The Miami Cancer Institute, part of Coral Gables-based Baptist Health South Florida, is joining the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance to expand the New York City-based cancer center's renowned services to Baptist Health patients.
The MSK Cancer Alliance is an initiative designed to collaboratively guide community providers toward the most advanced cancer care. Some of the alliance's first members include Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare Cancer Institute and Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pa., in 2014.
The Miami Cancer Institute is currently being built, and construction on the $430 million hospital is slated to be completed in 2016.
As part of the alliance, MSK will guide the Miami Cancer Institute to improve its patient care and clinical cancer research programs. Patients of the Miami Cancer Institute will also have expanded access to MSK clinical trials.
The Miami Cancer Institute will share educational resources with MSK, including opportunities for its physicians to visit MSK's Manhattan facilities to observe new techniques and install the infrastructure necessary to measure outcomes data. Additionally, some Miami Cancer Institute physicians will have the opportunity to meet and discuss complex cancer cases with MSK physicians.
"Memorial Sloan Kettering chose Miami Cancer Institute for its commitment to delivering to our community the highest levels of innovation and precision in cancer care in combination with the renowned focus on patient experience for which Baptist Health is well known," said Brian E. Keeley, president and CEO of Baptist Health South Florida. "Our collaboration with MSK will save lives by bringing evidence-based, world-class standards to our network of seven hospitals and more than 50 outpatient facilities, serving thousands of patients in our community each year."