This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his commitment to funding the Leon Haley, Jr., MD Trauma Center at the University of Florida (UF) Health, Jacksonville.
The trauma center, named after former UF Health Jacksonville CEO, Dr. Leon Haley Jr. who passed away last year, will be a state-of-the-art Level-1 trauma center to serve the needs of Jacksonville residents and the surrounding communities.
“Dr. Leon Haley dedicated his life to helping people and those who knew him were inspired by his leadership and commitment to bettering his community,” said DeSantis. “It is fitting to honor his legacy with a facility that will serve Jacksonville and the surrounding communities for generations to come. In Florida, we are putting patients first and making sure that Floridians have access to quality care.”
“It is clear that Dr. Leon Haley was beloved by the medical community, especially by UF Health Jacksonville,” said state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. “Honoring his memory with this critical investment will serve those in Duval and the surrounding counties, and it will further improve critical emergency medical services.”
“What an exciting event for UF Health, the Haley family and the city,” said Russell E. Armistead, the CEO of UF Health Jacksonville. “Our people provide some of the best care and expertise you will find but the trauma center and the emergency department were in dire need of upgrades and this funding will change that dramatically. What a wonderful way to honor Dr. Leon Haley Jr.”
The project is included in the General Appropriations Act recently passed by the Legislature. The new trauma center will replace the current, outdated and overcrowded trauma center at UF Health Jacksonville to better serve residents of Duval, Nassau, Clay, St. Johns, and other counties in North Florida. UF Health’s trauma center in Jacksonville is the only Level-1 trauma center in the region.
The UF Health Jacksonville Leon L. Haley, Jr. M.D. Trauma Center will be built on the medical center’s campus located on Eighth Street in Downtown Jacksonville. The current center is heavily used, serving around 125,000 patients a year and is the only Level-1 trauma center located between Gainesville, FL and Savannah, GA.
The center will be better equipped to provide a safer environment for Baker Act patients and others with mental health issues. The project is expected to be completed and operational in the next four years.
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