HCA Florida Largo Hospital is preparing to open a new freestanding emergency room facility in Clearwater.
The 10,860-square-foot building, at 2209 State Road 580, is a $22.5 million investment in the community.
It features 11 treatment rooms, said HCA Florida Largo Hospital chief operating officer Mari Elliott. These include areas for trauma and emergency medical services, women’s care and isolation. Additionally, the facility has a laboratory, mental health room and advanced imaging technology such as X-ray machines.
An open house event was held Dec. 13 to allow community members to tour the facility. The HCA team hopes to officially welcome patients next week, she explained. However, this is dependent on a final inspection, which is scheduled for Dec. 22.
Once it opens, HCA Florida Countryside Emergency will provide 24/7 care. Elliott added that patients will “have easy access” to the main Largo campus if they need to be transported.
“The need for healthcare continues to increase year after year,” she said. “We looked at how we can better serve more patients in our county and saw a gap in some points of access in the Dunedin-Clearwater area.”
HCA Florida Healthcare oversees over 650 affiliated hospitals, physician practices, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers in the state. The new location is joined by another emergency room in Clearwater, at 2339 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd.
Approximately 30 full-time positions, including nurses, physicians, radiology technicians and security officers, have been created for HCA Florida Countryside Emergency.
While the property was initially acquired in 2023, the HCA team did not break ground on the project until February.
“Ease of access to emergency medical services is particularly important to families with children and our elderly population,” said Clearwater mayor Bruce Rector in a statement prepared for the Catalyst. “We are pleased to see this impressive new facility located in Clearwater.”
Artwork from Dunedin High School students will be displayed throughout the building.
Elliott explained that she and her team brainstormed ideas for the facility’s design and wanted to show something “more local” than generic photographs. The pieces will be permanently exhibited.
Additionally, the HCA Florida Largo Hospital team is exploring setting up a scholarship to support these students.
“For us, it’s important that patients are able to get their care,” Elliott said, “and they don’t feel deterred because it’s a long drive to get somewhere or a long wait time.”