Construction is progressing well at Lake Wales Medical Centers. We are scheduled to complete the new medical center power plant by January 2003, the new emergency facility by March of 2003, and the intensive care unit and inpatient renovation will be completed by January 2004.

In addition, we look forward to opening a new Family Health Center in Lake Wales (201 Hwy. 60 West) in August. Dr. Eduardo Torres will be the physician at this location.

Like health service organizations all over the country we are confronted with the challenge of meeting our patients needs while facing a significant nursing shortage. To meet the challenge we have involved all of our employees in helping us examine the most effective and efficient means to deliver patient care. We have also developed organizational strategies to recruit and retain excellent health care professionals.

In the last few months we have promoted one of our long term employees, cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist, Mary Jo Schreiber, RN, to lead our Patient Services Division. Under Mary JoÕs leadership, our Patient Services team has developed many of the numerous staff recruitment and retention efforts just mentioned.

As an organization, we also continue to work closely with representatives from Ridge and Traviss Technical Schools, Polk Community College and Polk Works. These organizations are very committed to providing health career and educational opportunities to prospective students and trainees. The quality students and graduates these organizations produce are of great benefit to all health service organizations in Polk County.

In conjunction with our local recruitment and retention activities, we recently sent a team of nurses to the Philippines where we successfully recruited 40 highly qualified nurses, all with bachelor degrees. We look forward to their joining us next Spring.

On a separate note, we continue to offer many health screening, educational, and healthy lifestyle opportunities for the communities we serve. Over 300 people attended our Heart Smart screening and cardiovascular educational programs this last year. In February 411 people participated in our Citrus Classic event (10K run, 5K run, 3-mile walk).

Finally, we are pleased to share that Rick Honer, M.D., of Gessler Clinic recently received the Humanitarian of the Year Award for Central Florida, given by the Florida Medical Business publication. His numerous voluntary efforts to help many people in need and his voluntary hours devoted to the Winter Haven Hospital medical staff and our Board of Trustees make him a very worthy recipient of this honor.