BUSINESS NEWS BRIEFS

AdventHealth Ocala President and CEO Erika Skula speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony. [Photo courtesy AdventHealth]

AdventHealth breaks ground on new ER
On April 10, hospital leaders, government officials and community members attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new AdventHealth Heathbrook ER in Ocala.

The facility will have 12 exam rooms, including a resuscitation room, a bariatric room, an isolation room, obstetrics-friendly room and pediatric-friendly rooms. There will be a triage room near the lobby. The ER also will offer lab services, X-ray, CT and ultrasound scans. The nearly 14,000 square-foot, 12 bed department is being built at 3941 SW College Road. HuntonBrady is the architecture firm and Robins & Morton will manage construction. It is scheduled to open in early 2026.

“Marion County is growing at a rapid pace, making it essential to continue to ensure our community has access to expert emergency care when they need it most,” said Erika Skula, President and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala, in the news release. “We’re ready to provide these essential services as part of our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ and provide exceptional whole-person care to people who live, work and visit our community. We’re delighted to take this latest step and further grow our footprint here.”

CF announces Going Gator UF partnership
The College of Central Florida is offering students the Going Gator partnership, designed for learners who want to earn an associate in arts degree at CF and then have guaranteed admission to transfer to the University of Florida.

Tuition at CF is about half the cost of a Florida public university and CF offers support systems including small class sizes, award-winning faculty and free tutoring and counseling for every student. More than half of CF students are enrolled in the associate in arts degree, which prepares them to transfer to a university after two years, the news release noted.

“Our associate in arts degree is our largest and most popular program,” said Jim Henningsen, CF president, in the release. “For many local students, the dream of attending a prestigious Florida university is only possible by getting an affordable, quality education at CF for the first two years. This new partnership with the University of Florida offers students a guided pathway from day one to set them up for success.”

Through the Going Gator partnership, qualifying students have guaranteed transfer admission into 19 pathways in the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, from English to history to sciences and more. Once admitted to the Going Gator program, CF students must continue to meet the eligibility criteria such as good academic standing and progress in their selected academic pathway. As a top public university, UF’s admission process is highly competitive and this partnership ensures CF graduates have a clear path to attaining that top-tier education.

“We are committed to expanding access to world-class education and the Going Gator partnership with the College of Central Florida is a testament to that mission,” said UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences interim dean Mary Watt in the release.

To learn more, go to cf.edu/uf

Ocala HCA hospitals earn awards
HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital have announced that each has received a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, a site that Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital.

This is the eighth year in a row that both hospitals have been recognized as a Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient and puts both facilities in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety.

In addition, both hospitals also recently were each named as one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals, placing them among the top 5% of hospitals in the country for clinical excellence, the news release noted.

“We are wholly committed to providing the Marion County community and its visitors safe, collaborative and timely care,” said Dr. Dave MacIntyre, chief medical officer for HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, in the release. “Receiving the Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades for a third consecutive year clearly affirms that our physicians, our nurses and our colleagues who support them in caring for our patients are dedicated to providing this community the highest quality care in the safest manner possible.”