Highlighting Jay Hospital and Celebrating Our 75th Anniversary
This month during our 75th anniversary year, we highlight Jay Hospital. This location has long served residents in Santa Rosa County and the surrounding areas of northwest Florida and south Alabama. It is recognized as a Critical Access Hospital, helping ensure rural communities maintain access to emergency and inpatient care. Jay Hospital also has an inpatient skilled nursing care for patients who need short-term rehabilitation care beyond their acute hospital stay. A range of outpatient services include lab, imaging and Andrews Institute Rehabilitation.
Fast Facts
- In 1956 with the support of the Lion’s Club a 10-bed clinic was built in Jay. It officially became Jay Hospital in 1962.
- Located in northern Santa Rosa County, Jay Hospital serves residents of Jay, Century, Flomaton and surrounding communities in Northwest Florida and South Alabama. In 1979, Jay Hospital became part of Baptist Health Care, transitioning from management by Santa Rosa County.
- More than 146 dedicated team members work at Jay Hospital.
- Jay Hospital is also supported by five volunteer pastors and seven VolunTeens.
- Currently, six specialists travel to Jay to see patients, including providers in cardiology, audiology, nephrology, podiatry, general surgery and gastroenterology.
- Recent improvements at Jay Hospital include a new ambulance canopy and exterior painting; roof, exhaust fans, water heaters, signage and patient room renovations; the gastroenterology system and miscellaneous improvement projects; CT scan and other improvement projects inside the hospital.
- These facility and equipment improvements since 2023 represent an investment of approximately $1.9 million.
- Each year, Jay Hospital cares for approximately 800 inpatient admissions, performs around 500 outpatient procedures, handles more than 8,500 emergency department visits and supports thousands of outpatient encounters.
- As a Critical Access Hospital (CAH), Jay Hospital holds a special designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which recognizes the importance of providing health care in rural areas; this designation allows the hospital to be reimbursed at a higher level based on reasonable costs for Medicare services and helps ensure continued access to high-quality care locally.
