ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – University of Florida Health leaders broke ground at UF Health Durbin Park on a new 42.5-acre health and wellness campus that will expand healthcare services in St. Johns County on Wednesday.
Carlton DeVooght, the president of UF Health St. Johns, said that the hospital will have 150 beds when it is fully built out.
“Phase one will be about 98 beds that will service orthopedics, cardiac care, women’s services, general surgery, and things that the community needs,” DeVooght said.
The project is also expected to bring 2,000 new jobs to the area, for a total of 12,000 jobs in St. Johns and Jacksonville over time, and represents a $1 billion investment in Northeast Florida, according to a press release.
DeVooght added that the new hospital will be a sign of UF Health’s commitment to St. Johns County and Northeast Florida. He said that the project came about after an assessment was done in the area surrounding the site.
“The five ZIP codes surrounding this site are five of the fastest-growing ZIP codes in the county so there was a need right now in the community,” DeVooght said.
Dr. David Nelson, senior vice president for UF Health Affairs, said they are committed to expanding their healthcare services.
“This event today allows us to start building facilities and putting doctors in place and services to really support a broader Jacksonville and St. Johns County healthcare delivery system that we plan on moving as fast as possible,” Nelson said.
Nelson also said it is their mission to increase the number of physicians in Florida.
“We are approaching a process to hopefully conclude having a regional medical school where medical students commit to coming and spending their third and fourth years in Jacksonville,” Nelson said.
He said that he’s hoping that they can welcome the first expanded medical school class by 2025.
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