JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- It's been a month since the state stripped Orange Park Medical Center of its level II Trauma Center License and now the hospital is fighting back.
On Wednesday night, the hospital filed a 12-page appeal citing why they should be able to open their doors to trauma patients again.
In the petition, the medical center claims it "substantially complied" with the standards of a Level II trauma center, according to the survey team who rated them.
"There's discrepancies between the site survey report and the action that the department took," said Dr. Kerry Rifkin, president of the Clay County Medical Society.
Rifkin says that the site survey proves none of the hospital's trauma elements were considered unacceptable.
"For the most part, as I understood it, Orange Park was given exceptional ratings in most of the areas of concern," said Rifkin.
Rifkin says he and other doctors throughout Clay County are hoping the petition sends a clear message to the state, that they want and need their trauma center back.
"I think the people of the area need to be considered," he said.
Action News reached out to the Department of Health to find out what the next step is in the appeal process, but has yet to get a response.
