Prominent Neurosurgeon Michael McDermott, M.D., Joins Baptist Health South Florida To Lead Miami Neuroscience Institute

CORAL GABLES, Florida, April 30, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Baptist Health South Florida welcomes Michael McDermott, M.D., a world-renowned leader in neurosciences with clinical expertise in the field of meningioma research and gamma knife radiosurgery, as its new chief medical executive of Miami Neuroscience Institute, formerly known as Baptist Health Neuroscience Center.

Dr. McDermott, widely known for advancing neurosurgical techniques, pioneered surgical management of meningioma, a slow-growing tumor in the head that affects the brain. He is an expert in the treatment of a wide variety of neurological disorders, in addition to meningiomas, skull base tumors, brain metastases, gliomas, hydrocephalus, central nervous system infections and complex tumors of the skull base and spinal cord.

“I am delighted to have a colleague of his caliber join our organization,” said Michael Zinner, M.D., chief executive officer and executive medical director at Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida. “His expertise will help enhance our collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to research and delivery of the best cancer treatments for our patients.”

Dr. McDermott has conducted leading research that generated more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and comes from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as third in the nation in neurology and neurosurgery, where he was co-director of the Gamma Knife and CyberKnife Radiosurgery Program and held the distinguished Wolfe Family Endowed Professorship in Meningioma Research. In addition to serving as professor and vice chairman of neurological surgery, he is an accomplished educator. As residency program director, he trained young physicians from around the world.

“The arrival of Dr. McDermott to lead Miami Neuroscience Institute represents Baptist Health’s ability to harness the collective expertise of physician leaders and to offer the most innovative, comprehensive and individualized care available to our patients,” said Jack Ziffer, PhD, M.D., executive vice president, chief clinical officer and chief physician executive for Baptist Health South Florida.

Miami Neuroscience Institute provides care at all the Baptist Health facilities, with the exception of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, home to the renowned Marcus Neuroscience Institute, and Bethesda Hospital East and Bethesda Hospital West’s neuroscience programs. For the first several months, Dr. McDermott will focus on working with clinical and administrative leadership to plan and build the infrastructure as well as clinical depth and breadth of the program and set the stage for growth as a destination for neuroscience care.

“The multidisciplinary team approach we have at Baptist Health creates a special synergy between medical specialists from various fields to provide the most advanced care to our patients. This exceptional physician and surgeon will complement the tremendous medical talent that resides within Baptist Health and will continue to grow our national leadership in the treatment of conditions of the brain, spine and nervous system,” added Dr. Ziffer, PhD, M.D.

Miami Neuroscience Institute

Miami Neuroscience Institute, formerly known as Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, offers comprehensive and compassionate treatment for neurological conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. From non-surgical treatments and minimally invasive procedures to complex brain and spine surgery, the Center embraces a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.

Miami Neuroscience Institute is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, nearly 23,000 employees, more than 4,000 physicians and more than 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 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.