JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville families will soon have new options for children’s health care.
Bluebird Kids Health—a fast-growing pediatric primary care provider—is opening two locations this summer: one on Wilson Boulevard and another at Gateway Plaza in North Jacksonville.
“We build pediatric practices in areas that we consider pediatric care deserts,” said CEO Chris Johnson. “Communities that traditionally don’t have enough pediatricians to support the number of kids that live in that.”
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Bluebird already cares for 25,000 children in Palm Beach County and plans to bring its neighborhood-based, accessible care model to Northeast Florida.
Johnson explained that the need is urgent and widespread.
“You usually see a two-to-one difference in pediatricians per child in the highest income zip codes versus the lowest income zip codes,” Johnson said. “This is true whether you look at Boston, Dallas, or Jacksonville.”
The company was founded in late 2023 with a mission to expand pediatric care access and improve quality for all children, especially those on Medicaid.
“When we played Secret Shopper, we could get an appointment the next day with commercial insurance,” Johnson said. “But we were one for twenty when we tried with Medicaid.”
Backed by more than $30 million in investment, Bluebird is focused on hiring, technology, and community integration.
“Our goal is to become part of the fabric of the community here,” Johnson said. “We want to make sure that all children can thrive.”
Bluebird’s first Jacksonville clinic opens July 2nd, with the second following later this summer.
