New Miami Cancer Institute to Open In 2016

World-class comprehensive cancer center and research facility will be first in South Florida to offer proton therapy.

Baptist Health South Florida announced it is building the new $430 million Miami Cancer Institute scheduled to break ground in July. The Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida consolidates under one roof clinical services, a dedicated cancer research facility and signature technology platforms, including the first proton therapy center in South Florida.

“The Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida will be recognized as a world-class destination for providing evidence-based, individualized care for our patients. It will be a state-of-the-art facility that will be unmatched in our region in terms of clinical excellence and advanced cancer care, and we are recruiting nationally renowned experts to lead the Institute” said Brian E. Keeley, president and CEO of Baptist Health South Florida. The Miami Cancer Institute will open in 2016.

Highlights of the Miami Cancer Institute

• Located on the Baptist Hospital campus, the 395,000-square-foot cancer institute will include a 305,000-square-foot clinical cancer center and a 90,000-square-foot research facility.
• Designed especially for patients, a brand-new inpatient floor designed especially for cancer patients will connect between Baptist Hospital and the Cancer Institute.
• The Baptist Health Breast Center.
• Medical offices for cancer specialists.
• There also will be two parking garages with 1,300 spaces for the convenience of patients and their families.

The stunning, four-story facility is designed by Miami-based MGE Architects and Portland-based ZGF Architects, both renowned for creating healthcare spaces that are beautiful and patient-centered. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center are among ZGF’s many prominent healthcare clients. Construction of the Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida is scheduled to start in July.

The Miami Cancer Institute will be the first in South Florida – and among only a handful in the nation – to offer proton therapy, an advanced treatment that beams radiation directly to the tumor to destroy cancer cells while avoiding healthy tissues. The Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida will make proton therapy available not only to the South Florida community, but also to patients throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Baptist Health is also in discussions with Miami Children’s Hospital to collaborate on proton therapy services for children. Since proton therapy is the treatment of choice for serious and difficult-to-treat cancers in children, a potential partnership will ensure that pediatric patients will have child-friendly treatment dedicated to their needs at Baptist Children’s Hospital and Miami Children’s Hospital.

“We are combining innovative, precision cancer care and the latest in clinical research with Baptist Health’s well-known high level of patient care – all in one place. This is the most exciting project related to cancer care that I have been involved with in my more than 30 years of practicing oncology in Miami,” said cancer specialist Leonard Kalman, M.D.

The Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida will work closely with Advanced Medical Specialties (AMS) and leading academic cancer centers to provide the most advanced cancer treatment available. AMS is part of a nationally recognized network of community-based oncology practices that leverage technology, share best practices and use evidence-based approaches to customize cancer care for individual patients.

The Miami Cancer Institute plans to offer comprehensive clinical services, such as bone marrow transplant, diagnostic imaging, infusion chemotherapy and radiation therapies, including standard radiation, tomotherapy, gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery and proton therapy. The Institute will also leverage Baptist Health’s nationally renowned robotic surgery program, with special emphasis on gynecology-oncology and thoracic surgery.  Baptist Health’s highly regarded Breast Center also will be a part of the Institute, allowing for the expansion of services while maintaining a highly personalized approach to breast cancer patients. In addition, the Institute will provide special programs and support for patients’ friends and family members in dedicated areas throughout the cancer center.

The Institute’s expansive research facility is designed to accommodate space for principal investigators, researchers and staff to pursue clinical trials and translational research. The focus will be on providing patients with access to sophisticated, groundbreaking treatments and cutting-edge clinical trials.

The Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida will transform cancer care throughout the region. The bold and visionary plan will offer an extraordinary opportunity for philanthropy. The Baptist Health South Florida Foundation will invite the public and private sector to participate in the creation of the Miami Cancer Institute by investing in its construction and infrastructure through philanthropic giving. It will be seeking philanthropic partners to join forces with renowned physicians and visionary leaders to create an iconic, highly visible center that will contribute significantly to the future of cancer care and bring world-class, innovative cancer treatment to Miami.

Baptist Health 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) and more than 30 outpatient and urgent care facilities spanning three counties. The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has more than 15,000 employees and 2,200 affiliated physicians, and also includes Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Outpatient Services and internationally renowned centers of excellence. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities. Baptist Health was just listed by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America (#19 in the nation and #1 in Florida) and has remained on the list for 14 consecutive years. It was also recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the third year in a row by the Ethisphere Institute.