Northern St. Johns County families will soon have labor and delivery services close to home as part of a 27,000-square-foot hospital expansion set to open next summer.
Families in Northern St. Johns County will have access to comprehensive labor and delivery care without leaving the community with the opening of Ascension St. Vincent’s Family Birth Place by summer 2027. The facility is set to address a longstanding gap in maternity services for one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions.
What is Ascension St. Vincent’s building in St. Johns County?
The hospital is constructing a 27,000-square-foot Family Birth Place designed around family-centered maternity care. The expansion will include 14 private, spacious delivery suites that can accommodate loved ones during labor and delivery. It will also house a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with four fully private rooms, along with a dedicated family lounge for NICU patients, according to a news release.
The new unit will be built on a single floor, with infrastructure in place to support additional expansion as demand in the region continues to grow.
When will the Family Birth Place open?
The Family Birth Place is expected to open by summer 2027.
Where is Ascension St. Vincent’s in St. Johns County?
The Ascension St. Vincent’s facility in St. Johns County is at 205 Trinity Way, which is also where construction has begun on the Family Birth Place.
Why is Ascension St. Vincent’s expanding maternity services in St. Johns County?
The expansion responds to a growing shortage of labor and delivery options in Northern St. Johns County, where population growth and a rising number of young families have increased demand for local healthcare access. Currently, many parents in the area must travel outside the county to deliver their babies.
“Ascension St. Vincent’s is committed to increasing access to high-quality services for mothers and babies throughout Northeast Florida,” said Scott Kashman, newly appointed CEO of Ascension St. Vincent’s, in a news release. “This project will complement our Family Birth Places at our Southside and Clay County hospitals, providing comprehensive care that’s close to home for families throughout the region.”
According to St. Johns County’s comprehensive plan, the county’s population is expected to double by 2050, intensifying the need for expanded medical infrastructure, including family care.
How does this fit into Ascension St. Vincent’s broader maternity care network?
The St. Johns County Family Birth Place will join existing Family Birth Places at Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside and Clay County hospitals, rounding out a regional network of maternity care across Northeast Florida.
What will the new Family Birth Place include?
The facility will include 14 private, spacious labor and delivery suites with accommodations for family members, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with four fully private rooms and a dedicated family lounge for NICU patients in a single-floor design built to accommodate future expansion.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New birth center coming to St. Johns County in 2027
Reporting by Alexandria Mansfield, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alexandria Mansfield, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
