Page 23 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS DEC 2021

HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & FACILITY PLANNING

The Desai Sethi Family Foundation Lee Health Announces

to Fund Creation of Urology Institute Plans for New Hospital

In an effort to further position the University of history, the campaign has already raised more than Campus in Fort Myers
Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine as a $1.6 billion toward its $2.5 billion goal.
global leader in the field of urology, the Desai Sethi The Miller School’s Department of Urology has
Family Foundation has made an extraordinary com- conducted research that has notably advanced the The Lee Health Board of Directors approved plans to move
mitment of $20 million to the Miller School’s science of urology, publishing seminal work on the forward in planning a new hospital campus in the City of
renowned Department of Urology. The Foundation’s efficacy of robotic surgery, urologic cancers, men’s Fort Myers. Tentatively known as ìLee Health Colonial
generosity will help establish a premier Urology health, endourology and male infertility, and in treat- Campus,î the property will sit on 52 acres of land along
Institute within the Miller School, which will accel- ing various urologic diseases. Challenger Blvd. between Colonial Blvd. and Winkler Ave.
erate breakthrough advances in research, expand The Institute’s founding director will be Dipen J. The Board of Directors approved proceeding with issuing
clinical care, and train future generations of urolo- Parekh, M.D., the chief operating officer at the a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architectural services,
gists. University of Miami Health System, professor and construction management and commissioning authorities as
The Desai Sethi Urology Institute, as it will be chair of the Department of Urology at the Miller a first step in developing the hospital campus. The RFQ
known, will attract the brightest minds and recruit School, the Victor A. Politano, M.D. Endowed process identifies well-qualified firms that wish to work with
the most talented physician-scientists dedicated to Chair in Urology, and one of the world’s most expe- Lee Health to undertake this project.
the study and treatment of urologic disorders, and rienced robotic surgeons in urologic oncology. In The campus is anticipated to include an acute care hospi-
fund innovative research in the field. that role, he works closely with the NCI-designat- tal with 216 beds, 16 operating rooms, an emergency depart-
University of Miami President Julio Frenk, M.D., ed Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the ment with 30 emergency room bays, and a 16-bed observa-
M.P.H., Ph.D., said, “The Desai Sethi Family Miller School. tion unit. An observation unit allows a patient to stay in the
Foundation’s generosity propels the University into The Institute will be located in South Florida hospital while their care team determines whether they need
the upper echelon of institutes dedicated to the dis- granting access to a multitude of patients from vari- to be admitted or discharged. The campus will also house a
covery and treatment of urologic disease – not just in ous backgrounds and cultures and will be an inter- complement of ancillary and social services and will include
South Florida, but worldwide. We are grateful for national destination for care. Institute researchers a Medical Office Building. Lee Healthís data center will move
this commitment to the types of advances in health will be able to study health disparities in the treat- to the new campus.
care that are only possible at an academic health sys- ment of both men and women with urological issues. The permitting process for the new, state-of-the-art cam-
tem.” The new urology institute will be named and pus is expected to take about two years. After that portion of
The Desai Sethi Family Foundation commitment known as the Desai Sethi Urology Institute. The the project is complete, the build timeline is estimated to
is part of the University of Miami’s recently University of Miami will further honor the donor’s take an additional three years. The anticipated opening date
announced Ever Brighter: The Campaign for our generosity by naming the Professional Arts Center of the campus is 2027.
Next Century. The most ambitious in the University’s the Desai Sethi Medical Center.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com December 2021 23