Lee Health Makes History in the State of Florida; Relocates Regional Trauma Center to Gulf Coast Medical Center

(Fort Myers, Fla. – Jan. 12, 2022) --- As part of a major expansion to better serve the Southwest Florida community, Lee Health has relocated its Regional Trauma Center from Lee Memorial Hospital to Gulf Coast Medical Center.

The move officially took place this morning.

To prepare for the trauma center relocation, Gulf Coast Medical Center underwent an extensive $315 million expansion project, which added 268 new inpatient beds, bringing the hospital’s total bed count to 624 from 356. The project also includes an expanded emergency department and intensive care unit (ICU) spaces.

Lee Health made history in the State of Florida by becoming the first health system in the state to move a trauma program.

“We are committed to caring for our community, and by relocating our Regional Trauma Center to Gulf Coast Medical Center, we are ensuring that we have adequate treatment space to serve the trauma service needs of our growing population,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and chief executive officer of Lee Health. “Along with the additional space, Gulf Coast also offers a more centralized location to provide these services.”

The trauma center serves only the most complex and life-threatening cases. More than 90% of those cases are comprised of blunt trauma from falls, motor vehicle crashes and motorcycle crashes.

The emergency department at Lee Memorial Hospital will remain open and will continue to serve the community 24 hours per day. Any member of the community who needs emergency care should continue to visit their nearest hospital’s emergency room.

Learn more about Lee Health’s trauma services at www.leehealth.org.