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VENICE, Fla. – The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has approved Venice Regional Bayfront Health’s application to build a replacement facility. “We are thrilled to receive the state’s approval to build our replacement hospital and we’d like to thank our local leaders and community members for their support,” said Bob Moore, chief executive officer of Venice Regional Bayfront Health. “As our community’s hometown hospital, Venice Regional has a long history of caring for our friends and neighbors, and we are excited to continue that tradition in a new facility.” Venice Regional’s replacement facility will be located on East Venice Avenue one-quarter mile east of Jacaranda Boulevard and will offer the same complement of services as the current hospital. The hospital expects to begin construction on the facility in late 2018 or early 2019 with a projected opening in early 2021. About Venice Regional Bayfront Health Venice Regional Bayfront Health is a 312-bed, acute care hospital providing a comprehensive array of health care services to the greater Venice area. Venice Regional, and its affiliated Gulf Coast Medical Group clinics, provide high quality health care that is accessible to residents and visitors across Central and South Sarasota County. The hospital’s services include cardiac, stroke, orthopedic, metabolic, open-heart and advanced surgery, wound care, women’s care and interventional radiology. Venice Regional is nationally recognized through awards, certifications and accreditations in multiple service areas, including Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers Gold Seal of Approval® by The Joint Commission for seven consecutive years; American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for both Stroke and Heart Failure; U.S. News & World Report 2016-2017 Best Hospital in Heart Failure, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement; Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence accreditation by Surgical Review Corporation and the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program; Blue Distinction Center+ for Bariatric Surgery Designation by Florida Blue; and Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Venice Regional is one of only three in Florida among 52 hospitals with lowest readmission rates for patients treated for pneumonia, according to a report by Becker’s Hospital Review based on CMS Hospital Compare data. Additionally, Venice Regional had the lowest readmission rate in South Florida for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with a Drug-Eluting Stent between 2013-2016, according to Dexur.