Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel opened Oct. 1, bringing with it the promise of improved health care to Pasco and Hillsborough County residents alike.
The 200,000-square-foot hospital, 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. just north of SR 56, took 22 months and $161 million to complete.
It opened with three stories and 83 all private beds, but has the ability to quickly expand because of a roof that is designed to be easily raised as the demand from the community grows.
Among those 83 beds are 11 private labor, deliver, recovery and postpartum rooms in the obstetrics unit.
The hospital, which is part of the Adventist Health System, also has 18 beds in its emergency department, which includes dedicated imaging equipment, along with nurses and board-certified emergency room physicians on-site 24-hours a day to streamline care.
Along with its health care services, the hospital includes many elements to help make patients’ stay as enjoyable as possible.
There is an interactive waiting room specifically for children anchored by a 900-gallon fish tank through a partnership with The Florida Aquarium. The area also includes video games and other entertainment for children.
Director of marketing Tracy Clouser has said the hospital was designed to be aesthetically pleasing.
Sharpe edges and straight corridors with plain white walls normally associated with hospitals are nowhere to be seen. Instead, the facility was designed with curves, artwork and as much open space as possible.
Windows are everywhere in the hospital to allow as much natural light to enter the facility. There are also gardens around the facility’s exterior.
Overhead lights were placed off to the side of corridors so patients being wheeled on gurneys don’t have to look right into the brightness.
Visitors are also welcome 24 hours a day to help make patients feel more at home with the goal of helping them heal faster. Each room has a sofa sleeper so guests can stay for extended periods of time.
Each room is also equipped with a GetWellNetwork system, which lets patients learn more about their medical condition, ask questions or file complaints about their care while keeping track of when staffers visit their room. They can also watch movies or high-definition television, surf the Internet or play games.
The hospital will open its free-standing health and wellness center in January.
The 50,000-square-foot facility will be located next to the hospital. It will feature various exercise equipment, four group exercise studios offering more than 50 classes per week, two pools, a heart healthy café with menu items with less than 450 calories and several wellness programs.
The wellness center is hosting a membership drive to let people know what the facility will offer.
“We’re looking forward to sharing our unique approach to health and wellness with our neighbors in eastern Pasco and northern Hillsborough counties,” said Kay Van Der Vaart, director of the wellness center, in a release. “We invite anyone interested in learning more about a fun approach to fitness and healthier living to visit us.”
Once the wellness center opens in January, the hospital complex will have added 400 full- and part-time jobs to area.
For more information on the hospital, visit www.fhwesleychapel.org or call (813) 929-5555.
–Kyle LoJacono
Specialty area services
–Emergency care
–Vascular surgery
–Cardiac care
–Orthopedics and sports medicine
–Radiology services
–Imaging diagnostics
–Obstetrics and gynecology
–Women’s mammography
–General surgery
–Urology
–Gastroenterology
–Pulmonary
