IMMOKALEE, Fla. — For more than three decades, the Marion E. Fether Medical Center has been a lifeline for people who live in Immokalee, but the 42,000-square-foot facility desperately needed updates.
Click here to see Immokalee Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo speak with Healthcare Network CEO and patients:
After completing the first phase of a major renovation, patients are now walking into a transformed space. The changes are immediately noticeable to longtime patients like Hanioska Perez, who has brought her mother to the center for care for three years.
"We feel very comfortable because everything looks more comfortable, aesthetically much nicer, and we're even commenting on how calming the colors are; they give us a sense of peace," Perez said.
The new lobby features floor-to-ceiling windows and dedicated family-friendly spaces. An updated pharmacy and streamlined check-in experience are also part of the improvements.
Perez said the renovation makes the facility feel like a better place for care.
"We're very happy with the service, and now that the facility is much nicer, it makes us feel like we're in a better place," Perez said.
Healthcare Network CEO Jamie Ulmer said the timing is crucial for this community.
"This community has not felt the love lately. We became a food desert overnight when the only grocery store in town closed," Ulmer said.
The center serves more than 10,000 patients a year, including families, farmworkers, children and seniors. Ulmer said all services are housed in one building, making healthcare accessible for a walking community.
"You don't have to go from here to go get your labs done or an x-ray. It's all done in the one facility," Ulmer said.
Phase two is already underway, focusing on clinical areas that will expand from 18 to 31 exam rooms. Phase three will complete lab, x-ray and dental renovations.
The entire project is expected to finish in winter 2026.
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