Baptist Health South Florida and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Announce Collaboration to Improve Patient Care

MIAMI, FL – July 28, 2016 – Two local leaders in healthcare will explore collaborating to provide the best possible care for the communities they serve. Baptist Health South Florida, the area’s largest, not-for-profit healthcare provider, and nonprofit Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, part of Miami Children’s Health System and the leading provider of children’s healthcare services in South Florida, will collaborate to improve healthcare through coordination and cooperation.

“I look forward to working together to improve the care of patients in our local and international communities, said Narendra Kini, M.D., chief executive officer, Miami Children’s Health System. “Through our collaboration, we know we can create efficiencies, improve quality and better serve the community.”

“This collaboration is a natural fit for both of our organizations and will have a positive impact on the way our patients receive care,” said Brian E. Keeley, president and chief executive officer for Baptist Health South Florida. “By working closely together, we will help ensure that patients benefit from seeing the most appropriate provider and have access to high-quality, evidence-based care.”

Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital will initially work together on the following.

– Proton Therapy for Children: Pediatric oncologists at Nicklaus Children’s will be able to offer proton beam therapy to their patients at Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health when the proton treatment center opens in early 2017. This will ensure patients and families will not have to leave the area for the care they need.

-Telemedicine: Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s will work together to provide telemedicine services.

– International: The locations of the combined facilities provide for an excellent medical destination to fit the needs of international patients. Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s will collaborate on international services, including a second opinion program and transfer protocols.

– Information Technology: Both organizations view technology as a strategic asset required for future sustainability and have invested in supporting the implementation of a fully integrated electronic health record, enterprise resource planning systems, robust security systems and more. Both will work together to analyze and consider the potential to share resources towards the future development, implementation, support and training of their information technology platforms.

– Medical Education: The organizations will work together to coordinate programs for graduate, undergraduate and continuing medical education in cooperation with the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.

About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with seven hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital), nearly 50 outpatient and urgent care facilities, Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Health Quality Network and internationally renowned centers of excellence. The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has approximately 16,000 employees and 2,300 affiliated physicians. Baptist Health South Florida has been recognized as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/BaptistHealthSF and on Twitter and Instagram @BaptistHealthSF.

About Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital – part of Miami Children’s Health System – is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 740 attending physicians and over 220 pediatric subspecialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016-17 by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.

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