With the close, the university's 55-year-old Miller School ofMedicine has gained a full-scale hospital for the first time. HCAand the university signed a letter of intent to pursue the sale onMarch 26. On Oct. 26, the executive committee of the university'sboard of trustees voted to give UM senior officers the authority tocomplete the deal, and administrators proceeded with regulatoryapprovals.

The hospital is located at 1400 NW 12th Ave., just across fromthe medical school's NW 12th Avenue campus. A Miller Schoolspokeswoman tells GlobeSt.com the medical school took immediateownership of the 560-bed facility, renamed it University of MiamiHospital and installed the new identity on the building on Dec.3.

Most of the physicians on Cedars' medical staff have alreadycompleted the credentialing process required to begin practicing atthe new University of Miami Hospital. The nurses, technicians andother support personnel will become university employees.