For the past 70-plus years, South Florida Baptist Hospital has served the Plant City and surrounding communities in its Alexander Street facility
With a goal of a mid-May opening, South Florida Baptist Hospital (SFBH) will be treating and caring for its patients in a new state-of-the-art facility being built off exit 22 of Interstate 4.
To give folks the chance to see the inside of the new hospital, SFBH is holding a community preview event. From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21, staff at the hospital, 3202 N. Park Road, will give guests a chance to see what services, amenities and medical services the new hospital will offer.
The new $326 million, 424,000-square-feet facility will be the newest of BayCare’s 16 hospitals across west central Florida. The current hospital is 250,000 square feet.
Ground for the new SFBH medical center was broken in Oct. 2021.
SFBH President Karen Kerr said the new hospital will continue the legacy of serving Plant City residents and folks from surrounding areas.
“Building this new hospital means we will have the capacity to continue serving the health care needs of our growing and dynamic community,” she said in a written statement.
According to information provided by SFBH, once constructed, the new hospital will feature 146 private patient rooms, contain an 85,000-square-feet medical arts building and will employ a staff of more than 800 along with 250 physicians.
Among the areas of specialization that will be offered will be general surgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, imaging, cardiac catheterization, emergency care and labor/delivery.
SFBH Director of Operations Beth Tancredo said the new medical arts building will make it possible for patients undergoing any type of procedure or surgery to get all their tests “done in one place.”
“It will house a state-of-the-art outpatient imaging center, provide lab services, a spacious infusion center, wound care and adult physical therapy and also include office space for BayCare Medical Group physicians,” she stated by email. “All the amenities a patient might need for health care will be in one location.”
During the 3-hour event, guests will be able to take self-guided tours through designated areas such as the emergency department and the 26-bed intensive care unit. Visitors will also be able to tour one of the eight operating rooms in the new surgery center or one of the seven new labor and delivery suites.
“We’re excited to give people an opportunity to preview the new hospital,” stated Kerr. “We’ve worked hard to bring this project to fruition amid much anticipation. We are looking forward to finally opening our doors for all to see.”
In addition to self-guided tours, guests attending the community preview event can visit the “health village” in the hospital’s parking lot. There, hospital representatives will be available to answer questions and provide information on hospital services. In addition, the Community Health Wellness on Wheels bus will be at the event, as well as the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Wellness and Safety Center and Pediatric Transport Team, providing information on pediatric services.
To register for the community preview event, go to https://events.blackthorn.io/en/4PhhY86/south-florida-baptist-hospital-preview-event-5a2g6f3A8Ce/overview or call 800-BAYCARE (229-2273).