Originally Posted on May 18, 2017
District 38 SENATORIAL WALK FOR HEALTH – DAY 3
Douglas Gardens Hospital (Miami Jewish Health System)
On May 18, 2017, members of the Florida Senate District 38 Health Task Force visited Douglas Gardens Hospital, in continuation of the Honorable Daphne Campbell’s Senatorial Walk for Health, which commenced on May 16. On 5/18/2017, arriving at Douglas Gardens Hospital’s (Miami Jewish Health System) compound at 8:00am, was undoubtedly an early start.
On arriving the hospital’s main lobby at 10:00am, Senate District 38 Health Task Force Vice-Chair Anna Pierre was already seated, waiting to meet the administrators who would lead the tour. Vice President of Government Relations Cliff Bauer, and Director of Clinical Services Marylen Lubinski, greeted Jennifer Leslie and Anna Pierre. Within a few minutes of a meet and greet session, the team was joined by Senate District 38 Citizen Advisory Board Member Dr. Yinka Tella. The group commensurated the tour with a photo session.
At 10:30am, Vice President of Government Relations Cliff Bauer, and Director of Clinical Services Marylen Lubinski, led the group to the conference room where they gave a detailed presentation of the small short-term acute care hospital departments, including the research center and its ongoing 25 clinical research studies. This research aspect of the presentation is particularly important due to Senate District 38 Health Task Force’s current research initiative guided by the health task force’s Director of Research and Recommendations Committee, FIU Professor Dr. Alejandro Arrieta. Research questionnaires designed by Dr. Arrieta was previously distributed at the hospital and was to be collected at the end of the tour.
At around 10:40am, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director Brian Kiedowski, joined the conference room presentation, followed by Floridian Haitian-American Radio/TV host Dr. Flore Lindor Latortue. Dr. Kiedowski gave a brief presentation, outlining the hospital clinical services and patient health problem population. The group exchanged conversations with Senator Daphne Campbell via teleconference. Senator Daphne Campbell ended her conversation with the theme, “One Team, One Voice, One Love.” A conference room photo session ensued.
At 12 noon, the group concluded the conference room presentation and continued the hospital tour, led again by both Vice President of Government Relations Cliff Bauer, and Director of Clinical Services Marylen Lubinski. The group was led to the yard, where several electric hospital beds were being unloaded by hospital staff. Senate District 38 office collaborated with the representative of a non-profit 501c3 organization to receive medical supplies/equipment for District 38’s Global Medical Mission initiative (starting with Haiti), led by Health Task Force Director of Foreign Affairs Committee Dr J. Paul-Pierre Cadet. Another photo session was taken of the electric hospital beds, and the team walked back to the hospital’s main lobby where they had commenced the tour earlier in the morning. At the end of the tour, Jobs Task Force Vice Chair Fayola Delica joined the team. Senator Daphne Campbell was instrumental in her tireless efforts with several conversational exchanges, to ensure that the birth of District 38’s Global Medical Mission to help Haiti and other countries was starting to take effect. Arrangements were made with the hospital’s administrative staff regarding security of the items that would be left in the yard overnight, to enable a smooth transition the following morning. Jennifer and Anna who were the last ones left at the facility, both departed from the hospital’s compound when the team’s goals and objectives for that day were met.
The primary purpose of the Senatorial Walk for Health at Douglas Gardens Hospital was to gather hospital needs assessment data for the ongoing Senate District 38 Health Task Force 38 Healthcare Provider Survey Research Initiative. The team stay focused, and the mission of “Senatorial Walk for Health”, was by all accounts, accomplished.
