Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare plans to open beds in its new patient tower about one month early amid a coronavirus case surge in the state, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
The hospital system has opened 30 of the 90 beds in its $126 million patient tower at St. Joseph's Tampa and eventually plans to open the remaining 60.
BayCare said that opening beds in the tower will not only free up space at St. Joseph's existing Tampa hospital to care for the COVID-19 patients, but it also may help it continue elective care that has been restricted to preserve capacity for COVID-19 patients.
"We reevaluate where we are twice a week," St. Joseph's Tampa President Kimberly Guy told the Business Journal.
BayCare broke ground on the patient tower about two years ago.