Orlando Health to expand Bayfront hospital campus in St. Petersburg
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 15, 2022

Orlando Health will expand the Bayfront Health St. Petersburg campus with a new 132,000-square-foot complex.

The health system will build Bayfront Health Medical Pavilion - Institute Square, in partnership with Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, All Florida Orthopedic Associates and Women’s Care. The four-story complex will include an outpatient imaging center and diagnostic laboratory services.

The facility will be built on the block west of the James Heart Center, which was included in Orlando Health’s October 2020 acquisition of Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. It is scheduled to open in late spring 2025.

Since acquiring Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, Orlando Health has aggressively expanded its reach into the Tampa Bay market. It has proposed a new 300-bed hospital in Pasco County. It will also anchor a new mixed-use project in Lakeland.

Dr. Trina Espinola, chief medical officer for Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, said the hospital has been focused on transformation since it was acquired by Orlando Health. She said the entire team has “embraced this renewal.”

“The Bayfront Health Medical Pavilion - Institute Square ushers in a new era for our hospital and demonstrates our commitment in providing expanded access to high-quality health care for our community,” John Moore, president of Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and senior vice president of Orlando Health West Region, said in a release. “This new facility and the partnerships that will reside within the pavilion are examples of our dedication to becoming the premiere destination for medical care in the Greater Tampa Bay region.”

Cancer care will be provided at the new facility by oncology specialists and physicians. FCS CEO Nathan Walcker said the partnership will help expand their capability to deliver oncology care to patients in Pinellas County.

“Our mission at FCS keeps our patients central to all we do,” Walcker said in a release. “This new state-of-the-art health pavilion will ensure that our patients have access to the specialized care and cutting-edge technology they need to deliver the best possible quality, experience, and outcomes.”

Tushar Ramani, CEO of Women’s Care, said the new facility will offer women better health outcomes by “allowing easier access and continuity of treatment via a single location for high-quality cancer care.”

The facility will also offer orthopedic care with All Florida Orthopedic Associates, based in Pinellas County. The group provides expertise in various orthopedic specialties, including “orthopedic trauma, sports medicine, total joint surgery, foot and ankle care, as well as treatment for upper extremities.”