Ascension St. Vincent’s is investing in its system across the board – from a $60 million cardiovascular pavilion expansion to the addition of freestanding emergency rooms, CEO Tom VanOsdol said Feb 27.
VanOsdol and JAXUSA Partnership President Aundra Wallace engaged in a fireside chat-style conversation at the JAXUSA Partnership Quarterly Luncheon. The event was at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
VanOsdol said the St. Vincent’s has “really strong hospital campuses” but is “too hospital campus centric.”
He said that why St. Vincent’s began opening health centers and why it will build two free-standing ERs in the region, in Arlington and the Westside at Collins Town Center.
“More care will continue to migrate in the non-hospital campus sort of space,” VanOsdol said.
St. Vincent’s also is modernizing its main campuses.
In addition to a $60 million cardiovascular pavilion expansion at its Riverside campus, it’s expanding its Clay County campus for the third time by adding beds, catheterization labs and an intensive care unit space. The additions will create 50 jobs.
VanOsdol said more nontraditional players are getting into health care, including Walmart, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan. That will continue to “agitate” the industry.
VanOsdol said St. Vincent’s offers telehealth services, and that program will continue to grow.
“Care will be delivered in that consumer-facing approach with digital and virtual means,” he said. “That’s also a wonderful part of the solution to shortages in caregivers across the country.”