Broward Health leadership and city officials cut the ribbon at the Broward Health Sunrise ER.
Credit: Broward Health
For nearly 90 years, Broward Health has served as a cornerstone of healthcare in our community. Over the past five years, we have built on that legacy through one of the most significant periods of investment, growth, and innovation in our history.
As a commissioner for the North Broward Hospital District, I have had the privilege of watching our public health system expand access to care, strengthen its financial foundation, invest in advanced technology, train the next generation of physicians, and grow services throughout Broward County.
Those investments did more than strengthen Broward Health. They positioned us to think beyond the walls of our own hospitals and ask a broader question: How can we improve the health of Broward County by working together?
Healthcare is changing rapidly. Florida's population continues to grow. Our communities are aging, physician shortages remain a challenge, and the demand for healthcare services continues to increase. No single hospital system, public or private, can solve every challenge alone.
As commissioners, we recognized that the healthcare needs of nearly two million Broward County residents required a new approach. That thinking led to Better Together, our collaboration with Memorial Healthcare System.
Some have misunderstood what Better Together represents, so let me be clear. It is not a merger. Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System remain independent public hospital systems with separate governing boards, leadership, and financial responsibilities. What we share is a commitment to finding opportunities where collaboration can improve access, strengthen care, and better serve our community.
That commitment has been possible because Broward Health entered this partnership from a position of strength. Over the past five years, we have expanded emergency services, opened new medical office buildings, implemented the Epic electronic health record throughout our hospitals and clinics, invested in specialty care, and significantly expanded graduate medical education to help train Florida's future physician workforce.
We also strengthened Broward Health's financial foundation, earning A+ credit ratings from both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. Those ratings reflect more than financial performance. They demonstrate our ability to continue investing in patient care, innovation, and the long-term future of public healthcare in Broward County.
Today, those investments are producing measurable results.
Our Lauderdale Lakes Maternity Care Center has connected thousands of women with prenatal care, education, and support services, far exceeding initial expectations. Broward Health's Stay Healthy Together Mobile Health Unit and Memorial Healthcare System's One City at a Time Mobile Care Unit are bringing screenings, vaccinations, primary care, and preventive services directly into neighborhoods where access has historically been limited.
Together, we are also expanding food insecurity initiatives, strengthening partnerships with nonprofit organizations, and improving care coordination across the community.
The collaborative philosophy extends into pediatric care as well. Broward Health continues its partnership with Nicklaus Children's Hospital, while Memorial Healthcare System builds on the nationally recognized expertise of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. Rather than duplicating highly specialized services, we are coordinating referrals and expanding access, so children and families receive the right care at the right time while allowing each organization to build on its strengths.
To me, that is what Better Together is all about.
Success will not be measured by how closely our organizations work together. It will be measured by whether families experience better access to care, better coordination between providers, and better health outcomes.
Earlier this year, legislation introduced in Tallahassee sought to provide additional legal clarity for collaborations like Better Together. While the proposal did not advance this session, it highlighted an important question for Florida's future: How can independent public hospital systems better serve their communities by working together? I believe Broward County is helping answer that question.
Communities across Florida are facing many of the same challenges we face today. Population growth, physician shortages, and rising healthcare costs demand new approaches. Collaboration offers an opportunity to expand access, improve outcomes, and remain responsible stewards of public resources while preserving local governance and accountability.
For nearly 90 years, Broward Health has proudly served this community. Over the past five years, we have built on that legacy by investing in our people, our facilities, and our future. Today, we are building on that same foundation through Better Together.
Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System are showing something important: when independent public hospital systems build on each other’s strengths instead of competing, patients and entire communities benefit.
That is a future worth building, not just for Broward County, but for Florida.
Ray Berry is a commissioner for the North Broward Hospital District and former chair of the board.
**This content was contributed to Browardist by Coalition for Better Together.
