Tarpon Springs hospital evacuated as Hurricane Idalia inches closer

AdventHealth is shutting down its Tarpon Springs hospital in preparation for Hurricane Idalia and moving 60 patients to its other local hospitals.

In a statement Tuesday morning, the hospital group says it has canceled and will reschedule all elective procedures that were planned this week at AdventHealth North Pinellas.

The hospital’s emergency room will stay open until 3 p.m. Tuesday. AdventHealth ER in Palm Harbor will stay open indefinitely.

More than 60 patients are expected to be moved by noon to the group's Tampa, Dade City and Ocala. A spokeswoman says all patients and their families were notified before the move.

The Tarpons Springs hospital is 1395 S. Pinellas Ave., between Lake Tarpon and Saint Joseph Sound and not far from the city’s popular sponge docks.

According to the statement, the evacuation is being done “given our location and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, along with the projected storm surge of 5-7 feet and mandatory evacuation orders.”

“We are evacuating our AdventHealth North Pinellas hospital in Tarpon Springs out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our patients, visitors and team members.”