BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, which opened in 2023 and is one of BayCare’s newest hospitals, is now licensed to provide advanced cardiac care services, improving access to life-saving, emergency care for the communities it serves. Effective July 1, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), designated the hospital as a Level 1 adult cardiovascular services provider.
This designation reflects the timely, specialized treatment that patients experiencing chest pain or other cardiac conditions can expect from the hospital’s physicians, interventional cardiologists, clinical nurses and technicians. In fast-growing east Pasco County, this licensure means patients will not need to travel far to get critical cardiac interventions, particularly during an emergency.
“This marks an important advancement in our cardiovascular capabilities,” said BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel President Nanette Wilcox. “The implementation of this program reflects the strong collaboration across our physicians, clinical and leadership teams, and our shared commitment to expanding access to high-quality, specialized care within our community.”
The Level I licensure allowing hospitals to perform interventional coronary care requires adherence to strict standards for cardiac catheterization volume, equipment, staffing, quality and safety.
Patients who require more complex procedures, including open-heart surgery, will be transferred to BayCare’s Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. The institute has earned the highest level 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgery (STS), placing it among the nation’s top performing cardiothoracic surgery programs and ensuring continuity of care across BayCare, West Central Florida’s largest academic health system.
With this achievement, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel joins 10 other BayCare hospitals offering advanced adult cardiac services, further strengthening BayCare’s role as a leading provider of heart and vascular care in West Central Florida. Since opening, BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, BayCare's 16th hospital, has steadily expanded its clinical capabilities, bringing more specialized care closer to home for east Pasco County residents.
Learn more: BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel
