Ancillary Departments

Critical Care

Rehabilitative Services

Our dedicated team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists deliver exceptional care, especially for patients under critical care services. We are committed to providing hands-on, compassionate care that enhances an individual’s quality of life and ability to function. Our approach includes early intervention, bed-level skilled interventions, and progressive mobility promotion. Specialty services in the intensive care units include but are not limited to, coma/low-level brain injury neurological stimulation and assessment; mobilization on ventilators; ASIA assessments for spinal cord injury levels; Inspiratory muscle strength training for ventilated and non-ventilated patients; Tobii Dynavox eye-gaze communication device and in-line speaking valves for mechanically ventilated patients; and Motomed biofeedback arm and leg bike.

Department Leadership

  • Division Director of Orthopaedics Service Line and Rehabilitation: Jeanne Bradshaw PT, DPT, NHA
  • Medical Director: Paul Dougherty, M.D.
  • Rehab Director Acute Care: Melissa Peters, PT, DPT
  • Rehab Manager (Downtown Campus & TCU): Laura Tuck MOT, OTR/L
  • Rehab Director Outpatient: Scott Fortney, PT, DPT
  • Rehab Manager (Pavilion/Emerson/Blanding): Christina Hampton, PT, DPT
  • Rehab Manager (North Campus/Wild light): Onya Rohrer, PT, DPT

Department Highlights

  • Our team comprises primarily clinicians with doctoral degrees (minimum of a master's degree).
  • We provide critical care ICU mentorship and competency training.
  • Our clinicians are integral members of interdisciplinary rounds and committees, including MCC, SICU Quality, ECMO, and TBI Neurology Rounds.
  • We offer ongoing educational in-services including RN ICU fellowship, physician in service at Trauma M&M, and ECMO Rehab Training for nurses.
  • We have a new Acute Care Physical Therapy Residency that welcomed its first cohort August 2024.

Rehabilitative Specialties

TraumaOne Flight and Ground Services

TraumaOne’s aeromedical ambulance and ground transport services are used exclusively to transport severely injured patients and those suffering from strokes, poison exposures, cardiac emergencies, or any number of other critical medical emergencies that would benefit from their rapid response and advanced pre-hospital critical care. The TraumaOne air ambulance and ground transport network is supported by a staff of highly trained paramedics and nurses. These medical personnel operate and supervise the air ambulance services from four bases:

  • TraumaOne South at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine (St. Johns County)
  • TraumaOne North at Flying M Acres in Yulee (Nassau County)
  • TraumaOne Lake City at Lake City Gateway Airport in Lake City (Columbia County)
  • TraumaOne Critical Care Ground at UF Health Jacksonville in collaboration with Century Ambulance Service

TraumaOne Operations is responsible for the dispatching and tracking of our three aircraft and critical care ground unit. They also receive all incoming ambulance reports and manage all emergent transfers including traumas, strokes, and STEMIs.

Each TraumaOne flight crew consists of a pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic. The TraumaOne flight crew follows specific written protocols for the treatment and transport of medical and trauma patients.

TraumaOne Critical Care Ground is comprised of a Century critical care paramedic and EMT.

Department Leadership

  • Director: Tony Hayes, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, EMT-P, FP-C
  • Medical Director: David J. Ebler, M.D., FACS
  • Associate Medical Director: Brian Yorkgitis, D.O., FACS
  • Deputy Medical Director: Andrew C. Schmidt, D.O., M.P.H
  • Deputy Medical Director: Phyllis L. Hendry, M.D., FAAP, FACEP

Department Annual Statistics

  • 100% of all flight crew members hold a professional certification
  • More than 1,000 flights
  • More than 800 critical care ground transports
  • 19,000 EMS radio reports
  • 1,500 Emergent transfers
  • More than 400 Trauma Alerts
  • More than 300 Stroke Alerts
  • More than 100 STEMI Alerts

Pharmacy

Pharmacists are intimately involved in the care of all critically ill patients admitted to all ICUs in the UF Health system to optimize patient care through advocacy, education, and innovation. Each rounding team has at least one pharmacist who participates in daily multidisciplinary rounds. Our pharmacists help to optimize pharmacotherapy while the patient is in the ICU, and manages transitions of care in and out of the ICU. Pharmacists respond to sepsis and stroke alerts, trauma and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) activations, and other medical emergencies in the ICUs and the throughout the hospital. Critical care pharmacists manage consults for vancomycin, aminoglycosides, warfarin and parenteral nutrition. All pharmacists work to advance the department’s vision to be a national leader in pharmacy practice through excellence in patient care, education, research, and community outreach. UF Health Jacksonville has maintained a PGY2 critical care pharmacy residency since 1994 and has graduated over 30 residents.

We have a team of critical care pharmacists who are board certified in critical care pharmacotherapy (BCCCP) by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Our critical care pharmacists are consistently recognized for their contributions at the state and national level by the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Department Leadership

  • Pharmacy Director: Bernadette Belgado, PharmD
  • Pharmacy Manager, Inpatient Practice: Brittany Johnson, PharmD, CPh
  • Pharmacy Supervisor: Bill Renfro, PharmD
  • Clinical Coordinator (ED/ICU): Mike Erdman, PharmD, BCCCP

Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory Therapy is the health care discipline specializing in the promotion of optimum cardiopulmonary function, health and wellness. Respiratory therapists are educated, trained and licensed professionals who employ scientific principles to identify, treat, and prevent acute or chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system. Our team of professionals are trained in patient care across all age groups.

