06-05-2025
BayCare breaks ground on new hospital coming to Manatee County
PALMETTO, Fla. (WFLA) — The landscape across Manatee County is changing, especially east of Interstate 75.
Along Moccasin Wallow Road in Palmetto, there is construction and new developments coming up around virtually every corner.
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'People are moving down from up north. It is booming. It is a good thing and then again, traffic is getting well, you know, it is busy,' said Palmetto resident Michael McEligot.
To help accommodate the fast-growing area, work is underway to bring a new hospital to the area.
BayCare Hospital Manatee will be the county's only not-for-profit hospital and the only hospital north of the Manatee River.
Officials celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony last week.
'North of the river, the growth is phenomenal. There is construction everywhere and we are excited to be able to serve the community there. Our commitment is to serve the community wherever we are and we are just really thrilled to be a partner in Manatee,' said Kimberly Guy, chief operating officer of BayCare Health System.
The hospital is slated to open in 2028 with 154 beds. Guy said the property has the potential to meet the needs of the community if the growth continues.
'We will open a full service hospital with 154 beds and those beds can expand to probably 184 within 18 months up to 600 eventually if we ever needed to be that big.' Guy said. 'We will have all services such as general surgery, orthopedic, urology, gastroenterology, cardiology and obstetrics.'
The hospital is also planning to open with a level two neonatal intensive care unit.
'What we have learned is more than 50% of moms in Manatee County leave the county for delivery, and they want to have an option where they can have that extra care in the situation where they might need something unique, so being able to open with a neonatal intensive care unit really distinguishes us,' the C.O.O. said.
In addition to the hospital, a BayCare Health Hub is also coming to the property along Moccasin Wallow Road. It will be a total of 45,000 square feet of space offering both primary and specialty services such as outpatient laboratory services and imaging services including 3T MRI, radiology, PET CT, mammography, DEXA and ultrasound. The Health Hub is set to open in 2026.
Residents in the region are relieved knowing they will have access to critical care close to home.
'It is definitely needed,' Palmetto resident Jeannie Melendez said. 'Right now, we have options, but depending on traffic and we all know that second count right. To bring that type of ahospital that is literally a mile from my house is really comforting.'
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