Ascension Florida, a nonprofit Catholic system, is ramping up efforts to expand access to high-quality, complex care for North Florida’s most vulnerable populations, with new facilities, advanced technologies, and a focus on keeping patients close to home, according to CEO Don King.
Over the past six months, the nine-hospital system has made strides in various projects, including capital improvements, investments in new technology and workforce development, all aimed at extending its mission-driven care across North Florida.
Ascension Florida, part of the St. Louis-based Ascension, is committed to building strong relationships with the communities it serves, "with a focus on the most vulnerable," Mr. King told Becker's. Recently, the health system announced plans to build two freestanding emergency departments — one in Perdido Key and another in Jacksonville — along with an inpatient rehabilitation facility on its Pensacola campus. These new facilities are expected to care for more than 30,000 Floridians a year.
Improving health equity and serving vulnerable populations is baked into everything the health system does, according to Mr. King.
"For example, when deciding where to place physician practices, we ensure those in vulnerable communities have access to care. This includes transportation assistance programs and placing access points in underserved areas, which isn't something every health system does," he said.
Last year, Ascension Florida invested $1.5 million to help more than 8,300 patients with social determinants of health, covering everything from transportation to diabetes management and maternal health.
One initiative Mr. King is particularly proud of is the Dispensary of Hope, which collects unused pharmaceutical samples and redistributes them to those who cannot afford their medication.
"It ensures that people who truly need these resources receive them," Mr. King said.
Clinically, Ascension Florida is focused on patient outcomes, but it also is striving to create a superior experience for patients and the communities it serves.
"When people think about quality, they often think about their experience first. Our mission emphasizes special attention to the poor and vulnerable, meaning we don't just treat them; we guide them through the system with special care," Mr. King said. "For example, maternal health outcomes for mothers in poverty are significantly worse than for those with resources. We measure those outcomes and work to ensure access to prenatal care. We've also formed partnerships with organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank to further support vulnerable populations."
Ascension Florida has also expanded complex care programs in cardiology and minimally invasive surgeries and is growing its clinical trial infrastructure to provide access to innovative disease prevention and treatment options.
At Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside in Jacksonville, the system recently started utilizing a Da Vinci 5 surgical robot, while Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach and Ascension Sacred Heart Bay in Panama City are now offering a new pulsed field ablation treatment for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Addressing health equity is also central to Ascension Florida's cardiology efforts, especially in overcoming transportation barriers and ensuring access to medication.
"For a heart failure patient, not having access to medication can lead to readmissions. We track readmission rates for vulnerable populations and assign health navigators to help patients overcome obstacles like transportation or affordability," Mr. King said. "If they're not taking their medication, we identify the barrier and remove it to prevent unnecessary readmissions. This is just one of the ways we tie KPIs to our initiatives."
Increasing access to care, developing programs for all medical conditions, and improving care continuity are key elements of Ascension Florida's strategy for the future.
"It is vital that we grow in a way that reflects the needs of those communities, and offer mission-centered healthcare for the most complex medical cases," Mr. King said. "By prioritizing local access to these high-quality programs, we are empowering North Florida residents to receive the care they need close to home."