November 23, 2021 – This week, Fishermen’s Community Hospital at Baptist Health welcomed its first patient to its new oncology unit. With a focus on quality and patient care, the new hospital houses an oncology suite with three private patient rooms. The unit currently offers biotherapies, transfusions, laboratory services and hydration services and will soon offer chemotherapy. Patients will now also have access to the resources of Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute and its unique support service programs.
“We believe that every patient deserves to have access to the best possible care in their own community,” said Siddhartha Venkatappa, MD, associate chief medical officer at the Miami Cancer Institute. “This new site will help us provide exceptional and convenient cancer care to residents of the Middle and Lower Keys.”
Dr. Venkatappa, who is also Medical Director of Infusion Services at Baptist Health’s Keys Hospitals, added, “Before, cancer patients in the area had to travel to Mariners Hospital or Miami for treatment. Now our patients can receive the care they need close to home and close to their support systems. Bringing these treatments to Marathon is another important step towards improving health care in the region.
William Schneider, the first patient seen in the oncology unit, says it’s great to have his treatment and services close to home. Mr. Schneider said: “We have lived in Marathon for over 20 years and I have witnessed all the changes. Before this unit opened, I had to travel an hour north to Tavernier. Now I save time on every trip and, more importantly, I’m so close to home! »
Having this new service at Fishermen’s Community Hospital provides patient services that improve and expand outpatient cancer care in the Middle and Lower Keys.
Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute has been recognized as one of the top three cancer hospitals in the South Florida area and one of America’s Top Cancer Hospitals in the categories of Lung Cancer Surgery and colon cancer surgery by US News & World Report.
Fisher Community Hospital has cared for the Florida Keys community since it opened in 1962. The hospital was closed in September 2017 when Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage to much of the area. A field hospital was quickly opened to provide uninterrupted care to the community. In July 2018, Baptist Health replaced the field hospital with a modular facility. With the completion of the new hospital in July 2021, the 37,330 square foot facility provides specialist services such as 24/7 emergency care with telestroke services to give patients stroke victims immediate access to board-certified neurologists, an on-site helipad, six inpatient beds, including two intensive care beds with 24/7 monitoring, nine emergency beds, five additional recovery beds, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation and laboratory services. Oncology services are the newest of the services offered by the new hospital.
About the Fishermen’s Community Hospital
Fisher Community Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the region’s largest health care organization, with 12 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians, and 100 ambulatory care centers, care facilities emergency and medical offices covering Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has world-class centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine and neuroscience. Also, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A non-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of America’s 100 Best Companies to Work For and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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