BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County’s largest hospital system has signed up for a partnership that will help serve patients from the Space Coast to the Gulf Coast.

  • Health First to partner with AdventHealth
  • Health First will keep name, says CEO
  • AdventHealth to maintain minority stock role

Health First, which runs four Brevard-based hospitals and other local healthcare facilities, is joining forces with Florida Hospital, soon to be known as AdventHealth.

AdventHealth will maintain a minority stock role in the new organization.

Leaders tout it as forming a “super-regional integrated delivery network.”

Health First will stay locally owned, but it will be able to tap into AdventHealth's digital platforms, meaning more online tools for patients.

“We will cooperate together, and get the best of each other's strengths. For example, one of our strengths in the health plan, and one of their strengths is in digital technology and this new consumerism. So, we see it as a win-win for everybody,” said Steve Johnson, Health First CEO.

Johnson says Health First will keep its name, and more jobs will come with the new partnership over the coming years.

The health systems launched a mutual health plan five years ago.