On July 27th, the City of Doral celebrated the opening if the first academic medical center in west Miami-Dade. The Jackson West Medical Center is also the first built-to-suit campus in the company’s century of service to South Florida. The new facility combines consumer-centered outpatient facilities with the latest surgical and inpatient. With easy to navigate facilities, passionately engaged caregivers, an academic partnership with the University of Miami Health System and clinical services tailored to fit nearby communities, one quickly recognizes every aspect of Jackson West revolves around the patient.

The construction of the Jackson West Medical Center required 40 tons of structural steel beams, tubing, pipes and plates but the steel could not be erected without a corrosion protection system. Located only about 10 miles from the ocean (as a crow flies), winds constantly push salty sea air in to the environment surrounding the campus. This saline atmosphere causes accelerated corrosion if steel is not properly protected. The protection system not only needed to combat corrosion but it also needed to be durable and long-lasting in order to meet project goals.

Hot-dip galvanizing was ultimately selected for this project because of its history of exceptional performance in this type of environment. Due to the development of intermetallic zinc-iron alloy layers during the galvanizing process, the galvanized steel is extremely abrasion resistant meaning there is low risk for damaging the barrier during erection or afterwards. According to the time to first maintenance chart developed by the American Galvanizers Association, with a minimum coating thickness of 3.9 mils applied in accordance with ASTM A123, the project owners can expect 75 years of service in this atmosphere before maintenance is required. Eliminating maintenance not only reduces costs but it also decreases the frequency of detours and confusion due to these types of projects which is central to patient care. Since the galvanized steel should not require any touch-up or repairs that other coatings would require, patients and medical center workers have one less obstacle to worry about in the future.

Reliable, quality, patient-centric healthcare is vitally important, now more than ever. By building modern, long-lasting facilities, Jackson Health System can provide South Florida residence the best in medical attention for generations to come.