Author: Celeste McLaughlin

AdventHealth Care Pavilion In Hunter’s Green Celebrates One Year

In the year since it opened on Sept. 14 of last year, the AdventHealth Care Pavilion at Hunter’s Green has served many people looking for a modern, convenient way to meet their primary health care needs.

Located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just south of Cross Creek Blvd. in front of Hunter’s Green, the Care Pavilion offers a reimagined experience to make going to the doctor easier, with a lot less hassle.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. building houses primary care, on-site labs and imaging, and an expanding list of specialties. Patients sign in one time at the concierge Welcome Center and don’t need to go anywhere else. An in-house pharmacy means patients can leave with their prescriptions already in hand.

“Our strategy was two years in the making to really think through what people want,” says John Johannessen, senior executive officer of non-acute care in AdventHealth’s West Florida division. “People don’t like going to doctors. You go because you’re sick and you want to be healthy. But, if people went more often for regular checkups and physicals, things could be addressed early and not become (more) serious conditions.”

So, AdventHealth tried to take away many of the frustrations that are typical of a visit to the doctor’s office, such as scheduling way in advance, crowded waiting rooms with a long wait for the doctor, and filling out pages and pages of forms.

The Care Pavilion is open for early morning appointments, evening hours, and even all day Saturday, for flexibility and convenience.

Johannessen says AdventHealth is adding advanced practitioners and physicians to the location, in order to be sure they can accommodate the number of people who visit.

While appointments are available for patients who prefer them, you can walk right in and expect to be seen in a reasonable amount of time. You may not get to see your favorite doctor — whose schedule might be already filled for the day — but there will be someone available to see you in a timely manner.

“Walk-in doesn’t mean extended wait,” Johannessen explains. “We are monitoring demand and want people to understand that ‘just walk in’ doesn’t mean I’m going to sit and wait three hours.”

Johannessen adds that another perk of the Care Pavilion is that patients won’t be asked to fill out forms over and over again. Online registration and communication through a patient portal and app mean communication when the office and its services are available at your fingertips.

“My personal experience is that I went into the Care Pavilion for lab work and had the results that night,” he says. “Six hours later, I could access all my results in the patient portal.”

He says technology continues to evolve, but the at-your-fingertips convenience of lab results, prescription refills, and other services are appreciated by the Care Pavilion’s patients.

Entering The ‘Kid Zone’

For parents, another inconvenience of going to the doctor can be having to bring children along and keep them entertained. But, the AdventHealth Care Pavilion has a solution for that, too.

The office offers an on-site “Kids Club,” where up to eight children at a time are cared for, while their parent is seeing a doctor in the building.

“We call it our ‘Kid Zone,’” Johannessen says. “It’s not a daycare center, but is equipped with trained staff while people are getting services at the building. You can drop your child off and go get your medical care taken care of.”

He says that the Care Pavilion does not charge any fee for the Kid Zone, which follows strict safety measures, such as procedures for registering and releasing children, and doors are kept locked for security.

“The feedback I’ve gotten is that kids want to come back,” Johannessen says. “It’s a convenience tool that we have, to try to make it a little easier when (a parent needs) care.”

And, while Johannessen says the Care Pavilion is not an urgent care center, it is structured in a way that patients can receive all of the care they would get in an urgent care facility.

Since opening a year ago, the AdventHealth Care Pavilion at Hunter’s Green already has expanded to add dermatology to its available services.

“It’s a challenging need,” Johannessen says. “You live in Florida — the Sunshine State — and it can take such a long time to get in and see a dermatologist.”

Being that it’s a new specialty in the building, the Care Pavilion currently has capacity for people to see a dermatologist fairly quickly. See the contact information at the end of this article to schedule a specialty appointment.

The Care Pavilion still has room to grow, and Johannessen says further expansion is being considered, especially centered around primary care needs.

“We’re having conversations with a dental practice, ophthalmology, and audiology,” he explains, “and (we’re) also considering physical therapy services.”

