Q&A: Brent Davis on transforming the primary care experience at AdventHealth

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Brent Davis leads AdventHealth’s Primary Health Division with a clear focus on rethinking how primary care is delivered so people can get the care they need more easily and more conveniently. Under his leadership, teams have reduced appointment wait times, expanded same-day primary care visits and advanced new care models designed around the whole person, with ambitious goals still ahead to meet growing community needs. Following his recognition as one of Modern Healthcare’s 40 Under 40 list, Brent shared insights on the momentum behind AdventHealth’s continued efforts to make health care more consumer centric and responsive to everyday life.

Q: What is AdventHealth’s Primary Health Division and what is it designed to achieve for patients?

Davis: At its core, AdventHealth Primary Health Division is about removing friction from the health care experience and helping people stay well rather than only treating them when something goes wrong. It brings together primary care, outpatient services, care delivered in the home and value-based care approaches with a shared focus on access, connection and whole-person care.

For patients, that translates to shorter wait times, more appointment options and a care team that works together across settings instead of in silos. Through primary care network models like Primary Care+ and Well 65+, we’re offering a range of options designed to meet people where they are, whether they need more convenience, more support, or care that fits their stage of life and lifestyle.

The work is less about internal structure and more about creating a consistent experience where care feels coordinated, personal and easier to navigate no matter where someone enters the system.

Q: Improving access to health care has been a major focus of your work at AdventHealth. What drives that focus?

Davis: Access is missional. When people cannot get an appointment when they need one, they often delay care, which can lead to more complex health issues over time. Knowing this, we took a hard look at every step of the access experience, redesigning scheduling, expanding same day primary care across the network and reducing average appointment wait times by half from 13 days to one week, with same-day access available for many patients.

For patients, that means getting care sooner and with less frustration. They have more appointment options, faster responses when they reach out and greater confidence that their care team is accessible. When people know they can connect with care quickly, they are more likely to stay engaged in preventive care and manage their health proactively rather than waiting until a concern becomes urgent.

At AdventHealth, our culture is grounded in caring for others the way we would for our closest loved ones. That’s why we wear the name of someone who inspires our care on our badge – a daily reminder of the standard we hold ourselves to. For me, that person is my wife. Thinking about the care I’d want for her reinforces what we’re working toward: health care that’s easier to access, more convenient, and truly centered on people.

Q: You have helped advance home-focused and value-based care models at AdventHealth. How do those approaches benefit people long term?

Davis: Home-based care gives people more choice and often a more comfortable setting to receive care. Expanding services like home health, hospice and hospital at home allows patients to receive high quality care while staying connected to their families and routines, which can make a meaningful difference in outcomes and experience.

Value-based care supports that by aligning care around outcomes instead of volume. When care is coordinated across settings and focused on long term health, patients experience fewer gaps and better continuity. These models also help make health care more sustainable into the future so we can continue serving communities for generations to come.

Q: Looking ahead, what continues to motivate you as a leader in health care?

Davis: What motivates me is knowing that the decisions we make today shape how people experience care tomorrow. We are constantly taking systems apart and putting them back together to find better ways to serve patients, whether that means adding millions of new appointment openings or advancing care models that more effectively support the patient’s whole health journey.

The work reinforces that access, experience and compassion can scale when leaders and teams stay grounded in the needs of consumers. That is the work I am proud to be part of and the work we will continue to advance to make health care easier to access, more personal and more sustainable across AdventHealth.