TAMPA, Fla. — Central Florida Health Care is expanding its services in Lakeland.

What You Need To Know

  • Central Florida Health Care Center broke ground Wednesday on a new facility across from the old one

  • The new facility will provide all health care services under one roof and be home to a diabetes center

  • The facility helps serve low-income families who live in the area

The medical group Wednesday morning broke ground on a new health facility — conveniently located across from the current building.

The new center is expected to be bigger and offer more services.

For many low-income families, it has been a struggle to get services like dentistry and pediatrician help at Central Florida Health Care’s Lakeland location.

The new location plans to change that.

Lorraine Goldener has been a patient for eight years and was there Wednesday for a checkup. It's a place where she says she’s getting the best care.

“I like the feeling of family, people that work here, they tend to get to know their patients," she said.

The facility located on North Missouri Avenue serves low-income patients who live in the area. But as the community grows, so does the need for a bigger facility.

The new building will be four stories. Patients will receive all their normal health care services with the addition of dentistry, pediatrician services, a drive-through pharmacy and a diabetes center.

“A lot of people have challenges getting to their health care provider, and so with all the service that we’ll provide at this location, they’ll be able to come get all the services that they need,” said Ann Claussen, CEO of Central Florida Health Care. 

Many of the center's patients walk or bike to their appointments, making it convenient to build the new facility at the same location.

For Goldener, the expansion means more services and convenience for her whole family.

“I have grandchildren, I don’t have little children, but if I have an appointment for myself and they’re sick, and then I’d be able to take them in the same day and in the same place, that’s just a big plus," she said.

It is a service she says will ensure she and others in the community stay healthy. 

“I can only hope that it would be bigger and better than what we already have,” she says.

The facility will be a modular building, that will be built somewhere else and then brought to the property. The grand opening is anticipated in the next 12 months.