Thomas Hospital Announces Groundbreaking of New Patient Tower

Fairhope, Ala. – Thomas Hospital is excited to announce the groundbreaking of its new patient tower, a significant milestone in expanding healthcare services to meet the growing needs of Baldwin County and the Gulf Coast region. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the construction site located at the corner of Morphy Avenue and Ingleside Street. Parking will be designated on the hospital’s main campus, and shuttle service will be provided to the event site.

As Baldwin County continues to experience remarkable growth, Thomas Hospital remains committed to expanding its facilities to support both the community’s healthcare needs and its growing population. Over the past four years, Thomas Hospital has added a total of 24 medical- surgical and intensive care beds to help meet the increasing demand for care. “Baldwin County’s growth in recent years makes this new tower a critical investment in the future of our healthcare system,” says Ormand Thompson, President of Thomas Hospital. “With Baldwin County ranked as the 7th fastest-growing metro area in the country, this expansion ensures we are well-prepared to continue providing exceptional care to our growing population.

Our new patient tower will enhance our capacity and provide a foundation for future growth of the communities we serve.

“We are excited to break ground on this new patient tower at a time when our community is experiencing such dynamic growth,” says Mark Nix, CEO of Infirmary Health. “This expansion will allow us to continue serving our community with the exceptional care they expect from Thomas Hospital.”

“We are thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter in our long-standing partnership with Infirmary Health,” says Owen Moore, Director of Business Development at Hoar Construction.

“The Thomas Hospital 25-bed expansion is not just a construction project for us; it’s an opportunity to support a vital community resource that has been at the heart of healthcare in the region for years. It’s also a unique opportunity to add on to a hospital that we built originally. We are committed to delivering this expansion with excellence and excited to see the positive impact on the local economy and patients Infirmary Heath serves.”

Growing Demand for Healthcare in Baldwin County
Baldwin County has experienced much growth, with a 66% population increase over the past two decades. As of 2024, the county’s estimated population stands at 260,483, and it is expected to add another 50,000 residents over the next decade. Thomas Hospital is responding to this increasing demand by building a new patient tower to expand its services to provide high-quality care to an expanding population.

What the New Patient Tower Will Include:

• On-call physician and employee handicapped parking on the ground floor
• 25 medical-surgical beds on the second floor to increase inpatient care capacity
• Shell space on the remaining two floors, designed for future use to accommodate the hospital’s growing services as the community's needs evolve

Thomas Hospital has partnered with Hoar Construction, a trusted leader in healthcare construction, to bring this state-of-the-art patient tower to life. With decades of experience in building healthcare facilities, Hoar Construction will ensure the new tower meets the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency.