With Lakeland’s population on the rise, the need for quality medical care is rising, too. We’re watching these new healthcare developments and programs coming across Lakeland that aim to bridge the gap between residents and the doctors they need.
Orlando Health
Orlando Health’s first foray into the Lakeland market was the announcement of a freestanding emergency room at Lakeland Park Center just north of I-4.
This summer, Orlando Health is collaborating with Watson Clinic to open the Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital south of the Polk Parkway near Sanlan Golf Course.
The facility will include 300+ inpatient beds, plus emergency department beds, ICU rooms, and labor + delivery rooms. It will also include space to open a neonatal intensive care unit in the future, plus Watson Clinic’s new Medical Center and Surgery Center.
Moffitt Cancer Center
This world-renowned cancer treatment center will open its first Polk County location in Lakeland, also on Bartow Road. The Central Florida Campus will begin with an outpatient center, where Moffitt’s 1,450+ Polk patients can receive cancer screenings, clinical labs, radiation therapy, and more services when it opens in 2029.
Lakeland Regional Health
Lakeland Regional Health continues its run of freestanding emergency departments with another planned for north Lakeland. It’s set to open in early 2028 at the corner of US Highway 98 North + Marcum Road.
LRH is also planning a huge development on Bartow Road: the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children – South. With help from a $50 million fundraising campaign, the facility will extend the reach of its current pavilion on the main campus.
BayCare
BayCare also has plans to construct an emergency department on South Florida Avenue. The 12,000-sqft facility will focus on pediatrics and offer 12 emergency care beds, diagnostic imaging, and lab services. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2026.
AdventHealth
AdventHealth is also branching out into Lakeland, with plans to construct a large-scale medical complex in south Lakeland that aims to be fully operational by 2027.
While the development is in its early stages, proposed plans for the site include a 400-bed hospital, medical offices, retail commercial space, and a 250-unit apartment complex. The medical complex will also include a free-standing ER, rehab center, parking structures, and a helipad for medical transport.
Polk County
County commissioners recently approved funding in the 2026-2027 budget to demolish + rebuild Polk General Hospital. It’s expected to cost $100 million to rebuild the 100-year-old hospital.
Polk County is expanding access to indigent healthcare for those in need. In May of 2024, county commissioners approved $4 million for a new community health center just south of Lakeland in Mulberry.
It’s also investing $3 million into Central Florida Health Care’s new location on North Missouri Avenue, which will replace its current facility in 2026.
