Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health will officially convert to a private nonprofit health system following a vote by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.
The County Board approved the proposed mission agreement at an Oct. 28 special board meeting, after Lee Health's board of directors signed off on the agreement Oct. 7.
The system will convert to a private nonprofit Nov. 1, according to a health system news release shared with Becker's.
The county board meeting was originally scheduled for Oct. 8 but was rescheduled due to Hurricane Milton. The Oct. 11 deadline to finalize the process was also extended after an emergency order by the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
As a private nonprofit, the system will be able to expand outside Lee County and projects realizing an additional $1 billion in net patient revenue over the next 10 years, the system said.
"Patients can expect the very same level of reliable, quality healthcare they have come to expect from Lee Health today, tomorrow, next month, and next year," Larry Antonucci, MD, system president and CEO, said in the release. "This change gives us the opportunity to provide additional access to care, bring in new clinical and business opportunities for providers, and expand healthcare options for our community."
System sets budget for new hospital
Lee Health's board also approved a cost of no more than $434 million for its new hospital on Oct. 24, Naples Daily News reported Oct. 28.
The 416,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2028 and replace the 414-bed Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, which will remain open through 2027, the Daily News reported.
The new facility is expected to have 168 beds, though a final number will be presented to the board in January.
Plans include a musculoskeletal institute with an onsite rehabilitation center, 10 operating rooms, a 44-bed emergency department, a laboratory and a pharmacy.
Additional features include a parking garage, with a hotel potentially added to the campus in the future, the Daily News reported.