When we talk about the local economy and what drives it, there are a few industries which immediately come to mind. We are the Horse Capital of the World® and know that equine plays a big part of the local economy. Others may think about how our community has become a major logistics center for the state and all of the new big box distribution centers which have been built near the interstate. Some may go to Ocala’s long-time role as a major manufacturing center, home to companies like Lockheed Martin, REV Fire – EONE, Pella, Cardinal Glass, etc. However, the sector that employs the most people and some of the highest wages is healthcare.
Regional Healthcare Center
It might be easy for one to overlook the size and scale of the local healthcare industry. While one may look at Gainesville and see the significance of the industry there because of the near omnipresence of the University and UF Health, our market is different. Here we have three different yet significant healthcare providers who all have made and are making substantial investments. When combined these three providers are the backbone of arguably our largest economic driver.
AdventHealth can trace its roots back locally to the real beginning of local healthcare with their 2018 purchase of what had been Munroe Regional Hospital. Today, AdventHealth Ocala is our largest hospital by beds with 425. In addition to the main downtown hospital, the system operates two free standing ERs in Belleview and TimberRidge, a Care Pavilion at Heath Brook, and a number of other facilities across the community. They are currently building a 60,000 sq. ft. medical office building on their downtown campus. Additionally, we are excited to watch them launch a Graduate Medical Education program in the very near future.
HCA operates two rapidly expanding hospital in the Ocala Metro: HCA Ocala downtown and HCA West Marion. Today, HCA Ocala has 323 beds and HCA West Marion has 236 beds. Combined, the two hospitals have nearly 3200 employees. The downtown hospital is the area’s Level 1 Trauma Center and has hosted the company’s Graduate Medical Education program since 2017. Each year the program hosts approximately 165 residents in a range of specialties including Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, and Family Medicine among others. Over the last few years, HCA has invested more than $1 billion in the local market.
The newest entrant to the local is UF Health. Earlier this year, the company cut the ribbon on their new 150,000 sq. ft. Ocala Neighborhood Hospital. This facility serves patients through 10 inpatient rooms, four operating rooms, 12 pre and post operative beds, an imaging center, and a 10 room ER. Additionally, patients can receive outpatient lab draws, other pre-operative services, and rehab services with both Occupational and Physical Therapies.
Sphere
The Healthcare sector is so important to the local economy that the CEP launched the Sphere initiative in 2020. This initiative, sponsored by Empath Home Health, focuses on growing and supporting our healthcare economy by bringing all the industry’s segments together to collaborate and communicate. Erin Jones on our team leads this effort and does a great job not only supporting the local healthcare community but works to recruit additional businesses to expand the healthcare economy.
