People & Business: Friday 3/8/19

Friday, March 29th
THE SARASOTA SCENE
People & Business
To submit your news for consideration, please send press info to scenemagazine@scenesarasota.com

SMH Again Earns Highest CMS 5-Star Rating 

Less than 8% of the US hospitals earned the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ 5-Star rating in 2019 for Overall Quality & Safety

Report cards are out for the nation’s hospitals, and Sarasota Memorial Hospital again received the highest 5-star rating. It is the only hospital in Florida — and one of just 52 across the nation — to consistently earn the federal government’s highest quality rating for the fifth consecutive rating period, since the star program’s inception in 2016.

Of 3,724 U.S. hospitals evaluated, less than 8 percent earned the federal government’s highest rating in the February 2019 update on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website. Like previous years, most hospitals received two, three or four stars.

Since 2016, the federal agency has shared star ratings to make it easier for people to compare how well their community hospitals perform on a range of inpatient and outpatient quality indicators. Comparisons are made based on patient experience, the timeliness and effectiveness of care, complication rates, and other factors. Information is also organized by medical condition, such as heart attack, pneumonia, or type of surgery. Hospital Compare then distills 50-plus quality measures into an overall star rating, giving the most weight to factors including patient safety, patient experience, the rates of unnecessary patient readmissions and rates of unexpected patient deaths. 

Earlier this week, Sarasota Memorial also was named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by IBM Watson Health. The prestigious list of top hospitals were chosen from 2,752 hospitals across the country that outperformed peer-group hospitals on all clinical and operational performance benchmarks evaluated in the study, including: inpatient mortality and complications, healthcare-associated infections, readmission rates, length of stay, costs of care and patient satisfaction. If all hospitals were to achieve the same performance benchmarks as those included on this year’s list, IBM Watson Health projects it would save 103,000 lives, prevent complications in 38,000 patients, result in 155,000 fewer hospital readmissions and lead to 12 percent lower medical bills than the average patient receiving care.

United States Botanic Gardens Exhibit features Selby Gardens

Exhibit explores new and renovated botanical gardens from across the nation. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and the master site plan, that will protect and preserve 15-acres of bayfront property, is featured in the newly opened exhibit Celebrating New American Gardens, on display at the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) in Washington DC. As the only botanical garden in Florida featured, the exhibit showcases 21 gardens from across the United States that have created new gardens or renovated a garden within the last five years. The USBG presents this new exhibit through October 15, 2019.

“Selby Gardens is excited to be a part of this new exhibition at the United States Botanic Garden. This exhibit shows how important it is to accomplish the Master Plan so that even more people can connect with nature,” shares Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “Together with the others, it showcases the important role botanical gardens play in research, education and connecting individuals to the wonders of nature.”

As part of the exhibit, photos, drawings, landscape designs, and project descriptions share the story of Selby Gardens and its new Master Plan. Just as plants change and grow, these gardens featured in the exhibit are making changes to better prepare for their own future and to showcase new plant collections, create spaces for people to connect with nature, and foster sustainability.

“Gardens are always changing – with the seasons, with emerging gardening trends, and with their communities. We are excited to feature these new gardens and showcase the diversity and beauty of modern garden projects,” said Saharah Moon Chapotin, U.S. Botanic Garden executive director

Other gardens represented include Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, New Orleans Botanical Garden in Louisiana, Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon, and other public gardens from across the nation.

View Selby Gardens and 20 more botanical gardens from around the nation in this new exhibit, Celebrating New American Gardens. For more on this exhibit, visit www.usbg.gov

All Faiths Food Bank Receives $145,000 in Grants in Support of Children’s Programs

All Faiths Food Bank recently received grants from the following organizations:

$100,000 from Jane’s Trust in support of the Backpack Program

$25,000 from the Schoenbaum Family Foundation in support of the Backpack and School Pantry Programs

$20,000 from the Bank of America Client Foundation in support of the School Pantry Program

The grants will provide children in Sarasota and DeSoto counties with access to nutritious food.

 In support of the Backpack Program, which provides bags of kid-friendly, healthy food to students to take home for over the weekends and holidays at 53 schools, and the School Pantry Program which provides children and families with access to fresh produce, meats and groceries at 17 schools. Together they raised $145,000

For more information, go to www.allfaithsfoodbank.org.

Local Prize for MS Research Awarded to University of California Researcher

The Barancik Prize for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research was recently awarded to University of California professor Katerina Akassoglou, Ph.D. for her work understanding the origins of nerve damage in MS and identifying potential therapies to prevent it.

The Barancik Prize was established by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to inspire original ideas in stopping the disease. The most prestigious of its kind in the MS scientific community, the annual award comes with $100,000 to be used at the discretion of the recipient. Akassoglou is the sixth recipient of the award.

“This award is game-changing,” says Teri A Hansen, President | CEO of the Barancik Foundation.  “For most researchers, acclaim of this level comes at the end of their tenure. The Barancik Prize is aimed to recognize up and coming leaders in MS research and incentivize breakthroughs.”

Because MS affects a small percentage of the US population, research on the disease receives little to no federal funding. The Barancik family have been moved to support efforts to end MS for decades, because of a loved one afflicted with the condition. Most people with multiple sclerosis are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women three times more often than men.

The international prize is administered through the National MS Society.

SCF, Manatee-Sarasota Communications and Marketing Department Wins Eight Awards

 State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota’s (SCF) Communications and Marketing (CAM) department has won eight awards in the 34th annual Educational Advertising Awards competition. More than 2,200 entries were received from over 1,000 colleges, universities, secondary schools and representative agencies from all fifty states and several foreign countries. Entries came from a wide variety of schools, including community colleges and universities such as Emory University and Ringling College of Art & Design. Fewer than 10 percent of entries received awards.

