The Lake City Medical Center's Suwannee Campus at the former Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center.

LIVE OAK — The former Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center has been purchased by HCA Healthcare and is now officially open as a full-service emergency department.

The Suwannee ER as well as Starke ER, formerly known as Shands Starke Regional Medical Center, were purchased by HCA Healthcare North Division affiliate hospitals North Florida Regional Medical Center and Lake City Medical Center. The purchase went through Friday after being previously announced in February.

“Our commitment to the purchase and operation of Starke ER and Suwannee ER ensures that there will be no lapse in emergency care for the families and individuals who rely on these critical 24/7 emergency services,” Eric Lawson, the CEO of North Florida Regional, said in a statement. “We are also grateful to add so many exceptional caregivers to our HCA Healthcare team who are excited to continue to serve this community with pride and compassion.

“During a time when COVID-19 is a focus, both emergency departments will apply the best practices of HCA Healthcare and the strict guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure healthcare professionals at each of the facilities can safely and effectively care for potential and positive COVID19 patients, while also serving patients who visit the ER for non-COVID-related care.”

Emergency services were the most utilized healthcare service in both counties, HCA said in a release, and the new department will serve the more than 70,000 residents in Bradford and Suwannee counties. HCA Healthcare North Florida Division pledged to hire colleagues that currently serve these communities at both Shands hospitals, and as of Friday, the new ERs employ nearly 100 colleagues with plans to expand as patient volume increases.

“Both of our hospitals have had a long-standing relationship in caring, treating and supporting patients in both the Starke and Live Oak and we’re proud to expand our care options with the addition of Suwannee ER and Starke ER,” Rick Naegler, CEO of Lake City Medical Center, added in the release. “Being a part of HCA Healthcare provides our hospitals and our patients access to an international network of data, resources and supplies that allow us better care for our patients and to quickly scale our response to meet the needs of the community. Time and time again, HCA Healthcare has collaborated with local, state and federal government officials, and community organizations, to make certain the community receives support in times of great need such as this.”

HCA Healthcare added in the release that North Florida Regional and Lake City Medical have focused the past several months on preparing for any potential impacts of COVID-19, updating their clinical guidelines, training on personal protective equipment, implementing visitor restrictions and health screening protocols, and launching universal masking to ensure every caregiver has the right mask at the right time to stop the spread of infection and protect

our colleagues and patients.

Those universal protections have now been implemented in both ERs to ensure the emergency rooms continue to be a safe place to seek care for all health-related needs, the release said.

With Suwannee ER and Starke ER becoming part of the HCA Healthcare network, patients who need admission to either NFRMC or LCMC will experience a more seamless and cost-effective transition, and attending caregivers will have access to integrated technologies.

“During these challenging times, and always, our caring colleagues are here to support these communities,” Lawson added. “We are proud to welcome the Suwannee ER and Starke ER into the HCA Healthcare family and to do our part in our community to fulfill our mission — above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.”