A ceremonial groundbreaking took place last month at Tradition Town Hall to celebrate the upcoming construction of VITAS Healthcare’s inpatient hospice center along Tradition Parkway in Port St. Lucie.
The 14,000-square-foot, 12-bed inpatient facility will feature private patient rooms and other spaces “created to support dignity and connection for both patients and their loved ones,” and is expected to serve more than 500 patients each year.
The center will be the first freestanding inpatient hospice facility in Port St. Lucie and VITAS’ first inpatient unit serving the Treasure Coast. The construction site is marked off with large “coming soon” vinyl banners surrounding the cleared property.
VITAS has been serving patients in the region since 2019 through in-home care, as well as in other patient settings.
“Florida’s growth means more families are facing serious illness and the need for hospice care,” said Patty Husted, executive vice president at VITAS Healthcare. “Our responsibility is to meet that need with compassion, clinical excellence and timely access to the right level of care. This inpatient center allows us to do exactly that, bringing comfort and dignity to patients when they need it most, close to home.”
“It’s really a pleasure to be here today but it’s even more of a pleasure knowing that VITAS is diving deeper into our community where we do have a great need for your services and your compassionate care,” said state Rep. Dana Trabulsy from Florida’s 84th district, who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony.
St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce representatives were also present at the groundbreaking.
VITAS was founded in South Florida almost a half century ago and is the leading provider of hospice and palliative care in the country. The company provides services in the homes of their patients, in assisted living facilities, nursing homes and in-patient settings like the one that will be constructed in Tradition.
The healthcare company is headquartered in Miramar, and cares for over 23,000 patients daily across 15 states. It employs nearly 12,000 people and is expected to bring new jobs to Port St. Lucie while expanding access to end-of-life care.