{"id":21390,"date":"2020-11-30T19:49:50","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T02:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/?p=21390"},"modified":"2020-12-01T10:04:01","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T17:04:01","slug":"south-miami-hospital-60-years-of-caring-for-the-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/south-miami-hospital-60-years-of-caring-for-the-community\/","title":{"rendered":"SOUTH MIAMI HOSPITAL: 60 YEARS OF CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY"},"content":{"rendered":"<a id=\"south-miami-hospital-60-years-of-caring-for-the-community\"><\/a>\n<p>It was an ambitious plan, conceived by a group of local doctors who met weekly in 1959. With limited resources and not so much as a building to call their own, they decided South Miami needed a hometown hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s what brings us to the present day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their unwavering vision for South Miami Hospital, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, built what is now a pillar of the community, dedicated to a tradition of excellence in serving the area\u2019s healthcare needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1033\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21393\" class=\"wp-image-21393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation.jpg 800w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-793x1024.jpg 793w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-97x125.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-213x275.jpg 213w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-232x300@2x.jpg 464w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-97x125@2x.jpg 194w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/60th-BHSF-Anniversary-Proclamation-213x275@2x.jpg 426w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">City of South Miami Mayor Sally B. Philips joins South Miami Hospital CEO Bill Duquette as the Hospital celebrates 60 years of Caring for the Community event in February 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The hospital had humble beginnings: the original structure on SW 62nd Avenue and South Dixie Highway was nothing more than a leased office building designed to accommodate 100 beds. Today, the hospital\u2019s capacity has more than quadrupled. In its infancy, South Miami Hospital had 200 employees; today, there are more than 2,200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every step of the way, as the hospital grew and evolved into the landmark it is today, the founders and those who came after them stayed true to the mission of improving access to quality care. South Miami Hospital is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the region by U.S. News &amp; World Report. It has achieved the highly coveted Magnet designation for excellence from American Nurses Credentialing Center, among many other honors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of Baptist Health South Florida, the hospital has become home to many&nbsp;cutting-edge medical programs, such as Miami Neuroscience Institute\u2019s Center for Spine Care, the Center for Robotic Surgery, and the only preterm labor and prematurity program in Florida to be certified by the Joint Commission. Yet, for all its sophistication, South Miami Hospital still retains its hometown feel. In an increasingly complex world, it has never forgotten its roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21395\" class=\"wp-image-21395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day.jpg 800w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-97x73.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-367x275.jpg 367w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-300x225@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-97x73@2x.jpg 194w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SM-police-tribute-day-367x275@2x.jpg 734w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">In the early morning of April 16th South Miami Police Department takes time to recognize South Miami Hospital Healthcare workers.&nbsp; The City Mayor, Commissioner Luis Gil, City Manager Steve Alexander joined Chief Rene Landa and staff for the event. &nbsp;<br><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe success of the past 60 years holds us to a high standard today,\u201d says Bill Duquette, South Miami Hospital\u2019s CEO. \u201cOur founders envisioned a hospital that would serve our community with the utmost integrity and honor. As we move forward into the next decade and beyond, we continue to place our patients first, just as our founders did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of South Miami Hospital can be seen as community groups and individuals went out of their way to express appreciation for the life-saving care taking place inside. The City of South Miami, including the mayor, commissioners, police, and residents, joined together for a Caravan of Gratitude in vehicles around the hospital. As hospital employees worked tirelessly, people sent messages of encouragement and erected signs and placards to greet them each day. Costa Farms, a longtime supporter of Baptist Health\u2019s nurses, provided bromeliads for employees to take home. Girl Scout Troup 1919 donated the proceeds from their annual cookie sales to deliver hot meals to the hospital\u2019s night shift workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21397\" class=\"wp-image-21397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header.jpg 700w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-300x159.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-351x185.jpg 351w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-97x51.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-520x275.jpg 520w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-300x159@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-351x185@2x.jpg 702w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SMH-60-years-header-97x51@2x.jpg 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\"><br><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEveryone at South Miami Hospital feels deeply connected to this community, and it is wonderful to know that the community feels the same way about us,\u201d Mr. Duquette says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>South Miami Hospital has always been at the forefront of pioneering care to meet the needs of residents. For example, in 1975, it was the first hospital in Miami-Dade County to install a CT scanner, a staple in today\u2019s medical arsenal that was then considered experimental. It also revamped its obstetrics care in the mid-70s into the Center for Women and Infants, which was groundbreaking at the time and continues to be a leader in the nation, participating in research and clinical trials to advance care and save lives. The Child Development Center opened in 1993 to provide diagnostic and early intervention services to families of children with developmental delays. It continues to make a difference every day for hundreds of families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1010\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-1024x1010.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-1024x1010.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-97x96.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-279x275.jpg 279w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01.jpg 1286w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-300x296@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-97x96@2x.jpg 194w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SOMI-XVI_Milestone-In-Care-01-279x275@2x.jpg 558w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;\u201cWe\u2019re here for our community. That consistent patient and family focus is critical,\u201d says Carmen de Lerma, M.D., director of the Child Development Center. \u201cWe have a role in their families, and we are going to continue being a part of their families for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Functioning through the pandemic may have proven a challenge for the Child Development Center, but far from an impossible one. When the center was required to shut down in early spring, the staff adjusted by providing virtual therapy through telehealth, using computers and tablets to connect with families. Our team also helped parents over the phone, providing much-needed support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe needs of the children did not go away just because they were at home. Whatever their therapy goals \u2014 language, feeding, gross motor skills, or fine motor skills \u2014 these still needed to be met,\u201d Dr. de Lerma says. When the center was allowed to reopen, operations pivoted for social distancing and safety. Grateful families were thrilled to return. \u201cYou could see it. There was such joy in the children to come back and resume their routine from before the pandemic,\u201d Dr. de Lerma says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"474\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21403\" class=\"wp-image-21403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden.jpg 800w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden-97x57.