UniVida Medical Centers: Redefining Excellence in Medical Care
By: Maria Alejandra Pulgar
Dr. Orlando Rodríguez, CEO and CMO of Univida Medical Centers is passionate about his vision to redefine the concept of excellence in medical care. His extensive experience of more than two decades holding leadership positions within the Jackson Health System, his love for the Medical Arts, and his dedication to improve the lives of countless patients over the years, led to his involvement in 2020 in the founding of Univida Medical Centers. The project has evolved into a broad network of facilities that provide state-of-the-art care for more than 15,000 patients in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, offering a comprehensive range of services.
A solid vision to create the best services
“I’ve always been someone who does things on his own. I have always been a visionary wanting to make changes on what it is wrong, I want to do it myself,” Dr. Rodriguez explains of his involvement, along with Ivan Herrera, owner of Univista Insurance, on the Univista Medical Centers project. The rapid expansion of Univida facilities reflects the community’s need for a service aligned with their vision.
After spending a year creating all processes and infrastructure for the project, the first Univida facility opened its doors in November 2021 at Flagler and 57th Avenue, with a warm reception from the community. Dr. Rodriguez and his team spent time handpicking the best professionals in the area, the best physicians in terms of knowledge but also ethics and empathy, willing to give their all to reach high marks in quality of care and the patients noticed the difference.
Univida Medical Centers have introduced from the beginning state-of-the-art technology, to assist physicians in their tasks. “We understood from early on that technology is a great thing and we invested a lot in technology for the prevention, early diagnosis and detection of diseases and also for treatment.
With a clear purpose of bringing world-class facilities to the doorstep of every patient, the network of Univida Medical Centers expanded in three years for a total of ten centers, including two opening in Hialeah and Pembroke Pines next month and Miami Beach and Kendall before the end of the year.
Dr. Rodriguez is excited to move their corporate headquarters to the brand new, 3-story, 60,000 sq Ft facility they are building in Doral. “Doral is an amazing, young, growing city, with tremendous potential and a competent and visionary governance. Geographically it is located at a strategic point, equidistant to many municipalities in Miami Dade. It is close to Downtown Miami; it is close to the airport and with easy access to the expressway. It was an easy decision for us to pick Doral for all those reasons.”
“Bridging the gap between hospitalist medicine and primary care”
“Univida is the only company that has been able to successfully bridge the gap of communication between hospitalist medicine and primary care, by creating a large network of hospitalist providers in every hospital of our community, which has led to a reduction in medical errors, improve quality of care and patient experience and satisfaction, and a better utilization of the resources, which translates in significant cost savings.”
The broad experience and network of Dr. Rodriguez within the Jackson Health System allows Univida’s patients to have access to attention with world-class specialists. But for Dr. Rodriguez the most important difference that Univida centers bring to the table is their investment in technology. “The earlier the treatment, the better the outcome” stressed Dr. Rodriguez. Univida is the only outpatient center to “provide hyperbaric treatment with FDA hyperbaric chambers, which has positively changed the lives of many patients suffering from pain, chronic non-healing diabetic ulcers and many other debilitating illnesses.”
Beyond providing all services under one roof, Univida patients have all bases covered in the hands of physicians that treat them as family. Dr. Rodriguez emphasizes the importance of the patient-physician relationship in delivering optimal care. “For me, quality of care is number one on everything,” he says. “My physicians spend a lot of time with their patients, because I understand that rapport is a huge part, not only for the patient but for us to make educated decisions and a positive impact on our patients.”
Best care is compassionate care
When patients become part of the Univida family they have access to excellent physicians but also excellent people. Dr. Rodriguez definition of “Best Medical Care” is based not only in the practice of medicine but in compassion and ethics; on going the extra mile to always be the advocate for the patient.
“Compassion, empathy, sympathy and on top of that it is given by a professional well trained, who constantly strives to be better every single day; who is aware of every single treatment out there; who is aware of every single method or technology to provide that patient with the best outcome.”
For more information on the locations, services and how to become part of the Univida Medical Centers family you can visit https://www.unividamedicalcenters.com/