- Cleveland Clinic plans two standalone emergency rooms in Indian River County
- Sites are in Sebastian and on Oslo Road in South County, with a target opening in early 2028
- The plans surfaced as county leaders weigh a possible third hospital
Cleveland Clinic plans to open two freestanding emergency departments in Indian River County in early 2028, one in Sebastian and one near Oslo Road in the south county. The hospital says both will operate around the clock and take ambulance and walk-in patients.
Where the Two ERs Would Go
The South County site is the southwest corner of Oslo Road and 27th Avenue SW, behind the Dollar Tree. The Sebastian site is vacant land between the eastbound and westbound lanes of County Road 512, at 200 to 203 Sebastian Boulevard, just east of South Wimbrow Drive.
That puts the new Sebastian ER about 3 miles from Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital, which runs its own busy emergency department. The Cleveland Clinic facility would also compete with HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital for patients across the region.
Dr. Richard Rothman, vice president and chief medical officer at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, said about one in five North County residents already travels to the main hospital for emergency and specialty care, often passing other providers on the way. He said the satellite sites should cut travel and transport times. He added that patients could be moved to the main campus for specialty services when needed.
Rothman also said the hospital wants to book follow-up appointments with Cleveland Clinic primary care and specialty physicians before patients leave the ER, while keeping ties to patients’ existing community doctors.
How the Plans Became Public
The projects came to light during the county’s debate over a possible third hospital. Anchor Health Properties, the builder, filed pre-application paperwork with the county in August and September for the sites. Those filings are public record, but Cleveland Clinic had not announced anything.
County Commission Chair Deryl Loar said he learned of the Oslo Road plan while checking on a Starbucks once planned for a site in his neighborhood. He said a county planner told him an emergency room was going there instead. Cleveland Clinic announced the Oslo Road project the next day and then shared the Sebastian details with Vero Beach 32963, the source of this report.
Rothman said he did not know the builder had filed the paperwork. He said the hospital held off on announcing because it had not yet closed on buying the properties. He described the ERs as separate from the third-hospital talks and part of a long-term strategy for Indian River County.
The Financial Backdrop
The expansion comes as the hospital faces high costs. A 2019 lease with the Indian River County Hospital District gave Cleveland Clinic 10 years of free rent on the taxpayer-owned buildings and 80-acre campus. In exchange, it agreed to $250 million in capital improvements and to keep certain essential services, such as maternity care. The lease runs 75 years.
The free-rent period ends in 2029. No fair market rent has been set, but Vero Beach 32963 reports that substantial payments to taxpayers are expected to begin then. The hospital must also spend $90 million over the next two years on its aging power plant and emergency generator system.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, which operates the hospital, has lost nearly $250 million on the Vero Beach operation since taking over in 2019. Under Rothman, the hospital is expected to break even for fiscal 2026, according to the source report.
What Comes Next
Both sites are still in the pre-application stage with the county, and the hospital has not said whether it has closed on the properties. The target opening is early 2028. The County Commission is continuing its discussion of a possible third hospital. Residents can follow those talks through commission meeting agendas.
