New Blake Medical Center $3M burn unit is state-of-the-art facility

BRADENTON -- With a ribbon-cutting and party, the new Burn and Reconstructive Centers of Florida Inc. at Blake Medical Center officially opened this week.

The first-floor facility on the hospital's north end is only the sixth burn center in Florida.

About 40 guests and staff, including Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston, Manatee County Commissioner John Chappie and other dignitaries attended the party Wednesday night in the six-room center, which is highlighted by a state-of-the-art stainless steel tub from Sweden that gently removes burn-damaged skin with jets of warm water.

The hospital spent $3 million on remodeling and new equipment for the three areas at Blake, including a specialized burn operating room in the operating room suite, a dedicated burn trauma bay in the emergency room and the burn and wound care clinic.

The new burn and wound clinic is led by burn surgeon, researcher and clinic co-director Dr. Fred Mullins of Augusta, Ga., who will be joined by co-director Dr. Michael Van Vliet of Memphis, Tenn., and Dr. Laura Velcu of Augusta, Ga.

The center, which began taking patients this past summer, is not just for the most complex burns. It's also equipped to do complex hand surgery, the most problematic skin infections and chronic wounds, said Lynne Grief, vice president of trauma for Blake.

"We have created a world-class burn center," said Dan Friedrich, chief executive officer of Blake Medical Center. "The talent of the physicians, the support staff, the equipment, the facility, it's all part of something special. We are the only place between Tampa and Miami that has this service."

There was a large need in the community for these services, Van Vliet said.

"The two major things that we provide include our acute hand service," Van Vliet said. "We do a lot of digital reattachments for people who cut their fingers off, and that service wasn't previously available to the community."

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "New Blake Medical Center $3M burn unit is state-of-the-art facility."