Healthcare on the First Coast is Thriving!

The First Coast is experiencing a growth in economic and job opportunities that is unprecedented. These circumstances have set the stage for the healthcare industry to expand and thrive in a multitude of ways. As there is an increase in homeowners and residents within the area, the need for healthcare expansion to cater to a larger community is necessary. Currently, there are a variety of developmental projects underway. This includes new hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation sites, along with healthcare industry collaborations, expanding facilities and new available treatment plans.

Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns County

St. Johns County is one of the fastest-growing populations in the region. With a larger community comes a larger need for healthcare services. In July 2022, Ascension St. Vincent’s opened its fourth Northeast Florida hospital in St. Johns County. The new 150,000-square-foot hospital cost approximately $175 million to build and has 56 beds and eight ICU beds. The new hospital has also created 600 jobs. Services include emergency services, inpatient hospitalization, cardiovascular care, orthopaedics and musculoskeletal care, general surgical services, laboratory and imaging services.

Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital – Bartram Campus

In April 2022, Brooks Rehabilitation opened a new 60-bed state-ofthe-art rehabilitation hospital on its 115-acre Bartram Campus. The new hospital continues the growth of Brooks’ expansive inpatient rehabilitation services that feature cutting edge technology, a variety of clinical experts and effective treatment plans. The campus’ new addition provides rehabilitation services for stroke, non-traumatic spinal cord injuries and brain injuries, orthopaedic conditions and medically complex patients. The hospital has also added 150 jobs to the region.

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Jacksonville

To provide the First Coast community with comprehensive physical rehabilitative services, Encompass Health opened a state-of-the-art 50bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital on Jacksonville’s southside in June 2022. The hospital provides speech, occupational and physical therapy services and provides 24-hour care by registered nurses. It also cares for patients recovering from illnesses and injuries including strokes and other neurological disorders, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and complex orthopaedic conditions.

Flagler Health+ Durbin Park

Conveniently located in northern St. Johns County just off State Road 9B at Peyton Parkway, the 42-acre Flagler Health+ Durbin Park campus will feature a state-of-the-art hospital, an outpatient surgery center, as well as family medicine, specialty care, urgent care, imaging, laboratory services, one of the largest YMCAs in Northeast Florida, community engagement space and more. The hospital is expected to open in late 2023.

Mayo Clinic

Site work has begun on a $233 million integrated oncology building at Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus that will include proton beam and carbon ion therapy. The building is expected to be completed in early 2025.

Once completed, the three-story, 225,000-square-foot building will include two proton beam treatment rooms, one carbon ion treatment room, two linear accelerators, CT and MRI patient imaging, patient exam areas and treatment planning spaces for clinical staff. The facility will also include a two-gantry proton radiotherapy system. The new building will be located near the Mangurian Building, which is home to Mayo Clinic’s hematology and oncology care.

With many high-profile healthcare facilities on the First Coast, it is easy to see why many people from around the nation and world travel to Jacksonville and Northeast Florida for exceptional medical care. It is estimated that medical tourism contributes $23 million a year to the local economy.

There are a multitude of medical services available here, including organ transplants, dialysis, pediatrics, bariatric surgery, cancer treatment, cardiac health and advanced rehabilitation services. As home to one of six MD Anderson Cancer

Centers at Baptist Health, one of only three Mayo Clinic campuses, UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, Nemours Children’s Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, the area offers many top healthcare options that aren’t readily available in other regions.

Many research and residency collaborations with the University of Florida, University of North Florida, Jacksonville University and Florida State College at Jacksonville also contribute to the medical success of the area.

Since opening in 2006, the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute has treated more than 10,000 patients from across the state of Florida, the U.S. and 33 countries. Patients from more than 140 countries travel to Mayo Clinic for care each year.

Mayo Clinic’s Mangurian Building, home to the Oncology Infusion Center, was built as a destination medical facility to boost medical tourism in the area and draw patients from around the U.S. and world. The building was partially funded by a $20 million grant from the Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Foundation in South Florida.

Mayo Clinic offers travel services to help patients plan their trip. Agents can assist in changing flights if appointments change, arranging hotel accommodations near the Mayo Clinic campus, booking ground transportation and making any other special accommodations based upon the patient’s health needs.

Since Mayo Clinic has so many international patients, interpreters are available at no cost to help healthcare providers communicate with patients whose primary language is not English. Their experienced medical interpreters can attend appointments, translate patient education materials and offer other assistance as needed.