ORLANDO, Fla.,None — The hospital chain Orlando Health is about to get even bigger. They're taking over Health Central on Colonial Drive in Ocoee.
However, the chain is not taking over all the hospital's services. Orlando Health is in the middle of negotiating a take over of Health Central.
The main hospital in West Orange County serves about 800,000 people and is over 215 square miles. But no one knows how patients will be transported during emergencies when Orlando Health steps in.
"They've decided they will not provide ambulance service for the area," said Winter Garden City Manager Michael Bollhoefer.
Winter Garden, Ocoee, Windermere, Doctor Phillips and portions of unincorporated Orange County will be impacted.
Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd represents the area and would like to see Orange County Fire Rescue take over ambulance transport.
The agency has been the primary provider for Orange County since 2007 when it cancelled its contracts with Rural Metro.
"We're already dispatching for paramedics and go on the calls," said Orange County Commissioners Scott Boyd.
Winter Garden is considering several options, which could include collaborating with Orange County or Ocoee. Or it would run the ambulance service itself because its fire rescue trucks already have the equipment needed.
But Bollhoefer said he might also push Orange County to reconsider bringing in private company, such as Rural Metro.
Health Central said it costs about $210 an ambulance ride. The hospital lost $400,000 last year running its own ambulance service.
"The private could be a viable option because they might be able to do it for a lesser amount of money," Bollhoefer said.
Hospital officials said they hope to have a new ambulance transport system in place by October. Health Central said it will not stop providing transport until that happens.