FLEMING ISLAND – Baptist Health’s new Fleming Island surgery center is nearing completion.

The 17,000-square-foot surgery center will include large operating suites on Baptist’s Fleming Island campus. According to a Baptist Health release, the center will cost $11.7 million.

The surgery center is an expansion of Baptist Health’s presence in Clay County. Baptist Clay Medical Campus, which opened in 2013, cost an estimated $39 million.

Darin Roark, Baptist Health vice president of ambulatory campuses and system emergency services, said Baptist Health had its eye on opening the first week of December. Construction began in March.

“We’ll probably add at least 30 health care jobs in Clay County,” Roark said. “That’s 30 fewer people who have to work outside of the county.”

Baptist Health has previously applied to build a hospital in Clay County but has been prohibited by the state’s certificate of need law, which prevents adding hospital beds depending on the population. The state shot down a proposed $80 million 100-bed hospital in 2015.

The Baptist Clay Medical Campus currently has emergency care, an imaging center, a laboratory and specialty services. It also houses other medical partners, including Wolfson Children’s Hospital pediatricians.

Roark said increasing Baptist’s outpatient services was the next logical step. Roark said the surgery center would accommodate the outpatient needs of Clay County residents.

“Our next step, while we wait to add hospital beds to the campus, is to add outpatient surgery to meet the demands of Clay County residents who wish to be able to remain in Clay County when they have surgery,” Roark said.

The center will contain two 600-square-foot surgical rooms and a procedural room for minor surgeries such as endoscopies and colonoscopies. It will also have nine patient rooms and an advanced sterilization center for patient well-being.