Memorial Regional Hospital Celebrates 70th Anniversary with $88M Investment in Patient-Focused Infrastructure

Updated November 25, 2024

Prioritizing patient care and further elevating the health services it provides, Memorial Regional Hospital, the flagship facility of Memorial Healthcare System, is investing $88 million to upgrade its infrastructure. Construction has begun at the Hollywood-based hospital and will include an all-new floor for its Memorial Family Birthplace, and significant upgrades to the Level I Trauma Center and Emergency Room.

Since its opening as a one-story, 100-bed Memorial Hospital in 1953, to one of the largest hospitals in the state with 863 beds and dozens of specialties, the hospital has continuously expanded its services and spaces to meet the demands of a growing community. This investment affirms Memorial’s commitment to remaining a leader in healthcare, continually adapting and evolving to optimize positive outcomes and the patient experience.

“With a visionary approach, Memorial Regional Hospital aims to enhance the quality of care and ensure the best possible experience for our patients and their families,” said Peter Powers, CEO, Memorial Regional Hospital. “This investment reflects the hospital’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of medical advancements and reflects our unwavering dedication the community we serve.”

L to R: Marta McNab, Jon Pickett, and James Mcfadden at the Memorial Regional Hospital Family Birthplace construction site.

 

Expanding the Family Birthplace

With more babies born at Memorial Regional Hospital than any other facility in Broward County, more than 75% of the investment ($68 million) has been allocated to redesigning its Family Birthplace to create a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to delivering exceptional maternity care.

This labor of love is underway with expected completion in late 2024. Already a destination center for high-risk pregnancies, with specialized programs for high-risk obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, a Placenta Accreta Spectrum Program, and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s Level IV Wasie NICU, the enhanced Family Birthplace will offer expanded, private new rooms and specialty rooms, family lounge, cutting-edge technology, and a comprehensive range of services to support expecting mothers and newborns.

The redesigned fourth floor (59,150 sq. ft.) will include:

• All private rooms
• 55 Postpartum rooms, 18 Antepartum rooms
• Partner & Family lounge
• Specialty rooms for meditation and Kosher dietary needs
• Classroom for new parent classes
• Simulation lab to offer specialized training to promote quality and safety

“We want to give expectant parents a modern and safe place to deliver with all the comforts to call this their baby’s first home. The legacy and commitment of Memorial Regional Hospital remains evident as we continue to make significant upgrades to our all-new fourth floor,” shared Jane McCarthy, director of nursing.

Revamping the Level 1 Trauma Center and Emergency Room

Not stopping there, Memorial Regional Hospital is committed to being at the forefront of emergency medical services in South Florida, and is investing $20 million to upgrade its Level 1 Trauma Center and Emergency Room. By upgrading and expanding the trauma center, which treats pediatric and adult patients who are critically wounded or suffer a traumatic injury, the hospital is enhancing its capacity to handle the most critical cases and mass casualty situations efficiently and effectively.

With nearly 94,000 visits in 2022, the hospital’s ER is the second largest in the state. Due to the high volume of patients in this area, construction is happening in numerous phases and is expected to be completed in early 2025.

The improvements include:

• Three redesigned trauma bays with built-in redundancy that can accommodate two patients per room if necessary
• Enlarged resuscitation room that could serve as a fourth trauma bay if needed
• Emergency room aesthetic upgrades
• Reconfigured and more functional triage workflow space

In addition to the Family Birthplace, Level I Trauma Center, and Emergency Room, Memorial features a wide range of treatments and technologies, including: Medical and Surgical Services, Memorial Cardiac and Vascular Institute with an award-winning ECMO program, Memorial Cancer Institute, Memorial Neuroscience Institute, and Comprehensive Stroke Center, Memorial Transplant Institute, offering kidney, heart and pancreas transplants and Behavioral Health Services.

The History of Memorial Regional Hospital

For 70 years, the South Florida community has benefited from caring and compassionate healthcare at Memorial Regional Hospital. Today, as the flagship facility of Memorial Healthcare System, the 863-bed hospital, one of the largest in Florida, is making significant investments to ensure it continues to offer high quality service in modern, comfortable spaces.