He says the company’s focus will continue to be on convenience, as well as patient experience and satisfaction.

“We hope that people would start to accept the Care Pavilion as a first choice for primary needs,” he says. “If you have any primary care need, this center has all of the tools to get everything you need in one place.”

The AdventHealth Care Pavilion at Hunter’s Green is located at 8702 Hunter’s Lake Dr. It’s open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (813) 467-4700 or visit AdventHealthCarePavilion.com.

AdventHealth Care Pavilion

Get A Brand-New Kitchen In Only Five Days With Kitchen Tune-Up

If you would love to have a new kitchen, but the thought of months of remodeling fills you with dread, Tampa Palms residents Al and Zein Aita want you to know they have the perfect solution for you.

As owners of the local franchise of Kitchen Tune-Up, they offer fast, clean, and affordable solutions for a complete kitchen makeover.

Kitchen Tune-Up has been around for more than 35 years and has more than 200 locations throughout the United States. Over the last few years, the company has grown tremendously, including the Aitas’ expansion into the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area a little more than two years ago.

It’s the best of both worlds, says Al, because, “we are locally owned and operated, but we have the support of a large company.”

That means lower prices because the corporate entity buys in bulk. And while, these days, everyone is experiencing delays and supplier shortages, being a larger buyer, Kitchen Tune-Up is able to get priority faster than other companies, so access to materials hasn’t been as delayed as it has been for others in the industry.

Kitchen Tune-Up can help if you are looking for a complete, custom kitchen remodel, but they also offer much easier and quicker solutions that can update and refresh nearly every home.

First, if you still love your kitchen but it’s looking a little worn, the “original tune-up” includes a deep cleaning and wood reconditioning. Cabinets are cleaned to remove all dirt, grease, wax, smoke and dust, and any imperfections or discolorations are restored, including repairing scratches and dents. They’ll make your old cabinets look like new with a penetrating oil or fresh coat of finish, and you can even add new accessories, such as hardware, roll-out drawers inside your cabinets, or new countertops or backsplashes.

If you no longer love your cabinets, but you still like the color, Kitchen Tune-Up can replace all of your doors and drawer fronts with new ones that are color-matched to your existing cabinet boxes in a process called “redooring,” which includes new, soft-close hinges, pulls and knobs.

Changing the color isn’t hard, either. Al says most customers choose this option, which is called “refacing.”

“Refacing is perfect for customers who like the layout of their kitchen and don’t want demolition mess,” he says.

This includes redooring, but also adding a veneer layer to the cabinet boxes so you’re not limited to your current kitchen color.

“Most kitchens are done in four days at about half the cost of a new kitchen,” Al says. “It’s a beautiful transition without the hassle and the mess.”

He says his job is something like being a detective, listening to the customer and making recommendations about what would work best for them. With any of the available options, Kitchen Tune-Up technicians can customize the job to include upgrades such as adding an island, additional cabinets, or whatever the customer wants in order to have the kitchen of their dreams.

For those who don’t like their current kitchen layout or need more extensive help, Al says working with Kitchen Tune-Up allows customers the benefits of the large corporate backing for full kitchen redesigns, with 3D designs and quality technical support for any unusual circumstances.

He says current trends include two-tone kitchens, with white cabinets on the top and grey or blue cabinets on the bottom. Many customers are choosing natural colors — such as a soft green — for their cabinets. Al says having the support of the national Kitchen Tune-Up corporation helps him to stay up-to-date on all trends and new ideas.

With any option, customers can add on accessories, such as a farmhouse sink, which is a popular option right now. Al says his customers also love having rollout trays inside the cabinets.

“They don’t have to go digging deep in a bottom cabinet anymore,” he says. “Just roll it out, and it’s very smooth and practical, so you don’t have to be on the ground looking for your pots and pans.”

The process starts with a phone call, where Al strives to understand exactly what each customer wants and needs, and then schedules a free, in-home consultation and estimate. Everything is custom made, so careful measurements are taken, and then it takes about three weeks to order and receive materials.

