HCA Florida Citrus Hospital in Inverness and Bravera Health Seven Rivers hospital in Crystal Rivers remained average, C-grade health care facilities for their patient safety care.

The grades came from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that evaluates and rates hospitals, using survey data from the hospitals and from state and federal agencies. Leapfrog assigns health grades to thousands of hospitals, grading them A through F.

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West Marion Community Hospital and HCA Ocala, both owned by Hospital Corporation of America and the same company that operates HCA Citrus, both again received a safety grade of an A.

Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill, also an HCA facility, once again received a B, which it’s maintained since the Spring of 2020.

HCA Citrus had been consistently getting B safety grades since at least the Spring of 2018 before falling to a C in the Fall of 2021. Bravera has maintained a C safety grade since the Spring of 2021.

Jennifer Siem, spokeswoman for area Bravera hospitals, said that while the Crystal River hospital received an average C grade, it has made progress as well as getting superior grades in some specific areas.

“Our leadership team, employees and medical staff at Bravera Health Seven Rivers are focused on delivering safe care to our patients,” she emailed the Chronicle. “The Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grade is one of many resources consumers can use in consultation with their physician to make informed health care choices.”

“We saw improvement in the numeric scores used to calculate our Leapfrog C for Spring 2022, even though this grade is consistent with our Spring and Fall 2021 grades,” she cited.

She pointed to Bravera Health Seven Rivers’ improvements in areas that included nursing communication and communications with patients about medicines. She also cited that the hospital scored better than average when it came to leaving objects in patients during surgeries, surgery site infections after colon surgeries and sepsis infection after surgery.

She also cited the hospital’s decrease in the cases of Clostridioides difficile infections which causes severe diarrhea and inflammation of the colon.

She also cited above average performances in computerized physician order entry, bar code medication administration, ICU physician staffing, and safe practices and hand hygiene.

However, the128-bed hospital still received less than average scores in Clostridioides difficile infections, infections in the blood during ICU stays and infections in the urinary tract during ICU stays.

As for surgeries in the hospital, Bravera Health in Crystal River scored below average when it came to blood leakage, injuries to the kidney, and serious breathing problems.

The hospital also scored below average when it came to communications about medicines and communicating with the patient about their discharge.

As for HCA Citrus in Inverness, formerly Citrus Memorial Hospital, the 204-bed hospital scored three times worse than the average hospital when it came to infections.

The Inverness hospital received below average scores for MRSA infections, Clostridioides difficile infections, infections in the urinary tract while in the ICU, and surgical site infections after colon surgery.

The hospital also scored below average for deaths from serious treatable complications and below average for serious breathing problems related to surgery.

The hospital scored better than average for leaving objects in a patient’s body during surgery, surgical wounds splitting open, blood leakage, accidental cuts and tears, and injuries to the kidney during surgery.

The hospital scored below average for patients left with dangerous bed sores and dangerous blood clots. It was better than average for patient falls causing broken hips and air or gas bubbles in the blood.

HCA Florida Citrus spokeswoman Katie Myers said that patient safety is still a hospital focus.

“Our caregivers consistently work with a focus on patient safety and quality, and we are continuing to invest in advanced technology and clinical processes to elevate the level of care we provide our patients,” she emailed the Chronicle.

She also touted the hospital’s other achievements.

“In fact, we have once again received the highest rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for both isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement combined with CABG,” she said.

“Along with our accolades from (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’) Healthgrades for five-star vaginal delivery and Joint Commission accreditation as a Primary Stroke Center, it’s clear HCA Florida Citrus Hospital is on the right track when it comes to providing high quality, patient-centered care,” she said.

Each year, the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce polls its members to identify local issues important to them and to gage their confidence in local institutions and officials who govern them.

For the second consecutive year, the “temperature check” identified economic development as the most important issue. Other concerns include lack of affordable housing, bad road conditions, costly property insurance, the environment, utility infrastructure, mental health, crime and poverty.

It’s an interesting poll, but the results should not surprise anyone. All the issues identified are ones the community has talked about for several years and ones that residents have expressed concern about at commission meetings. Certainly commissioners can’t be surprised by the results.

While the poll numbers are not scientific, they are statistically reliable, and past checks have closely mirrored elections and surveys of local citizens, according chamber CEO Josh Wooten. He said the poll results will be used to develop questions to ask candidates at a chamber political forum.

