SEE BEYOND THE NUMBERS

How Will Recent Regulations Affect South Florida’s Healthcare Industry?

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Janet Kyle Altman

South Florida healthcare executives gathered this week for an exclusive power lunch with Tom Hudson, to address the question: Recent regulations are likely to affect my segment of the South Florida healthcare industry by ____________________.

Participants gathered at the UM Life Sciences and Technology Park to share their thoughts with broadcaster Tom Hudson, host of the new WLRN radio program The Sunshine Economy, made possible by Kaufman, Rossin & Co.

Guests shared their views about a variety of regulatory changes, including enhanced regulation around privacy. Aldo Leiva and Jorge Rey spoke about the impact of the new Omnibus Rule, which significantly expands the types of entities required to protect patient privacy and the non-compliance penalties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Mitch Levine of Quality Technology Services suggested that outsourcing to an organization like his might protect some entities from the cost and liability of the rule.

A number of healthcare technology executives attended, including Robert Chavez from Project Lift Miami, a new, digital health-focused, startup seed accelerator at Life Science Park. The exciting and innovative technologies showcased offered luncheon participants a peek at the future of healthcare, and a discussion about research and development tax credits intrigued several participants.

One hot topic was attorney Marshall Burack’s question of whether improved technology would increase the cost of healthcare, rather than “bend the cost curve” and decrease costs. Some guests asked whether it will be possible to focus any of South Florida’s significant wealth on start-up businesses here in our community. Michael Gregson, CEO of WaveFront Health Technologies opined that we should not try to be the next Silicon Valley, but develop our own unique start-up culture here.

Next week real estate executives will join us for “Kaufman, Rossin Presents: Power Lunch with Tom Hudson” as we explore how South Florida can create healthy, sustainable prosperity in the long term.

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Janet Kyle Altman is marketing principal for Kaufman, Rossin & Co., one of the top CPA firms in Florida. She serves as a board member for the Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade and as a board member and immediate past chair for Friends of WLRN. Janet can be reached at jaltman@kaufmanrossin.com.

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South Florida Manufacturing Will Be a Powerful Force When…

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Lisa Cawley Ruiz

Local manufacturers shared their insights on the future of South Florida’s manufacturing industry this week during the first of five exclusive roundtable lunches with a renowned broadcast journalist. “Kaufman, Rossin Presents: Power Lunch with Tom Hudson” offers South Florida CEOs and industry experts an opportunity to discuss trends and concerns in manufacturing, healthcare/life sciences, real estate, the investment industry and technology.

These roundtables are offered in conjunction with our sponsorship of The Sunshine Economy, a new series of one-hour WLRN radio broadcasts that are hosted by Hudson and that examine key drivers of the South Florida economy. You can catch the show on 91.3 FM on Mondays at 9 a.m. and again at 7 p.m.

This week’s manufacturing roundtable centered around a fill-in-the-blank statement: “The South Florida manufacturing industry will be a powerful force in our economy when ______________.”

Guests shared concerns about the challenge of finding qualified, well-trained workers for certain positions and the need for local community colleges and technical institutes to partner with businesses to ensure that graduates are leaving school with the right training – including language skills. Donna Bean, Human Resources Director at Bolton Medical, said her company paid for one year of English classes for its employees because it has had a difficult time finding well-qualified production employees who are fluent in English.

Another topic of concern was logistics. Leslie Kaplan, co-founder of Ready. Set. Cupcake!, said food distributors and transporters are not used to picking up goods in Florida; they usually drop off food products here instead. As a result, they tend to charge more to transport food products out of the state than to bring them in – a challenge for a company like hers, which relies on distributors to take her product to grocery stores and other buyers far and wide.

You can watch videos and view photos of the manufacturing roundtable on YouTube and Flickr, and keep an eye on our blog for highlights from the next power lunch, which will focus on healthcare. We welcome you to join the discussion online and keep the conversation going on Twitter by following @KaufmanRossin and @WLRN and using hashtag #SunshineEconomy. Let us know what you think of the radio show and the lunch series!

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Kaufman, Rossin in the Community: Mindo Futures

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Tamara Crespo

Tamara Crespo talks about her community involvement.

Which organization are you involved in and what is its objective?

I’m involved in the Mindo Futures Medical Mission. The Medical Mission provides quality field-based medical care, medicines and vitamins free of charge to over 5,000 patients in Mindo, Ecuador, during an annual six day mission trip.

