The hospital will significantly enhance teaching and research on the university's main campus and will be Broward County's only comprehensive academic research and medical center.
The collaboration between NSU and HCA East Florida will bring greater choice and access to the communities of South Florida.
"HCA East Florida has a long history of providing exceptional healthcare to the residents of South Florida. Through the collaboration with NSU, we expect to continue to enhance the level of care we are able to provide by tying in the research and academic component into our scope of care to patients," said Michael G. Joseph, president and CEO of HCA East Florida.
The proposed hospital, which hopes to begin construction in 2014, will be privately owned by HCA East Florida and is expected to become a major academic medical and research facility.
Sitting on an integral portion of NSU's 315-acre doctoral high research university campus and with its focus on teaching and research, the hospital will offer residencies, internships, clinical rotations and practicums in the medical programs offered at the university.
Dr. George L. Hanbury II, president and CEO of NSU added, "But for the development of this hospital, Nova Southeastern University would be unable to complete its full vision for expansion of its research in cancer, diabetes, and other vital academic medical research projects essential for the well-being of our community. When combined with NSU's Center for Collaborative Research, our plethora of medical researchers will have a hospital on its campus as an essential and critical component to fulfill their research protocols. The synergistic effect of a knowledge-based industry of biotech will attract middle and upper income jobs to Broward County, while significantly expanding the depth and breadth of services to our community.
"This collaboration of an HCA East Florida hospital and our doctoral high research university with its 22 different health care disciplines will expand the continuum of care for our clinic patients and the underserved communities and enhance access and choice, while creating best in class academic opportunities for our students and faculty. This collaboration creates an unrivaled opportunity for Broward County and beyond to have access to the constellation of health care fields, research, and a state of the art hospital creating a true medical home for patients' access and choice."
In the past year, HCA East Florida contributed $2.1 billion to Florida's economy. NSU currently contributes $2.6 billion and is the largest private employer in Broward County.
The collaboration is expected to bring in more than several hundred professional and service support jobs to the region and is expected to exceed $1 billion in contributions annually.