New emergency room facility coming to Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Not only is Panama City Beach getting its first hospital, but it’s also getting a new emergency room facility.

What’s dirt and trees now, will soon be a place to seek help when you need it most.

“When you have an emergency, you need to get somewhere and get somewhere quickly,” HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital COO Holly Dean said.

HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital is getting ready to break ground on a free-standing ER across the bridge. Located at the corner of Moylan and U.S. 98 in Panama City Beach, the facility will have a similar look to the one up U.S. 231.

“We’re going to have upwards of eleven exam rooms, it’s going to have a CT, we’re going to have x-ray capabilities, laboratory capabilities,” Dean said. “So it will be pretty much exactly like what you’re seeing here in Panama City.”

The facility is set to bring in roughly 30 jobs.

The new ER will be much more accessible to residents and visitors out on the beach. Officials said it’s a necessary addition especially as the area continues to grow.

“We know it can get very busy on the beachside during the season, so the ability to have emergency services readily available is extremely important,” Dean said. “Our objective is to make sure we can make healthcare accessible throughout the community.”

The roughly 11,000 sq. foot facility will cost about $11.5 million. It’s a price dean said is well-worth paying.

“The beachside, that market, they’re in need of additional healthcare services. We need to make sure we’re positioned to take care of the patients who need our services there,” Dean said.

The goal is to have those services available by the end of the year.

The official groundbreaking is set for the end of March. Officials said the entire process should take about nine months, depending on weather and materials.

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