Of the five county commissioners, Ruthie Schlabach received the highest score and Ron Kitchen Jr. the lowest. Rep. Ralph Massullo and Sen. Wilton Simpson received high marks – in the 70 percent range. Sheriff Mike Prendergast garnering a 45 percent favorable rating – not a ringing endorsement of public confidence.

The first step in solving a problem is identifying the problem, but we keep identifying the same problems over and over again and the commission does nothing to fix them. Commissioners need to take action.

The poll shows areas where there is a lack of confidence in government. That should be a loud and clear message to officials: be better communicators. Commissioners represent the residents of Citrus County and they should listen to them. When a poll turns up the same results as a prior year, it does seem like commissioners aren’t listening – or are listening and just not acting on the problems. Now is the time to fix that.

The county is poised for substantial population growth and residents want well-planned economic growth with that, affordable housing for workers and strategic planning – issues both Inverness and Crystal River are dealing with, the county not so much.

The chamber’s poll suggests residents want that changed. Listen to your constituents, commissioners.

It's the question people have been asking: What will be built at the recently cleared lot formerly occupied by the old Inverness Car Wash?

Speculation was rampant: a new Aldi’s? A Chick-fil-a? Another gas station?

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I am here to tell you it will be none of those. Inverness City Manager Eric Williams said the doctors' group that owns Quick Care Med, an urgent care and walk-in clinic next door, plans to use the lot for parking. It's at the corner of East Gulf-to-Lake Highway and Richards Road in Inverness.

The former owner of the Inverness Car Wash closed not long after the Caliber Car Wash chain opened next door to him in April 2020.

Speaking of Caliber: the car wash chain is building a second location at 2927 County Road 491, next to the Shell-Circle K gas station and across from Wawa and Wendy's. The chain has not announced an opening date.

Meanwhile, construction of Big Dan’s Car Wash next to the new Wawa, at the State Road 44 and U.S. 19 intersection, is on target for a spring 2022 opening.

Golden Corral

So what’s up with the Golden Corral in Inverness?

Operations have been “temporarily suspended” at the location at 2605 State Road 44. No reason given.

The pandemic was rough on this all-you-can-eat chain.

Winter Park-based 1069 Restaurant Group, which franchises 33 Florida and Georgia Golden Corral locations, filed for bankruptcy in October 2020 and has been systematically reopening them over the past year.

So if you want to experience one of Golden Corral’s buffets, you’ll have to travel to Ocala or Spring Hill where the dining rooms have reopened.

Odds and ends

Every month, the county sends me a list of permits filed from new businesses. Here are some planned:

- Meadowcrest Animal Clinic has proposed a new location at 6029 W. Nordling Loop in the Meadowcrest subdivision in Crystal River.

- The Cove has requested building permits for an outdoor seating area, a storage addition, and a walk-in cooler at 1242 South Cove Camp Point in Inverness.

- Mavis Tire is planning a new tire store at 3727 U.S. 19 in Homosassa.

Before her brain surgery less than two months ago, Joan Knapp said her prayers and thanked the Lord for letting her live 81 years, a life that she thoroughly enjoyed.

Six weeks later, as she recovered at Avante at Inverness assisted living facility, Knapp is back thanking the Lord and, as she will tell you, “raising holy hell.”

“I have to tell you, Joanie is a hellraiser,” Knapp said. “At 81, you’d think I’d outgrow it.”

As she explained, she loves to play tricks on people, like moving the maintenance man’s cart just to see him look confused and the other residents smile conspiratorially.

“I do this because people need someone to laugh with,” she said. “So, I’m the ‘designated hellraiser.’”

But Knapp has a serious side and a passion for volunteering.

For the past 25 years since retiring from a 30-year career at IBM in Poughkeepsie, New York, and moving to Citrus County, Knapp has immersed herself in volunteering at local assisted living facilities like Avante, as well as 20 years with the Citrus County Historical Society.

For many years, Knapp has been the first person visitors see when they walk into the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum in downtown Inverness.

Recently, Knapp was recognized with a 20-year service pin from Nature Coast Volunteer Center (NCVC), and since she wasn’t able to attend the annual NCVC recognition luncheon this year, NCVC came to her.

“Joanie’s actually been at the museum for more than 21 years, and she’s been a constant, happy part of the museum,” said Laurie Diestler, NCVC supervisor. “She’s very dedicated and she takes it very seriously, and she loves to talk to people; that’s what brings her joy.”

