BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Concerns over the abrupt closure of Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital have prompted a special city council meeting in Brevard County, as local officials and residents push to delay the shutdown.
Rockledge City Manager Brenda Fettrow said she received only a 20-minute notice before Orlando Health announced its decision to close the hospital. Since then, she says the city has had no further communication from the health system.
Orlando Health plans to shut down the facility within the next two months, but the city is advocating for a delay of up to two years to allow for a smoother transition.
“There is an extreme amount of community and camaraderie and, of course, now concern for the closure of this hospital,” Fettrow said.
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A special city council meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening, during which officials will formally request a postponement, citing the “health and safety of the community.”
A key concern is the added travel time to alternative hospitals in Cape Canaveral and Viera, which could delay emergency medical care.
“That adds time to transport a patient,” Fettrow said. “I would estimate anywhere from 20 - 30 minutes depending on traffic.”
Orlando Health said in a statement that it decided to close the Rockledge hospital because repair costs outweighed the expense of building a “new state-of-the-art hospital.”
The health system also confirmed plans to construct a new hospital in Brevard County.
Meanwhile, local residents are mobilizing against the closure. A Change.org petition calling for a delay has gathered more than 1,600 signatures.
“We are just asking not to be forgotten,” said the petition’s creator.
Brevard County State Rep. Tyler Sirois met with Orlando Health officials Monday to discuss a possible delay, but his office said he was unavailable for comment as he was attending a committee session in Tallahassee.
The Rockledge City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m.