Updated: 6:14 PM When compared with the rest of the nation, per capita Northwest Florida has a tremendous amount of sinus disease. If those problems begin to affect your daily routine, most often the answer is surgery. In the past that meant at least a day in the hospital and a long recovery time, Now an alternative is being offered in Bay County that can be done right in the doctor’s office.

Posted: 3:11 PM Budget cuts had some wondering if a free medical clinic here in Bay County would survive into the next year.

Updated: 3:18 PM Heart surgery patients in our area can now avoid the pain of conventional open heart procedures.

Updated: 3:26 PM Panama City- NewsChannel 7 reported Monday about a local five year old little boy suffering from a condition called hydrocephalus or water on the brain. Unfortunately it appears he's not the only one in our area suffering from the neroulogical disease. In fact, one local doctor called it an epidemic.

Updated: 4:28 PM Whiplash is a common injury after accidents like car crashes. For most, the pain usually goes away with proper treatment. For those who can't seem to find relief, two local doctors may have come up with a solution. One has a unique x-ray machine; the other uses the results from that machine during surgery.

Updated: 8:08 AM When there's an accident with severe injuries, getting help quickly is the key to survival. In the past patients in our area were usually life flighted to Pensacola or Tallahassee to a hospital that specializes in treating trauma patients. That's no longer the case.

Posted: 3:27 PM Earlier this month we had Go Red for Women day, where you were encouraged to wear red to bring attention to women's heart health issues. But with February being heart health month we believe you can't get the message out often enough.

Updated: 3:29 PM In the 1950's surgeons used what is called the Smith-Peterson approach for hip replacement. It provided a great view of the hip but surgeons had to cut through muscle which meant a long recovery time. Recently the anterior hip procedure was improved and one local orthopedic surgeon is happy to see its revival.

Posted: 11:15 AM There are many decisions that come along with having a baby. Everything from choosing a name to what kind of crib to get. A local hospital is hoping moms will make one more decision that could mean a better life for others. It involves donating their baby's placenta.

Posted: 11:18 AM If it happens to you, would you be able to live to tell about it? It depends on more than just your health. We'll take a look at the best-and-worst places to have a heart emergency and hear from one family who is turning their tragedy into a life-saving campaign.

Posted: 11:23 AM A local doctor is now performing a new surgical technique that could help the millions of people suffering from neck and back pain. The new procedure repairs cervical spine damages. NewsChannel 7's Erica Rakow tells us about one of the first patients to undergo the surgery.

Updated: 4:22 PM If you've ever been hospitalized, or even visited the doctor's office, you know how important nurses are. And so do the administrators at our local hospitals.

Updated: 8:59 AM Panama City -- Local doctors now have a new option to treat critically ill heart patients: It's the world's smallest heart pump.

Updated: 11:26 AM Panama City -- By-pass surgery has come a long way. A few years ago, Bay Medical heart surgeons added one more option for patients: It's called beating-heart surgery. During most by-pass surgeries doctors stop the heart. A heart and lung machine is used to temporarily divert the blood. Beating heart surgery is a way to perform the same type of surgery without stopping the heart.

Updated: 3:04 PM Panama City -- Most parents can't get enough pictures of their baby. But what about a photo shoot before he or she is born? That's now an option that some local parents are taking advantage of. While it's not a required test, the parents say it is a lot of fun.

Updated: 3:44 PM Panama City -- Acid reflux can cause a lot more than heartburn. If left untreated, it can lead to esophageal cancer. But there's good news for local patients. A local hospital is offering a new surgery that not only cures acid reflux, but lets patients get back to eating and sleeping normally.

Updated: 9:22 AM Fried food, no exercise, smoking, are all precursors to heart disease. Those are the factors you can control, but as one local woman learned, you can't control genetics. She believed everything was fine, until she caught what she thought was the flu.

Updated: 2:22 PM February is heart month and folks in the Panhandle are all too familiar with heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, released last year, shows Florida leads the nation in the number of people suffering from heart disease and the panhandle has the highest rate in the state.

Updated: 8:07 AM Financial struggles effect one local hospital.

Posted: 12:17 PM Panama City - As the first surgeon to ever practice in Bay County, Dr. Joseph Morris touched a lot of lives. And he'll continue to do so for several more generations.

Updated: 9:07 AM Gulf Coast Cancer Treatment Center revealed a new device that will help doctors perform more accurate radiation therapy.

Updated: 8:14 AM As patients move into the Bay Medical Center's new patient tower, the transition is said to be going smoothly, so far.

Updated: 8:45 AM Panama City - Wednesday began a new chapter for local healthcare, as Bay Medical Center officials cut the ribbon on their brand new patient tower.

Updated: 9:23 AM Have you ever spent time in an emergency room and after an initial examination you've had to be taken to other departments for more exams? One local hospital has new technology that could make that a thing of the past. It's especially useful when it comes to trauma patients.

Posted: 9:36 AM Panama City – Gathered in the nearly-complete patient tower, Officials from Bay Medical announced the headlining act for their 25th anniversary Society Gala.