HCA Florida Highlands Hospital

Happy #NationalDogDay! Having a 'ruff' day? This will make you smile! We were honored to recently partner with Highlands County Sheriff’s Office to host a quarterly therapy dog training at our facility. Fifteen therapy dogs and their sheriff’s office K-9 teams from counties across the state of Florida gathered here earlier this month to gain exposure and get acclimated to a hospital setting and its unique sights and sounds. It’s a win-win situation for all as our colleagues get the chance to love on the furry friends as a way to de-stress. This National Dog Day, join us in celebrating therapy dogs as they spread joy and 'pawsitivity' wherever they go! #PositiveImpact #TherapyDogs

As a part of HCA Healthcare, we believe that nurses are the heart and soul of our company, and we are committed to providing them with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive in their roles and deliver exceptional care. We listened to their feedback, and made strategic capital investments that not only make their work lives easier, but improve our patients’ quality of care as well. As part of our #TeamThursday, we’re highlighting our intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and some of the equipment they have already received that will help them meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community. Thank you, ICU nurses, for all that you do!

Investing in our nurses means investing in the heart of healthcare. By providing robust support, continuous education and innovative resources, we empower nurses to deliver exceptional care. As a part of HCA Healthcare, we are proud to launch Nurse Forward, which strengthens our ongoing commitment to place nurses at the forefront of care through developing strong leaders, enhancing clinical expertise, and championing a care-first culture. Our Highlands nurses had a blast celebrating our Nurse Forward kickoff with groovy music and delicious food in our cafeteria.

#WeShowUp for our communities! HCA Florida Highlands Hospital recently collected over 1,000 individual school supplies to be donated to Healthy Families Highlands, which is a local program that equips caregivers with the resources needed for them and their children to succeed at home, in school, and in life. This milestone contribution would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of our colleagues and fellow community members that donated numerous school supplies and cleaning items throughout the summer. We hope all of the students, teachers, and families in Highlands County and beyond have a safe and enjoyable school year full of learning, fun, and #HealthierTomorrows. #HCACares

Our annual We Show Up for Our Communities school supply drive is almost over. Make it a great start to the school year for local families in need by donating school supplies, cleaning items, and backpacks. Examples can be found on local school lists. We have a donation bin in our main entrance lobby, located at 3600 S Highlands Ave., Sebring, FL 33870. The drive ends this coming Monday, July 22. Donations benefit Healthy Families Highlands. #WeShowUp

HCA Florida Highlands Hospital was excited to host members from Ridge Area Arc’s Project SEARCH summer camp today! Ridge Area Arc is a a non-profit organization that works with individuals with developmental and other disabilities on social skills, daily living activities, and training for jobs and home living, and Project SEARCH helps them prepare for employment. Our colleagues in sterile processing, dietary, environmental services, supply chain, and patient care had a blast creating ‘stations’ that showed campers some of the common tasks we do around the hospital. We followed up with a tour, where they got to meet the Aeromed 2 Flight Team from Tampa General Hospital and watch them take off! It was also tropical luau day in the cafeteria, so we love that they brought their leis! We truly enjoyed their visit and always encourage youth to explore careers in healthcare.

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We are making progress with collecting items for our annual school supply drive! Help us make this school year a success for families in need by donating school supplies and cleaning items that can be found on local school lists. We have a donation bin in our main entrance lobby, located at 3600 S Highlands Ave., Sebring, FL 33870. The drive ends July 22. Donations benefit Healthy Families Highlands.#WeShowUp

We love it when our past patients come back to visit! Peggy (pictured in a red top) recently came to Highlands for lab work but ended up surprising some of her past care team members, including Fazia and Sheila in case management and Carolyn in orthopedics. Peggy hasn’t been a patient in two and a half years, thanks to the guidance she received from Dr. Patel, a pulmonologist affiliated with Highlands. Prior to that, Peggy had been in and out of the hospital for many years dealing with numerous respiratory complications. She was on oxygen and was wheelchair bound. Since her last stay, Peggy lost 120 pounds in a fifteen-month span! “These people truly helped me in my journey. They have been the best, and no one has treated me better,” said Peggy. Carolyn was amazed at Peggy’s transformation, and described it as ‘inspiring.’ She credits Peggy’s partner, Patricia, for standing by her and for being a huge support from the bedside. We are thankful to have such amazing physicians and colleagues that #ImproveMoreLives every day.

At HCA Florida Highlands Hospital, we strive to give our patients #HealthierTomorrows. One of our patients, Ken, happened to be staying at the hospital on his birthday, so our medical/surgical team celebrated him by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ with cake and ice cream at shift change so both day and night staff could attend! Ken waited to have the treats until his wife, Nancy, got there, but stated that it made his day. “A lot of people don’t like coming to the hospital, and are quick to say what is wrong, but to me, here’s something that is right! These nurses do what they love and it shows," said Ken.