Not-for-profit healthcare system BayCare has initiated construction work on its 17th hospital, BayCare Hospital Manatee, along with an adjoining BayCare HealthHub in Manatee County, Florida, US.

This development is set to provide the county's first not-for-profit hospital and the only hospital north of the Manatee River.

BayCare president and CEO Stephanie Conners said: "Today is an exciting day as this groundbreaking represents BayCare's ongoing commitment to improving health care access for the communities we serve.

"BayCare Hospital Manatee and BayCare HealthHub (Manatee) will provide residents with high-quality, compassionate care closer to home, and we are proud to bring these essential services to the region."

The $563m project, anticipated to open in 2028, will feature 154 beds in private patient rooms.

The new facility will be located on the Robinson Gateway Property on Moccasin Wallow Road, just one mile north of the I-75 and I-275 junction.

Adjacent to the hospital, the 45,000ft² BayCare HealthHub is scheduled to open in 2026.

It will offer a range of patient-focused healthcare solutions, including services from BayCare Medical Group providers, outpatient laboratory services, and various imaging services such as radiology, 3T MRI, PET/CT, DEXA, mammography, and ultrasound.

The BayCare Hospital Manatee and BayCare HealthHub projects emphasise the health system's focus on growing with the community.

They will provide a spectrum of services from neonatal care and emergency services to speciality surgery.

BayCare now operates 16 hospitals and numerous locations across Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Polk counties.

Earlier this year, BayCare launched a new behavioural health urgent care centre in New Port Richey, Florida, to provide immediate mental health services.