Employer Spotlight: University of Miami Health System – UHealth Tower

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The University of Miami Health System has more than 10,000 employees and operates multiple inpatient and outpatient facilities. One of its primary facilities in the heart of Miami is UHealth Tower, which provides healthcare services to patients in Miami-Dade County and other parts of Southern Florida. UHealth Tower has plenty to offer nurses, including access to some of the best intensive care units in the region, market-leading salaries and medical, vision and dental benefits that start from the first day of employment.

Whether you’re interested in travel nursing in Florida or looking for something more permanent, this guide explains why you should consider adding the University of Miami Health System’s UHealth Tower to your list of potential employers.

Overview of UHealth Tower

In 2017, the University of Miami integrated three hospitals under a single operational model, creating the University of Miami Health System (UHealth). One of those facilities is UHealth Tower, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Before integrating into the University of Miami Health System, UHealth Tower was called Cedars Medical Center. The University of Miami acquired Cedars Medical Center from HCA Healthcare in 2007.

UHealth Tower is a member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems and has approximately 50 interns and residents at any given time, as reported in the American Hospital Directory. The facility also offers clinical experiences to nursing students from the University of Miami and other schools with nursing education programs.

UHealth Tower is known for its medical/surgical and cardiac intensive care units. Its top specialties include neurology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology and oncology. Despite its status as a university teaching hospital, UHealth Tower doesn’t have a trauma center designation, but it does have a dedicated emergency services department.

UHealth Tower by the Numbers

UHealth Tower has 476 beds, including 12 in the cardiac ICU and 26 in the medical-surgical ICU. The facility’s surgeons perform nearly 7,000 inpatient and 5,000 outpatient surgeries annually. UHealth Tower also has a busy emergency department, evidenced by the more than 40,000 ED visits recorded yearly.

Mission, Diversity and Inclusion

Employees at UHealth Tower strive to carry out its mission: to provide patient-centered care, reduce the human burden of illness and make life-changing discoveries through high-quality research, prevention and education activities. UHealth Miami also emphasizes the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in its policies, which includes patients, staff and vendors. The University of Miami is committed to a culture of belonging. Its Workplace Equity and Inclusion initiatives help increase diversity awareness throughout the University.

Awards and Honors

The University of Miami Health System has received many awards and honors. In October 2022, officials from UHealth Tower announced that the hospital had received its highest-ever patient satisfaction scores on the Press-Ganey survey. More than 90% of patients reported that they would likely recommend the facility to others.

In 2018, UHealth Tower received the Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association. To win this award, the hospital had to achieve specific quality measures related to diagnosing and treating strokes, such as the proper use of medications and reliance on evidence-based treatment methods.

In alignment with the health system’s goals of providing quality patient care and earning recognition for its nursing talent, the University of Miami Hospital began its journey for Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2019. It kicked off this initiative during UHealth’s observance of National Nurses Week. Earning this prestigious recognition is a long process. The health system filed its initial application at the end of 2019 and has a site visit expected in late 2023 or early 2024.

Nonclinical staff members have also received recognition for their efforts. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Miami Health System officials asked the IT team to develop a reliable solution for tracking vaccinations with as little human intervention as possible. The solution had to work without disrupting the systems used for patient care and scheduling. When the IT team completed the Population Outreach and Automation for COVID-19 project, they earned a CIO 100 Award for innovation.

Perks and Benefits of Working at UHealth Tower

Nurses and other healthcare professionals enjoy access to various benefits at UHealth Tower and other UHealth Miami facilities. These benefits include medical and dental coverage, opportunities to provide specialty care and reasonable staffing ratios to ensure patient safety and reduced risk of employee burnout.

Employee Benefits

As of December 9, 2022, UHealth Tower offered three medical insurance options to its employees. All three plans included prescription drug coverage, 100% coverage of in-network preventive care services and reduced co-pays for seeing doctors at University of Miami facilities.

