ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — After more than 80 years in the community, Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital will close permanently on April 22.
Originally established as Wuesthoff Hospital in 1941, Orlando Health took possession of the facility along with two other hospitals in October of last year.
Orlando Health said it knew Rockledge Hospital had issues but didn’t realize the full extent of those problems until it started opening walls and ceilings post-acquisition.
On Monday, Channel 9’s Melonie Holt spoke to Johnette Gindling, the President & CEO Space Coast Health Foundation, about the closure.
“People are remembering having their children there, having surgery there, using that hospital, and then the people who have worked there and have put a lot of time and effort into that organization and that’s hard. Change is hard and it’s hard to walk away from all of that when it’s been such an integral part of the community,” Gindling said.
Orlando Health said it still has a goal of serving more residents than Rockledge Hospital was equipped to handle, with a new $600 million dollar hospital and free-standing emergency rooms.
The exact locations and timetables have not been determined.
Gindling told WFTV, “One of the things that the community can do to help, especially in this situation right now, is choose that right level care. If you have a rash, if you have a cut on your finger, consider urgent care versus going to the ER and leaving our ERs for those really serious conditions such as a heart attack or a stroke. That’s important.”
Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital will officially shutter its doors at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday.
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