New Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Naples

by Amy Lane
Director of Development & Major Gifts
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Naples

Q. The new building in Naples is incredible. Can you tell us about it?

A. The building was designed by Gresham, Smith and Partners, a leading multidisciplinary design and consulting firm. The facility is 20,000 square feet and includes 22 exam eye lanes, imaging suites, physician offices, an optical lab, and the soon to be
Ambulatory Surgical Center. It is a LEED certified building meaning it is resource efficient. LEED certification means healthier
and more productive working environments due to energy and resource-efficient buildings, savings from increased building value, and decreased utility costs. It uses less water and energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and because of the efficiency money is saved. As an example, the elevators use about the same amount of electricity as a light bulb. The architecture is remarkable and has a very contemporary feeling both inside and out.

Q. What is the Ambulatory Surgical Center and when do you expect for it to be open?

A. The Ambulatory Surgical Center occupies half of the second floor in our new building.

It is 5,000 square feet and includes two operating rooms, six patient surgical preparation and recovery bays and a family surgical waiting lounge. It will be staffed with highly trained surgeons who will perform cataract surgery, retinal detachment surgery, corneal transplantation, glaucoma surgery, strabismus (eye muscle) surgery, oculoplastic (eyelid) surgery, and other procedures. With this new surgical center, our Naples area patients will no longer need to travel to Miami for specialized surgeries and follow-up care. We are actively fundraising so that we can fully equip the ASC. It is our hope to be open by Fall of 2016.

Q. You mentioned that you are actively fundraising? Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization? I find that interesting as I’ve heard from so many here in our community who assume it is a private practice. Can you explain?

A. Bascom Palmer’s success in patient care has been possible due to so many who have philanthropically supported the mission since its founding in 1962. The Ophthalmology Research Foundation (ORF) is a non-profit organization and fundraising arm dedicated to the prevention of blindness, established to receive and maintain funds used exclusively to support activities of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/ Department of Ophthalmology of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. For more than 40 years, the ORF has supported research by Bascom Palmer’s vision scientists as well as funded the purchase of equipment, property and services used for patient care, physician training and education.

The future of ophthalmology lies in the development of new technology and through innovative research. We rely upon our Naples community for philanthropic donations that will support our new building campaign as well as supporting our physicians and scientists who develop new therapeutic techniques and surgical instruments that advance the course of ophthalmic practices worldwide. Naples is an incredibly generous community and we are very grateful to our donors for their continued support.