Dear South Florida Residents:
 
Miami Children's Hospital (MCH) is a unique community resource. It is one of only two independently licensed and accredited children's hospitals in the State of Florida that can meet the requirements for full membership in the National Association of Children's Hospitals. Other hospitals have pediatric capabilities, but none offer the experience, depth and range of services that can be found at Miami Children's Hospital.
 
As a result, Miami Children’s serves as a highly acclaimed referral center, receiving critically ill and injured children and neonates from hospitals throughout South Florida who are in need of the hospital’s specialized services.
 
Since it was founded in 1950, Miami Children’s Hospital has evolved into a tremendous resource that offers groundbreaking treatments for children with congenital heart defects, brain anomalies, childhood cancers and countless other disorders. It gives me pride to note that the hospital was recently identified by Child magazine as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals.
 
As the South Florida community continues to grow, Miami Children’s will be there to meet the needs of its children. We are presently looking to improve the accommodations in our Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care units to allow for private patient rooms to afford families the privacy they deserve when their child is ill. As we enhance our facility, being a good member of the Schenley Park community is an important element of our plans. Miami Children’s is also developing new patient care sites in West Kendalland Doral, and is expanding its current sites in South Dade and Weston. Additional locations are planned forHomestead and Miramar.
 
The people of South Florida are blessed to have such a pediatric health care resource in their midst. We hope that the community will extend its support for the hospital’s master facility plan during the Community Zoning Appeals Board meeting to be held April 17. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Ruben DarioMiddle School at 350 NW 97th Avenue in Sweetwater.
 
Sincerely,
 
Christian C. Patrick, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Officer/Senior Vice President
For Medical and Academic Affairs