UF Health Jacksonville has opened the latest expansion of UF Health North , adding a second hospital tower that doubles the facility's available bed space for patients across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

"UF Health North has proven itself to be an integral part of this community, providing the most advanced health care possible, led by a dedicated team of professionals focused on compassion and on solutions," UF Health Jacksonville CEO Patrick Green said. "We’re proud to provide this amazing resource to the community, which expands our presence even further in the region."

The complex is at 15255 Max Leggett Parkway on Jacksonville's Northside. The $210 million new tower has six floors and 124 patient rooms, bringing the on-campus total to 216. Above the main floor, two floors are dedicated to patients who require acute physical therapy, two additional patient floors will be used for acute care and one floor will be used primarily for ancillary services, according to UF Health.

The first phase of UF Health North opened in 2015, with a medical office building that includes a 24/7 emergency room, outpatient surgery suites, imaging and other diagnostic services and four floors of physicians’ offices. Phase 2, which opened in May 2017 , is a 92-bed inpatient tower that consists of five floors, four with all private patient rooms.

The latest expansion is the third addition and the second inpatient bed tower. The new bed tower includes a collaboration between UF Health and Select Medical, which provides physical rehabilitation services. The second and third floors include bed space, a gymnasium, outdoor space and other resources "to help patients recover as quickly as possible," according to UF Health.

The complex also has a 20-bed unit dedicated to labor and delivery and other women’s services, a 24-bed intensive care floor, two 24-bed floors for general medical inpatients and one floor for administrative services, as well as a chapel and a cafeteria.

UF Health's main hospital in the Jacksonville area, UF Health Jacksonville, opened in 1999 as Shands Jacksonville Medical Center. The name was changed in 2013.

Ascension St. Vincent's Southside

Ascension St. Vincent's Southside has performed its first spinal procedure for back pain using the TOPS System, after being one of the first hospitals in the country and the only facility in Northeast Florida to conduct a trial of the innovative fusion surgery.

Used to treat a range of conditions associated with lower back and leg pain, TOPS is an alternative to traditional fusion surgeries, offering greater rotation, bending and extension, according to Ascension Southside.

"This technology will significantly improve the lives of those suffering from lower back pain and will enhance our ability to treat associated conditions," said Dr. Ali Chahlavi, a neurosurgeon at St. Vincent’s. "Not only will patients have a better range of motion after this procedure, recovery time for most is reduced to only a matter of weeks, instead of up to a year for a fusion."

The TOPS system is a spinal implant used in surgery to relieve compressed nerves. The implant stabilizes the lower spine and maintains range of motion, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .

"Patients with symptoms of lower back pain, sciatica, numbness, tingling, burning sensation, and/or radiating leg pain while walking can regain their ability to bend, flex, walk and enjoy activities that were so debilitating before surgery," according to the hospital. "Many patients find they have improved walking and movement mobility 48 hours after their procedure."

Earlier this year, Ascension Southside was named a top-five hospital in Florida for spine surgery, the onlyone in Northeast Florida. It was ranking in the top 100 in the country for spine surgery in 2024 and 2022, according to the hospital.

Multiple Jacksonville-area hospitals

HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, UF Health Jacksonville and Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County and Southside hospitals were recently awarded the 2022 Excellence in Maternal Care Award by the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

The awards recognize Florida hospitals that have reduced Cesarean sections for first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies by at least 23.6%. That figure is a target goal of Healthy People 2030, which sets national objectives to improve health and well-being.

Announced earlier this year by the Florida Hospital Association, the awards were based on the latest data from 2022.

The maternal care achievements of the five Jacksonville-area hospitals and 26 others across the state "exemplify their tireless efforts to continually improve patient outcomes," said Mary Mayhew, association president and CEO.

HCA Florida Memorial and HCA Florida Orange Park

The Clay County Education Foundation and Jacksonville Public Education Fund each will receive $60,000 in annual grants over three years from HCA Healthcare Foundation and HCA's Memorial and Orange Park hospitals.

Part of a $1 million statewide initiative called "Career Pathways to a Healthier Florida," the grants are expected to help about 1,100 Clay and Duval county students prepare for "in-demand health care roles through enhanced health care academy offerings," according to HCA Florida. Those jobs include biotechnician assistant, EKG technician and emergency medical responder.

The money for the Jacksonville Public Education Fund "will help empower and forge a robust health care pipeline, nurturing students and igniting their passion to become the healthcare leaders of tomorrow," Memorial CEO Reed Hammond said.

Jeff Taylor , CEO of the Orange Park hospital, said the partnership with the Clay County Education Foundation is "not only strengthening our health care workforce pipeline but also ensuring our community receives the highest quality care."

HCA Florida Memorial Hospital

Chris Kovacs has been named chief operating officer at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, beginning Aug. 1.

Kovacs began his health care career as an emergency room registrar at Advent Health in Palm Coast. After graduating from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in health care administration, he was selected for an executive residency program at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital in Gainesville.

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Later, he was vice president of operations at HCA Florida Fort Walton and in 2022 was hired as chief operating Officer at Memorial Satilla Health, also part of the HCA network, according to Memorial.

"Chris has an extensive operational and leadership background that pairs well with our vision and strategy for the future," Hammond said.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Healthful News: UF Health North expands, Ascension Southside performs innovative surgery