New Wolfson Childrens Hospital Emergency Center coming to Baptist Medical Center South

Families in the fast-growing area of south Jacksonville that includes northern St. Johns County will soon have convenient access to specialized pediatric emergency care from Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Integrated into the state-of-the-art Baptist Medical Center South campus, the full-service Wolfson Children’s ER will bring the expertise of the top-ranked children’s hospital close to home for area families with children age 0-17.

The 8,100-square-foot Wolfson Children’s ER will be a separate facility, with its own parking area, entrance, check-in and triage area, family restrooms and 12-room unit dedicated entirely to children and families. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.

“Everything about our new Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center at Baptist South will be designed to provide world-class pediatric emergency care close to home,” said Michael D. Aubin, FACHE, president of Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center at Baptist South will be staffed by a team comprised of double-board-certified pediatric emergency physicians, emergency nurses, respiratory therapists and radiologic technologists, all connected with the larger team of pediatric specialists at the downtown Wolfson Children’s Hospital, 24/7. The ER will be outfitted with equipment specially designed for children.

“With our new Children’s Emergency Center, we are combining the exceptional care Baptist South already provides to local families with the implementation of specialized pediatric protocols available at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Bringing our strengths together will further enhance our services and provide an even better patient and family experience,” said Nicole Thomas, FACHE, president of Baptist Medical Center South.

Darin Roark, BSN, MBA, RN, FACHE, vice president of ambulatory campuses and Baptist Health system emergency departments, said construction of the Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center is the culmination of years of planning and listening to the voices of parents.

Roark said, “Parents told us they wanted the specialized emergency care from Wolfson Children's to be close by. They asked for a dedicated space with its own parking, and most of all, a kid-friendly environment to take the fear out of going to the ER. We listened, and we are thrilled to bring all this and more to the Baptist South campus.”

Wolfson Children’s Hospital is one of only 13 children’s hospitals ranked in the nation as a Leapfrog Top Hospital and is the only state-designated Pediatric Trauma Center in Northeast Florida. With five emergency centers located throughout the greater Jacksonville area, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has recently partnered with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to launch a children’s ER, bringing its specialized care to more children throughout the region.

The parking lot on the south side of Baptist South will be closed for the duration of construction. Patients and visitors to the Baptist South Emergency Center should continue to park in Lot A, directly in front of the ER entrance. The visitor garage is also available for patients and visitors.

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