Both organizations had been planning for the day since 2005, when St. Vincent’s purchased St. Luke’s Hospital and Mayo Clinic’s vision for a new hospital became a reality. Since that day, both organizations have made patient safety and uncompromised care the focus of transition day.

On April 12 around 8 a.m., ambulances started transporting approximately 75 Mayo Clinic patients being treated at St. Luke’s Hospital to the new, $254 million, 214-bed hospital on the Mayo campus at 4500 San Pablo Road. The last Mayo Clinic patient was relocated to the new hospital by mid-afternoon that day.

“We’ve envisioned this day for a long time and we’re thrilled that it has finally arrived,” said Dr. George Bartley, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. “With the opening of our new hospital, we now have a fully integrated medical campus here in Florida with both inpatient and outpatient services in one location. This integrated environment fosters teamwork and stronger collaborations between physicians, researchers, educators and other clinical professionals. As a result, we are better able to meet the needs of our patients and to achieve the Mayo Clinic model of care that was established more than 100 years ago.”

St. Vincent’s HealthCare took over the operations of St. Luke’s Hospital when the last Mayo patient left the facility at 4 p.m. on April 12. St. Luke’s will continue to serve as a community hospital as part of the St. Vincent’s HealthCare system.

“As we extend the uniqueness of our healthcare ministry, we are committed to strengthening healthcare and increasing options for patients in the communities we serve,” said Scott Whalen, Ph.D., CEO of St. Vincent’s HealthCare. “St. Luke’s patients may continue to see trusted doctors and nurses and can also visit St. Vincent’s physicians. Together, we’re stronger, and when doctors share ideas, opinions and resources, patients always win.”

St. Luke’s patients not transported to the Mayo Clinic hospital were discharged from St. Luke’s and readmitted under St. Vincent’s, without leaving their room.  This will be done to transfer their medical records from the Mayo systems to St. Vincent’s systems. Detailed plans for transferring medical record information have been carefully developed so that doctors and nurses have the treatment plans, current test results and the medical history necessary to continue to care for these patients. 

Individual treatment plans will not change, and patients will continue to receive care from their same doctors, and for the most part, their same nurses, who are familiar with their care.

On transition day, Emergency Medicine physicians with privileges at St. Luke’s Hospital continued to care for patients who came to St. Luke’s Emergency Department. Mayo physicians provided back-up that day as needed.

Learn more about St. Luke's Hospital under St. Vincent's HealthCare at www.stlukesjax.com