Advanced Cardiac Care from Baptist Health Now Available in Broward

By bringing together a wide range of healthcare services under one roof since it opened just a few months ago, Baptist Health’s new wellness and medical complex in Plantation is making quality, compassionate healthcare more convenient for residents of Broward County.

Baptist Health’s Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute is one of the most recent additions to the fully integrated, 122,000-square-foot Plantation complex, says John Morytko, M.D., a cardiologist with the Institute. It joins three other Baptist Health centers of excellence there, Dr. Morytko says – Miami Cancer Institute, Miami Neuroscience Institute and Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

Established in 1987 by renowned interventional radiologist Barry T. Katzen, M.D., Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute was one of the first centers in the U.S. to treat the heart and blood vessels as one entity, according to Dr. Morytko, and it is now the largest, most comprehensive cardiovascular facility in the region.

“With Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Broward residents now have access to the region’s most advanced cardiovascular care, provided by a multidisciplinary team of physicians, right here in Plantation,” says Dr. Morytko, who has more than 25 years of experience in the field and is one of several Baptist Health cardiologists now seeing patients in Plantation.

One of the biggest advantages for patients at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, according to Dr. Morytko, is having access to the very latest technologies and therapies – sometimes years before they’re available at other hospitals in the region. “We have the advanced technology and expertise required to repair aneurysms, blockages in veins and arteries, holes in the heart, and other complex cardiovascular conditions,” he says.

Dr. Morytko notes that patients can be seen in-person or via a telehealth visit, depending on their condition, needs and preferences. “Some visits have to be in person, of course, but there are many things we can do via telehealth,” Dr. Morytko says. “We can do a visual assessment, manage symptoms, answer questions or concerns, prescribe medications and more.”

Baptist Health’s telemedicine platform, Baptist Health Care On Demand, makes it easy for patients to schedule visits, see their doctors and stay on top of their health – wherever they are, any time of day – using their telephone, tablet or computer. To get started, patients simply download Baptist Health Care On Demand from the app store or Google Play, set up their profile and answer a few questions, according to Dr. Morytko.

“We recognize that some of our patients, because of their age and preexisting conditions, are at a higher risk for COVID-19 and want to limit their exposure as much as possible,” Dr. Morytko says. “Rest assured, it’s completely safe to come see us in person when you need to, but telehealth is certainly a convenient, easy and secure option if you prefer to use that for more routine visits.”

Even elderly and “technology-adverse” patients have embraced telehealth over the past year, according to Dr. Morytko, relying on their phones and other devices for visits that used to have be conducted in person. The Baptist Health Care On Demand app is easy and intuitive, he says, and will guide you through each step, from scheduling and preparing for your appointment, to sharing documents or images with your doctor, to accessing your records after your virtual visit.

New wearable technology now even makes it possible for patients to measure and monitor cardiac biometrics, such as blood pressure, heart rate and heart rhythm, from the comfort of their home, Dr. Morytko says. “Combined with the many other advantages offered by a virtual visit, this new technology promises to make it even easier for our patients to get the care they need, when and where they need it.”

Learn more about Baptist Health’s wellness and medical facility in Plantation here, and look to Resource for previous posts on some of the other specialties and services available at Baptist Health in Plantation.