South Florida Baptist Hospital Takes First Steps Toward Transition to New Facility

The new South Florida Baptist Hospital (SFBH) is nearing completion and final preparations are being made for the historic move.

On Feb. 24, SFBH conducted a mock move to go through procedures for transferring an estimated 90 patients from the 70-year-old legacy facility to the new 424,000 sq. ft, state-of-the-art hospital opening mid-2024.

More than 150 team members, along with emergency service and law enforcement personnel took part in the coordinated exercise. With help from operational consultants IMH Healthcare, the highly orchestrated plan simulated three different patient move scenarios: an ICU patient, a surgical patient and a mother/baby pair. 

Team members volunteered for and were trained in undertaking specific roles such as timekeepers, trackers, navigators and observers, each with a task to document procedures and note inefficiencies. At the end of the patient move exercise, each team held a debriefing to discuss what went well and what processes need improvement, then gathered with the entire group to report their findings.

“We were extremely pleased with how well everything went during the mock move,” said SFBH President Karen Kerr. “We learned a lot of valuable information and feel confident that we have the right processes in place to ensure a smooth and safe transition for our patients.” 

The new $326 million South Florida Baptist Hospital will be a substantial upgrade from the current facility, which was originally built in 1953, and has been a mainstay in the Plant City community. Located at the corner of Sam Allen Rd. and N. Park Rd., off Exit 22 of I-4, the expansive new structure was designed with the needs of a growing community in mind. Amenities include space for up to 146 private patient rooms, 26 ICU beds, 32 emergency department and fast-track beds, eight operating rooms, and an 85,000 sq. ft Medical Arts Building.

Another feature of the new facility is the upgraded Labor and Delivery department with seven spacious labor and delivery suites and a dedicated operating room for cesarean sections. 

The mock move was the first of three exercises planned in preparation for the extraordinary task of transferring hospitals. Two “Day-in-the-Life” events, designed to test workflows and communication procedures, are also scheduled in the upcoming months. 

A formal announcement on the opening date of the new South Florida Baptist Hospital is anticipated in the next few months. Community members can take a first look inside the hospital during the SFBH Preview Event on April 21, from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 

Register to attend the event and get more information through this link.