News

Dr. Vasant Patel has gone to Haiti!

ARCADIA -- Last Friday morning, Dr. Vasant Patel was having breakfast with his wife when an

urgent televised plea seized his attention.

 It was just after 9 a.m. and the DeSoto Memorial Hospital surgeon was scrolling through the

channels when he happened to stop on the local Fox News affiliate. At the moment, the Rev.

Kurt Holthus, founder of Hope International Ministries in North Fort Myers, was reaching

out to physicians, seeking their helping in providing relief efforts to the

earthquake-ravaged areas of Haiti.

"He said they needed more doctors, specifically, they needed a surgeon and if any surgeon

was listening to please call. I turned my head and looked at my wife and she shook her

head 'no.' I started shaking my head 'yes,'" he said.

Tuesday, Patel boarded a plane from Fort Lauderdale to the Dominican Republic. From there,

he said, he and the rest of the entourage will traverse the mountains that separate the two

tiny Caribbean countries.

The journey is a far cry from what Patel had planned for the week.  "I had tickets. I was

flying to Virginia to see my parents and my brother for the first time in years," he said.

"But this was more important."

But the week will still be a family affair: accompanying Patel and a small contingency of

other physicians recruited by Holthus' organization will be Patel's two sons -- both recent

medical school graduates.  "This will be a unique opportunity for them," he said. "It will

be a great experience for us to share."

Although Patel has previously provided disaster relief in his native India as a medical

student, the journey will also provide him with a first-time experience.

"I've never operated in a tent before. That's mostly where we will be working," he said.

Patel graduated from Baroda Medical College in India. In 1970 he completed a General

Surgery Residency in New York at the Catholic Medical Center, according to information

released by the hospital. He has been with DMH since 2007 as a general surgeon.

His latest gesture has won him even more admiration from his coworkers and hospital

administrators.

"The Hippocratic Oath is an old oath historically taken by doctors swearing to ethically

practice medicine. Dr. Vasant Patel has never forgotten his commitment to this oath. He is

a true humanitarian and we are extremely proud and humbled by his passion to aid his fellow

man," said hospital CEO Vince Sica.

 

DMH is celebrating the newly released HCAHPS results

            

 

Stroke Awareness

According to the National Stroke Association, more than 780,000 people suffer from stroke each year.  The good news is that up to 80% of those can be prevented.  High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke.  Make sure to have yours checked on a regular basis and follow your medical provider's recommendations for management of high blood pressure.

It is important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke, Act F.A.S.T.  and seek emergency medical attention.  Recognizing stroke symptoms can be easy if you remember the following:

F = Face          Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A = Arms        Ask the person to raise both arms.  Does one arm drift downward?

S = Speech    Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase.  Does the speech sound slurred or strange?

T= Time           If you observe any of these signs, then it is time to call 9-1-1!

Studies show that patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance receive quicker treatment than those that arrive by their own means.

DeSoto Memorial Hospital is committed to the healthcare of the community by providing advanced treatment for stroke.  Emergency treatment with a clot busting drug called tPA can help minimize or eliminate disability after stroke.  This drug must be given within 3 hours of onset of stroke symptoms, so it is important to recognize the symptoms and call 9-1-1.

 

Related Information
News

Tobacco
Cessation
Program

Thinking about
Quitting Tobacco

but you're unsure
how? DeSoto
Memorial Hospital
can help! Offered
twice monthly,
Tobacco Cessation
classes are now
held at DeSoto
Memorial Hospital.
You may even
qualifiy for free
Nicotine Replacement
Therapy.

For information, please
call Kandi Hogan,
Tobacco Cessation
Coordinator at
(863) 993-7648,
or by e-mail at
khogan@dmh.org