About Us

Bert Fish Medical Center is THE hospital SE  Volusia County, Florida, which includes the cities of New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater and Oak Hill; a portion of the city of Port Orange as well as the unincorporated areas of Samsula, Glencoe and points west. 

Located in the city of New Smyrna Beach, Bert Fish is a 112-bed hospital not-for-profit acute care facility with thriving outpatient programs both at the main building in New Smyrna Beach and at the outpatient center in the city of Edgewater.  

On July 1, 2010 Bert Fish Medical Center joined the Florida Hospital Network of Care.  The agreement provides several benefits to Bert Fish Medical Center and Southeast Volusia residents by reducing taxes for residents and infusing the facility with funds for capital and service improvements, as well as loan repayment. Additionally, Florida Hospital is a nonprofit organization deeply committed to the communities it serves, dedicated to both disease education and prevention and providing care for those in financial need. 

“We’re committed to the Southeast Volusia community and believe this will be a great partnership,” said Michael Schultz, president and CEO, Adventist Health System Florida Region. “Our priority is to enhance the continuum of care available to residents and will continue to collaborate with the board, focusing our energies on the areas of greatest impact.”

The primary service area for this great community hospital is home to over 50-thousand residents and thousands of annual visitors in Southeast Volusia County.  Bert Fish Medical Center offers a wide range of services including  ICU, PCU, surgery program, radiology, an oncology center and one of the busiest Emergency Departments of any hospital its size.

Bert Fish is the only hospital in Florida to be a Planetree ™partner, joining over a hundred other hospitals around the country in focusing on a renewed spirit of patient-centered care. The work of 600 medical center employees and physicians is complimented by the donated time of over 300 dedicated volunteers who live full or part time in SE Volusia County and supported by a great hospital Foundation.

HISTORY

The hospital began operations on October 1, 1954, as one of three hospitals in Volusia and Seminole Counties created by the Bert Fish Testamentary Trust (the “Fish Trust”). Judge Bert Fish was a philanthropist who, in 1941, declared his intention to use his earnings for the benefit of his neighbors. His generosity created healthcare facilities and, still today, provides healthcare education programs in our county.

When it first opened in 1954, the hospital facility contained 20 beds and increased to 54 over a period of time. The part of the campus representing the core of the current Medical Center was completed in 1974 with a capacity of 74 beds.  In 1980 a fourth floor was added to the facility, and a much-needed new intensive care unit was completed, bringing the then Medical Center’s licensed bed complement to 116.  The Medical Center expanded again in 1988, adding an emergency room and enlarging the radiology department.  The Medical Center offers a range of services consistent with a strong community hospital and is currently licensed for 112 beds, all of which are available and staffed based upon occupancy.                

RELATED ENTITIES

Auxiliary

The Bert Fish Medical Center Auxiliary, Inc. (the “Auxiliary”) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization which operates for the benefit of the District, the Medical Center, and its patients. Current membership is 310. Income for the organization is derived from the operation of a gift shop, a very-popular coffee shop and a thrift shop known as the “Pink Door” located in downtown New Smyrna Beach. The Auxiliary receives additional receipts from dues, memorials, donations, card parties, and other miscellaneous sources.  The employees of the coffee shop are paid from the sales proceeds of the coffee shop. All other work done in connection with the earning of revenue is performed by various members of the Auxiliary on a voluntary basis.

Medical Center Foundation

The Bert Fish Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization established in 1995 and is operated for the sole purpose of soliciting contributions from the general public to promote and benefit programs and services of the Medical Center and its related activities. It is not related to the Bert Fish Trust which established the original hospital.

Members of the BFMC Foundation Board are leaders of business and community organizations from all areas of SE Volusia County served by Bert Fish Medical Center. All members volunteer their time and efforts to create and maintain a culture of philanthropy in this community. Donor funds are distributed to the Medical Center as determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors in consultation with the medical center administration and in accordance with donor-imposed restrictions, if any.

SERVICE AREA

Population

Bert Fish Medical Center is located in Volusia County which, as of 2008, had a population of approximately 212,000 and is located on the coastline in east central Florida. The population of the county has grown, and projections of population growth still reflect an increase based on the influx into the county of baby boomers and retirees.

Volusia County

Volusia County is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Flagler and Putnam Counties to the north, Marion and Lake Counties to the west, and to the south by Seminole and Brevard Counties.  Volusia County lies approximately 100 miles south of Jacksonville, 119 miles northeast of Tampa, 34 miles northeast of Orlando, and 231 miles from Tallahassee.  Volusia County was established in 1854 and became the 30th county in the State of Florida.  In 1888 an election changed the county seat from Enterprise to DeLand where it remains today.

