“ Now we are looking to expand our capabilities in Winter Garden by adding 100 inpatient beds , 20 observation beds , and surgical services to provide both outpatient and inpatient surgery as well as a diagnostic cath lab ,” said Florida Hospital Winter Garden Administrator Amanda Maggard . “ This will allow those in the Winter Garden community to have access to a higher level of medical care closer to home .”
The proposed expansion would also increase the emergency department from 19 to 27 beds , and add support services such as a cafeteria , Maggard added .
The need for expansion is clear , given that the new hospital would serve a population that is large and rapidly growing . The population within five miles of the proposed site is nearly 150,000 residents . And a large percentage of growth is driven by the elderly population , which uses hospital services to a significantly higher degree than other age groups .
Expansion would also provide increased ongoing economic impact to the West Orange community . According to the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council , construction of the first phase of the hospital created an estimated total of 993 direct jobs and 587 indirect and induced jobs ( meaning government and consumption jobs ) in 2015 . The construction of the new hospital contributed $ 152 million in sales and $ 74 million in personal income , and added $ 93 million to Orange County ’ s gross domestic product , the planning council said .
For more information on the proposed expansion , including how to help support the effort , please contact Karen Flood at Karen . Flood @ flhosp . org .
“ Florida Hospital is excited to be Winter Garden ’ s partner in health , and our team would be thrilled to continue building a world-class health care facility in and for the West Orange community ,” Maggard said .
Members of the community have been reaching out to state officials in support of the expansion , noting that it would cut travel time and traffic concerns for those needing hospital care , as well as easing scheduling concerns for certain services and eliminating the need to navigate and park at the main Florida Hospital facility in Orlando .
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