Adventhealth's Owner: A Look At The Florida Hospital System

who is the owner of florida hospital

Florida Hospital, now known as AdventHealth, is a non-profit healthcare provider that operates facilities across the United States. It was founded in 1908 by Seventh-day Adventists who believed in a holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on healing the body, mind, and spirit. The hospital has grown significantly over the years, with nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care centres across the country, providing advanced healthcare services to its patients. The name change to AdventHealth in 2019 was part of a rebranding strategy by its parent company, Adventist Health System, to unify its brand and make it easier for consumers to identify and navigate their extensive healthcare system.

Characteristics Values
Current Name AdventHealth
Previous Name Florida Hospital
Owner Adventist Health System
Year of Name Change 2019
Number of Campuses 54
Number of Hospitals 56
Number of Beds 5,212
Number of Employees 40,000
Headquarters Altamonte Springs, Florida
Number of States Operating In 9
Year Founded 1908
Founder Seventh-day Adventists
Current President and CEO Rob Deininger

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Florida Hospital is now AdventHealth

AdventHealth is a Seventh-day Adventist non-profit organization headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida. It operates nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care centers across the United States, including 30 hospitals and freestanding emergency departments in Florida alone. The healthcare system has grown significantly over the years and is now one of the largest healthcare providers in the country.

The history of Florida Hospital, now AdventHealth, dates back over a century. In the early 1900s, Lydia Parmele, a physician, and her husband, Rufus, along with a group of Adventists, set out to share their ideas of whole-person care in Orlando, Florida. In 1912, they constructed a concrete building across a farmhouse, which would later become the Florida Sanitarium. Over the years, the sanitarium expanded, and in the 1940s, it began using modern medicines and technologies. In 1970, the Florida Sanitarium officially changed its name to Florida Hospital Orlando.

The success of Florida Hospital can be attributed to several factors, including strong leadership, financial stewardship, and dedicated staff. Under the leadership of people like Don Welch, Don Jernigan, and Terry Shaw, the hospital expanded its operations and improved its services. Florida Hospital grew from a single farmhouse to 26 hospital campuses, with thousands of employees and a reputation as one of the nation's most respected regional healthcare systems.

The rebranding to AdventHealth in 2019 was accompanied by a commitment to continue providing high-quality, compassionate care. AdventHealth has since launched new programs and initiatives focused on whole-person health, clinical excellence, and improving the accessibility of healthcare for consumers.

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AdventHealth's Central Florida Division

Florida Hospital was owned by Adventist Health System, a Seventh-day Adventist non-profit organisation. On January 2, 2019, Adventist Health System rebranded its facilities under the trade name AdventHealth. Therefore, Florida Hospital is now known as AdventHealth.

The Central Florida Division's care network includes more than 30 CentraCare urgent-care centres, dozens of sports rehab and imaging centres, and hundreds of physicians. AdventHealth Orlando, the division's flagship campus, serves as both a community hospital and a major tertiary referral hospital for the region, the Southeast, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

The history of AdventHealth Orlando dates back to the early 1900s when a group of Adventists, including physician Lydia Parmele, came to Orlando to share their ideas of whole-person care. In 1912, a concrete building was constructed across the farmhouse, and in 1918, a third story was added, increasing capacity to 60 beds. Over the years, the hospital expanded and modernised, officially becoming Florida Hospital Orlando in 1970. In 2019, it changed its name to AdventHealth Orlando.

The Central Florida Division of AdventHealth continues to grow and innovate, with recent initiatives including the hiring of 10,000 nurses to address a future shortage, investing in nurse pay and education, and expanding its Cardiovascular Institute and emergency department.

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AdventHealth's West Florida Division

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth is a 1,810-bed healthcare system comprising 10 acute-care hospitals, including AdventHealth Carrollwood, Dade City, Lake Placid, Sebring, North Pinellas, Ocala, Tampa, Wauchula, Wesley Chapel, and Zephyrhills. There are also three freestanding offsite emergency rooms, one post-acute care facility, 45 multi-specialty physician group practices, 15 express care clinics, and six urgent care centres. The division provides home healthcare services in several counties and parts of Sumter County.

AdventHealth West Florida has over 2,300 licensed beds in 12 hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital, with more than 15,000 staff members. The division treats more than 93,000 inpatients, 675,000 outpatients, and 400,000 ER patients annually. It is a faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare system with a mission of "Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ".

