Newsroom

The last several months of the year are often spent enjoying pleasant weather, watching football and preparing for the holidays. This is also a great time to review your health plan to determine whether you’ve met or are close to meeting your insurance deductible. If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), it’s time to check the balance for the remainder of the year. Scheduling elective procedures and preventive screenings before the end of the year can help to maximize your healthcare dollars. Most... ... Read More

Clotting of our blood supports recovery from injury, but when blood clots are in the body and don’t break up or dissolve as they should, they can block the flow of blood with serious consequences. On average, one person in the U.S. dies from a clot-caused death every six seconds. Keys Medical Group Pulmonologist Marc Csete, M.D., says everyone is at risk for clots, regardless of age or gender. Pregnancy, treatment for cancer, having a major surgery, or hospitalization for several days in a row can incre... ... Read More

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to focus on lifestyle and risk factors associated with breast cancer, as well the importance of breast cancer screening. Mammogram screenings are the best way for women to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before there are symptoms. However, according to the CDC, at least 25% of women ages 50-74 have not been screened for breast cancer in the past two years. Lower Keys Medical Center’s Women’s Imaging Center is scheduling ma... ... Read More

At age 43, Michael Hales, MSN, R.N., was a nursing leader in a Texas hospital, who didn't give much thought to his own healthcare. Like many men and healthcare professionals, he didn't prioritize routine check ups because he had a busy life and he wasn't experiencing any symptoms that would warrant a visit to the doctor. When his facility was promoting a men's health screening, he decided to participate because he was involved with the initiative and wanted to set a positive example. To his surprise the... ... Read More

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the U.S. and the statistics on the rates by age have surprised the medical community. Between 2012 and 2021, more colorectal cancer cases have been identified in adults under 50 each year while the rates for adults 50 and older have been going down over the same period. The American Cancer Society estimates about 107,320 new cases of colon cancer and 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer will be found in 2025. Board-certified gastroentero... ... Read More

Angela Berube is a local business owner in the Lower Keys. After genetic testing indicated she was at high risk of breast cancer, she wanted to be proactive about her health. However, following surgeries and reconstruction on the mainland, she developed complications and a severe, resistant infection. Throughout several weeks of treatment at home with oral antibiotics, her condition continued deteriorating. Unable to get in touch with her surgeon in Miami, Berube went to the Lower Keys Medical Center em... ... Read More

Unlike many seasonal illnesses or diseases, shingles can develop at any time of year. Usually thought of as a childhood disease, the chickenpox can have lasting effects well into adulthood because the virus remains inactive in the body even after recovery. Years after you have had the chickenpox, the virus can reappear in the form of shingles. One in three Americans will experience shingles in their lifetime according to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention. There is no cure for shingles, ... ... Read More

Lower Keys Medical Center has developed an exciting new initiative designed to empower our community to live longer, healthier lives. Enjoy the Ride: Navigating a Longer, Healthier Life is a FREE 12-day, longevity-focused email series launching on September 15, 2025. According to the CDC, Americans’ average lifespan is longer than ever – 74.8 years for men and 80 for women. But Americans’ healthspan – how long a person is healthy and free of disease – is decreasing. Baby Boomers are more likely than the... ... Read More

Score Reflects “Above Average” Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Lower Keys Medical Center (LKMC) earned a 4-star overall hospital quality star rating in the most recent update from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The LKMC “above average” rating includes quality measures related to mortality, safety of care, readmissions, patient experience, and timely and effective care. LKMC achieved a 4-star rating in 2022 and 2023, and received a 3-star rating in 2024. To re-establish... ... Read More

Complex processes contribute to health and well-being We’re repeatedly told getting a good night’s sleep is important and Brien Tonkinson, M.D., Keys Medical Group Otolaryngology/ENT wants you to know some of the reasons why. Dr. Tonkinson says your overall health and well-being directly benefit from the complex internal work going on while you sleep. Sleep frees your body and brain to experience important changes and processes that, if not completed, can lead to less effective physical and mental funct... ... Read More