Baptist Silverleaf Medical Campus Opens

Baptist Health officials, community leaders, and residents gathered for a ribbon cutting celebrating the new Baptist Wolfson Emergency Center at Silverleaf and the broader Baptist Silverleaf Medical Campus, marking a major expansion of healthcare access in northwest St. Johns County.

Matt Zuino, president and CEO of Baptist Health, welcomed attendees and highlighted the strategic importance of the project. The 32092 ZIP code is growing at 8% annually, compared to 1% statewide, he noted, underscoring the need for convenient, high-quality care close to home.

Dr. Tammy Daniel, executive vice president and chief nursing officer, outlined the services available on the Silverleaf campus: primary care, orthopedics, neurology, cardiology, rehab, imaging, and a Baptist Wellness Center. She announced that the Baptist & Wolfson Children’s Hospital emergency services will officially open on September 22, providing specialized emergency care for both adults and children.

Representing Wolfson Children’s Hospital, president Allegra Jarros emphasized that “children are not small adults,” stressing the need for specialized pediatric staff, therapies, and equipment. Wolfson is the only specialized children’s hospital from Orlando to Atlanta, and this site connects families to a regional network that includes the area’s only level IV neonatal ICU and only level I pediatric trauma center.

Kyle Dorsey, president of Baptist Medical Center South, described how Silverleaf links into the broader Baptist Health system. The new campus offers local outpatient and emergency services, while advanced inpatient and surgical care is available just 15 minutes away at Baptist South, a 381-bed, Magnet-recognized hospital ranked among Florida’s best by U.S. News & World Report.

Guests concluded the celebration with guided tours of the new emergency center and medical campus.