What is your role with the organization?

As a volunteer, I help raise funds and assist with medicine drives.

Why did you decide to get involved in this organization?

I got involved with Mindo Futures because I think it’s a great organization, and I believe in what they do. I am from Ecuador and have seen at first hand the need for basic medical care in the area.

Each year we prepare and equip medical professionals to treat 4,000 to 5,000 patients. Our doctors offer a broad range of medical services & specialties including Pediatrics, Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Pneumology, Urology, Infectious Disease, Dermatology, Hematology, Oncology, Dental, General Surgery, Podiatry, Orthopedics, Psychology, Neurology, Pharmacy and basic nursing.

Our present goal is to continue to expand the mission every year. The last two years we have been able to provide free bus transportation to and from the many surrounding villages around Mindo. Hundreds of patients who live up in the farthest reaches of the mountains where it is nearly impossible for poor families and the elderly to transport themselves to the main roads have benefited from this crucial service. Some of these areas are up to five hours away by bus.

How has Kaufman, Rossin contributed to your success with this organization?
Kaufman, Rossin & Co. is currently helping me raise funds for this organization through jeans day and a medicine drive. The firm’s support helps raise awareness of Mindo Futures, which in turn can lead to more people getting involved.

What is your advice for others who are thinking about getting involved in the community?

Find something you feel passionate about and get involved through volunteering and/or raising donations.

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Kaufman, Rossin-Sponsored WLRN Radio Show Takes on Healthcare Industry

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Janet Kyle Altman

The second episode of The Sunshine Economy aired this morning on WLRN Public Radio, sponsored by Kaufman, Rossin & Co., and titled “Diagnosis: Healthcare.”

Host Tom Hudson highlighted the changes in the South Florida’s healthcare market, including the industry’s decreasing employment, the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the wide price differences among hospitals for the same procedures.

Guests included the CEOs of two hospital groups, Brian Keeley of Baptist Health and Steve Sonenreich of Mount Sinai Medical Center, and the conversation with them focused on transparency in hospital pricing. In a news-making moment, Mr. Sonenreich committed to post the prices that Mount Sinai charges, and challenged others to provide pricing and qualitative data for the public to compare.

In addition, Florida Blue CEO Pat Geraghty participated in a discussion about the Florida insurance market and the future reforms under Obamacare, and Maurice Ferre, CEO of MAKO Surgical, discussed trends in advanced health care product manufacturing.

The Sunshine Economy series broadcasts Mondays at 9 a.m., with a second chance to listen at 7 p.m., or online. Next week the program tackles the local real estate industry, including perspectives on commercial and residential markets, a tour of a high-profile construction site and an interview with Bank United CEO John Kanas about real estate lending.

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SEE BEYOND THE NUMBERS

Kaufman, Rossin Sponsors Tom Hudson Radio Show on WLRN

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Janet Kyle Altman

Radio broadcaster Tom Hudson of WLRN in Miami

WLRN special correspondent Tom Hudson hosts a new weekly radio series about South Florida called “The Sunshine Economy.”

If you are a WLRN listener, you may have heard the first episode of a new series, “The Sunshine Economy,” this morning. Renowned broadcaster and anchor Tom Hudson is hosting a series of one-hour radio shows that examine key drivers of the South Florida economy. Kaufman, Rossin & Co. is proud to be the exclusive sponsor of the first six episodes of this program, which airs Mondays in May and June at 9 a.m., with a repeat broadcast at 7 p.m.

Today’s show explores the economic ties between Miami and Latin America, including Brazil as an increasingly important emerging market economy, U.S.-Colombia relations, the Drug War, the Cuba trade embargo, post-Chavez Venezuela and China’s rising influence in Latin America.

Kaufman, Rossin will also be hosting five exclusive roundtable lunches with Tom Hudson, where South Florida CEOs and industry experts will discuss trends and concerns in manufacturing, healthcare/life sciences, real estate, the investment industry and technology.

We welcome you to be a part of the discussion online. Let us know your thoughts about the program by commenting on our blog, and keep the conversation going on Twitter by following @KaufmanRossin and @WLRN and using hashtag #SunshineEconomy.

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Janet Kyle Altman is marketing principal for Kaufman, Rossin & Co., one of the top CPA firms in Florida. She serves as a board member for the Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade and as a board member and immediate past chair for Friends of WLRN. Janet can be reached at jaltman@kaufmanrossin.com.