Miami Children's Hospital CEO Advised Congress of Need for Expanded Children’s Services in Florida

Published on: 05/10/2003
MIAMI, FL…Thomas M. Rozek, President and CEO of Miami Children's Hospital (MCH), told a Congressional subcommittee that a federal partnership is needed to address the growing critical need for children’s health services in South Florida— including programs to advance research and treatment of pediatric brain tumor, the leading cause of childhood cancer-related deaths in Florida and the nation. 

Mr. Rozek testified before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies that a federal partnership could make possible the expansion of high-demand pediatric specialty services in the state and support Miami Children's in its quest to improve treatment of neurological disorders.

Mr. Rozek focused on MCH’s commitment to the development and construction of a new Ambulatory Care Center to expand services in the following high-demand pediatric specialties: orthopaedics, rheumatology, urology, nephrology, neurosciences, behavioral health and pediatric dentistry. The center will enable the hospital to reach and serve a significantly larger number of children and reduce the waiting times children and families currently face.

To address the increased incidence of brain tumors in children, MCH is also seeking federal participatory assistance to acquire, develop and implement the utilization of the next generation of Intraoperative MRI instrumentation, to improve surgical outcomes for children with brain tumors. Brain tumors are the #1 cause of childhood cancer deaths nationally. The disease is particularly prevalent in Florida. 

Founded in 1950, Miami Children’s Hospital is the only licensed specialty hospital for children in South Florida. The 268-bed medical complex offers medical care and services for children from birth to age 21.

About Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Where Children Matter Most ™ (2024)

Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. With more than 850 physicians, including over 500 pediatric subspecialists, the hospital and its network of outpatient centers and offices serve close to 70% of children in the Miami market. The only hospital "where your child matters most™,” Nicklaus Children's is home to the region's most advanced Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower, and its centers of excellence Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Nicklaus Children’s Orthopedics, Sports Health and Spine Institute, Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute and Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute. The Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Transfer Center, Nick4Kids, and LifeFlight are responsible for transporting and saving close to 5,000 lives a year. Our 307-bed hospital, which is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, has many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children's is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.

© 2024 Nicklaus Children's Hospital. All Rights Reserved.