Baptist Medical Center South

09/22/2025

🇨🇺 Celebrating Hispanic Heritage 🇨🇺 This , we're honoring our Clinical Quality Manager, Humberto, and his incredible journey from Cuba to !

In 1980, baby Humberto and his family were part of the Mariel Boatlift—125,000 Cubans seeking freedom and opportunity. His father couldn't leave, telling the family, "Go and build a better life." That courage and sacrifice shaped the man Humberto is today.

Raised by his strong mother, Humberto became the first in his family to graduate from college. His path: chemistry teacher ➡️ firefighter ➡️ nurse ➡️ our quality champion who keeps patients safe every day.

"My family made sure I stayed rooted in Cuban culture," Humberto shares. Today, he proudly passes down those traditions to his sons and brings that rich heritage to our hospital family—sharing Cuban food, stories, and the warmth of his culture with colleagues.

Humberto's story reminds us that Hispanic heritage isn't just history—it's the living legacy of resilience, family, and community that enriches our workplace every day.

Thank you, Humberto, for all you do! We are of the high-quality care you provide each and every day.

09/20/2025

✨ was the perfect time to shine a spotlight on our environmental services heroes! These dedicated team members work around the clock to keep our facilities clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone who walks through our doors. From surprise treats to heartfelt recognition, we loved seeing our EVS superstars feel the appreciation they deserve every single day! 💙

09/19/2025

Our dedicated rehab heroes face challenges head-on every day, helping patients overcome obstacles and reclaim their lives. This week, we celebrated these ultimate survivors with the recognition they deserve during . From Survivor-themed parties and gifts to mocktails and team outings, we made sure our rehabilitation experts felt like the true winners they are! 🏝️💪

09/17/2025

COMPASSION MEETS EXCELLENCE! 💙🩺 Orlando resident Ashley recently underwent two complex procedures with Dr. Sarah Paschall (with Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine) and the surgery team and shared this sweet message regarding her experience:

"From the moment I checked in, every staff member treated me with kindness and respect. The pre-op and post-op nurses were not only professional but deeply compassionate, offering reassurance when I needed it most. The anesthesiologist took the time to listen and explain, ensuring I felt safe and comfortable. The OR team worked seamlessly together, radiating both confidence and calmness that brought peace to my soul.

Facing a complex diagnosis and intricate surgeries naturally comes with uncertainty, but at Baptist, I never felt overwhelmed or unheard. Every decision was patient-led — I was given the time, space, and information to choose what was right for me. At no point did I feel rushed or pressured, which allowed me to remain in a safe and calm headspace throughout the entire process. My family, too, was cared for. They were kept in constant communication with updates about my status, which gave them the same sense of reassurance that I felt as the patient.

The level of care and attention I experienced at Baptist Medical Center South is rare — what I would call a lost art in medicine today. Though I live in Orlando, I will continue to travel to Jacksonville for as long as my recovery requires, because once you’ve experienced the standard of Baptist Health, nothing else compares. To me, is more than just a hospital—it is a place of healing where compassion meets excellence, and where a patient can truly feel seen, heard, and safe."

Ashley, thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing Baptist Health. We are proud to care for you and your family

09/15/2025

Jump in your car or golf cart and join us for a “drive-through” Halloween CARnival at Baptist HealthPlace at , a fun family event to enjoy trick-or-treating safely. Don't forget to wear your costume; there will be goodies, face painting, giveaways & more! 👻 🎃

There’s no cost for this event, but please sign up for a time slot to save a spot in line: go.baptistjax.com/halloween. We can't wait to see you there!

09/12/2025

🛟 SEPSIS LIFE SAVERS! We're thrilled to celebrate our Emergency Department team for earning the Sepsis Life Savers Award for their outstanding compliance and commitment to saving lives through rapid sepsis recognition and treatment.

🦠 Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by the body's extreme immune response to infection. With 84% of sepsis patients presenting first in the Emergency Department, early recognition and rapid treatment are critical for better outcomes.

🏥 Just like our Code Stroke protocol, ED Code Sepsis rapidly deploys resources directly to the patient's bedside the moment infection is suspected. Through teamwork between triage nurses, physicians, lab, and pharmacy, we're making extraordinary differences in patient outcomes.

⏩ When minutes matter most, our team delivers lifesaving care through vigilance, collaboration, and swift intervention.

09/10/2025

Welcome Dr. Joel Ahlgrim to Baptist Primary Care!

We’re excited to introduce Dr. Joel Ahlgrim, a board-certified family medicine physician and retired Navy physician, who is now seeing patients at Baptist HealthPlace at Nocatee. In 2026, he’ll move just down the road to our brand-new Bartram Commons office, which is currently under construction.

