FLEMING ISLAND – Moments after the ribbon at the front doors of Baptist Medical Center Clay was cut and dignitaries had completed their Chamber of Commerce group photos, Darin Roark took a step away from the entrance and took a much-needed deep breath.

His dream of building an intricate, yet contemporary, the medical facility was, at long last, at the finish line. Except for buffing out a few scuff marks, laying sod and fluffing pillows, the work is done. And that means Roark could finally slow down.

His mind has been filled with ideas, plans and challenges since hospital and county officials broke ground on the $235 million project that also included transforming the old VyStar building west of the hospital into a health center.

“I usually get about two hours of sleep,” Roark said while walking through the hospital two days before the ribbon cutting. “I get up and go running for about an hour and then I’m here. I’ve been running on adrenaline. This project is personal.”

Roark is the hospital president. He’s walked through the site since the first scoop of dirt was moved and the first nail was driven. He’s been down every hallway and checked behind every door since construction workers started framing the 102 patient rooms. The plans are committed to memory so all work stayed on target.

During his daily tours, he tries to thank every worker and employee for their hard work. The praise generally is followed by a handshake.

Portions of the Baptist Clay are already operational. The laboratory has been open for more than a week. The pharmacy is ready to go. Nurses and technicians have spent the last few weeks in training, often sharing the same hallways with men in yellow vests and hard hats who were making sure every wall was straight and sound.

Except for rooms in maternity and neonatal intensive care units for twins, every room at Baptist Clay is private. Roark and unit nurses said both units for newborns will allow babies to get the most contemporary care available.

“It is amazing in every way,” said Sarah Surrency. “We can't wait to have our first delivery here. We are eager to (hopefully) get started on the 20th, and we've got great staff, and great experience – all the things we're going to have an amazing story to tell here about the display.”

Surrency said unless there are complications, the baby and mother aren’t separated until they are discharged. Each room has a fold-out bed, a full bathroom, a safe, a refrigerator for the family, a refrigerator for baby milk and a large-screen television.

“That's what's beautiful about it. We want the bonding to take part from the minute that baby comes out of the womb,” she said. “We are going to have skin-to-skin care bonding. The entire stay, there is no moving and shuffling of departments when that baby's delivered. Mama and baby stay together and they stay

in the same room.”

If there are complications, NCIU is next door.

“We're just so blessed with this technology,” supervisor Letitia Croce. “This is brand new. To me, and I've been in NICU for almost 15 years, this is the best of the best. We have so much of the newest that I'm a little speechless. I'm super excited to be a part of it.”

The health place next door also has several available services. Just last week, the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center where healing is possible for even the most complex wounds.

The Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at Baptist Clay provide comprehensive care to patients with chronic or acute wounds, foot ulcers, venous insufficiency, diabetic ulcers, wounds caused by radiation, trauma and more.

Eventually, health place will be home to Baptist doctors, as well as meeting rooms for classes, healthy living programs and other medical services.

The new hospital cost $175 million, Roark said, and with the conversion of health place, “We’re all in at $235 million.”

There currently are 585 employees and Roark said that soon will grow to 600. And with it comes a shift in challenges from building a hospital to running one.