JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Wolfson Children’s Hospital will officially open the doors Monday to its new emergency center at Baptist South on Old St. Augustine Road.
It is the sixth Wolfson Children’s emergency center in Northeast Florida.
With so much growth in the southern part of Duval County, officials said not only will this cut down on wait times at the downtown campus, this will be more convenient for parents who live in the area.
“When your child is sick, you want to get to the place as quick as you can," said Karen Grissinger, director of Children’s Emergency Services. "Here, there is easy access. It’s familiar territory, and it’s home.”
News4Jax got a sneak peek inside Friday as crews were putting the finishing touches on the outside of the new facility.
Hospital officials estimate the center will help roughly 10,000 patients every year.
The emergency center will be staffed by a team comprised of:
- Double-board-certified pediatric emergency physicians with Emergency Resources Group
- Pediatric-specific emergency nurses
- Pediatric respiratory therapists
- Pediatric-trained radiologic technologists
The hospital says the team will be connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the larger team of pediatric emergency and physicians at the main Wolfson Children's Hospital campus. The emergency room center will also be equipped with technology and equipment designed specifically for children of all ages and sizes.
The facility has its own parking area, entrance, check-in and triage area, family restrooms, and 12 exam rooms dedicated specifically to children and their families.
This month, Wolfson Children’s Hospital was named one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the U.S. by the Leapfrog Group.
Additional family-friendly amenities at the Baptist South location include:
- A unique fish sculpture that welcomes visitors outside the main entrance. It consists of six distinct groups with 219 fish.
- An interactive play area in the waiting area where kids can color large ocean-themed pictures.
- A designated Child Life Specialist to help distract and calm children through play methods.