SCF won gold, silver and merit awards in the brochure, internal and external publication, direct mail, poster and total advertising campaign categories. Winning entries were the SCF Graduation Cap brochure, SCF 2018-2019 Student Handbook and Planner, SCF “You Decide” poster and mailer, SCF Foundation “INSPIRE” magazine, SCF Manatees 2018 Tennis poster, SCF BSNin4 Ad Campaign, SCF 2017-18 Fast Facts brochure and SCF Weekend College Ad Campaign. The CAM team won four awards in last year’s competition.

“It’s an honor to be among those recognized,” said Smith. “We are always looking for creative and unique ways to engage stakeholders with our publications and to proudly represent the SCF brand.”

CAM staff who had a role in the winning projects include Jamie Smith, director; Mace Thirtle, lead graphic designer; Sonjai Persaud, graphic designer; Kristen Hogentogler, digital communications coordinator; Marci Shantz, marketing coordinator; Toni Jefferies, communications coordinator; and Jon Stanton, creative content coordinator.

Judges for the competition consisted of a national panel of higher education marketers, advertising creative directors, marketing and advertising professionals and the editorial board of “Higher Education Marketing Report,” the nation’s leading marketing publication for higher education marketing professionals.

To read more about the Educational Advertising Awards, visit educationaladvertisingawards.com.

Free Health Fair & Speakers Forum Offered at SCF Mar. 14

The Nursing and Health Professions division at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) is hosting a Health Fair & Speakers Forum Mar. 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton in the Library & Learning Center. The event is free and open to the public with no reservation required.

The event will provide students and the community an opportunity to learn about various health topics from local and national experts and receive wellness services from local vendors. Free wellness services include chair messages, mammograms and vein screenings as well as demonstrations by CAE Healthcare.

A Community Health track includes presentation and roundtable discussion on topics such as substance abuse, diabetes management, reducing the risk of heart disease, the opioid epidemic, trends in vaping, patient safety, and other current topics in health care.

The second track, Future Healthcare Leaders, led by SCF students will include posters and presentations in the areas of healthcare team collaboration best practices, patient safety, ethics, career paths, and STEM research and community involvement.

Choral Artists of Sarasota Launches New Website

The new site’s user-friendly design offers information about the organization’s rich, 40-year history, a lending library for choral groups, detailed program notes, and a quick introduction to the 32 professional singers.

Choral Artists of Sarasota, a Sarasota-based professional choral ensemble, has launched a new website. Designed by Michelle Greene of Rough & Ready Media, the new site offers a “fresh new look and a wealth of interactive tools for visitors, singers, choral groups, and educators,” says Susan Burke, executive director. The site’s address is www.ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

“The new site better reflects our organization and our mission,” says Burke, adding that the redesign was achieved over a yearlong process and was funded, in part, by an Immediate Impact grant issued by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

“For our 40th anniversary, we wanted a fresh new look and a user-friendly platform that easily provides online visitors all of the information they need to learn about our organization at a quick glance,” says Burke. “We also wanted to offer visitors an in-depth look at our history, our singers, our artistic and administrative team, and the musical works we present.”

Burke says the new site offers information about the organization’s rich history, beginning with Arden Fowler who founded the Gloria Musicae Singers in 1979. The new site also features a link to the Cordelia Lee Beattie Music Lending Library, a comprehensive music lending library.

“With this portal, other non-profit choral groups can easily search for and borrow music without any charge,” says Burke. “It’s just another way we support the regional non-profit arts community.” 

Joseph Holt, the organization’s artistic director, credits Rough & Ready with creating a dynamic and highly functional website. “They’ve done a great job of helping us meet our objectives,” he says. “Ultimately, the site is another tool to empower our artists and audiences. It’s the perfect 40th anniversary gift!”

Local Students Bring Clean Water to Villagers in South Sudan

 Cadets at the Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) Prep middle school recently announced the completion of a well providing water for a village in South Sudan. The cadets chose the Water for South Sudan (WFSS) organization as the focus for the SMA Prep Interact Club annual service project and raised $5,000 to fund the well.

According to a letter received from the WFSS organization, the well is located in the village of Alatip in Mading-Juer, Tonj, South Sudan. Cadets received coordinates of the well, information about the village chief and residents, photos and details of the completed project.

“In South Sudan, millions of women and children trek for up to eight hours a day to collect water from marshes, ditches or hand-dug wells – water that is often contaminated with parasites and bacteria resulting in sickness or in many cases, death,” said SMA-CPT Jennifer Neff, Language and Literature Instructor and SMA Prep Interact Club coordinator. “Our cadets chose the Water for South Sudan project and we are thrilled that the well has been completed, bringing safety and nutrition to the village through clean water.”

Led by SMA-CPT Jennifer Neff, SMA-MAJ Carol Pelletier and SMA-CPT Jane Clancy, the SMA Prep Interact Club is an extracurricular activity supported by the Sarasota Southside Rotary Club. Currently, 40 cadets are involved in the SMA Prep Interact Club and the Water for South Sudan project was selected after the 6th grade cadets read, “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park.

The cadets and staff received a $1,500 grant from the Education Foundation and raised donations from Prep faculty, students and parents.

“We are incredibly proud of our cadets and staff involved in the SMA Prep Interact Club. The cadets set a goal to have a real-world impact, and they succeeded,” said SMA-COL Christina Bowman, Sarasota Military Academy Executive Director of Schools. “The cadets will always remember this experience as their efforts have resulted in a project that will help sustain a community for years to come.”

The 2019 SMA Prep Interact Club service project is “Homes for Haiti” and previous projects include the Memorial Bench for BG Laudano, Pennies for Patients, Mayors Feed the Hungry, Satchel’s Last Resort animal shelter, and a Sensory Bottle Project.