Health First’s Viera Hospital Again Named to Newsweek ‘Best-in-State Hospitals’ List for 2026

Health First is ambitiously planning to meet and exceed community needs

Key Takeaways:

■ Health First’s Viera Hospital earns fourth straight Newsweek Best-In-State Hospital Ranking.
■ Viera joins only 26 other hospitals in the state of Florida – and is one of only 4 in Central Florida.
■ Viera has earned a series of high-profile national accolades in 2025.
■ As Viera remains one of the fastest-growing regions in Florida, Health First is ambitiously planning to meet and exceed community needs.    

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – For the fourth straight year, Health First’s Viera Hospital has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best-In-State Hospitals 2026.

The annual ranking recognizes the 800 leading hospitals across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, providing crucial insights into the nation’s top healthcare facilities. Only 27 hospitals in the state of Florida are included in this year’s “America’s Best-in-State Hospitals” list – and Viera is one of only 4 in the Central Florida region.  

The America’s Best-In-State Hospitals 2026 ranking was created to identify the top hospitals at the state level. Hospitals from all U.S. states were eligible for the ranking and included in the nationwide survey.

Four data sources were used this year for the evaluation: Hospital Quality Metrics, Hospital Reputation, Patient Experience, and a Statista PROMS (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures) Implementation Survey. As a result, the 800 hospitals that scored the highest across these criteria have been included on the list. 

“For the fourth straight year, this Newsweek recognition places Viera Hospital among the best in Florida – and this is a tremendous honor for all of our physicians, nurses, associates, and volunteers,” said MaryJo Allen, Chief Nursing Officer, Hospital Division and Interim Viera Hospital President.

“Viera Hospital’s success is representative of the entire Health First system’s collaborative approach to serving the unique needs of every patient in our community, and we’re proud to be the trusted healthcare destination for so many families and individuals. This recognition strengthens our commitment to delivering exceptional care and service.” 

The Newsweek Best-In-State ranking is one of many accolades for Viera Hospital this year: 

■ In April, Viera joined Cape Canaveral Hospital, which was named to the Newsweek Best U.S. Hospitals Lists for 2025.

■ Viera Hospital in August earned a “high performing specialty” distinction for hip replacement in this year’s U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals ranking.

■ Also in August, Viera earned one of Florida’s only CMS 5-Star Ratings, while the hospital celebrated its one-year anniversary of its Birth Suites – welcoming more than 1,100 births in its first year.

■ Finally, Viera this summer joined Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center, Cape Canaveral Hospital and Palm Bay Hospital – earning prestigious American Heart Association Gold Seal Awards for stroke care.

“It is a tremendous testament to the skill, compassion, and dedication of our medical staff to once again be named to Newsweek’s “Best-In-State” list – among the top 10 percent of all Florida hospitals. And this could not be a more fitting honor coming on the heels of the incredibly challenging year we’ve had following the April closure of Rockledge Hospital,” said Dr. Corey Alvarez, Medical Staff President.    

“I am incredibly proud and thankful for the hard work and skill that our staff provides 24-7, which has clearly been noticed through extensive evaluation and feedback of patients and their loved ones, our community, and through the many rigorous metrics that help to set the standard of excellence Viera Hospital strives for each and every day.” 

Ongoing investments to address community growth and healthcare needs:

In April, Health First announced that it is accelerating the development of two new freestanding emergency departments to help ensure residents continue to have reliable, 24/7 emergency care close to home.

Freestanding ERs deliver the same high-quality care found in hospital emergency departments, fully equipped and staffed around the clock by emergency physicians and trained care teams.

Located in growing areas across the county, they help reduce patients’ travel times and support faster treatment during critical moments. Health First is actively working and on track to construct its first facility—a 13,000-square-foot, 12-bed freestanding ER at 3300 S. Fiske Blvd., just north of Viera—to serve the Viera market and the Rockledge community. Groundbreaking is slated for early 2026. 

In September, the Health First Board of Directors authorized the development of a master plan for the future expansion of Viera Hospital, which opened in 2011 and is the newest of Health First’s four hospitals.

Once finalized, the plan is expected to guide the hospital’s next phase of growth — with the goal of doubling licensed capacity beds and enhancing access to emergency care, surgical specialties, cardiac care, orthopedics, and women’s health for the growing Central Brevard community.

This master plan ensures Health First can thoughtfully and responsibly prepare for our community’s healthcare needs and ensure Viera Hospital remains one of the nation’s best hospitals.

Over the next 18 months, Viera Hospital will continue to roll out a series of ambitious projects designed to expand access, reduce wait times, and deliver more specialized care – from maternity and cardiology – to gastrointestinal and surgical services.

■ Viera Hospital is moving forward with construction on the 5^th floor to add at least 20 inpatient beds. Given the growth in Mother/Baby services, Health First will designate four of those beds to support that program – allowing Viera Hospital to continue meeting the needs of our community as well as the continued demand in women’s health.

■ Construction on the new inpatient unit is expected to be completed by spring 2026. Once open, the added capacity will help ease pressure on the emergency department, where patients have at times faced delays waiting for inpatient beds.

■ To further support maternal care, Viera Hospital has officially launched an OB Hospitalist Program this past July, providing 24/7 in-hospital physician coverage for obstetric emergencies — a significant upgrade in responsiveness and continuity of care. Viera Hospital has seen explosive growth in the Mother/Baby unit, which opened in August 2024 — greater than 30% more deliveries than experienced previously at Cape Canaveral Hospital. The program will allow Viera to triage every patient immediately, handle urgent needs on the spot, and focus on the quality and safety of the program — giving our community timely care they can rely on.

■ Viera Hospital is expanding its operating suite to meet increasing surgical demands. Viera currently has six operating rooms and is adding two more for a total of eight expected to be completed by December 2025.

■ Gastroenterology services have expanded with the opening of a newly built endoscopy suite this past July. The upgraded space features three procedure rooms and is designed to support both elective and inpatient GI care. The added GI space is essential to keeping up with the growing volume of both elective and inpatient procedures.

■ Cardiac care is also entering a new chapter at Viera with the introduction of advanced heart rhythm services — upgrading all equipment in September to offer electrophysiology procedures.

■ Enhanced imaging capabilities are also planned. A state-of-the-art CT scanner will be installed at the nearby Viera Medical Plaza by March 2026, expanding outpatient access while freeing up in-hospital imaging for emergency and inpatient needs.

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