Flo Jones, historical society vice president, called Knapp “spunky,” informative and a friendly face for museum visitors.

“We hope she’ll be able to return as a volunteer,” Jones said.

Knapp said she loves it when people come to the Old Courthouse and are surprised to learn it’s a museum.

“I’ll tell them about the displays and that two rooms stay the same, but the other changes every two months,” she said. “I just really love talking to people.”

She said when she volunteers at assisted living facilities, she tries to engage the residents in conversation.

“Some of them have no one to talk to,” she said. “I do ‘Bingo with Joanie’ sometimes; I play cards with them or games.

“I love the old people,” she said, and then laughed. “I’m 81, and that makes me old, but I’m not an old lady.”

Knapp said right now she’s not sure what’s next for her. She said her doctor doesn’t want her to live alone, so she’s hoping to find an assisted living facility where she can bring her cat, Rascal.

Wherever she goes, she said she’ll continue to wring as much life out of her situation as she can.

“I’ve had brain surgery,” she said, revealing the fresh scar on one side of her head and the staple on the other side, “and I try to use mine as much as possible. It’s true – if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. ... Life is too damn short to not live it to the fullest.”

Another municipality Tuesday joined the growing line of communities opposed to the northern extension of the Florida Turnpike, when the Inverness Council voted unanimously to create a resolution opposing potential routes.

Instead, the council members agreed to direct their city manager, Eric Williams, to write the Florida Department of Transportation to tell the state agency they opposed four potential routes it’s considering, but rather should consider enhancing the state’s existing roadways to better handle traffic.

Williams will return with the resolution during the council’s next meeting for approval.

One of the four potential routes approaches from Wildwood and joins U.S. 41 just north of Inverness.

Councilman Gene Davis said he asked himself some basic questions when considering whether to support FDOT plans for extending the turnpike.

“Does it enhance the quality of lives of the residents here in Inverness?” Davis told the council and audience, which included more than 70 Sierra Club Florida supporters.

“What does it cost? What does it cost our natural resources?” he said.

“I have a hard time, struggling with this, thinking that it does (improve our lives),” Davis said.

Councilwoman Jacquie Hepfer agreed after FDOT gave the council a presentation of the potential routes and said that the project was delayed a year to give residents and elected officials more input.

Hepfer said the likely damage to the environment, especially the wetlands around Inverness, was unacceptable.

“I can’t support any of them,” she said of the routes.

Councilwoman Linda Bega said the risk to the environment is too great.

She rhetorically asked whether the extension was needed in the future to address traffic demands or was it a project simply to attract more development. She also said that FDOT’s maps were lacking because while they showed the potential routes, they fell short is showing the county’s lakes and wetlands.

She told FDOT representatives at the council meeting that the best plan was to improve Florida’s existing roads.

Councilman David Ryan said that he still remembers when most of Florida was made up of orange groves and vast open spaces. He said many of Florida’s communities were once like Inverness, but now they are cities with traffic congestion and places he would not visit.

Ryan agreed that the first option should be to study how existing roads can be improved to accommodate growing traffic demands.

Council president Cabot McBride said that he wanted to be sure that the resolution the council sends be more than a “no build” message to state transportation officials. He also warned that the FDOT may return with a proposed route and the Inverness Council needed to be prepared to shift gears and work with state officials to ensure Inverness is minimally effected.

He also said that the council needed to ask itself where will Florida and its traffic demands be by 2050. He warned that Interstate 75 becomes a “dreaded mess” when there’s a football game in Gainesville, bad weather, or vehicle accidents.

But McBride said it was important to send a unanimous message to FDOT, so he “would support a no build option.”

Those in attendance at the Tuesday council meeting applauded the decision.

Several members of the public spoke during the meeting, all opposed to any new extension.

Sierra Club of Florida Mike McGrath said that FDOT is not taking into account that most of Citrus County is made up of spring sheds and that the more roads the state builds the more people are attracted to Florida, compromising an already diminished and fragile aquifer.

All the potential routes also cross recreational trails, he added.

Inverness resident Kevin McAdams warned that a turnpike extension would result in widespread damage. It would attract unwanted development and result in pollution.

While some growth was inevitable, the proposed extension was “blind, insatiable, road building.”

Fred Hiers is a reporter at the Citrus Chronicle. E-mail him at fred.hiers@chronicleonline.com