In an innovative push to bring a state-of-the-art, lifesaving upgrade in emergency medical care to the greater Jacksonville community, Baptist Health is planning to construct a new, four-story emergency and patient care tower in the very center of its flagship campus. This expansion will give Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s Hospital additional room to provide more adult and pediatric care at those moments when minutes make a big difference.
Addressing growing local health needs, the emergency healthcare system in Jacksonville is growing. That is where a new $190 million Baptist Health tower fits into meeting these growing demands, after receiving over 87,000 visits to its emergency departments in 2023. Entering with an element of significant improvement in quality and not mere augmentation of capacity, it will introduce a patient-centered approach to ensure efficiency and comfort.
Michael Mayo, president and chief executive officer at Baptist Health, pinned that this is all about re-imagining the patient experience. “We challenged ourselves to do more than expand and renovate what exists today-instead, we are re-imagining the entire environment of care,” Mayo said. The vision also reflects in its design as it includes innovative rooms: child-focused emergency care and dedicated space for complex cases related to stroke, chest pain, and pediatric trauma.
Advanced Emergency Care for All Ages
The tower’s footprint is 123,000 square feet with two separate emergency rooms-one for adults and one for children. It shows the growing trend in healthcare design: designing an emergency care space that focuses on patient needs. This will definitely help Baptist Jacksonville in adding much-needed capacity to its service, as the hospital is also renowned regionally in heart and stroke care. Specialized equipment, protocols, and multidisciplinary care teams comprise the pediatric emergency room.
The child-centered design will ensure that children receiving emergency care are comfortable in an environment that can be very overwhelming and stressful. This is important, as the tower will further facilitate the Wolfson Children’s Porter Family Children’s Trauma Center-a state-designated Level I pediatric trauma center-and one of the few comprehensive trauma centers in the region-to allow faster access to lifesaving care at the most critical moments.
Future-Proofing in Jacksonville’s Emergency Healthcare
This new tower is more than an expansion-it is a leap into the future of emergency care. Besides emergency rooms, the facility also contain an expanded continuum of medical care services, ranging from an endoscopy suite and imaging to laboratory resources, including spaces for pre-and post-operative heart areas. The next stage of this building will further expand the site with an additional 68 inpatient rooms due to increased demand.
Also, this will be a facility to meet all the changing needs of Jacksonville. Considering the healthcare demands are continuously shifting toward specialized care, the design of the tower positions Baptist Health for advanced treatments of complex conditions. Moreover, state-of-the-art technology and flexible spaces allow for further growth to keep Baptist Health on the leading edge in emergency healthcare.
A Seamless, Accessible Care Experience
Not only will the new tower expand care capacity, but it also will enhance the patient experience through its redesigned emergency center entrance. A more visible, accessible drop-off area will ensure that patients and their loved ones are quickly routed to the right area of care. Those requiring immediate attention will have easy access to specialized treatment areas for stroke, heart care and trauma via the tower.
“We are, in particular, grateful for the support of our generous donors who enable us to elevate and expand lifesaving care and advanced treatment options for our community,” said Nicole B. Thomas, FACHE, hospital president of Baptist Jacksonville. This community partnership will continue to support the latest technology and equipment, further enhancing the level of care provided.
Building on Jacksonville’s Legacy of Excellence
The project is so much more than bricks and mortar; it stands for Baptist Health’s continued pledge to the very best in service. “It matters where parents take their child in an emergency, and we are proud to offer children and their families the highest level of pediatric emergency and trauma care,” said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. With this new tower, Baptist Health continues to play an ever-increasing role in the healthcare community of Jacksonville.
As the construction begins in 2025, the new emergency tower will open in phases, with full completion expected in 2029. Though it is currently a construction site, both the Baptist Jacksonville and Wolfson Children’s ERs will remain open 24/7, and signs along with staff will make sure the emergency services are easy to find.
Read also: Nemours Children’s Health Announces $300M Expansion for Lake Nona Hospital, FL.
Project Factsheet: Baptist Health’s New Emergency & Patient Care Tower
Facility: Four-story Emergency & Patient Care Tower
Location: Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville & Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL
Square Footage: 123,000 sq. ft.
Estimated Completion: 2029
Estimated Cost: $190 million
Key Features:
Emergency Care: Two emergency rooms-one for adults and one for children-100 total emergency rooms, including 63 for adults and 37 for children
Specialized Care: 3 pediatric trauma rooms, advanced care for chest pain, stroke, behavioral health crises, complex illnesses, and pediatric trauma
Facilities: Imaging, laboratory resources, endoscopy suite, and heart care areas
Expansion: Future addition of 68 inpatient rooms
Community Impact:
Improved access to care for adults and children
Will increase the capacity of lifesaving treatments and trauma care for the region
Philanthropy is important in helping to fund advanced technologies and care
Read also: Stantec Tapped to Design New $212 Million Academic Health Sciences and Clinical Facility at FIU
