical care transport, and his unwavering dedication to our team, truly set him apart as a Critical Care Transport Nurse.” Congratulations, Austin!

NAMI Greater Orlando recently hosted NAMIWalks, a 5K walk and community event supporting mental health awareness. We are so proud of our AdventHealth team members who participated in the walk. Plus, we were happy to show support and provide a positive affirmation mirror, therapy doughs, as well as information about our Be A Mindleader campaign, a mental health initiative with the goal of ending the stigma that keeps someone from reaching out for help and saving children’s lives. This , we celebrate our community partner, NAMIGO, for their dedication breaking the stigma around mental health and improving the quality of life for impacted Central Florida residents.

Researchers at AdventHealth are working to tackle a growing problem – the prevalence of undiagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) in its early stages, in particular among the state’s underserved and minority communities -- to increase access to care.

With type 1 diabetes on the rise, AdventHealth study aims to expand screening With type 1 diabetes on the rise, researchers at AdventHealth are trying to identify undiagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) in its early stages, in particular among the state’s underserved and minority communities – to expand future screening.