Plans to build a new hospital for residents in Eastern Collier County

By Julie Salomone

CREATED Nov. 30, 2012

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  • Plans to build a new hospital for residents in Eastern Collier County Video by fox4now.com

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NAPLES, Fla.- Is a hospital in the future for eastern Collier County?

There are plans to build a new healthcare facility that would serve residents in Ave Maria and Immokalee. 

Calah Alexander thinks a closer hospital would be a great idea. She lives in Ave Maria and recently her child accidently got into some cough medicine.

"We actually called Poison Control and they said we were so far we needed to call an ambulance." 

Her son is fine today, but she says having a nearby hospital would be good since there are alot of kids in the neighborhood.

"Got a ton of kids around here. Alot of broken bones or allergic reactions."

 

Blake Gable, President of Barron Collier Companies, and Richard Akin, CEO of the Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida, have been talking about the lack of healthcare for people living in Immokalee, Golden Gate Estates and Ave Maria.
 
"The closest hospital for some of those communities is 25, 30 miles away and in season with traffic it can take a very lone time for people to get to a hospital," said Gable.
 
The two are now looking at the possibility of putting a hosital somewhere in eastern Collier County. A location has not been decided yet and they just wrapped up a feasibility study. It is now on to phase 2. 
 
"Phase two is to address all those things, what service, where would it be, what specialties are most critcal," said Gable. 
 
This is a long-term project and building a hospital would take years. Gable tells Fox he plans on contacting physicians and getting community input next.