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Nicole Thomas, President, Baptist Hospital
Economic Backbone: Cardiac Care
Baptist Heart Hospital plans to build a center for patients with abnormal heart rhythms
Baptist Heart Hospital plans to build a Heart Rhythm Center on the second floor of its downtown Jacksonville campus.
The 14,400-sq.-ft. center will create a comprehensive treatment facility for patients with arrhythmias. Health care professionals who specialize in cardiac electrophysiology will treat patients from pre-procedure to discharge in one location.
“It really adds a one-stop shop for patients who have abnormal heart rhythm,” says Nicole Thomas, president of Baptist Jacksonville.
The hospital will use existing staff to operate the center — primarily cardiac therapists and electrophysiology technicians.
Cardiac electrophysiology is a subspecialty of cardiology that focuses on the heart’s electrical activity. Electrophysiologists are at the forefront of efforts to find treatments and cures for arrhythmias.
Plans for the $17-million facility include three labs, 10 patient rooms, support spaces and a family lounge in space formerly used for outpatient and cardiac rehabilitation in the Wolfson Wellness Center. Construction is scheduled to be completed next January.
Baptist Heart Hospital is Northeast Florida’s only freestanding hospital for heart and vascular care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 12.1 million Americans will have atrial fibrillation in 2030. The most common type of heart arrythmia, atrial fibrillation was mentioned in 183,321 deaths in 2019.
