AdventHealth tops out Polk County emergency room

As Polk County's population continues to surge, AdventHealth is moving closer to opening a new standalone emergency department in Auburndale designed to bring emergency care to one of Florida's fastest-growing regions.

AdventHealth and construction firm Robins & Morton marked a construction milestone July 24 with a topping-out ceremony for the new AdventHealth Auburndale ER, celebrating the placement of the building's final structural beam.

The 13,000-square-foot emergency department, under construction at 1036 U.S. Highway 92 W., is expected to open early next year. The facility will include 12 private exam rooms, advanced imaging services such as CT scans, X-rays and ultrasound, a full-service laboratory, pediatric emergency care, pharmacy services and respiratory therapy.

The project comes as Polk County experiences rapid residential growth that is placing increasing pressure on healthcare providers. A recent University of Florida study projects the county's population will grow from roughly 850,000 residents today to 1 million by 2030, reaching that milestone years sooner than previously forecast.

"With the massive growth in Polk County, it is essential that we continue to work to ensure our community has access to exceptional emergency care close to where they live when they need it most," Jennifer Wandersleben, CEO of AdventHealth's Southwest Florida region, says in a press release. "This new ER in Auburndale is about giving families living in and around this area peace of mind."

The new emergency department is expected to create more than 35 jobs.

Robins & Morton, a Birmingham, Alabama-based construction company with offices in Tampa, Orlando and South Florida, is serving as general contractor on the project. Orlando-based architecture firm HuntonBrady designed the facility.

Todd Watson, a division manager for Robins & Morton, said the project continues the firm's longstanding partnership with AdventHealth.

"Reaching this topping out milestone on the AdventHealth Auburndale ER is a meaningful moment for our team and for the Auburndale community," Watson says in the release. "We are proud of the work our team has put into this project and look forward to seeing it open its doors to serve the people of this community."

The Auburndale facility will operate as a department of AdventHealth Heart of Florida and is intended to improve access to emergency care for residents in western Polk County.

The project reflects a broader trend among hospital systems expanding outpatient and freestanding emergency facilities across Central Florida as population growth drives demand for healthcare services outside traditional hospital campuses. Standalone emergency departments have become an increasingly common strategy for health systems seeking to establish a presence in rapidly developing communities while relieving pressure on existing hospitals.

The Auburndale ER is scheduled to begin seeing patients early next year.