Miami Beach residents needing cancer treatment no longer have to leave the island for advanced oncology care.

Mount Sinai Medical Center's Irma and Norman Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center, a 216,000-square-foot, five-story building on Biscayne Bay, opened to patients on Monday, May 4. The facility more than triples Mount Sinai's previous cancer care footprint, which had been limited to 60,000 square feet across the main hospital campus.

"This center is the realization of a promise we made to bring world-class cancer care to this community," Mount Sinai President and CEO Gino R. Santorio said at the April 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony. "Every decision behind this building was made with one purpose: to deliver care without compromise."

Center expands cancer treatment services

The center houses 39 infusion bays, 56 physician exam rooms, two advanced linear accelerators with capacity for a third, and a fully integrated diagnostic imaging suite, according to Mount Sinai. An expanded Breast Center, the RAD Center for Cancer Genetics, dedicated clinical research space and supportive care services, including nutrition counseling and music therapy, are all under one roof.

The curvilinear building's infusion bays and patient areas face the water. Mount Sinai says the design supports recovery during treatment visits that, for some patients, number in the dozens each year.

Building designed for storms and future growth

Built on the coast of Biscayne Bay in one of the nation's most hurricane-vulnerable areas, the structure is engineered to withstand winds up to 175 mph. Its first floor sits more than 6 feet above the seawall, a feature Mount Sinai says helps ensure uninterrupted care during storms.

Mount Sinai says the expansion responds to projected growth in regional cancer cases, though the hospital did not cite a specific outside study.

Philanthropist Norman Braman, whose gift helped fund the center, attended the ribbon-cutting alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. Braman said the facility changes "what a cancer diagnosis means in this community."

Hospital recruits specialized staff

To staff the expanded center, Chief Nursing Officer Wendy Stuart and Chief Human Resources Officer Don Barnes led a national recruitment effort for oncology-certified nurses while cross-training existing Mount Sinai staff, according to South Florida Hospital News.

Mount Sinai, founded in 1949, is the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida, with 10 locations in Miami-Dade County. A physician directory and full list of services are available at msmc.com/comprehensive-cancer-center.