CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - The Miami Heat have opened a new sports medicine center in Coral Gables, marking the first time an NBA team has bought the rights to a medical facility.
The Miami Heat Sports Medicine Center stands on the campus of Doctors Hospital at 5000 University Drive.
Miami Heat Surgeon Dr. Harlan Selesnick gave 7News cameras a tour of the multimillion dollar facility where some of South Florida’s best professional athletes are treated.
“We really cover everything from hand to joint replacement to trauma to knee replacement, and of course, sports medicine, which is the stuff that we’re most excited about,” Selesnick said.
The building is the first time a medical facility bears a team’s name.
“We’re fortunate that the Miami Heat has partnered with Doctors Hospital and Baptist Health Systems,” Selesnick said.
Selesnick has been the team’s doctor for over 30 years and has treated patients such as Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I’ve been very, very lucky,” he said. “I’d like to think that the results we have with the players and the report-ups, too, and obviously, facilities like this helps as well.”
The four-story facility boasts three physician clinics featuring 42 exam rooms, and some patients may notice some of the larger features.
“This area, this is where the Heat players and Dolphins players come,” Selesnick said. “You need a bigger examining table, and you can see that they’re much longer. We do get gymnasts, but they only take up this much.”
Any scans or X-rays happen down the hall from the examination rooms and include a weight-bearing cat scan machine, which is the first in South Florida.
“You actually stand up, and the cat scan does a three-dimensional image of your foot and ankle, and this allows a more accurate diagnosis,” Selesnick said.
The facility also features a state-of-the-art operating room.
“Of course, it allows us to do things that used to be much bigger now less invasively,” Selesnick said. “The patients continue to benefit.”
The facility’s operation room is one of the most advanced in the Southeast. In addition to state-of-the-art equipment for doctors, the room is wired up to a network of high-definition cameras that allow doctors and other associates to watch in on the surgery from off-site.
“This does look like an ordinary conference room, but this is all hooked up to all the ORs,” Selesnick said. “It allows us to visualize what’s going on. It’s great for having international people, students or fellows to learn as to what’s being done in the operative experiences.”
From diagnosis to treatment and recovery, Selesnick said, in the end, the priority is the patient, whether they happen to be a professional or a fan.
“Everyone everywhere should get the best care they can,” Selesnick said. “The fact that the pros trust us is a good thing, but the important thing to realize is that everybody really can get that level of care.”
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