Baptist Health South Florida

Baptist Health South Florida Joined Gastro Health and the American Cancer Society to Provide Free Screening Colonoscopies

March 11, 2020

MIAMI – March 11, 2020 – As part of its education and prevention efforts for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, Baptist Health South Florida partnered with Gastro Health and the American Cancer Society (ACS) to provide free screening colonoscopies to 26 Borinquen Medical Center patients who qualified for the screenings but had no insurance coverage or were unable to pay. The free colonoscopies were performed on March 7 at Baptist Health Endoscopy Center in Miami.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, but is preventable when caught early through screening. According to the ACS, a colonoscopy can reduce a patient’s risk of dying from colon cancer by more than 50 percent. This is because the procedure gives doctors the best chance of spotting the precancerous polyps that can be easily removed before becoming malignant. Although the ACS 2018 guideline for colorectal cancer screening recommends that average-risk adults aged 45 years and older undergo regular screening, a quarter of all U.S. adults in this age group have not been screened.

“One of our main priorities as a healthcare provider is the prevention of disease, and this free colorectal cancer screening initiative is a valuable part of that effort,” said Mandy Gerlach, Vice President of Baptist Outpatient Services. “We are happy to donate our services and resources to improve the health and well-being of people in our community.”

About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn.

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PHOTOS/CAPTIONS

BHSF Screening Event Team Photo

Pictured, L to R, are: Gastro Health Practice Manager Percy Cabrera; Baptist Outpatient Services Vice President Mandy Gerlach; Baptist Health Endoscopy Center Director Ivette Hernandez; and Baptist Health Endoscopy Center team members Tawanna Edgecomb, CRNA; Vanessa Rojas, R.N.; Judith Montano, clinical support technician; Charlotte Monnot, endoscopy technician; and Derla Libby, R.N.

 

BHSF Screening Event Patient Photo

L to R, gastroenterologist Luis Hernandez, M.D., Paul Davies, CRNA, and Mabel Lopez, R.N., prepped a patient for his colonoscopy at Baptist Health Endoscopy Center.

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