Since taking over Sebastian River Medical Center from bankrupt Steward Health Care on Oct. 24, Orlando Health has begun rebuilding our county’s northern hospital, and has already hired 43 new staff members with 10 more starting work this month.
New signage and parking lot lighting, as well as all new landscaping replanted following a complete overhaul of the long-broken irrigation system, are just two of the most visible enhancements of a hospital campus that had languished during the hospital’s final years under its old ownership.
The entire hospital will also be getting a fresh paint job over the next two months.
“From the moment you turn onto the grounds of the hospital, you can see the difference and the improvements since the transition to Orlando Health,” said Tony Adams, president, Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital.
“We continue to work to make additional improvements, and you will see even more changes throughout the coming months that will set us apart as a world class health care institution.”
Orlando Health invested more than $400 million to purchase the 178-bed Sebastian hospital plus two more in Brevard County, along with dozens of medical specialty practices formerly part of the Steward network.
After the closing, Orlando Health issued more than $200 million in bonds to renovate and repair the hospitals’ equipment, patient rooms and vital systems, which had suffered from Steward’s growing unpaid debt to vendors and contractors dating back to 2021.
The helipad lights are now working and hooked into the emergency generator, which is now operational ahead of this summer’s hurricane season. The air-conditioning system has been repaired, as state inspections had shown that several parts of the hospital including laboratory space couldn’t be cooled to the proper temperatures for testing equipment.
Working elevators might seem like a pretty basic thing to manage traffic in a hospital, but since Steward had exhausted all goodwill with the elevator company, two elevators off the main lobby sat out or order for two years. Orlando Health is happy to say all the elevators are up and running now, transporting patients, staff, visitors, food and supplies.
All of these investments have resulted in a boost to physician and staff recruitment efforts throughout the hospital’s departments, and greater retention of employees since the Oct. 24 turnover.
Orlando Health has also sent in some reinforcements to continue the hospital’s transformation, including a new Director of Nursing Christina McGuirk, who brings with her 33 years of experience in the Orlando Health system.
Patients are returning to the hospital, too, as the daily census and Emergency Department volumes continue to rise.
During their stay, patients will find improved food throughout the hospital, as Orlando Health has mended relationships with nationally regarded food vendors including Sodexo, to bring patients tastier meals. Staff members and guests will also find more enticing food options in the hospital cafeteria.
Hospitals run, to a certain extent, on caffeine and the Sebastian hospital’s revamped cafe now serves Starbuck’s coffees and has a cappuccino machine to help get through those long shifts, and those long days for patient families and caregivers. Along with the new coffee options, the cafe features an expanded menu and added grab-and-go food.
Many of the facility improvements were a pretty obvious punch list identified before Orlando Health got the keys to the hospital, but other ongoing changes came from suggestions made by hospital staff.
“For me it’s all about the people. When we came to Sebastian and the Indian River County community, we committed to listen to our team members and providers and our current and future patients to hear what is needed to meet their needs and ultimately improve healthcare options,” said Ohme Entin, Orlando Health Senior Vice President, East Region.
“Based on that work, we have made many improvements and the work has just begun.”
As it works on spiffing up the hospital inside and out, Orlando Health also aims to regain its standing as an integral part of the fabric of the North County communities like the Sebastian hospital had been for decades prior to Steward’s downfall.
“The hospital participated in the Sebastian Chamber of Commerce Light Up Night participation, for the first time in five years and won first place for their decorations,” said spokesperson Katie Mitzner, who has been coordinating community outreach events for Orlando Health’s new East Region hospitals in Brevard and Indian River counties.
Mitzner said hospital employees also volunteered at Roseland Women’s Day and the Barefoot Bay Barefoot by the Lake festival.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
