By Tamas Mondovics
After nearly two years in the making, including land acquisition, planning, design and construction, TGH Brandon Healthplex, Tampa General Hospital’s first state-of-the-art, off-site, outpatient medical center is now open.
Designed to be a convenient destination for patients to access a broad spectrum of quality health care services – all under one roof—the long anticipated 130,000 sq. ft., four-story comprehensive ambulatory center is located at 10740 Palm River Rd. near Topgolf.
TGH officials said that the new facility will house the hospital’s first free-standing adult and pediatric emergency departments, a helipad, surgery center, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and physician offices. It will provide easy access to outpatient ambulatory care.
“This is really Tampa General’s first major step into the new world of health care, which is bringing health care to you,” said John A. Brabson Jr. chairman of the TGH Board of Directors. “Our goal is to offer the same excellent care, but to do it in a more efficient way, and in a more convenient way for you.”
TGH Brandon Healthplex celebrated the start of the multi-phased opening with a free, community open house, giving guests a chance for a sneak peek of the facility.
The event saw representatives from the Tampa Bay Rays, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Top Golf, iFly indoor skydiving, and the American Heart Association. Radio station WQYK provided music, while food was offered by Chick-Fil-A and Brandon’s Corner Bakery Café.
Boasting of the benefits, Brabson emphasized that patients will be able to come to the Healthplex to treat a cold, rather than waiting and winding up at the TGH Emergency Department with pneumonia.
The Healthplex first opened its Emergency Center, which includes 20 private beds and two resuscitation bays open around the clock to treat adult and pediatric patients, while the on-site helipad is promising to allow Aeromed to fly patients needing more advanced medical care to the main hospital on Davis Islands for treatment.
TGH spokesperson John Dunn said that the Healthplex Ambulatory Outpatient Surgery Center has seen its first case mid-April, and will provide a variety of same-day surgeries for adults and pediatric patients.
The surgery center features six operating rooms with space to add two more in the future, and two endoscopy rooms. It also includes 13 recovery rooms and 24 pre-and-post-procedure bays.
Additional services include the full-service laboratory to provide a wide range of lab tests, an Imaging Services area, which includes digital X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds.
A full-service pharmacy is currently available for patients, employees, and later offered to the public, is now located on the first floor and accepts most major health insurance plans.
A café area is next to the pharmacy and sells beverages, salads, snacks, soups and other items.
The new building also has room for offices for Tampa General Medical Group (TGMG) and USF primary and specialty care physicians.
For more information, visit www.tghhealthplex.com.
