Health First is moving forward with additional growth plans at its Viera campus, signaling another major investment in health care infrastructure for the area.

The health system’s board has approved conceptual plans for a new medical office building that would house an orthopedics and spine institute along with a same-day surgery center. The proposed facility would be part of the 50-acre Viera Health Park campus located at 8745 N Wickham Road in Melbourne.

At the same time, the existing 98-bed Viera Hospital is slated for a significant expansion, with plans to more than double its licensed capacity to over 214 beds. A five-story addition would also expand the emergency department to roughly twice its current size.

The medical office concept envisions a three-story building of approximately 60,000 square feet on the northwest side of the campus. While a construction timeline has not yet been set, the building would support a wide range of services, including imaging, operating rooms, and pre- and post-operative care areas.

Details around the schedule and budget for the hospital expansion are expected to be finalized during the design phase of the campus master plan.

The expansion comes as Brevard County continues to experience rapid population growth, increasing from about 544,000 residents in 2010 to more than 650,000 in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Viera has been a major driver of that growth, with projections indicating the community’s population could double to 77,400 by 2045.

Health care providers are also responding to increased demand following the closure of the Orlando Health hospital in Rockledge, further heightening the need for expanded capacity in the region.

Founded in 1995, Health First is the second-largest employer in Brevard County, with approximately 9,500 employees. The system operates four hospitals — Cape Canaveral Hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Palm Bay Hospital and Viera Hospital — along with health plans and a multi-specialty physician group. Health First reported $2.18 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024. AdventHealth, based in Altamonte Springs, acquired a 27% ownership stake in Health First in 2020 for $350 million.

Source:  OBJ