$31 million freestanding ER opens in Wellen Park

A new freestanding emergency room is now open in south Sarasota County. Operating as an extension of HCA Florida Englewood Hospital, the facility cost $31 million to build, officials said during the groundbreaking for the project last May.

Called HCA Florida Wellen Park Emergency, the 11,300-square-foot facility opened on March 25, according to a statement. It contains 11 exam rooms and provides full-service emergency care, including X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound and laboratory capabilities, according to a statement from HCA Florida Englewood Hospital. There is also a pediatric treatment room.

The facility offers 24/7 emergency care from board-certified physicians and nurses specializing in emergency medicine. Among the conditions the ER will treat are injuries such as fractures and lacerations, upper respiratory infections, stomach or abdominal pain, chest pain, stroke and others.

HCA Florida Wellen Park Emergency is at 7070 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice across the road from a North Port fire station. The new emergency center is expected to serve more than 10,000 patients a year, officials say.

HCA Florida Englewood Hospital, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, is opening the freestanding emergency center as part of its commitment to serving residents in Sarasota and Charlotte counties, both of which are experiencing growth.

“Expanding access to high-quality emergency care is a priority for us,” HCA Florida Englewood Hospital CEO Kelly Lindsay says in the statement. “We are proud to have the opportunity to provide this life-saving care, close to home.”