Health First has announced plans for a major expansion of its Palm Bay Hospital with a new five-story patient tower estimated at $230 million. Set to break ground in summer 2026 and open in 2028, the expansion is designed to meet the growing healthcare needs of the Palm Bay community.

The project will add 60 new inpatient beds to the current 120-bed facility, with the infrastructure in place to accommodate another 60 beds in the future. This development could ultimately double the hospital’s capacity, helping to ease the strain on existing resources.

This news follows the recent closure of Orlando Health’s Rockledge Hospital—a 298-bed facility shut down due to unsafe conditions. Although Orlando Health intends to build a new hospital in Brevard County, they have yet to reveal the location or timeline.

Health First President and CEO Terry Forde emphasized the organization’s long-term commitment to the community:

“This expansion is part of a series of bold investments we’ve planned for years. It’s exciting to see it becoming a reality.”

Key Features of the Expansion Include:

• 60 new inpatient beds to relieve existing capacity challenges.
• Two additional floors left unfinished (“shelled”) for future expansion.
• A significant upgrade in surgical capacity, including more operating rooms, catheterization labs, and expanded pre-op/recovery areas.
• Improved sterile processing systems.
• Better facility design for easier navigation and a more welcoming experience for patients and visitors.
• Additional parking for staff and guests.

Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina called the project “transformative,” adding:

“This expansion brings not just better healthcare access, but also more jobs and peace of mind to our growing city.”

Palm Bay Hospital currently operates with over 200 physicians and offers care in more than 40 medical specialties. In 2024, its emergency department treated over 53,000 patients—a sign of the increasing demand for services in the area.

Built in 1992 as a modest 60-bed micro-hospital, Palm Bay Hospital has grown steadily. However, Health First officials acknowledge that the facility wasn’t originally designed to support the explosive population growth the region has experienced in recent years.

Palm Bay Hospital President Kyle Baxter summed up the sentiment of the staff and leadership:

“We’re proud to be expanding in a way that will improve access to quality care and enhance the overall well-being of our community.”

This expansion is part of a broader investment strategy by Health First, which includes nearly $800 million in projects across Brevard County—most notably, a $410 million new Cape Canaveral Hospital currently under construction on Merritt Island.

Source:  Florida Today