Baptist Health is expanding the Chartrand Frisch Family Birth & Newborn Center at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville to better serve high-risk labor and deliveries, according to a Dec. 2 News release.
The project on the Downtown Southbank campus on Prudential Drive is being done in two phases.
The first was completed in July. It included four dedicated maternity exam rooms for evaluation and observations. There is a dedicated area for pre- and post-operative prep and recovery.
Under construction are 12 additional labor and delivery rooms to accommodate high-risk pregnancies. They will be near the operating room and will have a 24/7 OB/GYN staff. The target date for completion is September 2025.
The expansion is because of an older maternity population and the area’s population growth, the release said.
“As our community grows, so do we,” Michael A. Mayo, president and CEO of Baptist Health, said in the release.
“We understand that welcoming a child to the world is one of life’s most precious and profound experiences – full of joy and sometimes uncertainty. That’s why we’re committed to providing top-tier facilities backed by exceptional team to support families every step of the way.”
From 2023 to 2033, obstetrics inpatient care in the Jacksonville area is forecast to increase by nearly 6% and high-risk cases are expected to increase by more than 15%. That represents more than 1,000 additional mothers needing specialized care, according to the release.
The expansion of the Chartrand Frisch Family Birth & Newborn Center on the Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville campus is combined with the specialty care provided at the 87-bed neonatal system in the Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
Donors Mark and Meredith Frisch experienced the care Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Health provide through the birth of their own four children, which included the premature birth of twins, the release said.
A $5 million fundraising effort is underway to pay for the expansion.