EDC Breakfast: The Economic Impact of Healthcare in St. Johns County
Healthcare expansion in St. Johns County is accelerating, and local leaders say the scale of growth is unlike anything the county has experienced before.
“Just a few years ago, we had only one large medical facility, and by 2027, who wants to take a guess how many we're going to have? … Six in 2027,” said Isabelle Renault, president and CEO of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce.
Renault opened February's Economic Development Council Quarterly Breakfast with a clear message: Healthcare is no longer simply keeping pace with population growth. It is helping drive the county’s economic future.
“Health care is no longer just a service sector. It is a cornerstone of our economic development strategy,” Renault said.
Expansion Across Multiple Systems
Several health systems are expanding simultaneously across the county.
Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO of AdventHealth Palm Coast, outlined AdventHealth’s immediate plans.
“In July, we will be opening our very first emergency room off (State Road) 207… and then we’ll be doing a groundbreaking on our second offsite ED, which will be in World Commerce Center,” Bales-Chubb said.
AdventHealth was also recognized as the Chamber’s newest Pioneer-level member, the highest level of investment in the organization. That designation places AdventHealth in a leadership role within the Chamber, helping shape economic development strategy, workforce initiatives and business advocacy efforts across St. Johns County. It signals a commitment to being a long-term partner to the broader business community.
Rob Deininger, president and CEO of AdventHealth’s East Florida Division, emphasized the broader community commitment.
“We’re excited to be in St. Johns County and in many cases this is the room where it happens. The business community, the education community, the healthcare community — this is what makes a community what it is,” Deininger said.
HCA Florida Memorial Hospital also marked a milestone, holding a ribbon cutting for its second freestanding emergency room in St. Johns County, located along State Road 16.
“HCA as a whole, we’re the largest healthcare provider in the state. You travel anywhere in the state, more than likely you’re going to be within our radius of one of our freestandings or one of our main hospitals,” said Chris Kovacs, chief operating officer of HCA Florida.
UF Health St. Johns is developing a five-story, 99-bed hospital campus in the Durbin area, while Baptist Medical Center South and Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns continue expanding services to meet demand in northern and western portions of the county.
Workforce Front and Center
Panelists agreed that workforce development will determine how successfully the region manages this growth.
“There isn't enough workforce to go on… we are the fastest growing county and everybody moving here is not a healthcare expert by any means,” said Kyle Dorsey, president of Baptist Medical Center South.
The projected need for 3,500 additional employees includes nurses, imaging technologists, laboratory professionals, surgical technologists, behavioral health specialists and skilled trades.
Kimberly Diaz, vice president of ambulatory enterprise for UF Health St. Johns, emphasized the central role of nursing.
“And of course there’s going to need to be a growing need of nurses. Those are critical resources for any of our organizations to be successful in caring for our citizens,” Diaz said.
Housing affordability was also identified as a key workforce issue.
“Cost of living has a major impact and having affordable housing is going to be crucial to developing our workforce with the need and growth that’s happening here, and we're going to have to attract this talent from outside the county,” said Sean McAfee, CNO/COO of Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns.
Competition and Collaboration
As the healthcare market grows, leaders pointed to a shared commitment to working together for the benefit of the community.
“While we are all competitors… healthcare in this market is really collaborative and I think that’s what makes this part of Northeast Florida truly special,” Dorsey said.
That collaboration, executives said, is particularly important during public health challenges and workforce planning efforts.
As Deininger noted, “This is the room where it happens.”
With six major facilities projected by 2027, the expansion is about more than construction and capital investment. It means shorter drives to emergency care, more specialists close to home and new career paths for residents.