HOSPITALS
TRADITION MEDICAL CENTER
PHOTO PROVIDED
GREG GARDNER
BY GREG GARDNER
Expansion foresight to ease hospital’s growing pains
68
Treasure Coast Medical Report
TO DOUBLE IN SIZE
It took 12 years to win approval for Tradition Medical
Center, but less than two years since its opening it is to
be expanded in a $100 million project that will double
capacity from 90 to 180 patient rooms.
After the western Port St. Lucie hospital exceeded its projections
the first year, Martin Health System decided to expand
by 170,000 square feet, going up three stories to top out at
nine floors. During 2014, Tradition handled 5,200 admissions,
22,000 emergency room visits, 1,100 surgeries and 1,470 births.
Since the hospital opened, its officials say the acute care facilities
have been at full capacity two to three days a week.
“Fortunately, our leadership and design team had the foresight
to build flexibility into the hospital’s initial phase and
develop a six-floor hospital that could be easily expanded to
meet future demand,” says Mark Robitaille, president and
chief executive officer of Martin Health System.
Patients will also benefit from the addition of an 18-bed observation
unit designed to improve the flow of the emergency
room for people who aren’t quite ready to go home. Also to
be completed by 2018 is a catheterization lab for cardiac care,
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The vision for completing the second phase of Tradition Medical Center in Port St. Lucie contrasts with this photo looking north just before the hospital
opened in 2013. Most of the construction will occur going up three floors with expansion north for additional emergency room services.