Hospital investing millions in future

A $14 million renovation at Memorial Hospital of Tampa is just the beginning of the hospital's significant renovation plan.

The expansion comes in the heart of a surging growth period for the hospital, which has about 17,750 annualized emergency visits, Memorial Hospital of Tampa CEO Ward Boston tells Coffee Talk. Annual in-patient surgeries are up 9.1% and visits to the emergency department are up 16%, he says.

The $14 million project, split into two phases, will help accommodate the growth. It will add 18,500 square feet of space, Boston says. It will also fund the construction of 47 private rooms, two new operating rooms and additional pre- and post-operation space.

Boston expects the new additions to be occupied by Jan. 1, 2017. Beyond that, an additional $8 million will be spent on future renovations to the building's infrastructure.

Expansion planning began in 2013, when HCA Healthcare acquired Memorial Hospital, Boston says. The renovation is funded by HCA. “A benefit of being with HCA,” he says, “is they've given attention to the advancement of our resources.”

Another key advancement is the implementation of a robotic service line at the hospital, which Boston calls “the latest thing for minimally invasive surgery.” Memorial Hospital's version, the Da Vinci XI, provides a single site incision option, such as in a patient's belly button.