Small businesses in Florida get help with insurance premiums

A public-private partnership led by the University of Central Florida aims to help Floridians secure more affordable health insurance through the small businesses that hire them.

The newly created Florida Small Business Resources Association will provide area small businesses with discounted insurance and management services through a membership group, which can negotiate improved coverage and lower premiums.

Large companies including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Insurance Office of America and FrankCrum have signed on to help the new group — likely the first of its kind in the Southeast, said organizers.

Because small businesses have so much trouble finding and buying insurance on their own, "this program provides us the scale that will give small businesses a voice with insurance companies," said Richard Quinn, a UCF instructor who helped develop the association.

To find out more, visit fsbra.ucf.edu or call 407-823-2642.

Accreditation for Fish

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations awarded Florida Hospital Fish Memorial with the Gold Seal of Approval in September, which means the hospital gets full accreditation for demonstrating compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality of care.

The survey is completed every three years. During this time, visiting surveyors look at the hospital's level of performance in key areas such as patient rights, patient treatment and infection control.

"We are very pleased with the results of the survey," said Fish Memorial CEO Joe Johnson. "Having the JCAHO accreditation demonstrates to our community that this hospital is completely committed and devoted to providing the highest quality health care possible."

The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 16,000 health-care organizations and sets the standards by which health care is measured in the U.S. and around the world.

New surgery center

Surgery Center of Mount Dora, a brand new, 12,000-square-foot facility, had a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month and is expected to open its doors in November. The center was created through a partnership of nine local physicians and Regent Surgical Health. The surgery center will offer care in orthopedic, spine, general, urology, podiatry and gastroenterology specialties. The center is at 3710 Lake Center Drive in Mount Dora. For more information, call 352-368-1268

VA hospital contract

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $39.4 million contract to Turner Construction Co. to build a 120-bed nursing home, 60-bed residential-rehabilitation center and a chapel as part of its $665 million VA Medical Center in Lake Nona's "medical city" in southeast Orlando.

The VA hospital complex is expected to open in 2012. In addition to a 134-bed hospital providing acute care and complex specialty care and advanced diagnostic services, the facility will also have a multispecialty outpatient clinic, the nursing home and rehab center, and administrative and support services.

The medical center will be near the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, and a Nemours Children's Hospital.