​Lower Keys Medical Center is offering free monthly classes. 
 
Breastfeeding and Lactation Education will be provided in a two-hour introductory class held from 10 am - 12 noon on October 15, November 19, and December 10. 
 
Joint Replacement Seminars will be provided in a one-hour format from 12 noon to 1 pm on September 28, October 26, and November 23. 
 
Registration and information is available at https://www.lkmc.com/classes-events-programs. 
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​Maintaining a healthy digestive system, or gut, could be the key to better health. When healthy, the gut absorbs nutrients from food, eliminates waste, communicates with the brain and supports a healthy immune system and nervous system function. If the gut is unhealthy, it can cause digestive diseases which affect 60 - 70 million Americans according to the National Institute of Health.
 
Signs of an unhealthy gut include an upset stomach, sudden weight gain or loss without changes in lifestyle, disrupted sleep and constant fatigue. Without proper work up by a gastroenterologist for an unhealthy gut, many conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and H pylori can go undiagnosed or improperly treated, leaving many to experience chronic symptoms. 
 
Optimal gut health is achieved when the bacteria inside of the gastrointestinal tract, made up of the esophagus, stomach and intestines, work together without causing discomfort.
 
“Gut health is a popular and complex topic that can seem overwhelming,” says Orlando Lopez-Roman, MD, FACG, AGAF, board-certified gastroenterologist with Keys Medical Group Gastroenterology.  “Luckily, maintaining a healthy gut can be easily achieved through simple lifestyle habits.”
 
Dr. Lopez-Roman recommends these lifestyle habits to maintain a healthy gut:
 

• Eat well: Avoid highly processed foods and eat more fruits, vegetables, lean protein and fiber like apples, broccoli, salmon and quinoa. Consuming naturally fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, if tolerated, can help balance gut bacteria.
  
• Limit NSAIDs: Minimize use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which can damage the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.  
  
• Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help improve gut health by increasing beneficial microbial species and helping to reduce stress.
  
• Hydrate: Drinking enough water is a simple way to improve gut health and prevent constipation. 
  
• Reduce stress: Try walking, meditating and spending time with loved ones to help reduce stress and decrease inflammation in the gut. 

 
"It is also very important to keep up with recommended screening colonoscopies by a gastroenterologist and to be seen by one if experiencing gastrointestinal issues," said Lopez-Roman. 
 
Lower Keys Medical Center offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. Sign up at https://www.lkmc.com/enewsletter-sign-up. 

​The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released updated Medicare overall hospital quality star ratings on its Care Compare website, and Lower Keys Medical Center has improved to a 4 Star Rating. Of 213 hospitals in the State of Florida, only 55 have earned a rating of 4 or 5 stars. 
 
"We continue to focus on quality improvement and patient safety," said David Clay, CEO. "That is how we have been able to consistently improve our CMS Star rating over the past several years. It takes a dedicated team to move from a 3 Star to a 4 star and I am so proud of my colleagues at Lower Keys Medical Center. We have implemented multiple quality initiatives and measurements to guide us on our continuous quality improvement journey."
 
Lower Keys Medical Center performed well in the areas of Timely and Effective Care, Complications and Deaths, Unplanned Hospital Visits and Payment and Value of Care. 
 
The overall rating shows how well an individual hospital is performing compared to other hospitals in the US, on average. CMS uses more than 100 quality measures to determine a hospital's star rating. The ratings are designed to help individuals compare facilities and understand quality metrics. 
 
Lower Keys Medical Center has focused on several initiatives including establishment of an internal patient experience committee and an external Patient Family Advisory Council; daily reporting and discussion on patient experience surveys; executive and nurse leader rounding; hourly nursing patient rounding; enhanced bedside shift reporting; daily interdisciplinary team meeting addressing patient discharge needs and post-discharge follow up care; streamlined registration process; multidisciplinary approach to medication education for patients throughout their admission; enhanced infection prevention programs; and daily examination of readmissions with a focus on prevention. 
 
About:  Lower Keys Medical Center's accreditations include: The Joint Commission Acute Care Hospital Program (re-accredited February 2022); American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center; The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center; The Joint Commission, for Laboratory Services; The American College of Radiology for Mammography; and the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for Transthoracic Echocardiography (TEE). The hospital is also recognized by the American Heart Association's "Gold Plus "Get With the Guidelines" Stroke quality achievement award.

​The childbirth team at Lower Keys Medical Center is now using an artificial intelligence-based maternal-fetal early warning system called PeriWatch Vigilance to enhance patient safety during labor and delivery. The system continuously monitors maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate, contractions, and labor progression to help clinicians quickly identify any concerning developments for faster intervention.
 
Lower Keys Medical Center delivers approximately 400 babies each year. Nicole Fisher, Chief Nursing Officer, said this new technology is an important resource to support maternal/fetal health and safe deliveries.
 
“Every delivery is unique so the health and well-being of every mom and baby is our priority during childbirth,” says Fisher.  “While most births happen without complication, there are some inherent risks in the delivery of a newborn. This new technology adds another layer of protection throughout the labor process to help our maternity team recognize, prevent and respond to avoidable complications.”
 
Through pattern recognition, the technology can also pinpoint opportunities for overall improvement based on consolidated data from multiple births. As the maternity team reviews trends and identifies areas where improvement is possible, the hospital can use that information to develop protocols that further increase safety and may lead to better outcomes for mothers and babies.
 
“By investing in this technology, Lower Keys Medical Center is making labor and delivery safer for mothers and babies,” said David Clay, Chief Executive Officer.  “Our physicians and nurses are highly skilled medical professionals and excellent caregivers and they appreciate the use of technology to support their work, especially when it helps keep our patients safe.”
To learn more about Lower Keys Medical Center's childbirth services or to find a physician, visit LKMC.com
 
Lower Keys Medical Center offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. Sign up at LKMC.com/enewsletter-sign-up. 
 
