Larkin Plans to Open Medical Teaching Facility in Naranja

Photo: Larkin Hospital owner and CEO, Dr. Jack Michel, speaks to the Homestead Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs about plans to bring a teaching hospital to Naranja. Photo by Chris Green

Dr. Jack Michel, CEO and owner of Larkin Community Hospital, addressed a well-attended joint meeting of Homestead Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs on Wednesday July 17th at the Capri restaurant. 

Larkin Community Hospital plans a $75 million investment for a large medical teaching facility in the Mandarin Lakes area of Naranja, east of 280th Street and US-1.  The first phase of the development is opening Miami-Dade County’s first pharmacy school.  The pharmacy school dean, Jerry Levine, arrives here in August to plan the curriculum and complete public applications for the first classes to begin in August of 2015.

Plans for the 48 acre site include the County’s second teaching hospital, a nursing school, Miami-Dade’s first dental school, and collateral medical facility buildings. 

The campus is to include a large fitness center, adequate parking, laboratories, clinics and related health science classrooms.  Before Hurricane Andrew, the area where the facility will be located was a mobile home park, which local zoning already permits traditional office space or classroom use.  With some infrastructure in place, the property is ready for construction.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis Moss is a supporter of the project, helping to secure a Brownfields grant to prepare the property.  According to county records, the Naranja community has an unemployment rate of 25 percent, but that will decrease with the new facility.

Dr. Michel is an honors graduate of the University of Miami committed to retaining students for local medical practice.  According to Michel, about 60 percent of South Florida’s doctors are over age 65 with a national deficit of 160,000 doctors projected by 2020.  The need for training is apparent for positions that cannot be filled by nurse practitioners or physician’s assistants, Michel stated. 

Studies show, nearly 80 percent of medical school students are from out of state or out of country, and most go back home after training.  Michel’s goal is to get them to stay in Florida. 

Larkin Community Hospital, located in South Miami, has 146 beds with 150 residents and medical interns on staff.  It’s a multi-faceted teaching facility looking to a cap out at 240 residents with a new campus. 

In the United States, medical school graduates require a residency or other on-site training prior to employment and licensure.  In 1997, Congress froze the expansion of post graduate medical training – the only exception was for “virgin hospitals” which could build for 3 years before capping their programs.  A new teaching hospital at Mandarin Lakes can provide residency opportunities for hospitals as far north as Palm Springs. 

Dr. Michel held discussions with Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent’s Office to promote collateral training with public schools.  The immediate benefit could be a partnership allowing high school students to graduate with an LPN degree in nursing, for instance. 

The United States recognizes two forms of medical training – the standard medical degree and a doctor of osteopathy. 

Larkin’s Mandarin Lakes Hospital would be the first osteopathic facility in South Florida. Once considered an alternative form of health care, osteopathy is now seen as a standard medical practice differing only in forms of treatment from mainstream medicine.

Larkin’s Mandarin Lakes Hospital faces some hurdles.  Accreditation by the AMA requires an immediate deposit of the first four years of revenues, or about $25 million in cash that cannot be financed.  One solution under review is organizing as a branch campus to import accreditation without hefty funding mandates, Michel said. 

Larkin and Dr. Michel held talks with an Iowa school and an Arizona hospital that are both interested in having a presence in Florida by opening a branch campus. 

An economic study of Larkin Hospital’s project estimates direct and indirect job creation at 700 positions.  Dr. Michel thinks this is an underestimate due to community outreach through clinics, labs and related medical services.