ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – Leaders in Rockledge are officially moving ahead with plans to try and stop the city’s only hospital from shutting down.
Orlando Health, which took over operations at the Rockledge hospital last year, plans to close the facility next month. It says the hospital is in such bad shape that it would be cheaper to build a whole new facility, rather than make repairs.
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At a special meeting Thursday night, the city council unanimously passed a resolution calling on Orlando Health to delay its plans and for the state to possibly get involved.
According to Dr. Saima Abbas, MD, an infectious-disease physician at the hospital and a speaker at Thursday’s meeting, closing the hospital would leave upwards of 900 people jobless.
“You want to fire 940 people and put them out of a job,” she said.
Dr. Abbas said that approximately 55 patients enter the hospital each day via ambulance — all on top of walk-ins and other appointments — and that there are only around 200 jobs available in the immediate area.
It was discussed during the meeting that while Rockledge looks into taking control of the hospital itself, a state medical zoning law prohibits towns and cities from doing so. The message now heads to Tallahassee in hopes the state government can step in and help.
“DeSantis, I hope you hear me when I say this. Rockledge Regional Medical Center needs to stay open, we need your help to stop Orlando Health from closing us,” said Chelsea Woodhouse, another speaker at the meeting.
As it stands, the closure is planned for April 22.
Orlando Health in a statement said, “This decision is necessary to ensure the safety of patients and team members.”
The healthcare system said it has established a transition team to assist patients, physicians, and team members affected by the closure.