Community gets even bigger heart

Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola will begin construction on a new five-story tower on top of the hospital’s existing heart and vascular building next year.

Laura S. Kaiser, president and CEO of the Sacred Heart Health System said there were several reasons for the expansion.

“We know if you look at population, we are continuing to grow in all demographic groups and there is a pretty large tsunami of baby boomers, which I am a member of, and getting older means needing a little more healthcare,” said Kaiser. “It’s also based on how busy we are; we are frequently at capacity.”

The first 68 beds of the total 112 patient rooms being added will be operational in 2014 and the other 44 will be added in 2015. Kaiser said even though the public can’t see any progress yet, work has already begun with architects and the physical expansion will be visible next spring.

The expansion will also add more parking and will replace systems such as heating and air conditioning.