Lee Health is launching a lawsuit to keep children's healthcare accessible on the Gulf Coast, specifically in Lee and Collier counties.
A Miami-based children's hospital is allegedly trying to remove Lee Health from the Golisano Children's Health Center in Naples, located at the corner of Pine Ridge Road and Livingston Road.
This legal battle may force the Golisano Children's Health Center in Naples to close, potentially leaving Collier County's most vulnerable children without essential healthcare.
The threat to end the lease by next Friday, April 4, comes as the property owners of Miami-based Nicklaus Children's Hospital allegedly refuse to recognize Lee Health's lease after it transitioned to a private non-profit last fall.
Since the switch, Lee Health has been able to expand care outside of Lee County and partner with more doctors, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.
The Naples Golisano Children's Health Center offers a wide range of services, including cardiology, oncology, urgent care, and therapies for children with autism.
Lee Health said that in just the last year, the urgent care treated more than 20,000 children. This facility is where some families come for specialized treatments for their children who have cancer or chronic illnesses.
If the center shuts down, families would be forced to travel outside of Collier County to get their children the care they need.
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