The Five ‘Trust Points’

Al says he often hears stories about problems with contractors, but Kitchen Tune-Up has a very strict set of “Trust Points” that every franchisee is expected to provide.

These Trust Points include:

• We listen carefully.

• We communicate promptly.

• We respect your home.

• We arrive on time.

• We provide solutions.

“We want to ensure our customers have a good experience, so we emphasize these trust points,” Al says.

Al and Zein have lived in Tampa Palms for six years and say they always dreamed of running a business together. Al’s background is in retail and sales, and Zein’s is in accounting, although she also holds a Master’s degree from the University of South Florida in Project Management. So, Al works with the customers to ensure they get the kitchen of their dreams, while Zein handles the accounting for the business.

The couple has a 16-month-old daughter, Julia.

“It’s been challenging taking care of a baby and running a business,” Al says, “but we’ve gotten used to it and are getting better every day.”

He says they love it when they get to reveal a finished kitchen to their customers.

“It’s very rewarding to start on a Monday with one kitchen and end on Friday with a completely different kitchen,” Al says. “It’s the best part of the job and we’re happy to help our customers with that.”

Cheryle White recently had her cabinets refaced, after buying a new home with cabinets she didn’t like.

“They didn’t have handles, didn’t open and close properly, and my kitchen looked old and dated and needed to be refreshed,” Cheryle says. “At the same time, it had brand new quartz countertops that we didn’t want to waste, so we looked at our options.”

She says she’s thrilled with how her kitchen turned out.

“A lot of people don’t know that if your cabinets are in good shape, you don’t need to tear them out,” she says. “If you just don’t like the aesthetics, you can change them.”

Kitchen Tune-Up offers several options for financing, which currently includes a 12-month interest-free option.

Kitchen Tune-Up will come to you for a free in-home consultation. For more information, (813) 822-5911 or visit KitchenTuneUp.com/tampa-north-fl.

Kitchen Tune-Up

‘Dr. Rosh’ Celebrates A Year Of Helping Patients Look & Feel Better

(L.-r.) Lisa Fahey (front desk and insurance specialist), Dr. Roshni-Ranjit Reeves and Susan Gregor (lead ophthalmic technician and first assistant) work together to help you not only see better, but look better as well. ***(Photos: Charmaine George)***

It’s been one year since Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves officially opened her Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute on S.R. 54 in Lutz, a mile or so west of the Tampa Premium Outlets.

“Dr. Rosh,” as her patients call her, says her practice is growing, as people discover the benefits of coming to her for cosmetic services to improve the look of their eyes, faces, and skin.

“It’s aesthetics, but it’s also functional,” Dr. Rosh says. “I want to help people see better and feel better, too.”

Some patients receive insurance-based services, typically after being referred to Dr. Rosh by their primary care doctor or dermatologist. For example, some patients need surgery or treatment to restore the function of their eyes, for conditions such as droopy lids, eyelid malposition, thyroid eye disease, tear duct surgery or reconstruction after cancer surgery.

Others receive aesthetic treatments, such as lower lid surgery, laser skin resurfacing, ear lobe repairs, upper lip lifts, photofacials and laser peels.

Dr. Rosh, who recently was named a “Best of the Best” Cosmetic Surgeon in Tampa Bay, Gold Award winner, by the Tampa Bay Times, says that even functional surgeries often result in patients not only being able to see better and feel better, but also have a nice aesthetic look when they are done.

“The functional and cosmetic sides blend together a lot,” says Dr. Rosh, “like, if patients do upper lid surgery through their insurance but then decide they want lower lid and skin resurfacing, too.”

She says her cosmetic patients typically also want to look refreshed — or like a better version of themselves — but not change how they look.

“I feel like the word has gotten out,” she says. “We’re doing surgeries in our office that people are happy with in terms of speedy recovery, less downtime and it’s easier to come in and get picked up when there’s none of the stress involved with going to the hospital.”

