The health care landscape in Jacksonville is facing significant changes as the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute (JOI) announced it is laying off 153 employees and shuttering several locations. As detailed by a letter under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and obtained by Jacksonville Today, the institute will be closing rehabilitation facilities starting May 30, impacting six Northeast Florida locations.
The affected locations for these closures include: 12220 Atlantic Blvd. in Jacksonville, 1747 Baptist Clay Drive in Fleming Island, and 12961 North Main St. in Jacksonville. Further cutbacks are happening at locations such as 7740 Point Meadows Drive in Jacksonville, St. Augustine's 14534 Old St. Augustine Road in St., and 105 Murabella Parkway in the World Golf Village. The layoffs span various positions including physicians, radiology technologists, and administrative staff.
In the wake of this organizational restructuring, more than a dozen JOI physicians have opted to join other groups, causing a shift in the institute's operations. According to a statement provided to the Jax Daily Record, JOI Executive Director John Ricchini explained, "This transition will allow JOI to operate with greater autonomy and flexibility." It was within this context that Ricchini also pointed out that many jobs eliminated in the short term will likely be reabsorbed as part of a larger market realignment.
Patients who have been receiving treatment at the affected JOI locations have been assured that their care will continue uninterrupted. "Patients may continue to see their current physicians. If their physician remains with JOI, they do not need to do anything," Ricchini told First Coast News. The statement further details that for patients whose doctors are moving to independent practices, they will be notified and assisted in the transfer of their medical records.
While the restructuring has been causing waves throughout the local health community, it has not affected the Jacksonville Jaguars' choice of their official orthopedic caregiver. The Jaguars have transitioned to UF Health Jacksonville for the 2025-26 season, a change independent from the JOI downsizing, as Lyndsay Rossman, Jaguars Director of Business Communications, confirmed via an interview with the Jax Daily Record. The changes at JOI have raised concerns about job security in the medical profession and access to care for patients, as Jacksonville navigates the evolving demands of the health care industry.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect accurate number of layoffs.
