New facility to mark next phase in expansion of Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute
On Sept. 24, just months after opening the Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion on its flagship Sarasota campus, the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) announced that it is moving forward with plans for a new outpatient cancer center in Venice, “expanding access to advanced cancer care for patients throughout south Sarasota County and surrounding communities.”
A news release notes that the “Venice center represents the next phase in the continued expansion of Sarasota Memorial’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, which SMH launched in 2020 to give cancer patients, caregivers and medical providers greater access to the latest treatments, technologies, clinical trials and supportive services close to home.”
The release adds, “The cancer center will be located in a new outpatient medical facility that will be constructed on Curry Lane, adjacent to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice campus.” (The 5-acre site was acquired by Flagship Curry Lane MOB I LLC in January for $4.2 million, the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office records show. The registered agent of Flagship Curry Lane is Cogency Global Inc. in Tallahassee, the Florida Division of Corporations says.
“Sarasota Memorial is leasing and completing the build-out of the facility to expand a range of outpatient services in Venice, including cancer care and endoscopy services,” the news release notes.
“Together with SMH’s existing cancer services, the new cancer center is part of a long-term strategy to provide comprehensive, coordinated cancer care close to home,” the release points out.
“Cancer treatment can require frequent appointments with multiple specialists and care teams, sometimes over many months,” said Kelli Dancer, vice president of the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, in the release. “Expanding these services in Venice will make it easier for patients in south Sarasota County and surrounding communities to access comprehensive, coordinated cancer care closer to where they live,” she added. “It’s another important step in our commitment to bring the highest level of cancer care to patients throughout our region.”
Since its opening in 2020, “the Jellison Cancer Institute has grown into one of Florida’s highest-volume cancer programs, providing thousands of local patients access to multidisciplinary cancer specialists, advanced treatments and technology, clinical research and comprehensive support services,” the release says.
“Patient volumes also underscore the need for specialized cancer services in the region,” the release points out. “Before SMH established the Jellison Cancer Institute, approximately half of local cancer patients left the community to seek advanced cancer care elsewhere. That figure has since fallen to approximately 30%, and SMH continues to expand services with the goal of allowing even more patients to receive advanced care close to home,” the release adds.
“Every patient who can receive high-quality cancer care here rather than traveling hours away is able to spend more time focused on healing and less time traveling for appointments and treatments,” Dancer said in the release. “The Venice center is an important step in our commitment to build a comprehensive cancer program that meets the needs of our growing region,” she added.
“As proposed, a radiation oncology center and medical, surgical and radiation oncology physician clinics will be built on the first floor” of the new facility, the release continues. “Patients also will have convenient access to infusion services, diagnostic imaging, and integrative and supportive care in one location.”
The release further notes, “The third floor will house the endoscopy center and SMH First Physicians Group’s team of gastroenterologists. The second floor will be shelled for future growth.”
Preliminary site work already has begun, the release adds. “Pending permitting and construction plan approvals, Flagship will begin work on the building shell, with SMH’s design/build team completing build-out of the specialized centers in 2028.”