MORE THAN THREE DECADES since beginning practice, Dr. Stuart Patterson has gotten the upper hand on what it takes to be one of the most successful and sought out orthopedic surgery specialists in Polk County and Florida.
Since September 1991, Patterson has helped between 2,000 and 2,500 new patients per year adjust and fix problems with bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Although he has about seen it all, Patterson says he still finds his career to be inspiring.
From his Lakeland office, Patterson, 62, takes some time to reflect back on an orthopedic career that was born near the shores of South Africa and into England, Canada and into the United States. Taking some time out in his office breakroom, he says he is demanding in the quality of his work and has “always tried to do the best I can” by surrounding himself with “the best people.”
“I’ve never regretted the paths I’ve taken. In life, what starts as a career can become your life because of you kind of live it 24-7. But I’ve enjoyed it.”
In his Central Florida Orthopedic Surgery Associates office in Lakeland, Patterson works with a staff of about 13 and nurse practitioner Kelly Kreiger to keep patients treated and on the mend.
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ON THE PULSE
Healthcare professionals across the area finish 2020 on a strong note with accomplishments and awards
RESOLUTIONS OF RESILIENCE
Seven Habits for Healthcare Workers On the Edge of Burnout
Glaucoma and Dry Eyes
Eye doctors are excited this year with 2021 rolling in. It’s an excellent opportunity for us to shine some light on eye care topics that we would like to highlight. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.
CARE AFTER CRISIS
Watson Clinic’s Dr. Kathleen Haggerty Opens Post-COVID Care Clinic
A NEW ANGLE FOR HEALTHCARE CAREERS
Florida Polytechnic University Offers New Health Systems Engineering Program
Basics for Patient Experience and Retention
It’s easy to understand how the focus on improving patient experiences and shoring up retention efforts may have fallen by the wayside this year. We all know that medical practices are stretched thin as staff members work to accommodate social distancing measures and other COVID concerns.
Protecting Our Elderly
Psychologist Explains Dynamic of Suicide Among Seniors and Lists Precautions Doctors and Family Can Take
The Cutting Edge
Dr. Haq Brings His Expertise in Robotic Cardiothoracic Surgery to Bostick Heart Center
On the pulse
Our Healthcare Specialists Are Working Harder Than Ever! Don’t Miss Out on All the Exciting Awards and Recognition
The $uccess Formula
For Medical Practices, Lease Negotiations Go Beyond Location
THE DIPLOMAT WHO DISAPPEARED
IN 1974, JOHN PATTERSON, AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT ON HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT ABROAD, WAS ABDUCTED BY THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY OF MEXICO—A GROUP NO ONE HAD HEARD OF BEFORE. THE KIDNAPPERS WANTED $500,000 AND INSISTED THAT PATTERSON’S WIFE DELIVER THE RANSOM.
AGRISHOPPER
Fun Projects Can Help Youth Get Interested in Agriculture
SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Dr. Haight Dispels COVID-19 Myths and Explains Why He Trusts Vaccine
BATTLING OBESITY
Lakeland Regional Health Unveils New Weight Loss Institute
THE COMPETITION CONTINUES
Every spring, Frank Tiano’s Top Gun Scale Invitational has heralded the beginning of the flying season, offering builders an opportunity to show off their projects in Lakeland, Florida after a winter spent finishing them in their workshops.
CAMELOT
“The editor at The Baltimore Guide called and said President Kennedy was coming from Washington to give a speech at the armory,” recalls Tom Scilipoti. “He said he was flying in by helicopter and was going to land at Patterson Park and asked if I’d be interested in shooting it. I said, ‘Hell, yeah.’”
UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE
Thread Lifts Offer Less Invasive, More Affordable Option for Facial Rejuvenation
Golden Present
Memories of Gold Dollars for the Holidays
The Journey & Beyond
How One Woman’s Breast Cancer Brought Her New Perspective
Polk Schools Offer Array of Medical Programs to Prepare Students for Booming Healthcare Fields
THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR IS BOOMING, and people all across the country are taking note. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that from 2006 and 2016, 2.8 million jobs were added to the health sector. That’s almost seven times faster than the rest of the economy! Jobs in healthcare settings grew more than 20 percent, outpacing jobs in other areas of the economy. Better yet, BLS expects the growth of jobs in the healthcare sector will continue to grow at a rate of 6 percent during the next decade.