CARROLLWOOD, FL (TIP): Florida Hospital Carrollwood has received a significant donation of $5 million from Dr. Kiran Patel and his wife, Dr. Pallavi Patel. This gift will help fund a $21 million project aimed to bring a modernized Catheterization (Cath) Lab and sizable Emergency Department expansion to the Tampa Bay community.

“We are all in, to help make Florida Hospital Carrollwood’s Cardiac Cath Lab second to none and are excited to bring this advanced facility to the community that we call home,” said Dr. Kiran Patel.

A noted Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist from Tampa, Dr. Kiran Patel is the Chairman and President of Freedom Health, Inc. and Optimum Health, Inc. in Florida. He sees philanthropy as his responsibility and passion. Dr. Patel built the WellCare Management Group which he sold in 2002 to a private equity group. The Patel’s have used these proceeds to continue their generous philanthropic work in the Tampa Bay community. Recently, Dr. Patel purchased the former Clearwater Christian College property and has plans to create a college of osteopathic medicine to attract more doctors to this area. Their non-profit organization, the Kiran and Pallavi Patel Foundation for Global Understanding, funds a number of initiatives in health, education and culture. It even offers an annual scholarship to the underprivileged youth in the United States.

As longtime residents of the Carrollwood community, the Patels have been giving back to the Tampa Bay area for decades. In addition to their previous accomplishments, Dr. Patel served as an accomplished Cardiologist and his wife, Dr. Pallavi Patel specialized in Pediatrics.

“We feel blessed that the Patel’s have chosen Florida Hospital Carrollwood to donate $5 million. This major contribution will help us better serve our community by building a state-of-the-art Cath Lab. In addition, these funds will go directly to expanding our Emergency Department. Most people look forward to receiving gifts on their birthday however, Dr. Patel is celebrating his birthday today, by giving back to the community,” said Joe Johnson, President and CEO of Florida Hospital Carrollwood.

The new Cath Lab will open in July 2017 and ground-breaking on the “Dr. Kiran C. Patel” Emergency Department expansion will occur in late 2017.