AdventHealth creates new region; Expanding the geographic footprint of the West Florida Division

November 12, 2021 — AdventHealth today announced it is forming a newly expanded Heartland region in the central part of the state to improve access to care, strengthen the network for patients and ultimately improve the overall health of the communities we serve.

The new Heartland Region in the AdventHealth West Florida Division will include Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties where AdventHealth currently operates five hospitals, three urgent care locations, home health, and one freestanding ER.

“We know that convenient access to health care is vital to the health and wellness of our communities, and that is at the forefront of our commitment to helping people feel whole,” said David Ottati, President and CEO of AdventHealth West Florida Division. “This new region closes a gap in the care we have identified along the I-4 corridor and will be an opportunity for these communities to experience our brand of whole-person care and our full network of expertise without having to travel far to get it.”

Jennifer Wandersleben has been named CEO of the newly expanded Heartland Region and brings over two decades of leadership and experience with AdventHealth. Throughout her tenure, Wandersleben has overseen numerous hospital projects and has made numerous investments in care.

“This is such an exciting time to be at AdventHealth as we continue to serve our communities and extend our healing mission. By creating this new and expanded region, we have great opportunities to innovate, transform the care experience for our patients and, ultimately, improve the health of our entire region,” Wandersleben said. “I look forward to working with our Polk, Highlands, and Hardee teams, and together, helping our community feel whole.”

The new region takes effect on December 1st, 2021.