JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Four decades ago, Mayo Clinic in Florida opened its doors to patients, beginning a transformation from a five-story building into a global medical destination that now serves more than 184,000 patients from more than 80 countries each year.

On Oct. 13, 1986, Mayo Clinic in Florida had 35 physicians and 145 support staff. Today, the campus employs nearly 12,000 staff members across 50 specialty areas, providing comprehensive diagnostic, medical, surgical and specialty care, including highly coordinated care for patients with complex and serious conditions.

Mayo Clinic in Florida is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Florida and nationally recognized in eight specialties in U.S. News & World Report's 2026–2027 "Best Hospitals" rankings. For the first time this year, Mayo Clinic in Florida also earned a place on the Honor Roll, recognizing the nation's top 20 hospitals. Newsweek recognized Mayo Clinic in Florida as the No. 1 hospital in the Southeast in its "World's Best Hospitals" rankings.

"Throughout the last 40 years, the dedication, resilience and ingenuity of our teams have driven remarkable progress as we've advanced new treatments and redefined what's possible for our patients," says Kent Thielen, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida. "As we look to the future, we remain committed to investing in our people, our facilities and innovative technologies that enable us to Cure, Connect and Transform healthcare, always guided by our primary value: The needs of the patient come first."

As Mayo Clinic in Florida looks to its next 40 years, investment in facilities through Bold. Forward. Unbound., technology and research will continue to transform how care is delivered.

Over the past decade, Mayo Clinic has invested more than $1 billion in campus development, more than doubling its physical footprint. Over $800 million has been invested in major capital projects that will add more than 725,000 square feet for patient care, biomedical research and technology over the next several years.

Recent campus milestones include:

• The five-floor hospital expansion, later named the Lee Ringhaver Tower in recognition of a $75 million gift from Paula and Randy Ringhaver, features advanced automation and digital patient care technology, including app-controlled room experiences, virtual family participation, less-intrusive monitoring, digital walls and autonomous carts.
• The 228,000-square-foot Duan Family Building houses the first carbon-ion therapy system in the Americas and technology capable of delivering both carbon ions and protons to the same cancer tumor.
• A new downtown Jacksonville presence focused on community health education, clinical trial participation, outreach and biomedical research to help address local health needs.
• A $50 million gift from Gilchrist and Amy Berg accelerated Mayo Clinic's Innovation Exchange, renamed the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange, which connects innovators with Mayo expertise, resources and pathways for developing healthcare solutions.
• Mayo Clinic's Florida Transplant Center completed its 10,000th transplant, marking a significant milestone in the growth and maturation of a program central to Mayo Clinic's clinical presence in Florida.
• A research agreement with Carnegie Mellon University to bioengineer new approaches to organ transplantation and address long-standing barriers to successful transplantation.
• The eight-story, 252-room Hilton Jacksonville at Mayo Clinic opened on the Florida campus, providing patients, families and other visitors with convenient access to care and a supportive, resort-style hospitality experience.

Mayo Clinic in Florida 40^th Anniversary Media Kit

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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