Volusia County has 47 miles of recreational beach along the Atlantic Coast, including Daytona Beach, which has been called the “World’s Most Famous Beach.”  The county’s lakes, golf courses, and beaches are some reasons why more than 8,000,000 tourists visit the area annually.

The world-renowned Daytona International Speedway hosts several car racing events throughout the year.  These include the “Great American Race,” the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup, the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Coke Zero 400, and the Bud Shootout.  The Daytona International Speedway also hosts motorcycle races such as the Supercross and the Amateur Motor Cross.  These races attract enthusiasts worldwide.  NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) maintains its national headquarters at the Daytona International Speedway.

The Ocean Center in Daytona Beach is a multi-use facility that hosts conventions, tradeshows, concerts, banquets and sporting events. A recent 164,000 square foot expansion has doubled the facilities size, making it one of the largest venues in Florida. The fact that the center is only 400 steps to the ocean adds to the attractiveness for conventions and meeting.

If it’s Florida, there’s golf. The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), the premier sanctioning body for women’s professional golf is located a 20 minute drive north of Bert Fish Medical Center. The annual LPGA tournaments continue to attract new visitors to the area.

Volusia County operates 30 parks with a total of 296 acres.  Amenities offered include picnic tables, pavilions, ball fields, boat launching and ramp areas, play fields including intermediate and adult fields, physical fitness equipment, nature trails, shooting ranges, overnight camping areas and fishing facilities. In addition, there are approximately 70 city-operated parks in Volusia County.

Transportation

The hospital service area is well-served by a full array of transportation systems including U.S. Highway 1 and State Highway A1A.  Interstate Highway 4 (I-4) provides a limited access route from Volusia County to Orlando and then further south to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.  Interstate 95 provides rapid highway transportation along the entire Atlantic coast.  Numerous other State and County roads provide excellent highway access to all areas of the service area and other adjoining areas of Florida.

Air service is provided by Daytona Beach International Airport through two major and two commuter airlines with nonstop service and daily direct service to many cities in the United States.  In October 1992 the County opened the new 166,000 sq. ft. passenger terminal, which included the terminal and related roadways and infrastructure improvements.  The international arrivals building, which accommodates U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture services, was completed in August 1993.  The airport’s main runway was expanded from 7,500 feet to 10,000 feet in 1994.  In addition to commercial air service, Daytona Beach International Airport currently ranks as one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country.  Additional private air service and executive air travel, as well as air freight, are provided through New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport, Massey Ranch Airpark, DeLand Municipal Airport, Ormond Beach Municipal Airport and Spruce Creek Airport, all located within Volusia County.

The county also has bus, rail and trucking transportation services.  Bus service is provided throughout the eastern portion of Volusia County by its public transportation system, Votran.  In addition to its buses, Votran also operates a trolley service beachside along State Highway A1A.  Greyhound Bus Lines provides regularly scheduled service throughout Volusia County and other destinations in Florida and the United States.  Rail service is provided by two major railroad companies for freight service and by Amtrak, which maintains a passenger depot within the city of DeLand.  Trucking service is provided by motor freight companies throughout the county and adjoining areas.

Education Institutions

Daytona State College is a publicly supported college which provides general and specialized education in Volusia and Flagler counties with comprehensive two- and four-year programs.  The college’s main campus is located in Daytona Beach.  Established programs in over 100 areas award Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees and vocational certificates.  The college, including the main campus and four satellite campuses, has an enrollment of approximately 38,000 students.

Stetson University is the oldest private university in Florida.  Located in DeLand, it offers degrees in Liberal Arts, Business Administration and Music, Education, History, English and Religion.  The university has an enrollment of approximately 2,400.  Stetson Law School, with an enrollment of approximately 700 students, is located in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Bethune-Cookman College, located in Daytona Beach, is overseen by the Board of Education of the United States Methodist Church.  The college offers four-year degree programs for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degrees.  The college has an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach offers Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in aeronautical engineering, aircraft maintenance engineering technology, aircraft maintenance management, aviation management and aeronautical science.  It also offers certificates in professional pilot and aircraft mechanic training.  The university’s technical programs are approved by the Federal Aeronautics Administration.  The university has an enrollment of approximately 5,000 students at the Daytona Beach location.

The University of Central Florida, Daytona Beach campus, has an enrollment of approximately 800 students.  The main campus is located in Orlando.  The Daytona Beach campus offers undergraduate degrees and graduate courses in engineering and education.