New Sacred Heart surgeon boosts surgery procedures

The past year was a record-breaking year in terms of the number of patients served by Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf’s surgical care team. 

Following the recruitment of Dr. Jeffery Root, the surgery team has more than doubled the number of procedures they are able to do in a month. He performs both emergency and elective procedures in the hospital, with some minor procedures also done in his office.
“My goal is to provide people with the care they need in their community,” said Root, general surgeon at Sacred Heart Gulf. “We are also seeing patients transferred to us from nearby hospitals so they can stay close to home before and after surgery.” 

For some patients with high risk factors, Root performs their surgeries at Sacred Heart Bay, as a precaution to ensure they have access to additional resources such as the intensive care unit and comprehensive cardiovascular care. These patients are still able to do their pre-op and post-op appointments at Sacred Heart Surgical Services – Port St. Joe. Previously these patients would have been referred to another surgeon, leading to more driving and more time to get the care they need. 

Recently, Sacred Heart Gulf has invested in new equipment to improve patient safety. This includes a new system that tracks the sterilization process, advanced anesthesia monitoring equipment, and a top of the line instrument that helps to stop bleeding during surgery. Also, Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf has Dr. David Fulcher, an anesthesiologist with more than 25 years of experience, as a key component of the surgical team, which focuses on safety as their top priority.

“Our team has had no surgical site infections in nearly five years,” said Dr. Kunal Jani, chief medical officer for Sacred Heart Gulf. “This is the gold standard of care that we as healthcare professionals strive to achieve.” 

Root, a board certified general surgeon, received his medical training at the University of California – Irvine, where he also completed both his internship and residency.

He is proficient in surgical treatments for conditions that affect the entire body, including solid organ abdominal ailments, gynecomastia and breast abscesses, GI and colorectal surgery,  hemorrhoids, skin cancer/ melanoma, general lumps and bumps, Port-a-cath and vascular access, as well as upper and lower endoscopies  He specializes in minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as laparoscopic surgery and is proficient in appendectomy, breast biopsy, gallbladder removal, and hernia repairs. The recovery process for minimally invasive surgeries is most often quicker and easier than open surgery, with most people going home the same day following procedures.

To schedule an initial appointment or for a second opinion, call 850-229-5833. To learn more about Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf, visit ascension.org/GulfFL.