Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Family Medicine Residency program reaches full enrollment; expands community healthcare access
400 additional patient appointments monthly will soon be available for scheduling
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – The Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Family Medicine Residency program has reached a major milestone. As of July 1, it is fully enrolled with 18 resident doctors, six per class across all three training years.
That growth matters beyond the hospital because residents deliver primary care to patients across the Emerald Coast throughout their training, and physicians who train in a community are more likely to stay and practice there. In a region that needs more primary care doctors, a fully enrolled program is a pipeline.
"We are ecstatic to work together to create more access to healthcare," said Holly Holt, Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Walton County. "We are grateful for these partnerships that have made it a reality."
A big part of this success comes from a partnership with the Walton Community Health Center, where resident doctors get hands-on training. From their first day, they are responsible for their own patient panel, building long-term relationships that consistent primary care depends on.
Growth also meant rethinking the space. The program consolidated staff offices, converted the resident workspace into a charting area for nurses and relocated residents to a conference room outfitted with workstations. The reclaimed square footage becomes four new clinic rooms, including an integrative health room for mental health care and osteopathic adjustments. When renovations are finished, the clinic will have 12 exam rooms and the capacity to see more patients.
"Our goal is to blend service with education," said Joshua Hodge, MD, Program Director, Florida State University Family Medicine Residency at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast. "By training more doctors, we can improve access to care for residents in Walton and surrounding counties."
With 18 residents and added clinic spaces, the program can handle 400 more appointments a month, bringing total capacity to about 900 appointments. With nearly 70% of clinic patients uninsured, those appointments are the difference between preventive care and an emergency room visit.
The Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Family Medicine Residency Program is a partnership with The Florida State University College of Medicine and The Florida Department of Health in Walton County/Walton County Community Health Center. This is a unique collaboration blending public health and a federally qualified health system with an educational program through the support of a rural hospital. Statistics show there is a 75% retention rate for physicians who attend medical school and complete their residencies in Florida. The goal is to train and then retain more physicians in our area to increase access to care. The program was accredited in late 2022, built on the success of residency programs at Sacred Heart Pensacola.
About Ascension Sacred Heart
Ascension Sacred Heart, based in Pensacola, Florida, operates five hospitals and more than 100 other sites of care and employs more than 6,440 associates. In fiscal year 2024, Ascension Sacred Heart provided more than $193 million in community benefit and other care for vulnerable persons. Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Kretzer
External Communications Manager
850-832-0406
heather.kretzer@ascension.org