She says she continues to get great reviews on the surgeries she does with her “magic wand,” a carbon dioxide laser that she says makes very precise incisions, which helps minimize both bleeding and recovery time.

The procedure she performs most often removes excess fat from under the eyes, and she typically adds laser skin resurfacing to remove fine lines.

“When we’re doing surgery in the office, patients can look at it right when we’re done,” she explains. “We sit them up and show them the mirror and their eyelids are lifted, the bags are gone, and the skin looks great.”

And, she adds, “Most surgical patients can drive in around three days and may be bruised or swollen for 1-2 weeks. And, most of the swelling resolves within a month.”

While surgery volume has picked up, so have patients coming in for non-surgical treatment options, such as photofacials, which require no downtime, and help to get rid of red and brown spots or patches on the skin, including helping patients with rosacea.

She says that at this time of year, people want to have a nice glow for the holidays without any down time. Her established patients often don’t see her over the summer while they’re busy traveling, which she says is fine as long as they are wearing sunscreen, using antioxidants to protect from UV damage and on a good medical-grade skincare routine.

“Then, they come in during the fall and let me laser away any sun damage from the summer,” Dr. Rosh says.

The week of August 15-19, Dr. Rosh will have a special camera in her office to look at blemishes, damage from the sun and ultraviolet light, and redness under the skin at a microscopic level.

“There’s a double mirror, so the patient and I can both see the same thing,” Dr. Rosh says. “It’s a nice way of looking at the skin in an objective way at a microscopic level and then, we can tailor our plans accordingly.”

She says any new or established patients who make an appointment with her the week of August 15-19 will be able to have Dr. Rosh look at their skin through the camera.

About Dr. Rosh

Dr. Rosh came home to the Tampa Bay area with her husband, Dr. Corey Reeves, and their baby daughter after completing a fellowship and practicing at Duke University in Durham, NC. Now, their daughter is a toddler and the couple has a baby boy on the way.

She says she’ll take a few weeks off this fall, so her schedule is very full leading up to her maternity leave, and her intention is to start performing surgeries again in October.

Dr. Rosh earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Anthropology and Biomedical Sciences from USF.

She then completed her ophthalmology residency at the USF Eye Institute and an oculofacial and reconstructive fellowship at the Duke Eye Center. She is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Great Results

Lupi Butler attended the Grand Opening of Dr. Rosh’s office last year. She had been thinking about having a procedure done on her eyes and even had consultations with specialists, but hadn’t found the right doctor yet.

However, that changed when she met Dr. Rosh. “She made me feel so comfortable,” Lupi says. “I knew right away I wanted her to be my doctor.”

Last September, Lupi had a procedure to lift her upper and lower eyelids.

“I was so happy with Dr. Rosh,” she says. “I got the results I was looking for, but not only that, her people skills also are amazing. She’s just such a kind, caring, fair and honest individual.”

Lupi also appreciates that Dr. Rosh makes herself available to her patients.

“She basically held my hand the whole recovery. Every time I have something that concerns me, like a little bump on my eye, she says, ‘come see me.’ It ends up being nothing, but she takes care of me.”

Lupi says she recommends Dr. Rosh to all of her friends.

“I’ve always worked out and I’m in good shape,” says Lupi, “but age is something that nowadays you have the opportunity to have some help with, so hey, why not?”

Dr. Roshni Ranjit-Reeves’ Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute is located in the same building as the Medi-Weightloss Center at 24420 S.R. 54 in Lutz. For appointments and more information, including current specials, see the ad on page 30, call (813) 303-0123 or visit DoctorRosh.com.

Dr. Rosh Oculofacial Surgery & Cosmetic Institute

AllergyTampa.com Doctors Combine Clinical Practice & Research

Dr. Richard Lockey, Dr. Mark Glaum, Dr. Seong Cho and Dr. Amber Pepper diagnose and treat various allergic and immunologic diseases in both children and adults.

