Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare has withdrawn an application to build a new hospital in Lakeland, Fla., amid objections from the local community, The Ledger reported Nov. 11.
The healthcare operator, which operates 46 hospital locations in the state, withdrew the plans in a letter dated Nov. 8, the report said. Those plans included a 120-bed hospital and an emergency room on a 29-acre piece of land.
The parcel of land HCA was looking at is currently zoned for residential use and is between two schools in the neighborhood. Residents had raised concerns about such issues as backed up traffic using the hospital facilities during school dropoff and pickup times and a planned helipad for emergency use, the report said.
In addition to over 2,300 care sites in 20 states and the United Kingdom, HCA operates 182 hospitals, about half of which are in Florida and Texas combined.
The HCA withdrawal comes around the same time as a Nov. 15 The Ledger article confirmed reports that local operator Lakeland Regional Health plans to expand by building a freestanding emergency department on 2.2 acres in the city.