MIDDLEBURG — As a private physician at Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County, Dr. David Hyler has been there since the beginning. 

He witnessed the vacant land the hospital would eventually sit on, and its grand opening back in 2013. For him, the constant innovation and concepts never get old.

That was apparent when he scooped up a mound of dirt to represent a bright road ahead for the hospital he's called home for years. 

St. Vincent's officially ushered in a new future for patient care on March 24, specifically with the groundbreaking of its Level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  The facility is set to bring advanced neonatal services to families within their own community. 

In a special ceremony, St. Vincent's Clay CEO Brian Walrath called the building a milestone for the hospital. 

"We're not just building, it's about who we're building it for. And, because of all of you, the future is brighter, stronger and filled with hope."

Announced last May, the Level II unit will add 5,000 square feet to the hospital, along with eight private NICU rooms. The hospital will also be able to care for newborns who are 30 weeks of gestation, 1,250 grams or who require additional support for temperature, feeding and mild to moderate respiratory issues. 

This is a big jump for the Family Birth Place, which currently can only deliver low-risk moms and babies who are 35 weeks of gestation. 

It was a full circle moment for Hyler, who like so many other staff in attendance, saw the Family Birth Place come together back in 2016, when it only featured eight laboring rooms and a Level I nursery.

"We have the biggest delivery volume in Clay County here at this facility. We have an outstanding group," Hyler said.

St. Vincent's Clay has received a number of accolades for its maternity care, including being recognized by the U.S. News and World Report in 2024 as one of the best hospitals for maternity care.

The Level II NICU is expected to open in December.