Kenneth Jones, CEO, HCA Florida Northwest Hospital

In an interview with Invest:, Kenneth Jones, CEO of HCA Florida Northwest Hospital, discussed the hospital’s growth, the evolving role of technology, challenges in healthcare delivery, and the future of patient care. He emphasized staff development, patient-centered innovations, and the hospital’s vision for South Florida.

Could you discuss some significant milestones for the hospital over the last year?

Our facility continues to experience tremendous growth, particularly from a patient encounter standpoint, across all service lines. This includes surgical services, obstetrics and gynecology, acute care, and emergency room visits. Like the general population, we’ve seen overall population growth. We’ve also expanded our residency programs, now with over 200 residents. Our ambulatory platform is another area of development, with a strong focus on obstetrics and gynecology.

As you may recall from last year, one of our core programs is our cardiovascular service line, which has been, and will continue to be, a key part of our identity. In cardiovascular services, we’re focusing on the breadth and depth of cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, complex vascular surgery, and cardiac surgery. One program we’re excited about is the launch of our thrombectomy-capable stroke program, which ties into our neurosurgery and neurology services. This program, launching in mid-November, will be of tremendous benefit to patients in the Northern Broward community.

How is the hospital evolving to meet the needs of the South Florida community?

We serve a very diverse patient population and are fortunate to have a growing, diverse workforce. A key focus has been building relationships with local schools and academic partners, which helps us grow our workforce through internal training programs and partnerships. Our growth as an organization starts and ends with our people. Alongside our graduate medical education program for physicians, recruitment, retention, and development of our frontline staff is crucial. We ensure they have opportunities to advance within our system.

We also have 14 hospitals from the Treasure Coast to Miami, plus alternative care sites like MD Now Urgent Care, ambulatory surgery centers, and a physician practice division called PSG. This scale enables us to offer a wide range of opportunities and differentiate ourselves by specializing in each facility while leveraging our network. South Florida has a strong talent pool of caregivers, and we work to develop them. This pipeline makes it a great place to do business.

How does technology play a role in differentiating Northwest from other medical centers in the region?

HCA has a significant technology footprint, and we’re investing in more resources to ensure our key initiatives and care processes are supported. As patient expectations evolve, we’re adapting. We’re using electronic scheduling, patient-accessible apps for medical records, and AI to improve our revenue cycle. We’re also leveraging technology to better staff our facilities by analyzing patient population patterns, ensuring patients receive timely care. Clinically, we’ve implemented tools for real-time provider communication. For example, during stroke or cardiac activations, these systems help streamline diagnoses across multidisciplinary teams, reducing care fragmentation. These efforts make us more nimble, proactive, and efficient, delivering better value to our patients.

What challenges do you see in healthcare delivery today, and how is the system navigating them?

Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve faced inflationary pressures — rising labor costs, supply costs, and disruptions in the supply chain. Additionally, being in Florida, we must account for the impact of hurricanes on our care delivery and logistics systems. Recently, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton didn’t directly affect this part of the state, but they impacted other parts of our system. We had to transport over 200 patients from West Florida to support our colleagues there. There was also disruption in our Treasure Coast and Palm Beach facilities during the last hurricane. One achievement of which I’m particularly proud is the HCA Hope Fund. This fund, supported by colleagues and leaders, assists staff affected by natural disasters, personal emergencies, or medical challenges. We’ve used this fund to support our staff during these recent disasters. It demonstrates that “care like family” is not just a slogan but a guiding principle we live by every day.

With healthcare systems increasingly focused on patient outcomes, what initiatives has the hospital implemented to improve quality and safety metrics?

It starts with the organization’s culture. We conduct an annual culture of safety survey to identify potential risks from both cultural and safety perspectives. A strong culture encourages staff to feel comfortable identifying risks, participating in safety huddles, and openly communicating concerns. Leadership then applies best practices to address potential risks. With over 180 hospitals, we benchmark key metrics like falls, pressure injuries, readmissions, returns to surgery, and hospital-acquired infections. We also use technology to identify, in real time, patients at higher risk of readmission or infection. The survey helps validate cultural expectations, tracking staff communication and leadership’s response during challenging times, ensuring resources are applied where most needed.

What are some of the emerging trends in healthcare that you see influencing the future direction of HCA in the next few years?

Patients increasingly want to interact with healthcare systems as part of a cohesive care team. They expect integrated medical records, strong communication, and collaboration across the care team. Patients also seek greater access to and ownership of their medical records to be more involved in decision-making. At HCA, we focus on the human side of care, ensuring that caregivers — whether physicians, nurses, or ancillary staff — are compassionate and empathetic. We emphasize effective communication, listening to patients, and ensuring they understand key aspects like care transitions, treatment expectations, and discharge plans. While clinical care is critical, we’re in the people business and strive to align our staff with our mission, vision, and values.

What is your vision for the region and HCA over the next few years?

Healthcare is critical to the local economy, and thriving communities depend on strong connections between caregivers and patients. Our vision is to evolve with healthcare’s shift toward outpatient and ambulatory care. We’ll expand in these areas while maintaining acute care for complex conditions. For example, we are a major provider of obstetric services, which will stay within our hospitals, while other procedures may shift to ambulatory surgery centers or outpatient facilities. The key is meeting patients where it’s most convenient for them, with hospitals focused on complex cases and outpatient settings handling less complex services.