Free Standing Emergency Department Proposed For Highway 29 In Cantonment

October 8, 2023

A free standing emergency department is being proposed for Highway 29 in Cantonment.

An engineering firm has filed plans prepared for HCA Healthcare, which operates HCA Florida West Hospital, for a 10,860 square foot emergency department in the 400 block of Highway 29. The facility, if constructed, would be located on about 2.4 acres on the north side of Highway 29 between Anytime Fitness and Companion Animal Clinic, according to the plans filed with Escambia County. The lot is currently vacant.

Engineering firm Kimley Horn wrote that the free standing emergency department “will be 24-hour operational and will not serve as an overnight patient facility but will serve as a place to stabilize the patient prior to be transferred to the main hopital nearby”.

The plans are currently in a pre-application status with the Escambia County Development Review Committee and are set for a pre-application meeting on Wednesday.

“I can confirm we did purchase the land. We are always looking for ways to support our thriving community, and from time to time we purchase land for potential growth in the future. We don’t have any plans for the property at this time,” Kendrick Doidge, vice president of communications for HCA Florida West Hospital, told NorthEscambia.com late Friday afternoon.

NorthEscambia.com photos and map, click to enlarge.

Comments

13 Responses to “Free Standing Emergency Department Proposed For Highway 29 In Cantonment”

  1. jmar on October 10th, 2023 10:09 am

    It would be great to finally see things in the North end past the Tom Thumb, they forget how many people are really out this way not including the neighborhoods to come and health insurance doesnt cross the state line!

  2. dave lamb on October 9th, 2023 8:01 pm

    @K That is why it should be a trauma center and not just an emergency room. A trauma center is better equipped to support extreme care patients. and a helicopter at the trauma center could get the more severe patients to a more equipped facility. It is called triage. stabilize and then transport!

  3. Grady Smith on October 9th, 2023 8:16 am

    I agree with the North of Cantonment crowd.

    In my military career, I served in third world environments; but Cantonment is the only one that had/has a railroad runinng through it.

    Moreover David Lamb is correct. When you place such large volumes of people, in such close proximity as afforded by these “spit to your neighbor’s house” developments, expect much domestic violence between spouses and these people next door.

  4. Thanks on October 9th, 2023 7:31 am

    I have lived out this way for the past 40 years and I see a problem with the fr crossing and the light function at the corner there too creating long lines that pass this WF ER location. But thank God we’re finally getting a 24 hrs medical facility out this this. I would rather to this new WF ER than to the Ascension ER because of better care. I asked a Sacred Heart CEO 30 years ago about putting a ER out here and he basically laugh. Thank you WF!!

  5. Kat on October 8th, 2023 5:03 pm

    I have used the emergency service at the HCA place on 9 mile near the I-10 west on ramp.. they treated me well and I didn’t have to wait but a couple minutes to be seen.. mri was done and I was sent home with the meds needed.. thank you for that.. it was the closest one to out place out here near molino

  6. K on October 8th, 2023 3:21 pm

    If it’s bad enough that Life Flight is needed, they probably shouldn’t be going to a freestanding ER anyways. They should be going to one of the main hospitals in Pensacola.

  7. dave lamb on October 8th, 2023 12:47 pm

    I agree that it should be between Molino and Cantonment north of the RR tracks.
    Life Flight would circumvent the tracks.

  8. dave lamb on October 8th, 2023 12:44 pm

    I agree that it should be between Molino and Cantonment north of the RR tracks

  9. Me on October 8th, 2023 9:45 am

    Good idea….BUT….wouldn’t it be more feasible to be on the North side of the railroad tracks? So that the folks north of the mill would have a better chance of having timely medical care and not have to wait for the train to move

  10. EMD on October 8th, 2023 9:26 am

    It would be nice to have a GOOD medical facility here in the north end. But, NOT if they will not transport patients to any place OTHER than West FL. Hospital. And, I hope they send NO ONE to W. FL ER. It is NOT a good place to go. Cringe!

  11. JBS on October 8th, 2023 8:46 am

    There needs to be one north of the railroad tracks that cross 29 at Cantonment!

  12. Angel on October 8th, 2023 7:55 am

    Great, but this and all subsequent infrastructure needs to be built a little farther north of the red light in cantonment. The “train track” in cantonment is a huge huge problem.
    I have lived in the area my entire life so I speak from experience. Keep all the needed infrastructure north of the railroad tracks so that it is accessible 24/7. Especially this free standing emergency department.

  13. dave lamb on October 8th, 2023 3:17 am

    This is a good start for some infrastructure for all the new housing. Now sanitary treatment systems, police/fire/ rescue stations with life flight helicopters , water abatement, and added water systems will need to be added. the hospital needs to be a trauma center. 1500 new houses will need a lot of new infrastructure..