Long Beach residents now have a local medical facility where they can see specialists and get advanced health care.
Officials say the new facility is not considered a hospital, but an ambulatory space that will provide special service to the people of the barrier island.
According to officials, patients can come to the facility to see cardiologists, urologists, gastroenterologists and pain specialists. There are 15 exam rooms where you can get X-rays and ultrasounds. Patients can also get blood drawn in the same building.
Long Beach Hospital was destroyed following Superstorm Sandy, which left residents there without a hospital. People say they were hoping for another hospital since the closest one is five miles away in Oceanside, which could take 20 minutes to get to.
The new facility saw its first patients on Tuesday with an official ribbon-cutting on Wednesday.
The news $35 million medical pavilion was built with FEMA money and constructed nine feet above sea level to account for potential future storms.