Celebrating Moffitt at SouthShore’s Grand Opening

Moffitt Cancer Center celebrated the opening of its new clinic in Ruskin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 10. Moffitt at SouthShore will welcome its first patients at 2709 E. College Ave. on Monday, Jan. 27.

Moffitt executives, community leaders and team members joined to celebrate on the chilly January morning to cut the ribbon and lead tours of the 75,000-square-foot building. Patrick Hwu, MD, president and CEO of Moffitt, welcomed the crowd and emphasized the importance and impact the new facility will have on the community and cancer care at large.

“The opening of Moffitt at SouthShore is not just about expanding our footprint,” Hwu said. “It’s about bringing world-class cancer care closer to those who need it most. It has taken a team to get here, and we are deeply grateful for the commitment and efforts of everyone involved.”

It’s about bringing world-class cancer care closer to those who need it most.

Patrick Hwu, MD

Hwu shared that Florida has the second highest cancer death rate in the nation, but with innovation and advanced care centers like the one Moffitt is opening at SouthShore, “We can and will drive that death rate down,” he said.

Moffitt at SouthShore is expected to treat nearly 9,000 patients within its first five years of operation. Advanced technology throughout the building will provide a superior patient experience and clinical outcomes, and the new location will offer cancer screenings, diagnostic imaging, blood draw, clinical labs, radiation therapy and infusion services. 

Jazmin Calzada thanks the team that helped make Moffitt at SouthShore possible.

The design of the building from Beck Architecture provides an easy-to-follow footprint for patients who can access radiation oncology services and blood draw on the first floor and infusion and clinical exam rooms on the second. That design, and its new location in southern Hillsborough County, means less time on the road for many who have used Moffitt’s services at its campuses in Tampa.

“It’s so important for our community to know that Moffitt’s commitment to elite-level cancer care extends far beyond the Magnolia and McKinley campuses,” said Jazmin Calzada, director of Nursing and Ambulatory Clinic Operations at Moffitt. “Ambulatory centers like this one play a critical role in supporting Moffitt’s expansive health care system and bringing world-class care closer to home.”

The new facility sits on 9 acres and is home to 18 clinical exam rooms and a full radiology suite offering MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, mammograms and PET scans.

Among those touring the new facility was former Florida Speaker of the House and Moffitt Cancer Center founder H. Lee Moffitt. This center marks the fourth Moffitt campus in Tampa Bay. It’s progress that will only improve cancer care for those who need it, he said.

 “We are meeting the need and serving a lot of people who need our care,” Moffitt said.

Moffitt at SouthShore opened its doors for tours on Jan. 10 and welcomed community leaders, team members and leadership to tour the new building. The first patient will be welcomed on Jan. 27.

Opening Remarks

Patrick Hwu, MD, president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center, welcomes more than 200 attendees Jan. 10 to the grand opening ceremony at Moffitt at SouthShore.

Moffitt at SouthShore

Moffitt at SouthShore is 75,000 square feet and sits on 9 acres in Ruskin, Florida.

Moffitt at SouthShore Lobby

The Moffitt at SouthShore lobby sits just inside its doors and has access to a grand staircase to the second level.

Imaging

Imaging is located on the first floor at Moffitt at SouthShore.

Waiting Area

The first floor waiting area at Moffitt at SouthShore is designed to offer a comforting atmosphere to patients, families and caregivers.

Registration Desk

The registration desk at Moffitt at SouthShore is just inside the main entrance and next to the elevators and grand staircase leading to the second floor.

Radiation Oncology and Blood Draw

Patients can access Radiation Oncology and Blood Draw on the first floor of Moffitt at SouthShore.

Infusion Waiting Area

The waiting area on the second floor at Moffitt at SouthShore is a well lit space just outside of the infusion bays, where patients can receive their chemotherapy.

Multidisciplinary Clinic

The multidisciplinary clinic on the second floor of Moffitt at SouthShore will allow all cancer types to be treated by Moffitt physicians and staff.

Private Exam Rooms

Each exam room at Moffitt at SouthShore is easily accessible yet private, allowing for physicians to provide state-of-the-art care in a private setting.

Infusion

The nurses station in the Moffitt at SouthShore infusion center is centrally located to each individual bay.

Piece of Cake!

Patrick Hwu, MD, CEO and president of Moffitt Cancer Center, prepares to cut the cake replica of Moffitt at SouthShore during the grand opening celebration Jan. 10.