Dr. Ahlgrim comes to us with more than two decades of experience caring for patients across the globe during his Navy career. He enjoys building long-term relationships with patients of all ages and has special interests in diabetes management, women’s health, musculoskeletal concerns, cardiovascular care and dermatology. He takes pride in communicating complex medical issues clearly and simply so his patients can make informed choices to better reach their goals.

We recently sat down with Dr. Ahlgrim to get to know more about him:

Q: Why did you decide to become a family medicine physician?
A: I decided to choose family medicine as a specialty because I enjoyed the very wide variety that it involves. We get to help patients of all ages with most of their day-to-day medical concerns. Even when complex cases arise and sub-specialist consultation is needed, it is important to have a trusted Family Physician to help navigate the system and ensure that the whole patient is being considered and not just a disease process. One of the best parts of family medicine is being able to work with patients in many phases of life. I enjoy helping my patients to have a better understanding of what is happening with their health and how various medications and treatments work. By removing some of the mystery, it helps my patients take an active role in their care.

Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: Outside of work, I enjoy travel, photography, woodworking, and playing pickleball with my family. I am a Navy veteran, and I spent half of my 25-year career overseas.

Q: Coffee or tea—and how do you take it?
A: I prefer coffee over tea, just a touch of sugar and cream, please.

To read more or schedule an appointment with Dr. Ahlgrim, visit https://go.baptistjax.com/4mAEC2m.

08/26/2025

We are thrilled that Baptist South was named St. Augustine's Best Medical Center in The Official Community's Choice Awards!

This recognition is especially meaningful because it was chosen by the St. Augustine community we’re proud to serve. Thank you for trusting us with your care and allowing us to provide high-quality care right here at home.

08/09/2025

This past week at Baptist South, our lactation consultants celebrated World Breastfeeding Week with our newest moms and the nurses who support them every day. 💛

They filled the halls with encouragement (and a few treats) — handing out gold goody bags to new moms and surprising our LDRP nursing team with specialty cakes.

Lactation Consultant Lisa shared her favorite piece of advice for new moms who are heading home: “For the next two weeks, feed yourself, feed your baby, and take two naps a day for YOU.” Because caring for yourself is one of the best gifts you can give your baby.

08/07/2025

08/06/2025

We are to announce that Baptist Medical Center South has received the highest quality distinction for stroke care from the American Heart Association! Not only did earn the Target: Stroke Honor Roll award, but all five of our adult hospitals were also awarded the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award and Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠ Honor Roll award.

Not all stroke centers are created equal, and these elite awards recognize our commitment to providing state-of-the-art treatment to patients as quickly as possible. Our multi-disciplinary teams work together across our sites to provide life-saving care every day. Baptist Stroke & Cerebrovascular Center is the regional leader in advanced diagnostics and treatments for strokes, brain aneurysms and other cerebrovascular conditions. The center’s reach extends to more than two dozen hospitals and satellite ERs via the Telestroke Program, which virtually connects physicians and health care professionals in the greater Jacksonville area and South Central Georgia with Baptist Health’s stroke experts. Accessible 24/7, the program promotes quicker diagnosis and treatment, reduces disability and saves lives.

“We are committed to being a trusted resource not only for stroke care, but also for education and prevention,” said Nima Amin Aghaebrahim, MD, a neurointerventionalist and system medical director for stroke at Baptist Health. “We take pride in expanding access to innovative stroke treatments and strengthening stroke education in our community.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4mtuwzV.

07/23/2025

🎉 BIG NEWS: We’ve been named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces in Health Care by Newsweek! 🏆💙

At Baptist Health, we believe excellence starts from within — and this national recognition is all thanks to our incredible 15,000+ team members who show up each day with purpose, passion and heart.

We're dedicated to creating an exceptional and supportive work environment that empowers team members to deliver high-quality care to the community. From career development and tuition support to wellness programs, employee resource groups and community volunteering — we’re proud to create a workplace where people thrive, grow and make a real impact.

In addition to being recognized as "America's Greatest Workspaces in Health Care, we’re also honored to be recognized by Newsweek as one of:
✅ America’s Greatest Workplaces in Florida
✅ America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women

“This recognition highlights our team members’ dedication to the meaningful work we do every day here at Baptist Health,” said Kate McCann, MHRD, executive vice president and chief human resources officer of Baptist Health. “We strive to create an environment where individuals find fulfillment in their daily efforts, knowing that their talents make a real difference to their patients and the community.”

“We firmly believe that our team members’ well-being is directly connected to our ability to deliver outstanding care,” said Michael A. Mayo, DHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “This award is a testament to their collective commitment to excellence and their transformative impact on the health and vitality of the communities we serve.”

Here’s to our extraordinary team and the meaningful work we do together every day!

🔗 Read the full news release: https://go.baptistjax.com/417ozjO