Respiratory Care Services include but are not limited to:

  • Therapeutic use of medical gases and apparatus
  • Medication delivery via aerosol or MDI
  • Airway care including suctioning, intubation, extubation, and maintenance of artificial and natural airways
  • Arterial blood gas sampling and analysis
  • Diagnostic/Therapeutic Bronchoscopy including use of ION Robotic navigational system
  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • CPAP and BiPAP assisted ventilation
  • Patient and family education
  • Bronchopulmonary percussion and drainage
  • Pulmonary function testing
  • Pulse oximetry monitoring and other noninvasive monitoring
  • Mechanical ventilator support of neonatal, pediatric and adults
  • EKG

Specialized Care:

  • NICU
  • Neonatal Transport Team
  • ECMO Team

Department Leadership

  • Medical Director: Vandana K. Seeram, M.D.
  • Director, Respiratory Services: Keith Cason, RRT
  • Respiratory Manager: Mark Conner, RRT
  • Clinical Education Coordinator: Lamont Hogans, BBA, RRT
  • Downtown Dayshift Supervisor: Robert Palmatier, RRT
  • Downtown Nightshift Supervisor: Judy Jacobs, RRT
  • North Supervisor: Allison Craven, BS, RRT, RRT-NPS

Department Statistics

  • Staffing for both campuses includes 140 NBRC credentialed therapists
  • North campus: 17 RRTs
  • Downtown: 123 RT staff with a total of 97.6% being RRT.
  • Total inpatient and outpatient procedures for both campuses average: 95,389/mo.

Rapid Response Team

The Rapid Response Team (RRT) comprises seasoned critical care and emergency medicine nurses meticulously trained to swiftly address Code Blue events, also recognized as in-house cardiac arrest (IHCA) occurrences, beyond the confines of ICU units. These adept professionals are also poised to intervene promptly when non-ICU patients exhibit early signs of deterioration, delivering ICU-level care early on to mitigate the escalation to a higher care tier and prevent IHCA events. Additionally, the team conducts Proactive Patient Safety Rounds (PPSRs) on high-risk patients, prompted by specific criteria, staff, family, or patient alerts. Distinguished by their distinctive orange and blue attire, the RRT operates with a remarkable level of autonomy, necessitating unwavering self-assurance, adaptability, a staunch commitment to patient safety, exceptional communication abilities, and a mutually beneficial rapport with the nursing and provider cohorts they support. This collaborative alliance stands as the linchpin for delivering exemplary patient care and achieving optimal outcomes.

The Midline Team emerged as an innovative initiative stemming from the pioneering Emergency Department ultrasound program, which ingeniously employed emergency medical technicians and paramedics for the insertion of Midline Catheters and other Peripheral IV catheters, leveraging ultrasound technology. Traditionally the purview of nurses or providers, this strategic utilization of EMTs and Medics not only proved more economical but also optimized the human resources available within our facility. Facilitating IV access for patients with challenging vasculature, the team enables the administration of long-term IV medications without the necessity for central line or PICC line placement, thus aiding the hospital's efforts in meeting CLABSI benchmark goals. Moreover, the reduction in puncture attempts contributes to elevated patient and nursing satisfaction scores.

Department Leadership

  • Division Director of Nursing, Emergency & Trauma Services: Nicole Scotty, MSN, BA, RN-BC
  • Medical Director: Andy Godwin, M.D.
  • Nurse Manager: Michelle O’Bryan, MSN, RN, CEN, LSSGB

Department Statistics

  • Average greater than 25,000 annually patients seen on proactive patient safety rounds
  • Average greater than 350 calls or alerts per month answered for deteriorating patients
  • Average close to 4,000 Midlines for long term IV access placed per year
  • Greater than 4,000 Ultrasound Guided Peripheral IVs placed in difficult IV access patients annually

Case Management

The Case Management Department is dedicated to supporting patients and their families in navigating the health care system. Our team of case managers, utilization review nurses, care coordinators, and discharge call nurses collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to help facilitate achievement of patient wellness and autonomy through assessment, payer collaboration, education, advocacy, resource management, and service facilitation. Discharge planning begins at admission to the acute care setting with an in-depth assessment into the patient’s current physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, our department will link the patients and families with appropriate providers and resources throughout the health care continuum in order to develop safe and effective discharge coordination from the hospital setting. The case management team identifies cases through consults or interdisciplinary rounding and can be relied upon for post-cute service coordination that includes, but is not limited to home care, durable medical equipment, transportation, skilled nursing, acute rehabilitation, and community resources.

Department Leadership

  • Division Director, Post-Acute Care: Betsy Mead, MHA, MSN, RN, NHA, CMSRN
  • Director of Case Management and Palliative Care Services: Allison Martin, LCSW
  • Manager of Case Management (Downtown Campus): Sarah Seise, LCSW and Sherri Davis, MSN, RN
  • Manager of Case Management (North Campus): Jessica Goff, MSN, RN
  • Manager of Utilization Review: Dean Staggs, RN, BSN
  • Manager of Special Programs: Renee Roemer, BSN, RN, CCM, BSN

Department Highlights

  • Our team consists of master’s level prepared social workers and bachelor’s level prepared nurses
  • Our team is an fundamental component of the Interdisciplinary Team participating in multi-disciplinary rounds on all patients
  • We provide case management services seven days a week
  • We have a Specialty Case Management Program with complex resource navigation skills
  • We have strong partnerships with key community resources and insurance providers