AdventHealth Breaks Ground on First St. Johns Facility

AdventHealth officials, community leaders and members of the public recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the healthcare system’s first facility in St. Johns County. Located east of Interstate 95 near the intersection of State Road 207 and Wildwood Drive, the 12-bed emergency department is set to open in early 2026.

“No one ever plans to need an ER,” said Dr. Daniel McDermott, emergency medicine director at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, in a media release. “But when the unthinkable happens, you need to know help is close by. That’s exactly what this facility is about: providing expert care when minutes matter most.”

At the heart of the AdventHealth State Road 207 ER will be a team of highly skilled emergency medicine clinicians, who are trained to treat both the physical and emotional needs of patients and their families, the release states.

“I’ve held patients’ hands, comforted families, and seen incredible stories of recovery,” McDermott said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “That’s the level of care we’re bringing to St. Johns County.”

The facility will ensure that patients not only receive immediate care but are also connected to the necessary follow-up care, setting them up for long-term health and recovery.

“St. Johns County is one of the fastest-growing areas in Florida, and with growth comes a responsibility,” said David Weis, president and CEO of AdventHealth operations in East Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns counties, in the release. “We’re not just building a facility – we’re investing in the people and families who call this community home. This ER will bring high-quality, compassionate care right where it’s needed.”

While this is AdventHealth’s first step into St. Johns County, the organization’s commitment to whole-person care is already well established in Florida. As the only national nonprofit health care system headquartered in the state, AdventHealth is one of the largest faith-based health systems in the U.S. and serves nearly nine million patients annually across nine states, the release states.

AdventHealth has had a strong presence in neighboring Flagler County for more than 20 years, where it has invested more than $200 million in recent years in health care infrastructure, including a new hospital, cancer treatment center, and more physicians.

“When we expand, it’s about more than health care,” said Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO of AdventHealth Flagler and St. Johns counties, in the release. “It’s about strengthening the entire community. This new ER will create jobs, support local businesses, and help drive St. Johns County’s economic engine, just as we’ve done in Flagler.”

The new ER is part of AdventHealth’s broader vision for growth in the region. Just recently, AdventHealth acquired land north of this location, near I-95 in the World Commerce Center, with future plans to expand its health care footprint even further in St. Johns County, according to the release.

“We aren’t here for the short term,” Bales-Chubb said in the relase. “We’re here to make a lasting difference.”