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden-464x275.jpg 464w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden-300x178@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/garden-97x57@2x.jpg 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Bill Duquette, CEO leads fifteen staff and volunteers in planting South Miami Hospital\u2019s first Community Garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Child Development Center is an excellent example of South Miami Hospital\u2019s commitment to putting the community\u2019s needs; first, Dr. de Lerma says, the generosity of our donors helps the Child Development Center continue to provide outstanding healthcare to our youngest patients and ensures the sustainability of the program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hospital also provides services to underserved and needy families at the South Miami Children\u2019s Clinic located near the Gibson-Bethel Community Center, a mobile family clinic in partnership with Florida International University, and a partnership with City of South Miami police department to provide shelter for the homeless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Efforts to build a stronger, healthier, and more resilient community for everyone are vital to the hospital\u2019s philosophy, says Mia Corradino, manager of the hospital\u2019s community relations. You can see it in the hospital\u2019s support of a meditation garden as part of the Underline project under the Metrorail tracks or the recent opening of the fourth Baptist Health Grow2Heal garden that will provide fresh vegetables and herbs and serve as a center for workshops on how to grow and use fresh produce. \u201cWe want to emphasize better nutrition, exercise, and the importance of preventive care in all segments of the community,\u201d Ms. Corradino says. \u201cWe are very much in tune with what the community needs. Whatever event the city has, we try to be a part of it, and whatever event we have, they are a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21405\" class=\"wp-image-21405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover.jpg 800w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-97x73.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-367x275.jpg 367w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-300x225@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-97x73@2x.jpg 194w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Building-shot-flyover-367x275@2x.jpg 734w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">On May 8th, the US Navy Blue Angels recognized frontline and essential workers in a fly-over during the COVID-19 Pandemic.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That sense of partnership will be further expanded with a Healthy South Miami initiative the hospital is spearheading to involve more local businesses and community groups. \u201cWe\u2019re engaging our community partners in the South Miami area to unite everyone to live more healthily as a community,\u201d Ms. Corradino says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a hospital visit is required, residents know they can rely on South Miami Hospital, which is always looking ahead and striving to provide the highest level of care. For example, the hospital is undergoing an update and expansion of its Critical Care Services with the opening of a new state-of-the-art Surgical Critical Care Unit, incorporating the most advanced technology available. The hospital\u2019s neonatal intensive care unit has digital cameras on every bed to provide parent\u2019s peace of mind and constant visual access to their babies. The labor and delivery department has dedicated beds for preterm labor and high-risk pregnancies. The preterm labor program is one of only three in the nation to achieve certification from the Joint Commission; the prematurity program for infants is one in only five in the country to be certified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cardiac care at South Miami Hospital is also highly advanced and is one of the areas recognized by U.S. News &amp; World Report. Highly trained physicians work together to develop successful and proactive treatment strategies for complicated cases. \u201cWe are offering academic-quality interventions in a community hospital setting,\u201d says interventional cardiologist Phillip Erwin, M.D., the director of Complex Coronary and Structural Interventions at South Miami Hospital. \u201cWe\u2019ve had excellent outcomes. Patients should view South Miami Hospital as a place they would choose because they are comfortable \u2014 their neighbors and friends surround them. Their families are nearby, and they have a doctor that they have come to have a relationship with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"21406\" class=\"wp-image-21406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo.jpg 800w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-97x73.jpg 97w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-367x275.jpg 367w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-300x225@2x.jpg 600w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-97x73@2x.jpg 194w, https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Costa-Farms-Plant-Distribution-photo-367x275@2x.jpg 734w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Costa Farms donates a bounty of bromeliads to the staff at South Miami Hospital.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That was certainly the case for patient David Horovitz. He had life-saving interventions with Dr. Erwin at South Miami Hospital when it was discovered his chest pain was due to an almost total blockage of his aortic valve. \u201cWords cannot describe how they took care of me,\u201d Mr. Horovitz says. \u201cIt was amazing. Everybody in the hospital was so nice, from the nurses to the med techs that came to take my temperature. They were wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prisciliana Berrios de la Vega had a similar experience when she had surgery at the Spine Center for a herniated disc in her neck that threatened her permanently. She was impressed with the new, up-to-date facilities. But most of all, she was impressed with the staff\u2019s compassion and personal approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI wasn\u2019t treated like a number. They cared,\u201d Ms. Berrios said. \u201cFrom the reception, people that took care of me in the front, to the nurse practitioners, to the insurance people. Even the guy in the parking lot. It was amazing every step of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kiki <strong>Bochi<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It was an ambitious plan, conceived by a group of local doctors who met weekly in 1959. With limited resources and not so much as a building to call their own, they decided South Miami needed a hometown hospital. That\u2019s what brings us to the present day. Their unwavering vision for South Miami Hospital, which<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/somimag.com\/south-miami-hospital-60-years-of-caring-for-the-community\/\" title=\"Read More\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":21407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[308,1,312,313],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21390"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21390\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}