Page 22 - Janaury 2018

ONCOLOGY UPDATE in South Florida

Cover Story: Miami Cancer Institute

Celebrates Successful First Year

Specializing in Medically Continued from page 1 “We believe that there may be opportu-

Complex Patients types of devices to treat different types of nities in the very near future for some of
tumors, and our staff is trained on all of
these patients to come to us,” said Dr.
them. Zinner, adding that the Institute has cho-
Kindred Hospitals are owned by Kindred “Instead of adapting patients to the sen to offer proton therapy at the same
Healthcare, Inc., a national network of Long Term equipment we have, we make sure that we level of pricing as conventional, complex
Acute Care Hospitals (LTACH's).
have the best piece of equipment to treat traditional therapy, despite the fact that
Kindred Hospitals provide specialized, high quality the patient,” he added. many places charge two to three times
care for acutely ill patients. For more than a decade, When the Institute first opened its the cost of traditional radiation therapy.
we have fine-tuned the art of medically complex care. doors, approximately 40 patients a day In December, the Institute also opened
were being treated with radiation therapy its new 90,000 sq. ft. research building,
Our services range from complex catastrophic at South Miami Hospital, and 40 at Baptist which contains a bone marrow trans-
illnesses that require intensive care, post-surgical medical Hospital. “We figured that we would get a plant unit, clinical trials unit, and
rehabilitation to patients suffering from chronic diseases requiring respiratory and bump of 80 to 90 patients, but we now genomic medicine testing lab. It will be
rehabilitative therapies. Kindred Hospitals provide outcome-oriented have 120 patients undergoing radiation open to patients after the first of the year,
cost effective care for patients with a wide spectrum of therapy, which is well ahead of expecta- with bone marrow transplants beginning
medical conditions.
tions,” said Dr. Zinner. “We have people in January or February of 2018.
coming from as far away as Palm Beach “One of the things that I’m most proud
Admissions to Kindred Hospitals may be County.” of is the talent that we have recruited to
recommended by physicians, acute-care hospitals, One of the reasons for this influx of our facility,” said Dr. Zinner. “We’ve
rehabilitation hospitals, managed care providers, case patients may be the Institute’s ability to hired experts from all over the country,
management companies or by the patient’s family. offer complex techniques to treat cancer, including the senior myeloma and trans-
In all cases family tours are encouraged. including proton therapy. “We spent the plant physician at Memorial Sloan
last 1-1/2 years getting ready for this very Kettering, a renowned endocrine surgeon
highly technical equipment to come from the clinical department of surgery at
Kindred Hospital Kindred Hospital Kindred Hospital Kindred Hospital online, and we saw our first patient at the Yale, a clinical breast cancer surgeon
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Coral Gables The Palm Beaches end of November,” said Dr. Zinner. “Our from Boston University and a senior pan-
1516 East Las Olas Blvd. 1859 Van Buren St. 5190 Southwest Eighth St. 5555 West Blue Heron Blvd first delivery unit, which is being used to creatic cancer physician from the
Ft. Lauderdale FL 33301 Hollywood, FL 33020 Coral Gables, FL 33134 Riviera Beach, FL 33418 treat pediatric and adult solid tumor can- University of Chicago, among many oth-
954-764-8900, ext. 5136 954-920-9000 305-448-1585 561-904-8451 cer patients, already has a waiting list of 50 ers.”
www.khfortlauderdale.com www.khsfhollywood.com www.khcoralgables.com www.khthepalmbeaches.com to 60 patients. We’ll bring the second unit As Florida’s only member of the
online in January 2018, and the third Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
online in April 2018.” Alliance, Dr. Zinner adds that patients
The main advantage of proton therapy is can receive the same standard of care as
that instead of damaging surrounding tis- can be found at that hospital, as well as
sue when treating a tumor, it is able to take part in many of the same clinical tri-
deliver almost all of its energy to the tumor als.
site. “This is very important when treating “We have patients who could go to
children because damage to surrounding Sloan Kettering, but choose to come
tissue can stunt the growth of the patient here,” he added. “I am heartened by that,
or their organs,” said Dr. Zinner. “It is also because we want to be recognized not
used to treat spinal tumors, where affect- only as a place that treats cancer, but that
ing the spinal cord can cause paralysis.” makes a significant difference in patients’
According to Dr. Zinner, there are only lives through our high-tech and high-
25 of these units in the country, and only touch facility.”
six of the kind that the Institute has, fea-
turing the very latest technology. This has To learn more about Miami Cancer
not only attracted interest from the South Institute, visit www.miamicancerinstitute.com
Florida market, but also Latin America or call (786) 596-2000.
countries, where the technology is not
available.

22 January 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News