Nicklaus Children’s Health System of Miami has strengthened its push deeper into Broward and Palm Beach counties with a new market president who will oversee expansion in Broward and a new leader to build affiliations and partnerships with healthcare providers in Palm Beach County.
Yair Katz, who most recently had been chief executive of Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., will guide Nicklaus Children’s as it builds its presence in Broward County. The well-established Miami hospital has eight outpatient clinics in Broward County, including a new Davie facility that specializes in cardiovascular, orthopedic, and neuroscience care and plans to open more. It has also partnered with Broward Health to take over inpatient children’s services at two Broward Health hospitals. That process already is underway.
“Nicklaus Children’s and Broward Health will transition pediatric services at Broward Health Medical Center and Broward Health Coral Springs to Nicklaus Children’s in early 2026,” said Matthew A. Love, president & CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “As part of our expansion plans, Nicklaus Children’s recruited, hired and onboarded a proven leader in pediatric healthcare to oversee operations in Broward County. Mr. Yair Katz is working with leaders at Broward Health to ensure a smooth transition. He, along with clinical leaders, will be responsible for operations for Nicklaus Children’s at Broward Health as part of this innovative affiliation.”
Love said Nicklaus will add its logo to signage on the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and Broward Health Coral Springs campuses.
“We’ve also held town halls with Broward Health nursing leaders, employees, and physicians who will be joining Nicklaus Children’s, and we have started the transition employment process. Our IT departments are working closely to ensure our electronic health records are integrated for sharing of vital patient information.”
The partnership between Broward Health and Nicklaus was announced more than a year ago and with the transition of Broward Health pediatric units to Nicklaus planned for early 2025.
“Bringing Nicklaus Children’s to Broward Health is a huge undertaking and we knew it would take some time,” Love added. “But we couldn’t be more excited with each passing day. We know this is the right thing for pediatric care across South Florida. Opening at Broward Health is the logical next step in bringing Nicklaus Children’s award-winning care to families in the community. The children and families of Broward County deserve access to the best pediatric care close to home.”
The announcement initially was met with pushback at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, which provides most of the pediatric medical care in Broward County. Shane Strum, interim CEO of Memorial Healthcare System, which owns Joe DiMaggio, also is CEO of Broward Health. Strum led the Nicklaus partnership, which created some tension within the health system.
On Thursday, Caitlin Stella, CEO of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, said her 33-year-old Broward hospital is making its own growth plans.
“Our planned growth and diversification of specialty services remain on track,” she said. “While there is understandable focus on what’s happening with pediatrics in Broward County, we as leaders are focused on what children’s healthcare should and will look like long term. We are already focused on a future vision consistent with trends in children’s hospitals happening across the country.”
The bigger goal, she said, is for eventual collaboration between DiMaggio and Nicklaus.
“We have a bigger vision and, based on various market dynamics, the time to make it happen is now,” she said.
Strum has talked about creating a giant children’s hospital system that would provide comprehensive, specialized care currently available only in other states.
For now, Nicklaus continues to grow and will operate under a new regional structure. The 75-year-old Miami health system also announced a new market president for Miami-Dade and one for emerging markets, which includes Palm Beach and Collier counties.
Dr. Saima Aftab, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for developing markets, will build affiliations and partnerships with healthcare providers outside Miami-Dade and Broward to expand services for families across Florida, according to Nicklaus’ announcement this week.
Nicklaus Children’s already offers care within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center’s De George Pediatric Unit and select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units. In addition to its main Miami campus, it has 35 outpatient care locations in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties
“Our regional structure model will allow us to be more nimble and responsive to the evolving needs of the communities we serve,” Love said.
South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.