AdventHealth, formerly Adventist Health System, has nearly 50 hospitals and more than 80,000 team members across almost a dozen states. There are 30 AdventHealth hospitals and freestanding emergency departments in Florida alone, providing advanced healthcare to residents across the state. The West Florida Division's leadership team includes David Ottati, who serves as president and CEO, and was named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2025 Power 100 List.

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Florida Hospital's expansion and partnerships

Florida Hospital, now known as AdventHealth, has undergone significant expansion and established various partnerships over the years. In 2019, Florida Hospital and its parent company, Adventist Health System, adopted the AdventHealth name, unifying its brand across nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care centers in almost a dozen states. The Central Florida Division of AdventHealth encompasses 16 hospitals across six counties in and around metro Orlando.

AdventHealth has expanded its network through acquisitions and partnerships. In 2019, UF Health acquired Central Florida Health's two regional hospitals, Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages® Regional Hospital, improving access to healthcare in multiple counties. HCA Florida Healthcare also announced a nearly $70 million expansion in Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties, including the construction of three new freestanding emergency rooms.

Florida Hospital, as AdventHealth, has continued to expand and enhance its facilities. In 2018, Florida Hospital Orlando expanded its coronary care unit by adding eight beds. The hospital also received donations from the Ginsburg Family Foundation, allowing for the expansion of its Cardiovascular Institute and the construction of the Ginsburg Tower. In 2022, AdventHealth Orlando added a second helicopter and renovated adjacent buildings for its Flight 1 programme. In 2025, the hospital announced plans for a fourteen-story patient and surgical tower, further expanding its capacity and services.

The expansion of Florida Hospital, through its evolution into AdventHealth and its various partnerships, demonstrates a commitment to enhancing healthcare services and accessibility for communities across Florida and beyond. These developments aim to meet the growing healthcare demands, improve patient outcomes, and stimulate local economies through job creation.

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AdventHealth's history and growth

AdventHealth, previously known as Florida Hospital, is a Seventh-day Adventist non-profit organisation. It was founded in 1908 by Seventh-day Adventists who believed in whole-person health, healing the body, mind, and spirit.

The history of AdventHealth begins in 1908 when Lydia Parmele, a physician, and her husband Rufus, along with a group of Adventists, set out to share their ideas of whole-person care with the town of Orlando, Florida. In 1912, a concrete building was constructed across a farmhouse, which would later become the Orlando sanitarium. In 1918, a third story was added to the sanitarium, increasing its capacity to 60 beds. In 1925, a new wing was built to connect the farmhouse to the concrete building. In 1940, the sanitarium began using modern medicines, molecular diagnostics, and surgical procedures. In 1970, the sanitarium was renamed Florida Hospital Orlando. Over the next few decades, the hospital continued to expand its facilities and services, including the addition of a helicopter in 1986 and the construction of a fifteen-story tower in 2005.

In the 2000s, Florida Hospital began to expand its reach across Florida. In 2000, Winter Park Memorial Hospital joined the system, marking the beginning of its expansion into the Tampa Bay region. Under the leadership of Lars Houmann, Adventist Health System grew beyond Central Florida, forming the West Florida Division. Florida Hospital partnered with University Community Health in Tampa and acquired additional facilities in the region.

In 2019, Florida Hospital and its parent company, Adventist Health System, rebranded as AdventHealth. This change unified the organisation's nearly 50 hospitals and hundreds of care centres across a dozen states under one consumer-friendly brand. The new brand reflected the organisation's commitment to providing inspired, compassionate whole-person care through clinical expertise and innovation.

Since the rebrand, AdventHealth has continued to grow and expand its services. In 2020, they hired 10,000 nurses to address a predicted future shortage and invested $140 million to improve nurse pay and education. In 2021, they became the second-largest hospital network in Florida. AdventHealth has also formed partnerships with organisations such as the Jones Foundation and the PGA Tour, further extending its reach and impact.

Frequently asked questions

Florida Hospital was a subsidiary of Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation, also known as Adventist Health System. On January 2, 2019, it rebranded as AdventHealth.

The last CEO of Florida Hospital was Rob Deininger, who took office on November 9, 2020. Previous CEOs include Lars Houmann, Thomas L. Werner, and Don W. Welch.

The history of Florida Hospital begins in the early 1900s when Lydia Parmele, a physician, set out with her husband, Rufus, and a group of Adventists to share ideas of whole-person care in Orlando, Florida. In 1961, Don Welch, a hospital administrator, expanded the Orlando sanitarium's medical staff, acquired new equipment, and developed additional services. In 1970, the sanitarium changed its name to Florida Hospital. Over the years, Florida Hospital expanded across Central Florida and rebranded as AdventHealth in 2019.

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