DOH-Lee announces update regarding Pondella Clinic

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) has announced that beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 17, the Office of Vital Statistics will resume in-person services at the Pondella Clinic. The Pondella Clinic is located at 83 Pondella Road, North Fort Myers.

In preparation for the move, the DOH-Lee Office of Vital Statistics will be closed on Monday, Oct. 16.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC) Clinic will also resume in-person services at the 83 Pondella Road location.

Community Health, HIV/AIDS and STD program services provided at the Pondella Clinic will resume in-person services at 83 Pondella later this month. Specific dates will be forthcoming.

Visit the website lee.floridahealth.gov and follow our Twitter page, @flhealthlee for additional updates.

Free autism screening for young children Nov. 3 at Pediatric Specialist Office

Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, offers a free monthly autism spectrum disorder screening for toddlers 18 months to 5 years of age.

The next screening will be held on Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Pediatric Specialist Office, 15901 Bass Road, Suite 102, Fort Myers.

It is estimated that one in every 44 children is diagnosed with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined.

Medical consultants for the project stress that an early diagnosis can make a vast difference for toddlers and their families. They say early intensive behavioral intervention can make an immense difference not just in the development of the child, but in their families as well.

The ASD screening is conducted by the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. The screenings are administered by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, who has extensive training and experience in typical child development and developmental disorders.

A physician referral is not required. To schedule a screening, call 239-343-6838.

Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida receives National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition

Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida has announced that it has received National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term patient relationships. This is the 11th consecutive year that PPC has earned the PCMH designation.

States and the federal government use the NCQA PCMH model to help make primary care more efficient and effective in meeting patients’ needs and to hold providers accountable. Qualifying for this is a significant undertaking and demonstrates PPC’s commitment to its patients.

The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that puts patients at the forefront. Providers must combine teamwork and information technology to reduce costs while delivering higher-quality care. Additionally, each patient is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordinate treatment across the healthcare system.

Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida, a physician-owned and operated medical practice, was formed in 1996 by many long-practicing local physicians. PPC has grown to become the largest physician-owned primary care practice in Southwest Florida providing family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Offices are located in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Lehigh Acres. For more information, visit ppcswfl.com.

Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine joins HOPCo

The Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine has announced it has become part of HOPCo’s Florida-based musculoskeletal practice management platform and will partner with Orthopedic Center of Florida to become one of the largest integrated provider groups in the region. Orthopedic Center of Florida partnered with HOPCo in late 2022 and has already seen significant growth with the addition of five providers and the opening of an additional office location in Naples.

Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company is the national leader in musculoskeletal practice and clinical outcomes management solutions and the country’s largest orthopedic value-based care organization. This partnership will continue to develop unique clinically integrated partnerships with other leading musculoskeletal practices, physicians, health systems, and payers throughout Southwest Florida and the surrounding regions.

IOSSM has provided high-quality orthopedic, pain management and pediatric care since 1987 and offers an on-site open MRI and pharmacy. Combined, IOSSM and Orthopedic Center of Florida will have four locations and 28 musculoskeletal providers. Both practices will be empowered with HOPCo’s proven quality outcomes and claims analytics infrastructure to drive performance, growth, and value-focused musculoskeletal market transformation.

IOSSM is the newest addition to HOPCo’s growing national musculoskeletal market transformation platform and the ninth HOPCo partnership in Florida. In the last 12 months, HOPCo has also entered into multiple practice partnerships in Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and Nevada, and additional partnerships in Michigan and Arizona. Additionally, HOPCo has partnered with health systems and physician practices in more than 30 states and continues to partner with payors across the US in advanced value-based care programs.

Visit ocfla.net to learn more.

Chronic Pain Self-Management Program workshops start Nov. 3

Would you like to learn how to better manage chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, headaches and more?

Lee Health’s “It’s All About You,” Chronic Pain Self-Management Program” a Self- Management Resource Program with the SMRC is offering a research based Chronic Pain Self-Management program for the community. The workshop is free and meets weekly for six weeks.

Information presented in the workshop can help you become empowered to improve your quality of life. Learn how to more easily manage your medications; understand the benefits of exercise; manage symptoms of stress, pain and fatigue; and make smarter decisions related to health eating. Participants will also receive a copy of the book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain”.

The sessions will be held on Fridays beginning Nov. 3, from 9 to 11:30 a.m., at the Heights Center, 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers.

Call 239-424-3121 for more information or to register.