September 23, 2020– Nicklaus Children’s Health System and Baptist Health South Florida have signed an agreement to expand their collaboration on pediatric care. This enhanced partnership of two of South Florida’s leading healthcare organizations will optimize care for both pediatric and adult patients.
Under the agreement, which becomes effective December 1, Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists (NCPS) physicians will cover the pediatric emergency departments at Baptist Hospital and at Homestead Hospital. The physicians who are currently providing care at these facilities will become employed by NCPS, the medical group practice of Nicklaus Children’s Health System, and continue to care for pediatric patients at Baptist Hospital and at Homestead Hospital.
Additionally, Baptist Hospital will extend an arrangement in place since April to transfer children who require inpatient admission to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for care. Baptist Hospital continues to provide other pediatric services including neonatal intensive care (NICU), pediatric oncology services (including inpatient care for pediatric oncology) and pediatric emergency care, among other services.
The transfer arrangement, which was based on a recommendation from the Children’s Hospital Association, began as a way to optimize the organizations’ response to the COVID-19 virus and increase capacity for adult patients at Baptist Hospital.
“We’ve collaborated with Nicklaus Children’s Health System for many years,” said Bo Boulenger, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This expansion of our relationship allows us to leverage each organization’s expertise and provides continuity of care for pediatric patients and their families, while ensuring we are prepared for increases in adult patient volume.”
“Baptist Health has done an amazing job at giving families ready access to world-class care. Nicklaus Children’s is the region’s only freestanding hospital exclusively for children and the largest provider of pediatric emergency services in Florida,” said Perry Ann Reed, President of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “This enhanced partnership just makes sense and will be an incredible benefit to the children and families of Florida.”
While this is not a merger and both organizations will remain separate entities, as part of the agreement, Nicklaus Children’s and Baptist Health will work together for the betterment of the children and families of South Florida.
“This collaboration will enable families to continue to receive pediatric emergency services in the Baptist facilities and with the same doctors and staff that they’ve come to know,” said Dr. Marcos Mestre, M.D., Senior Medical Director at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. “The biggest difference will be in how we coordinate care and the increased access to subspecialists that can support children and families through their care continuum and into adulthood.”
About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-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 the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America 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.
About Nicklaus Children’s Health System
Nicklaus Children’s Health System (NCHS) is the parent organization of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children. The 309-bed nonprofit hospital, known as Miami Children’s Hospital from 1983 through 2014, was founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International and is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report. The health system also includes Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, the organization’s 501c3 fundraising arm; a network of nonprofit outpatient and urgent care centers situated in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties; Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists, a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary; a managed care plan, and an ambulatory surgery center. NCHS is the region’s only healthcare system exclusively for children.
