Construction has begun on a $180 million pediatric tower at Jackson-based University of Mississippi Medical Center, according to the Construction Equipment Guide.
The 340,000-square-foot, seven-story tower will house 88 private neonatal intensive care unit rooms, 12 operating rooms, an imaging center and a pediatric outpatient clinic.
The tower is expected to open in 2020. The project broke ground in December and is in the mass excavation stage, with crews being careful to minimize patient inconvenience, according to the report.
"Children's of Mississippi has patient outcomes that are among the best in the nation, but our healthcare providers are providing this world-class care in a 21-year-old hospital that we've outgrown," said Mary Taylor, MD, professor and chair of pediatrics at UMMC. "More room is needed for pediatric intensive care and for surgeries."
The medical center plans to recruit 30 to 40 new physicians 50 to 75 other staff members once construction is complete.