Bartow Regional Medical Center Groundbreaking Signals Beginning of Expansion

News provided by

Nov 07, 2024, 17:05 ET

CLEARWATER, Fla., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the current location of BayCare Health System's Bartow Regional Medical Center opened in 1999, the population of Bartow has increased by about 26%.

On Nov. 6, hospital team members and administration joined with city leaders to celebrate Bartow Regional Medical Center's own growth, strategically designed to serve the surrounding community.

Bartow Regional Medical Center is expanding to keep up with the rapid growth in Polk County, Florida, adding nearly 70,000 square feet to enhance care for our community. This $110 million project will bring 18 more inpatient beds and expand key departments like the ER, ICU, cath lab and surgical services.

BayCare and hospital leadership shovel dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony at Bartow Regional Medical Center on Nov. 6, in Bartow, Florida.

Bartow Regional Medical Center President Karen Kerr addresses attendees at the hospital's expansion groundbreaking on Nov. 6, in Bartow, Florida.

"We know from the volume of patients we see that it's time for us to expand our services. This project is not just about managing capacity right now, but also making sure we're able to grow in the future," said Bartow Regional Medical Center President Karen Kerr.

BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners paid tribute to the Bartow Regional Medical Center's team for its commitment to providing extraordinary care.

"When you think about this facility and this region – families and patients choose this hospital," Conners said. "We would be shortsighted if we didn't invest in this culture and facility. Because of the successes and the results, our BayCare Board was very supportive of this investment."

Bartow Mayor Trish Pfeiffer was among the guests from the community who attended the groundbreaking, and she acknowledged the importance of the hospital to the community.

"Expansion is not just about growth in numbers, but it's about enhancing the quality of life for our residents," said Pfeiffer. "Bartow Regional Medical Center's commitment to excellence and innovation has made a profound impact, ensuring that residents have access to top-notch medical care close to home."

The $110 million expansion project, announced in June, will expand the hospital from 72 to 90 beds.

The first part of the project will focus on expanding the Emergency Department, adding 27 examination areas, along with adding space to the Sterile Processing Department. The project will also expand and move the Intensive Care unit and add to the cath lab and operating room. More patient rooms will also be added. The first phase is scheduled to take about 16-18 months.

"This hospital has been in this community in some way for more than 90 years," said Dr. Jeremy Katzmann, Bartow Regional Medical Center's chief medical officer, who has been a part of the hospital's medical staff for about 15 years. "We're so excited to expand this facility and deliver on the promise to continue to provide extraordinary care."

Kerr acknowledged Bartow Regional Medical Center's team members as key to the hospital's success.

"We appreciate the support we get from our team members and physician leaders," she said. "It's just an incredible place to work and being able to deliver this improved facility will be such a positive experience."

Construction is scheduled to begin next week and is expected to take a few years.

About BayCare

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida's largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare.org.

About Bartow Regional Medical Center

Bartow Regional Medical Center, part of BayCare Health System, is a 72-bed acute care hospital serving South Lakeland, Bartow, Ft. Meade, Mulberry, rural south Polk County, and northern Hardee County. Physicians and health care professionals at Bartow Regional Medical Center provide a variety of services. The hospital is equipped with four surgery suites and two gastroenterology suites. The emergency services department is staffed with board-certified emergency physicians and specially trained nurses, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to treat all types of emergency situations. The hospital is located at 2200 Osprey Blvd., Bartow, Florida.

For more information: BartowRegionalMedicalCenter.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System