By Tamas Mondovics
As construction of its long awaited112-bed facility continues in Riverview, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South is on schedule to open its doors to the public during the first part of 2015.
The actual opening of the new four-story, 352,000 sq. ft. hospital will traditionally be celebrated with a grand opening ceremony for the community. St. Joseph’s Hospital-South is part of BayCare Health System located at 6901 Simmons Loop Rd. in Riverview, near the intersection of Big Bend Rd. and Simmons Loop Rd. approximately one-half mile east of I-75.
As a full-service hospital featuring 90 private patient rooms and 22 observation rooms, the new campus is promising to create about 500 jobs while offering a wide range of services including emergency care within its 32-bed emergency center, a 16-bed Intensive Care Unit, two 30-bed units for surgical patients and those with acute medical needs.
The hospital has also designated a 14-bed unit for mother, baby and family, two dedicated operating rooms for women’s surgical needs as well as labor and delivery suites.
Four operating rooms for general, outpatient pediatric and urological surgery in additional to two endoscopy suites are also included, not to mention radiology, a full service imaging center complete with all digital and stereotactic imaging technology.
When open, many will no longer have to travel far for heart related issues, thanks to the St. Joseph’s Cardiac Interventional Services, an interventional treatment center with two universal labs for cardiac cauterization and interventional radiology.
“A lot of work is taking place on the interior, which includes the patient care area on the second, third and fourth floors, nursing stations, radiology and the emergency room and the first floor of the Medical Office Building,” said BayCare Health System St. Joseph’s Hospitals Media Relations Coordinator, Nancy Gay.
Scott Smith has been confirmed as President of St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, while select management positions are currently posted on the BayCare.org Website, and staff positions will be posted in the fall at www.BayCare.org.
The hospital will count on a paperless, all digital environment with electronic documentation, which will give physicians and staff real-time access to patient results and information.
The completion of the new hospital comes on the heels of St. Joseph’s 40-000 sq. ft. Physician’s Office Building that opened last summer which has been reporting success.
“They are seeing anywhere from 5-7 new patients, many commenting on having a place close to home with easy access,” said Gay.
For more information, visit www.stjosephssouth.org.
