US-based Orlando Health and Watson Clinic have announced a collaboration to enhance patient care in Polk County, Florida, and beyond.
The partnership is set to be realised in June 2026 with the inauguration of the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Specialists from both Orlando Health and Watson Clinic have worked together to design the facility, select technologies, and plan which services will be provided.
Orlando Health Midwest Region senior vice-president Carlos Carrasco said: “By combining our respective strengths, we are able to provide a level of care and service that expands both our capabilities while enhancing patient care.
“Watson Clinic is one of the region’s largest and most established healthcare providers, with over 84 years of deeply rooted history in the community. We’re excited about our alignment with Watson Clinic and the impact it will have on patient care across Florida’s heartland.”
Upon its opening, the hospital will feature more than 300 inpatient beds, as well as 69 emergency and observation beds.
In addition, it will accommodate 11 operating rooms, an 18-bed ICU designed to cater to 36 patients at full capacity, and four cardiac and interventional suites.
Obstetric services will be available from the first day, including eight labour and delivery rooms, over 25 post-partum rooms, and two c-section operating rooms.
A neonatal intensive care unit, consisting of 12 beds, is also scheduled to open shortly after the hospital begins operations.
Watson Clinic CEO Jason Hirsbrunner said: “This collaboration will provide our devoted patient base with expanded access to the doctors and care they trust most, and it will ensure exceptional healthcare services in our community for generations to come.”
In February 2024, Orlando Health partnered with Acadia Healthcare to begin construction on a new behavioural health hospital, aimed at improving mental health services in the Orlando area.
