New-to-market company plans 12 locations in South Florida

Posted on April 7, 2016

After recently gaining approval to offer health insurance in Florida, Harken Health announced plans to open 12 care centers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Harken Health, a new subsidiary of UnitedHealthcare, offers plans through independent insurance brokers and on the federal health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act. Its members are matched with a “care team” at one of its health centers to manage their health care. There is no co-pay for primary care visits.

Harken Health plans to open 12 clinics in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to support its new insurance plan.

“We’ve been humbled by the enthusiastic response to this approach in Atlanta and Chicago, and look forward to bringing Harken to the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale areas,” said Tom Vanderheyden, CEO of Harken Health. “Too many people go to the doctor as a last resort. Harken is committed to shifting this ‘emergency room mindset’ by bringing unlimited access to primary care physicians who know you personally to each of the communities we serve.”

The company is in the process of signing leases for eight locations in Miami-Dade and four in Broward, according to a Harken Health representative. The targeted cities for the locations are Davie, Downtown Miami, Cypress Run, Hollywood, Kendale Lakes, Oakland Park, Miami Lakes, Hialeah, Palmetto Bay, Quail Heights, North Miami Beach and South Miami.

The average size of a Harken Health center is 5,500 square feet. They will each be staffed with two to three doctors, eight to ten health coaches, additional nurses and supporting staff.

The first locations here should open on Jan. 1.

“With heart disease topping the list of chronic health illnesses across both Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Harken sees opportunity in these markets to break down the barriers the modern health system has created that hinder access to relationship-based primary care,” Vanderheyden said.