By Daniel Casciato
As cranes prepare to rise over western Broward County, Baptist Health is laying the foundation for what leaders call a transformative investment in access, technology and long-term community health.
With the recent groundbreaking of Baptist Health Sunrise Hospital, the region’s largest healthcare organization is marking a milestone: its first hospital in Broward County. The planned seven-story, 340,000-square-foot facility, located at 12401 W. Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise, is expected to open to patients in 2029.
Ana Lopez-Blazquez
For Ana Lopez-Blazquez, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Health Enterprises, the decision is rooted in both growth and responsibility.
“The decision to build Baptist Health Sunrise Hospital was guided by community need and long-term planning,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “Sunrise and West Broward County have grown significantly, yet access to hospital-based care has remained limited, requiring many residents to travel outside their community for emergency and inpatient services.”
Baptist Health has steadily built its footprint in Broward County through outpatient centers, urgent care locations and physician practices. But leadership says those efforts highlighted a larger need for hospital-based services within the community.
“For more than a decade, Baptist Health has been caring for patients in Broward through outpatient centers, urgent care locations, and physician practices,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “As we listened to residents, community leaders, and local partners, it became clear there was a need to bring more comprehensive services closer to home. This hospital allows us to build on an established presence and expand access in a thoughtful, responsible way that aligns with our mission and long-term regional strategy.”
A New Kind of Hospital Campus
Unlike many hospital expansions that build onto existing facilities, Sunrise Hospital is designed from the ground up as a future-ready campus.
“This hospital is different because it was designed from the beginning as a long-term, adaptable campus shaped by community input,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “Rather than expanding an existing facility, we had the opportunity to create a hospital that reflects how care is delivered today and how it will evolve in the future.”
She emphasizes the historic significance of the project.
“It also represents Baptist Health’s first hospital in Broward County, which makes it a significant milestone for our organization,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “The Sunrise hospital combines flexible design, advanced technology, and a strong focus on patient experience, sustainability, and resilience, setting a new standard for how we approach hospital development.”
At full capacity, the hospital will feature 100 inpatient beds, including 10 critical care beds, with room for expansion. A 30-bed emergency department will operate 24/7, supported by three triage areas designed to streamline patient flow. Four surgical suites will include robotic-assisted capabilities, with additional capacity planned for the future. A 25,000-square-foot medical office building will house outpatient and specialty services.
Technology Supporting Compassionate Care
Central to the hospital’s design is advanced clinical technology, including AI-enabled systems and robotic-assisted surgery.
“These technologies are designed to support caregivers and enhance the patient experience,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “AI-enabled systems will help clinicians access information more efficiently and support clinical decision-making, allowing them to focus more of their time on direct patient care.”
She says the goal is not to replace human judgment, but to enhance it through smarter tools and better connectivity across the care continuum.
“For patients, this means smoother care coordination, more personalized treatment, and access to advanced surgical capabilities,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “Robotic-assisted surgery and integrated digital systems will support precision and consistency while preserving the personal, compassionate care that remains at the center of our mission.”
Importantly, the hospital’s infrastructure is built to adapt.
“From the outset, this hospital was designed with flexibility in mind,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “Clinical spaces, infrastructure, and support services were planned to allow for expansion and adaptation as healthcare delivery and community needs change.”
She adds that this forward-looking approach reduces the need for disruptive overhauls down the road.
“This ensures the hospital can integrate future innovations, expand capacity when needed, and continue serving the community effectively without major disruption,” she says. “It reflects a long-term investment in both the facility and the people it serves.”
Expanding Emergency Access
One of the most immediate impacts of the project is improved access to emergency and inpatient care for residents of Sunrise and nearby communities. Currently, many western Broward residents must leave their community for hospital-level care, a dynamic that can delay treatment and strain local emergency systems.
“With a 30-bed emergency department and inpatient beds located within the community, the hospital will reduce travel times, support faster emergency response, and allow patients to receive care closer to home,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “This will also help strengthen the broader healthcare network across western Broward County.”
A Commitment to Sustainability
Sustainability and long-term resilience were built into the project from the outset. Plans include a 15-acre conservation easement to protect nearby wetlands and local biodiversity, along with energy-efficient systems and infrastructure designed to withstand South Florida’s climate challenges. The campus will also provide 1,080 parking spaces across a five-story garage and surface lots.
“Environmental stewardship was an important consideration from the earliest planning stages,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “As a not-for-profit organization, Baptist Health takes a long-term view of its responsibility to the communities it serves, including protecting natural resources and building resilient facilities.”
According to her, the sustainability measures are not just symbolic, but operationally important.
“The conservation easement, energy-efficient systems, and resilient infrastructure reflect a commitment to sustainability, durability, and responsible development,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “These elements help ensure the hospital can serve the community reliably while respecting the surrounding environment.”
Defining Success in 2029
When the hospital opens in 2029, Lopez-Blazquez says success will be measured by more than occupancy rates or technological achievements. She points to both patient and caregiver experience as critical benchmarks.
“That includes patients feeling confident they can access high-quality, compassionate care close to home and caregivers having the tools and environment they need to deliver care effectively,” Lopez-Blazquez says. “We will also measure success by how well the hospital integrates into the community, supports emergency services, and adapts as healthcare continues to evolve.”
The goal is enduring impact, according to Lopez-Blazquez.
“Ultimately, success means making a lasting, positive difference in the health and well-being of the Sunrise community and western Broward County,” she says.
For Baptist Health, the Sunrise groundbreaking is more than ceremonial. It signals a long-term investment in infrastructure, innovation and, above all, access to care where it is needed most.
For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net.