These include allergic nose and eye problems; other respiratory issues such as asthma; food, drug and insect allergies; various forms of allergic skin disorders, including atopic eczema, urticaria (hives) and contact dermatitis; acute and chronic sinusitis; and systemic allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

The doctors also are also experts in treating immunodeficiency diseases — patients who are abnormally susceptible to infections.

The four of them are set apart by their commitment to research and education in the field, treating patients in private practice while also conducting research at the University of South Florida (USF) Division of Allergy & Immunology Clinical Research Unit (CRU). The private practice office and CRU make up the top floor of a medical building near the corner of Fletcher Ave. and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., and the practice is found online at AllergyTampa.com.

Richard Lockey, M.D., founded the practice in this location in 1984 as Academic Associates in Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Nearly four decades later, he continues to practice alongside a team of professionals who are all Board-certified in both internal medicine and allergy and immunology and who pride themselves on excellent patient care.

All four also educate residents and medical students at USF and supervise a nationally recognized program to train allergists and immunologists. In that capacity, they do clinical research and have been involved in many of the innovations in the specialty of allergy and immunology over the past several decades.

“Because of our research background,” says Dr. Cho, “we take a scientific approach to diseases. We are all currently involved in doing research on both the university and clinical side, so we have more scientific understanding.”

Their goals are to improve the quality of life of their patients with allergies and immunologic diseases and make them self-sufficient in caring for their own health and the health of their children and families. They also continue to improve the diagnosis and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases.

While Dr. Lockey says that there’s nothing wrong with a doctor who chooses only to focus on seeing patients, physicians join his team because they also want to do academic research and train new physicians in the specialty.

“We all have our areas of specialty and interest,” he explains. “That’s what makes us so powerful.”

A Little Background

Dr. Lockey earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the Temple University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, then subsequently joined the faculty of the USF (now Morsani) College of Medicine as a Professor of Medicine. Dr. Lockey also has served as president of the World Allergy Organization and is a past president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), of which all of the practice’s specialists are members.

Dr. Glaum earned his M.D. degree at the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. He completed a fellowship in allergy and clinical immunology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, also in Philadelphia. His areas of interest include how the body responds to substances that cause allergic reactions and advancing diagnostic techniques, such as rhinoscopies (examining nasal passages with specialized instruments).

Dr. Cho received his M.D. degree as an otolaryngologist — an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor — from Kyung Hee University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. His allergy and immunology training was completed at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL.

“Being an ENT is unique,” Dr. Cho says, “I have more expertise in sinus problems. Often ENTs and allergists work together, but my training and background gives me a better perspective of both sides.”

And, like the other doctors in the practice, Dr. Cho explains that the ongoing research and university experience means they take a scientific approach to treating patients, as well.

Dr. Pepper earned her M.D. degree from USF in 2013, then completed her residency in internal medicine in 2016 at USF and a fellowship at the practice through USF’s Division of Allergy & Immunology.

While all of the doctors are able to treat nearly all allergy and immunology issues, there are times when they rely on each other to handle very complicated cases. They say that some local allergists refer to them when a patient has a particularly intricate issue.

For example, Dr. Cho’s background as an ENT means he’ll sometimes handle nasal allergy testing for patients of his colleagues, if skin and blood tests are negative for allergy responses and the patient requires that nasal allergy testing.

The doctors provide the community with pollen counts, including pollen counts from mold spores, year-round. In the spring, they provide pollen counts from trees. In the summer, they provide counts for grasses and, in the fall, for weeds. They are experts in both outdoor and indoor allergies cause by mites, molds, animals and other allergens.

Drs. Lockey, Glaum, Cho and Pepper recommend that patients always look for physicians with expertise and ongoing training to meet your specific needs. They intentionally stay up-to-date on medicine and treatment at the forefront of medical science.

Patients can see Drs. Lockey, Glaum, Cho or Pepper at their North Tampa office, which is located at 13801 BBD Blvd., Ste. 502, or in the South Tampa office, located at 1906 W. Platt St. To learn more about the services they provide, visit AllergyTampa.com or call (813) 971-9743.

