Friday rally pushes efforts to keep Rockledge Hospital open

A community rally is planned for Friday in protest of Rockledge Hospital’s planned closing, which some say will create a health care gap in Central Brevard County.
Orlando Health is closing Rockledge Hospital, citing poor physical condition that makes it unsafe for patients and staff.
State legislators, county commissioners, and city officials are working to find a way to keep all or parts of the hospital open.

A grass-roots “Help Save Orlando Rockledge Hospital” rally is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. Friday outside Ashley’s of Rockledge restaurant, 1609 S. U.S. 1, Rockledge, which is across the street from the hospital.

The nonpartisan rally is hosted by the Space Coast Progressive Alliance, Awake Brevard Action Alliance and Yantz Family Advocates for Brevard. Community advocates and hospital employees are expected to be among the speakers.

Orlando Health bought the 298-bed Rockledge Hospital in October as part of Steward Health Care’s bankruptcy proceedings. But, on Feb. 20, Orlando Health announced it was closing the hospital, citing the hospital’s poor physical condition that the company said made it unsafe for patients and staff.

Palm Bay resident Anthony Yantz, an organizer of Friday’s rally, said he thinks Orlando Health should have had “a far better way” to proceed and have a smoother transition, so as not to create a health care gap in Central Brevard County.

“It’s a major slap in the face for Rockledge” to have the hospital close with so little notice, said Yantz, who worked as a licensed nurse assistant in Vermont before moving to Brevard County.

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Details on Rockledge Hospital closing

In October, Orlando Health completed its $439 million deal to buy what was then known as Rockledge Regional Medical Center — along with the 119-bed Melbourne Regional Medical Center and the 178-bed Sebastian River Medical Center in Sebastian — from Steward Health Care. The deal also included related physician practices.

The acquisitions were the result of an asset purchase agreement with Steward Health Care that was approved by a bankruptcy court judge handling Steward’s ongoing bankruptcy case.

The hospital’s condition deteriorated so badly under Steward that, at one point, it was infested by bats.

Orlando Health immediately rebranded the former Steward hospitals as Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital and Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital.

But, on Feb. 20, Orlando Health told Rockledge Hospital employees that, although the hospital is profitable, it is in such poor condition that it would not be cost-effective to renovate, so the hospital would close, then be torn down.

Orlando Health also is closing four of its outpatient facilities in Rockledge, Merritt Island and Suntree.

Wide-ranging community efforts

State legislators, Brevard County commissioners, and Rockledge and Cocoa city officials are working to find a way to keep all or parts of the hospital open beyond the announced April 22 closing date.

Space Coast Health Foundation President and CEO Johnette Gindling said, when Orlando Health announced in February its plans to close Rockledge Hospital, the foundation established a working group of community partners to discuss immediate and long-term solutions for health care access to Central Brevard residents impacted by the hospital’s closure.

Those community partners include the Brevard Health Alliance, Health First, Orlando Health, Parrish Healthcare, MedFast Urgent Care Centers, the Space Coast Health Centers, the Florida Department of Health-Brevard, Brevard County Fire Rescue and Coastal Health Systems of Brevard. Also collaborating in these talks are leaders from Rockledge and Cocoa, Brevard County Commissioner Katie Delaney, Florida House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois and Florida Rep. Debbie Mayfield.

In addition, more than 1,950 people have signed an online petition on Change.org, asking Orlando Health to halt its plans to close Rockledge Hospital.

Orlando Health said it plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County, but did not discuss a location or timeline.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at [email protected], on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

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