JACKSONVILLE – Orange Park Medical Center is adding a second stand-alone emergency room on the Westside.

Hospital officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 29 for the new $12 million facility at 5773 Normandy Blvd. The new 10-bed facility will join Park West ER at 6477 103rd St. as a free-standing ER facility.

“We are building this facility because families have told us they want easy access to high-quality emergency care in their neighborhood,” said Chad Patrick, CEO of OPMC, in a press release.

When complete, the new facility will have 24-hour a day access with around-the-clock radiology services and board-certified emergency physicians.

“Emergency medicine is changing,” said Steven Goodfriend, Emergency Services medical director of Orange Park Medical Center. “More people are going to free-standing EDs (emergency department) because of convenience.”

David Castleman, division chief of rescue for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, said that the area is one of the busiest areas in the city for rescues.

“It enables our rescues to get in and get out and get back in to serve the public and the 911 call volume,” said Castleman.

Patrick said that within the first year of Park West being opened, it saw 39,000 patients at the facility and expect that number to rise to 56,000 this year.

“There’s so much to celebrate today with this groundbreaking and I congratulate you and your staff for seeing the need for easily accessible ER care for the Westside,” said Terrance Freeman, newly appointed City Council Member for District 10.

The new facility is expected to employ 50 additional staff members when complete.

It is expected to open in late 2018.

OPMC opened its Park West free-standing ER in 2015 and, two years later, spent $7 million to add 3,100 square feet and 8 new hospital beds.