Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems is ending inpatient care at two Florida hospitals and then selling the facilities to Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, according to The Florida Times-Union.
Shands Starke (Fla.) Regional Medical Center and Shands Live Oak (Fla.) Regional Medical Center will still offer emergency care after they discontinue inpatient and other non-emergency services in late April.
"The primary medical need of these communities is for emergency services," Rhonda Sherrod, CEO of the hospitals, stated in a news release, according to The Florida Times-Union.
After the hospitals cease inpatient care, the facilities will be sold to HCA Healthcare's North Florida Division. HCA plans to operate the facilities as off-campus emergency departments of Lake City (Fla.) Medical Center and North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville.