Healthcare access is a key factor in how buyers evaluate neighborhoods, especially those relocating from other states or considering Fort Lauderdale for retirement. Fort Lauderdale has two major hospitals within city limits and is within 20 minutes of several additional medical centers in Broward County.
This guide covers each hospital’s location, key designations, and the closest Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods.
What Major Hospitals Are Located in Fort Lauderdale?
Two hospitals operate within Fort Lauderdale city limits. Both are established systems with distinct patient populations and specialties. A third facility, Broward Health Imperial Point, serves the city’s northern edge.
Broward Health Medical Center
Address: 1600 S Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Broward Health Medical Center is Fort Lauderdale’s primary public hospital and its designated Level II Trauma Center. The Florida Department of Health assigns the Level II designation, which indicates the hospital can provide definitive care for all injuries, with 24-hour coverage by surgical specialists (Florida Department of Health, Trauma Center Designations).
The hospital is part of Broward Health, the largest public healthcare system in Broward County, operating four hospitals and more than 30 community care sites.
Broward Health Medical Center handles the highest-acuity cases in the Fort Lauderdale area. It is the hospital Emergency Medical Services routes serious trauma to from the downtown, Las Olas, and beach corridor neighborhoods.
For buyers in Rio Vista, Harbor Beach, Las Olas Isles, and downtown Fort Lauderdale, Broward Health Medical Center is the nearest major facility, typically 5 to 10 minutes by car under normal traffic conditions.
Holy Cross Health
Address: 4725 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Holy Cross Health is a nonprofit Catholic hospital operating under the Trinity Health network. It is located in northeast Fort Lauderdale near the Broward-Dade county line, serving the northern reaches of Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale by the Sea, and the Coral Ridge corridor.
The hospital is recognized for its cardiac care, orthopedic surgery, and women’s health programs. Holy Cross operates a dedicated heart center and has received Chest Pain Center accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC Accreditation Services).
Holy Cross is the closest major hospital for buyers in Coral Ridge, Victoria Park (northern sections), and Lighthouse Point. Drive time from Coral Ridge is typically 10 to 15 minutes via Federal Highway.
Broward Health Imperial Point
Address: 6401 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Broward Health Imperial Point is a community hospital within the Broward Health system, located in the same Federal Highway corridor as Holy Cross Health at the northern edge of Fort Lauderdale.
It serves the northern Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, and Wilton Manors population and provides emergency services, surgical care, and inpatient medical services.
It is smaller than Broward Health Medical Center and does not have a trauma center designation, but it provides accessible, community-level hospital care for the North Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods.
What Other Major Hospitals Are Near Fort Lauderdale?
Several major medical centers operate within 15 to 25 minutes of Fort Lauderdale’s core neighborhoods and are relevant to buyers evaluating healthcare access in the broader area.
Memorial Regional Hospital
Address: 3501 Johnson St, Hollywood, FL 33021 (approximately 15 minutes south of Fort Lauderdale)
Memorial Regional Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and home to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, one of the few specialized burn care facilities in South Florida. Level I Trauma Centers provide the highest level of trauma care and maintain 24-hour in-house coverage across all major specialties.
Memorial Regional is part of Memorial Healthcare System, one of the largest public healthcare systems in the country.
For buyers in southern Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods and those who may need access to burn care or the highest-acuity trauma services, Memorial Regional is the benchmark facility in Broward County (Memorial Healthcare System).
Cleveland Clinic Florida
Address: 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd, Weston, FL 33331
Cleveland Clinic Florida is the regional presence of Cleveland Clinic and is consistently ranked among the top hospital systems in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
The Weston campus handles complex cardiac, neurological, and surgical cases and draws patients from across South Florida. It is not the nearest emergency facility for most Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods.
Still, buyers with complex or chronic medical needs who want access to a nationally recognized specialty system should factor in the 20-minute drive from central Fort Lauderdale (Cleveland Clinic Florida).
Broward Health North
Address: 201 E Sample Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33064 (approximately 20 minutes north of Fort Lauderdale)
Broward Health North serves northern Broward County, including Deerfield Beach, Coconut Creek, and buyers in Fort Lauderdale’s northernmost neighborhoods. Part of the Broward Health system, it provides emergency services, surgical care, and inpatient medicine.
Broward Health Medical Center or Holy Cross Health better serves Most Fort Lauderdale buyers. Still, buyers near the county’s northern edge will find Broward Health North a practical emergency option.
Which Fort Lauderdale Neighborhoods Are Closest to Major Hospitals?
Hospital proximity matters most for buyers with older family members, young children, or pre-existing health conditions, and for buyers who are retiring and want nearby emergency services.
Downtown, Las Olas corridor, and waterfront neighborhoods south of downtown (Rio Vista, Harbor Beach, Las Olas Isles) are 5 to 10 minutes from Broward Health Medical Center.
These neighborhoods combine walkable lifestyle access with the shortest drive times to Fort Lauderdale’s Level II Trauma Center of any residential area in the city.
Buyers in Rio Vista have the shortest average drive time to Broward Health Medical Center of any established Fort Lauderdale neighborhood.
Northeast Fort Lauderdale and Coral Ridge are closest to Holy Cross Health and Broward Health Imperial Point. Coral Ridge residents are typically 10 to 12 minutes from Holy Cross Health via Federal Highway under normal conditions.
For buyers evaluating neighborhoods on multiple lifestyle factors alongside healthcare access, the living in Fort Lauderdale guide compares different parts of the city on schools, parks, commute, and neighborhood character.
Healthcare access fits into the same framework as the safest neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale criteria buyers use when narrowing their search.
FAQ’s
Does Fort Lauderdale have a trauma center?
Yes. Broward Health Medical Center at 1600 S Andrews Ave holds Level II Trauma Center designation from the Florida Department of Health, meaning it provides definitive care for all injury types with 24-hour specialist coverage. Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, 15 minutes south, holds Level I Trauma Center designation.
What is the closest hospital to Fort Lauderdale Beach?
Broward Health Medical Center at 1600 S Andrews Ave is the closest major hospital to Fort Lauderdale Beach, approximately 1.5 miles west of the A1A corridor. Drive time from the beach is typically 5 to 8 minutes, depending on traffic and time of day.
Is Cleveland Clinic close to Fort Lauderdale?
Cleveland Clinic Florida is in Weston, approximately 20 minutes west of central Fort Lauderdale via I-595. It is not the nearest emergency facility for most Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods but is the closest access point to Cleveland Clinic’s nationally ranked specialty programs for South Florida residents.
Does Fort Lauderdale have a burn center?
Fort Lauderdale itself does not have a dedicated burn center. The Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood is the nearest specialized burn care facility, approximately 15 minutes south of Fort Lauderdale.
Which hospital do Fort Lauderdale residents use most for emergencies?
Broward Health Medical Center handles most emergency and trauma cases from Fort Lauderdale’s core neighborhoods because of its Level II Trauma Center designation and central location.
Healthcare Access Is Part of the Neighborhood Decision We Help Buyers Evaluate It Before the Offer.
The Dotoli Group factors hospital proximity, emergency response times, and neighborhood infrastructure into every buyer consultation.
Buyers relocating from other states and those purchasing for retirement have specific healthcare access requirements that shape which neighborhoods we recommend—ranked #1 Fort Lauderdale Large Team, RealTrends Verified 2026 (realtrends.com).
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