Community Event: What Happened to Our Hospitals?
Join neighbors, local leaders, and health care providers for an open conversation about rural hospital closures and access to care.
Join us at What Happened to Our Hospitals? a community event at the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds on September 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM (Eastern Time) to discuss the state health care in north-central Florida. Let's come together to share stories, ask questions, and brainstorm solutions. This event is open to all community members, so bring your friends and family along.
In Florida:
- 7 rural hospitals have closed since 2005
- 5 of the 7 hospitals closed in 2017 or later, including 3 hospitals in 2020
- 3 Critical Access Hospitals have closed since 2017
That’s why Florida Voices for Health and the For Florida’s Health coalition are working to bring attention to this issue. If you’ve had to travel too far for care, or couldn’t get the care you needed, you can help. Learn more and get involved at www.bringbackcarefl.org.
Agenda
6:00 – 6:30 | Networking
Join us to get to know some of the people in the room and enjoy free food and drinks.
6:30 – 6:35 | Welcome Remarks
Speaker: Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health
6:35 – 6:40 | Welcome to Columbia County
Speaker: Jonathan Burgess, Longtime Lake City Resident
Born at Lake Shore Hospital, Jonathan will welcome our guests with a historical perspective on healthcare in Columbia County.
6:40 – 6:55 | Rural Florida’s Current Needs and Challenges
Speakers: Glenn Davis, Hamilton County Paramedicine & Dr. Philip Mobley, NorthStar Family Resource Center
Glenn will share what he sees as he provides care in rural north central Florida. Philip Mobley, a longtime community leader, will highlight the ongoing work of the Columbia County Wellness Collaborative.
6:55 – 7:20 | A Framework for Solutions
Speaker: Steven Davis, Rural Health Redesign Center
Steven will share examples of RHRC’s successful work in other rural communities and describe how a similar community-led approach could help bring back care in north central Florida.
7:20 – 7:30 | Call to Action & Next Steps
Speaker: Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health
Learn more about how to get involved in the effort to bring more healthcare services to Columbia County and north central Florida. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for follow-up meetings with RHRC.
7:30 ~ 8:00 | Open Floor Sharing & Close
We want to hear from you! Attendees will have the opportunity to share how local hospital closures and limited access to care have affected them or the people they serve. Local providers are also invited to discuss the challenges they encounter while serving rural communities. Additionally, we would like to hear from community members and leaders about potential solutions and suggestions on who else should be included in this conversation.
Join neighbors, local leaders, and health care providers for an open conversation about rural hospital closures and access to care.
Join us at What Happened to Our Hospitals? a community event at the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds on September 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM (Eastern Time) to discuss the state health care in north-central Florida. Let's come together to share stories, ask questions, and brainstorm solutions. This event is open to all community members, so bring your friends and family along.
In Florida:
- 7 rural hospitals have closed since 2005
- 5 of the 7 hospitals closed in 2017 or later, including 3 hospitals in 2020
- 3 Critical Access Hospitals have closed since 2017
That’s why Florida Voices for Health and the For Florida’s Health coalition are working to bring attention to this issue. If you’ve had to travel too far for care, or couldn’t get the care you needed, you can help. Learn more and get involved at www.bringbackcarefl.org.
Agenda
6:00 – 6:30 | Networking
Join us to get to know some of the people in the room and enjoy free food and drinks.
6:30 – 6:35 | Welcome Remarks
Speaker: Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health
6:35 – 6:40 | Welcome to Columbia County
Speaker: Jonathan Burgess, Longtime Lake City Resident
Born at Lake Shore Hospital, Jonathan will welcome our guests with a historical perspective on healthcare in Columbia County.
6:40 – 6:55 | Rural Florida’s Current Needs and Challenges
Speakers: Glenn Davis, Hamilton County Paramedicine & Dr. Philip Mobley, NorthStar Family Resource Center
Glenn will share what he sees as he provides care in rural north central Florida. Philip Mobley, a longtime community leader, will highlight the ongoing work of the Columbia County Wellness Collaborative.
6:55 – 7:20 | A Framework for Solutions
Speaker: Steven Davis, Rural Health Redesign Center
Steven will share examples of RHRC’s successful work in other rural communities and describe how a similar community-led approach could help bring back care in north central Florida.
7:20 – 7:30 | Call to Action & Next Steps
Speaker: Scott Darius, Florida Voices for Health
Learn more about how to get involved in the effort to bring more healthcare services to Columbia County and north central Florida. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign up for follow-up meetings with RHRC.
7:30 ~ 8:00 | Open Floor Sharing & Close
We want to hear from you! Attendees will have the opportunity to share how local hospital closures and limited access to care have affected them or the people they serve. Local providers are also invited to discuss the challenges they encounter while serving rural communities. Additionally, we would like to hear from community members and leaders about potential solutions and suggestions on who else should be included in this conversation.