UHealth Miami also has the Well ‘Canes Program, which emphasizes preventive care and wellness services. This program includes free screenings and preventive care based on each employee’s age, sex and other factors. Available services include flu and shingles vaccines, well-woman exams and annual physicals.

Eligible employees also have access to the following benefits:

• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Dental HMO and PPO options
• Vision coverage
• Incentives for participating in qualifying health activities
• Weight Watchers at Work
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage
• Life insurance
• Long-term care insurance
• Disability insurance
• Housing discounts
• Legal services

The health system also offers competitive salaries, paid vacation, holiday and floating holiday pay, flexible schedules, work/life balance, access to a state-of-the-art wellness center and full-time, part-time or per diem employment.

Specialty Nursing Opportunities

Per the U.S. News & World Report, UHealth Tower ranked nationally in three adult specialties and high-performing in eight procedures and conditions, giving nurses and other healthcare professionals plenty of opportunities to practice their skills. The hospital ranked No. 1 nationally in Ophthalmology, No. 25 in neurology and neurosurgery and No. 48 in cancer care. 

Surgeons at the hospital perform a high volume of procedures to treat colon cancer, especially among adults aged 65 and older. UHealth Tower earned high scores for lung surgery, especially in the areas of discharging patients directly to their homes, handling a large number of patients and preventing lengthy hospitalizations. The hospital also received a high-performing ranking in heart failure and heart attack treatments.

Reasonable Staffing Ratios

Having the appropriate staffing ratio makes a big difference in a nurse’s workload and the safety of patients in a particular facility or unit. UHealth Miami promotes patient safety by striving to maintain the best possible staffing ratios. In intensive care units, nurses care for just one or two patients at a time, allowing them to pay close attention to each person’s needs. Progressive step-down units within the system have 1-to-3 ratios to ensure high-quality care. On general medical units, nurses care for no more than four to five patients at a time.

Working in South Florida

UHealth Tower is conveniently located in Downtown Miami, putting you in the center of the action. Here’s an overview of what you can expect regarding parking, transportation and nearby amenities.

Parking and Transportation

UHealth Tower offers employee parking, so you don’t need to worry about parking your vehicle on the street or paying to park at a private garage. However, you do need to get a parking permit from the human resources department.

If you plan to drive to work, be aware that the average one-way commute in Miami takes almost 29 minutes. Your total commute time depends on where you live, what route you follow and whether any accidents or construction projects slow you down along the way.

Miami has a robust public transportation system, giving you several options if you’d rather let someone else take care of the driving. For example, Metrorail provides access to the UHealth Miami campus via the Civic Center Station. Metrobus also operates several routes with access to UHealth Tower, providing multiple options based on your location.

On-Site and Nearby Amenities

UHealth Tower has an on-site cafeteria serving continental breakfast, full breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days per week. The hospital’s convenient location also makes it easy to grab a bite to eat before or after work. Eateries near the University of Miami Health System campus include Jay’s Hot Dog Stand, Panera Brand, Pollo Tropical, Wendy’s and Burger King. You can even find Haitian food at Greg’s Cookout or Honduran food at Chicken House #4.

If you’re interested in conducting nursing research, the hospital is also a short walk from the University of Miami’s Calder Library, which has hard copies of medical journals and offers access to more than two dozen online databases. Calder Library is on 10th Avenue NW, just two streets from UHealth Tower, making it easy to visit before or after your shift.

UHealth Tower may also be an ideal place to work if you’re planning to rent an apartment instead of buying a house in one of Miami’s bedroom communities. The campus is close to Shepherd’s Court Apartments, Better Way Apartments and other residential complexes.

The University of Miami is also part of the Soleste Spring Gardens apartments’ preferred employer program. This luxury apartment complex is very near the medical campus and offers rentals to UHealth employees with one-month free rent, waived registration fee and security deposit and a free parking space.

Instead of sitting in traffic on I-95 or I-395, you can be home after working your shift at UHealth Tower in a matter of minutes.

How to Contact UHealth Tower

UHealth Tower
University of Miami Health System
1400 NW 12th Avenue
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 325-5511