Who’s interested in acquiring Flagler Health+? One local provider says it is (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Just more than a month ago, St. Augustine-based Flagler Health+ announced that is was making itself available to be acquired, and at least one local suitor is definitely interested.
Although the RFP process is still ongoing with nothing close to finalized yet, one of Northeast Florida’s largest health care providers has entered the process.
Baptist Health President and CEO Michael Mayo recently told the Business Journal that his organization has submitted a proposal to Flagler, although he couldn’t talk about the details of it.
“We are actively engaged in responding to the RFP and the process by which Flagler, their board and their consultant has set in place,” Mayo said.
It’s not surprising that Baptist would be interested in Flagler Health+. The organization already has a strong and growing presence in St. Johns County.
Currently, Baptist has several facilities in the county, including Baptist HealthPlace at Nocatee. The organization has county approval for a 100,000-square-foot facility off State Road 16 where the outlet mall was.
It also has plans for a hospital facility near the State Road 207-Interstate 95 interchange near the former flea market. Additionally, the company has more than 30 acres in the emerging community of SilverLeaf.
“It’s a very attractive environment,” Mayo said. “As you know, in St. Johns, obviously, we have a lot of facilities there as well, and we have a lot on the drawing board and planning for growth in that area as well.
“We have had a longstanding working relationship with Flagler, and we think that what they have to offer in being able to continue that level of care in the community is important. So we will be participating in that RFP and are in the throes of doing that right at this very moment. I have a team working on that and I look forward to seeing how it plays out.”
Flagler Health+, through a spokeswoman, said it could not comment on what organizations have made proposals, saying only that the period to receive proposals is still ongoing.
Memorial Hospital parent company HCA HealthCare, Ascension St. Vincents and UF Health Jacksonville did not immediately respond to queries about their interest in Flagler Health+.
However, one organization that does have a presence in St. Johns County said it would not participate in the RFP process: Mayo Clinic.
“Mayo Clinic is focusing our resources on developing our existing campus in Jacksonville as the Southeast’s premier destination medical center for patients with serious and complex needs, and we have no plans to submit a proposal,” Mayo spokesman Kevin Punsky said in an email to the Business Journal.
It’s thought that Flagler Health+ will be a particularly attractive acquisition target. It has a long history of service in affluent St. Johns County and is expanding throughout the county as well as into Flagler County.
Meanwhile, Baptist and the other Northeast Florida health care providers have also been expanding in the last decade or so. That’s why adding Flagler Health+ would be natural step in that progression for an organization like Baptist.
“We have a longstanding history of working with other community facilities such as in Nassau and Jax Beach that have worked out very well,” Mayo said. “So we will be front and center and take part in their process as we go through it and hope that we make a good case.”