JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – UF Health said on Tuesday it was both "surprised and disheartened" after Baptist Health/Wolfson Children’s Hospital decided to end with ts decades-long clinical collaboration with its health system and the College of Medicine – Jacksonville.
Wolfson Children’s Hospital, which is part of Baptist Health, announced the change on Monday, saying it will instead partner with Nemours Children’s Health.
Recommended Videos
“As one of the nation’s largest integrated pediatric health systems, Nemours Children’s Health’s expertise and commitment to high-quality specialty care make them a natural collaborator,” Wolfson Children’s Hospital wrote in a statement. “Nemours Children’s brings invaluable scale and experience that will enhance our ability to recruit and retain the best health care providers to Jacksonville. As part of this enhanced collaboration, Nemours Children’s will expand its team of highly skilled pediatric physician specialists who will practice at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.”
While the exact timing of these first quarter 2026 changes is still being determined, there are no immediate changes at this time, Wolfson said.
Despite the change, UF Health said its mission does not change.
“Our faculty physicians will continue caring for the region’s children at Wolfson Children’s Hospital through the first quarter of 2026, and our health system remains fully committed to ensuring access to our world-class pediatric services for all communities we serve throughout Florida and beyond, including at our community physician practices throughout our region, at our Level 1 Trauma Center at UF Health Jacksonville and at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital,” UF Health said. “As an academic health center, we are proud of our legacy and the substantial contributions we continue to make to pediatric care and medical education, and we remain steadfast in our mission to serve every corner of our community with the highest standards of clinical excellence.”
Wolfson Children’s Hospital said it intends to continue serving as the primary pediatric teaching facility for the University of Florida College of Medicine. However, in the future, clinical services that were previously provided by UF Health at Wolfson Children’s Hospital will be provided by Nemours Children’s Health.
Baptist Health and UF Health will also continue to collaborate to improve the health and well-being of the community through initiatives like the Blue Zones Project.
