UF Health joins forces with First Coast Heart & Vascular

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — UF Health, one of the area’s most-trusted health care resources, is teaming up with another regional leader — First Coast Heart & Vascular — to expand cardiac care throughout Northeast Florida.

The collaboration is an operational alignment of services under the UF Health umbrella.

First Coast Heart & Vascular has taken a lead role in providing general and interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac imaging and diagnostics and vascular surgery services at its practice locations and at UF Health Flagler Hospital for more than a decade, including additional practice sites in St. Johns, Flagler, Clay and Duval counties. The new arrangement will strengthen the delivery of high-quality, compassionate care to the Northeast Florida residents both organizations serve.

“This alignment will provide our communities throughout St. Johns County and the region even better access to care, adding to the outstanding services currently offered at UF Health Flagler Hospital and bringing more resources to enhance heart and vascular care on the First Coast,” said Patrick L. Green, FACHE, senior vice president and Northeast Florida regional president for UF Health.

UF Health will take a more active role in supporting practice business operations, upholding the highest quality standards and offering the most advanced, compassionate patient care available with a focus on achieving the best possible outcomes.

“This collaboration is a fantastic opportunity because it combines the expertise and outstanding patient care of two respected organizations,” said Kerry Watson, interim CEO of UF Health St. Johns. “We’ll be able to bring new resources to further advance heart health throughout Northeast Florida. By working together, we can collaborate, innovate and continue addressing cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in the nation.”

Dr. Neil Sanghvi, Dr. Vincent Caracciolo and Dr. Dinesh Pubbi, managing partners of First Coast Heart & Vascular, said they view their collaboration with UF Health as a significant step forward for cardiovascular care in Northeast Florida.

“This marks an exciting new chapter for cardiovascular care in Northeast Florida,” Sanghvi said. “By bringing together UF Health’s academic strength and regional reach with our team’s deep subspecialty expertise, we’re expanding access to advanced heart care, adopting in leading-edge technology and fostering a stronger environment for innovation, research and high-quality patient outcomes across the region.”

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About UF Health
UF Health is a world-class academic health center that combines leading-edge research at campuses around Florida with outstanding clinical care at a network of hospitals throughout the state. The flagship is UF Health Shands Hospital, part of Florida’s preeminent health system.

With main campuses in Gainesville and Jacksonville as well as satellite sites in Central Florida and several other locations, UF Health provides quality health care to patients across the nation’s third-most populous state. UF Health consists of six health colleges, 10 research centers and institutes, 12 hospitals — including two teaching hospitals and five specialty hospitals — and a host of physician medical practices and outpatient services.

About First Coast Heart and Vascular

First Coast Heart & Vascular Center is a leading provider of high-quality cardiovascular disease care in Northeast Florida, offering a comprehensive array of services, including general, interventional and vascular cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure, diagnostic imaging, and nuclear cardiology. To learn more about First Coast Heart & Vascular Center, please visit www.firstcoastheart.com.