About: Lower Keys Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission in Hospital and Laboratory Programs, and as a Primary Stroke Center. The hospital is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center and by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in Echocardiography.

Lower Keys Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
 
Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
 
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.
 
“Lower Keys Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said David Clay, CEO. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in the Lower Keys can experience longer, healthier lives.”
 
Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.
 
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Lower Keys Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., chairperson of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.”
 
About: Lower Keys Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission in Hospital and Laboratory Programs, and as a Primary Stroke Center. The hospital is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center and by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in Echocardiography. 

About Get With The Guidelines®
Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 9 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

Preparation is everything, and this week a team of emergency responders conducted a drill to ensure the best response if a hurricane threatens. Key West Fire and Rescue, Monroe County Fire and Rescue, the Lower Keys Medical Center, and the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard all participated.

If Monroe County calls for a mandatory evacuation, hospital patients must be flown out to other hospitals. During the drill, volunteers posing at patients were transported from the hospital to the tarmac at the Naval Air Station Key West where they were boarded on a transport plane.
​
“Teamwork and practice mean that we’re ready should a storm come our way,” said Key West Emergency Manager Capt. Gregory Barroso. “We need to be sure we coordinate ambulance and air service to keep the patients safe under a threat of a hurricane.”

The last mandatory evacuation order in the Keys was in 2017 for Hurricane Irma. But there are no guarantees, said Capt. Barroso. In 2004 there were four calls for a mandatory evacuation, and three the following year.
​
While emergency managers are practicing, the community is reminded to do the same. Be sure your hurricane plan is in place in case we have more than a drill this hurricane season.

In February of 2020, Sarah Butler was seriously ill. In severe pain, nauseous and with a high fever, she was admitted to Lower Keys Medical Center where she spent two weeks and had two surgeries. Sarah recalls her art students sending her hundreds of handmade cards that lifted her spirits as she struggled to heal while away from her young children at home.
 
Again, in 2021, Sarah endured more health issues, first with a major surgery, then a serious case of COVID-19 and pneumonia that brought her back to Lower Keys Medical Center. She spent about 10 days in the hospital, again separated from her children. "I was so depressed. So sad. It was lonely," Sarah said. Once again, art provided some necessary healing. Sarah's friends brought her canvases and paint and she started painting the hibiscus that she would see outside of her house every day going to and returning from work. When she was released, she kept painting her hibiscus, bigger and brighter, helping her to visualize where she wanted to be. 
 
In 2022, Sarah donated her time and talent to create three murals in the Tropical Cafe at Lower Keys Medical Center. She also donated several of her hibiscus paintings that will be featured in the designs for the new patient room renovations starting this year. Bright and colorful, the works of art will lift the spirits of patients, visitors and staff.
 
"LKMC saved my life. I am so grateful. That's why I wanted to donate my artwork there. People need to visualize what they want to see in order to heal. Just like me," Sarah said. 

​The Leapfrog Group, a Washington, DC-based organization aiming to improve health care quality and safety for consumers, recently released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Lower Keys Medical Center has maintained a “B” Grade.
 
“Last fall, Lower Keys Medical Center improved from a C Grade to a B Grade in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades,” said David Clay, CEO of Lower Keys Medical Center. “We continue to strive for greater excellence in patient safety and pledge to honor the trust of our patients by being transparent about our progress while working toward the highest possible standards of safety and quality.”
 
Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assigns grades to approximately 2,600 US hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.
 
About: Lower Keys Medical Center accreditations include The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Acute Care Hospitals, The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center and for Laboratory Services, The American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center, The American College of Radiology for Mammography and the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for Echocardiography Services. The hospital has also been recognized with the American Heart Association’s “Get With The Guidelines”: Stroke Silver Plus Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. 

Lower Keys Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Primary Stroke Center Certification.

Lower Keys Medical Center underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review on March 25, 2022. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, supporting self-management, and delivering and facilitating clinical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
 
“Advanced Primary Stroke Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Lower Keys Medical Center for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for stroke patients.”
 
“We congratulate Lower Keys Medical Center for this outstanding achievement,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, the American Stroke Association. “This certification reflects its commitment to providing the highest quality of care for stroke patients.”
 
Lower Keys Medical Center CEO, David Clay, said, “Accreditation as a Primary Stroke Center acknowledges the commitment our team has made to employing best practices and providing the best care possible for our patients. I thank all of our employees for their dedication to continuous quality improvement.”
 
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.

Lower Keys Medical Center plays an integral role in the Lower Keys and Key West thanks to the knowledgeable and compassionate people who work inside. During Hospital Week, May 8 – 14, 2022, we recognize and celebrate our caregivers for the difference they make each day. We are health care and our team members are energized by their work to fight illness and promote wellness for patients and our community.
 
Around the clock every day of the year, the hospital offers a safe environment for care thanks to our physical plant and environmental services staff who work to keep the building clean and comfortable.
 
To help you live healthier, our primary care physicians, imaging and lab workers deliver screening and diagnostics to keep your health on track.
 
When you are ill, our nurses, physicians and other providers work to help you get better with the treatment you need, whether surgery, physical therapy or inpatient care.
 
As your family is growing, our labor and delivery team helps you welcome new members with childbirth services.
 
In a medical emergency, our emergency room physicians, nurses and other team members address your injuries or intervene with timely treatment of heart attack and stroke.
 
In times of pandemic, natural disaster or major accidents, we coordinate with first responders, the health department and other area providers to protect our community and support recovery.
 
Helping people get well and live healthier is our purpose at Lower Keys Medical Center. I am proud to recognize all of our team members who are here for you and look forward to serving you.