Hospital and community leaders gathered September 1 to break ground on Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast's $30 million expansion project to increase capacity for maternity, emergency, inpatient and pediatric services.
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, part of the Ascension Gulf Coast Ministry Market, is in Miramar Beach, Florida.
Since opening in January 2003, the hospital has consistently operated above 70 percent occupancy and reaches full capacity during peak inpatient months.
"Our journey is so much different today from a building standpoint, but our mission remains the same – to provide high-quality, compassionate healthcare for all," said Roger Hall, President of Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. "It truly is an honor and a privilege to serve the community, and we look forward to being the gateway to world-class care for generations to come."
The hospital's Family Birth Place will be redesigned and expanded to provide a total of five labor and delivery rooms, 12 postpartum rooms, two antepartum rooms, four triage rooms, and a larger nursery. The expanded maternity services will allow for a future Level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) facility in collaboration with The Children's Hospital at Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida.
The emergency department expansion will include five additional treatment rooms and an eight-bed observation unit to provide care for patients staying less than 24 to 48 hours. The inpatient expansion will include 12 new medical/surgical rooms, with a portion of those rooms to be pediatric-friendly to allow for the future expansion of inpatient pediatric services. A portion of the emergency department rooms also will be pediatric-friendly.
Construction already has begun to address the need for more parking areas, with a side parking lot to be completed later in September. The hospital expansion will be completed in two phases, with the first phase opening in 2016 and the second phase in 2017.
The event also celebrated the 100th anniversary of Sacred Heart Health System, which was founded by the Daughters of Charity in Pensacola on Sept. 1, 1915. Sister Jean Rhoads, Provincial Councillor of the Daughters of Charity, was present to celebrate the occasion with hospital leadership.
The expansion of Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast is a continuation of the mission of Sacred Heart Health System and Ascension to bring compassionate, personalized healthcare to all persons, with special attention to those who are struggling the most.
"This is a great day for Sacred Heart Health System and Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast," said Susan Davis, President and CEO of Sacred Heart Health System. "We could not be more proud of what Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast has accomplished since its opening in 2003. We are thrilled to be able to make another major investment to expand the services we can provide to the communities we serve."
Pictured: Sr. Jean Rhoads, DC, Provincial Councillor of the Daughters of Charity, gives the closing prayer at a groundbreaking ceremony at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.