AllergyTampa

USF Music School Seeking Participants For Cognitive Study

Music touches people creatively and socially, but it also deeply affects our brains.

Jennifer Bugos, Ph.D., first considered that idea when she was much younger, as a secondary caregiver for her grandparents. With her grandfather’s ability to speak declining to the point where he could barely utter a sentence, she would play the piano, and he would sing every word to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Nearby, her grandmother was in a near vegetative state, but her toe would still tap along to the music.

These experiences led Dr. Bugos to her life’s work, studying, as she says, “what it is about music that is so special.”

Her background in music education includes Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music Education, plus studies in gerontology and post-doctorate study in neuropsychology. She serves as Associate Professor of Music Education in the School of Music at the University of South Florida (USF), with two decades of research and a 22-page curriculum vitae detailing the research she has done to understand the connection between music and cognitive performance, among other accomplishments.

“Music is a powerful stimulus that we know can help to improve memory,” she says. “It’s a powerful way to exercise the brain.”

Last year, the National Endowment for the Arts chose USF as one of just six nationally designated research labs in the area of “the arts, creativity, cognition and learning.”

As principal investigator, Dr. Bugos will lead researchers who will study the effects of music training interventions — specifically, subjects will participate in music classes — on memory and motor function.

The study is called Cognition and Coordination Across the Lifespan in Music, or the acronym CALM. It is open to adults ages 18-25, as well as to adults over age 60, with plans to recruit children ages 8 to 12 in the future. Participants should have no or very little formal training in music.

“One of the key components of the study is that the task must be novel — or new – to participants,” explains Dr. Bugos. “We’re looking for people with three or less years of previous formal private musical training and not currently reading music and engaging in musical performance.”

She defines “previous formal private musical training” as one-on-one instruction. If someone has participated in a band or chorus in high school, or something similar, that would not disqualify them from participating in the study.

Those who do participate will be randomly assigned to a group for their music lessons. Because the groups are assigned at random, participants will not get to choose the type of music lessons they will receive. The classes will meet twice a week for 12 weeks and study participants are asked to also practice at home 30 minutes a day, or three hours a week. There are various classes available to accommodate different schedules.

Cognitive training interventions contain task novelty, progressive difficulty, practice components, social elements, and are “ecologically valid,” which means that individuals can use the new skill in everyday life.

“Many of our previous participants can play for their own enjoyment or report playing ‘Happy Birthday’ for their grandchildren. Dr. Bugos says. “Some even perform at church or just for their own enjoyment.”

She adds, “It’s a very rewarding experience. Music training contains all of the active ingredients of a cognitive training intervention.”

Because the programs are structured as cognitive training programs, Dr. Bugos says, “They are a bit more intense than a traditional music lesson.” She explains that it’s important for the lessons to be rigorous — and for participants to attend regularly and practice at home — so they can see gains.

She also notes that the programs are engaging and that people who participate will notice benefits in terms of cognitive performance. They also will make social connections. She says previous participants still sometimes get together for coffee, for example.

Lessons are offered free of charge, and participants will receive all materials and access to instruments for the duration of the program. In addition, they are required to participate in four research sessions, for which they will be compensated. USF parking passes also are provided.

“It’s a great program,” Dr. Bugos says. “There are cognitive benefits, motor system benefits, and learning a new skill that can last a lifetime.”

Additional studies are open for participants who are currently cancer patients or have experienced heart failure.

All studies require participants to follow Covid-19 procedures, including wearing masks during the lessons.

The first session begins in September, but new sessions will begin every four months, so those who are interested can feel free to reach out, even if their schedule doesn’t permit them to participate in the September sessions.

Partners include Kuumba Dancers and Drummers and the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. The Gasparilla Music Foundation also is a partner on a series of studies examining the effects of music training on coordination and cognition in children.

To see if you qualify to participate in the study, or for more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Bugos at (813) 974-2753 or email her at BugosJ@usf.edu.

USF School of Music