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AdventHealth Ocala cut the ribbon on phase one of the $27 million emergency department expansion, Monday, February 4th. This phase of the project adds a new waiting room, three trauma rooms, a bariatrics room, a new nurse's station and 20 new private patient rooms, bringing a total of 42 private patient rooms to the emergency department. The previous emergency department only offered a few private rooms for patients. Creating all private rooms provides increased infection control and added comfort and privacy for patients and their families when they're in our care.

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"This expansion allows us additional capacity to provide our community with the clinical expertise and an enhanced environment to demonstrate our brand of inspired, compassionate care," said Joe Johnson, President and CEO of AdventHealth Ocala. "This is just one way we're investing in our services to strengthen the impact and quality of the health care services we provide to our community."

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The second phase of the expansion begins immediately and includes renovating and expanding the other side of the ER to provide additional patient beds. The entire project is slated for completion Fall 2019.

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AdventHealth Ocala is committed to investing $124 million over the next five years for additional expansion and equipment at the facility.