St. Joseph's Women's Hospital Launches $75 Million Expansion, Lead Naming Gift Announced at Groundbreaking Ceremony

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May 19, 2010, 08:08 ET

TAMPA, Fla., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As a grandmother of a baby born prematurely, Elaine Shimberg knows what it's like to see an infant grandson in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and not be able to hold him during each hospital visit. As a woman, she knows what its like to feel a lump in her breast, anxiously await her mammogram test results, and later hear a doctor say, "You have cancer." As a philanthropist, she is helping other women in the community who may someday face health crises of their own.

Today, Shimberg and her family attended the groundbreaking for a $75 million expansion at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital in Tampa. During the event, officials announced that a lead naming gift from Elaine and her husband Hinks Shimberg is supporting the new Shimberg Breast Center that will be located within the 125,000 square foot addition. The building also will be home to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, private patient suites and other amenities designed to better serve women and newborn babies throughout the Tampa Bay area.

"This contribution would not mean as much without the people who work inside this building, who will provide these women and babies with the most compassionate, high-quality care available," Shimberg said. "The philosophy of compassionate care goes back to the Franciscan sisters who started this hospital more than 75 years ago, and we want to help St. Joseph's take care of every person who walks through these doors."

The Shimberg Breast Center will include comprehensive diagnostic tools and resources, all conveniently located in one place and staffed by a compassionate team of professionals committed to the patients they serve. Services will include CT scanner, ultrasound, Dexa scan, digital mammography and state-of-the-art MRI.

The initial driving force behind the expansion project was the community's need for additional NICU services. And while the 64 new, private NICU suites are beautifully designed to accommodate overnight guests -- complete with a full bathroom -- the new building will offer more than just comfort and convenience for new parents.

Private suites improve patient safety, reducing the risk of infection and patient identification errors. In addition, premature babies thrive in spaces where the environment can be adjusted to improve the developmental process and growth of each unique infant. The entire family benefits by having the opportunity to spend time together bonding. And the new rooms will have ample space to accommodate the latest high-tech and life-sustaining equipment.

"Babies who would not have survived 10 years ago are now living, thanks to advancements in medicine and technology," said Isaac Mallah, president and CEO of the hospital. "We're fortunate to be in a position to really make a difference; to save lives."

St. Joseph's Women's Hospital is also improving the hospital experience for women in the community with the addition of 24 private suites and space to add another 24 in the future. When the project is complete, all of the rooms in the hospital will be private, providing women with a more comfortable environment while they recover from surgery, child birth and other very personal health situations.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony, shared her excitement about the meaningful impact St. Joseph's Women's Hospital's expansion will have on the community.

"The care that will be provided here will be nothing short of miraculous," Iorio said. "This addition will enhance Tampa's reputation for having some of the best medical care treatment facilities in the nation."

The expansion will include the following amenities:

All private suites for Women's Care patients (obstetrics, gynecology, surgical) with full bathroom and in-room family area
Parents will be able to stay in private NICU suites with their babies
Wireless communications and Internet access
All-digital diagnostic imaging services
Easy registration/admitting with Biometric Palm Scanning

St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, part of BayCare Health System, is the only freestanding facility in the Tampa Bay area dedicated to caring for women and infants. For more than 30 years, St. Joseph's Women's Hospital has offered women one setting for their medical needs.

For more information, please visit StJosephsWomens.com. For physician referral and other general questions, please call 813-443-2046.

About BayCare Health System

BayCare Health System is the largest community-based health system in the region, providing expert medical care for a patient's lifetime. Composed of hospitals and numerous affiliated services, the system connects patients to a complete range of services throughout the Tampa Bay area. Together, BayCare organizations seek to advance the health of their patients and their communities.

Member hospitals are Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony's, St. Joseph's, St. Joseph's Children's, St. Joseph's Women's, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, and South Florida Baptist. On the web: www.baycare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System