UCF Lake Nona Hospital CEO Wendy Brandon speaks at the Lake Nona Regional Chamber’s State of Medical City 2026 about innovations developed at UCF Lake Nona Hospital.
Nurse Handoff helps nurses more efficiently access important patient information during shift changes, supporting continuity of care and more time focused on patients~
Sept 24 2026 – HCA Healthcare nurses at UCF Lake Nona Hospital have helped develop and pilot Nurse Handoff, an AI-powered technology designed to help nurses quickly understand a patient’s condition and needs during shift changes, giving them more time to focus on their patients. Nurse Handoff expanded to 15 additional Florida hospitals this month and was highlighted at last week’s State of Medical City expo in Lake Nona.
“Innovation should help our nurses provide the best possible care for their patients, and UCF Lake Nona Hospital was designed to be a place where caregivers can help shape the future of healthcare,” said Wendy Brandon, CEO, UCF Lake Nona Hospital. “Our nurses brought a real-world challenge from the bedside and worked side by side with technology teams to develop and refine a solution with the potential to support nurses and patients far beyond our hospital. We’re proud that work started here in Lake Nona and can now support nurses and patients across HCA Healthcare.”
Nurses use the handheld Nurse Handoff tool to review a patient’s current health information and status during a shift change.
Developed with frontline nurses and Google Cloud at HCA Healthcare’s first Innovation Hub at UCF Lake Nona Hospital, Nurse Handoff supports seamless care while keeping nurses’ clinical judgment at the center. The tool uses an agentic AI system to organize specific information from a patient’s electronic health record into a concise shift report for the incoming nurse. Using a hospital-provided secure mobile device, nurses can review information from notes, orders, tests and other clinical information to quickly understand the patient’s condition and needs. Nurses remain in control of the handoff and their clinical decisions. Frontline nurses have been integral to the tool’s development, helping determine what information is most useful, how it should be organized and how the technology fits into the nursing workflow.
“As nurses, we know what information we need to confidently take over a patient’s care,” said Jessica Bailey, a registered nurse and division vice present of nursing operations for HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division. “Having nurses help shape Nurse Handoff means it is built around how we actually care for patients. This is an opportunity to use AI to make important information more accessible, strengthen and modernize the way we communicate and create more time for the personal, hands-on care that is at the heart of nursing.”
Across HCA Healthcare hospitals, nurse handoffs occur approximately 24 million times each year. The new Nurse Handoff tool is designed to make these transitions more efficient for nurses while supporting continuity of care for patients.
Early testing of Nurse Handoff shows promising results. Nurses participating in a pilot program have overwhelming rated Nurse Handoff as factual and helpful. New graduate nurses also report feeling more supported, confident and prepared when using the technology.
The project reflects HCA Healthcare’s approach to artificial intelligence: developing technology alongside caregivers to augment their expertise, reduce administrative burden and improve the experience of patients and care teams. For more information about healthcare innovation at HCA Healthcare, visit our Integrating clinically led technology to enhance patient care – HCA Healthcare Impact Report.
About UCF Lake Nona Hospital
Located in the heart of Orlando’s Medical City, UCF Lake Nona Hospital, part of HCA Florida Healthcare, is a 64-bed, full-service medical and surgical acute care hospital serving Lake Nona and surrounding communities in Orange and Osceola counties. UCF Lake Nona Hospital employs the latest innovative solutions and life-saving technology, including 24/7 emergency care, a Level 1 cardiac program providing cardiac intervention and electrophysiology services, luxury family birthing units, inpatient and outpatient surgery including minimally invasive and surgical robotic technologies, oncology, diagnostic imaging, weight loss surgery and laboratory services. UCF Lake Nona Hospital is a partnership between HCA Healthcare and UCF Academic Health.
About HCA Florida Healthcare
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is one of Florida’s leading healthcare networks. Its 11,200 physicians and 80,000 colleagues work together to deliver evidence-based, collaborative care through nearly 12.8 million patient encounters annually. With more than 670 connected care sites—including hospitals, physician practices, urgent care centers and freestanding emergency rooms—across the state, HCA Florida Healthcare helps expand access to the specialized care patients need. HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals are annually recognized for excellence in patient experience and clinical outcomes, including three facilities ranked in the top 2% nationally for overall clinical excellence. A leader in healthcare education, HCA Florida Healthcare supports the next generation of healthcare workers through its 153 graduate medical education programs across 29 hospitals. In 2025, the network provided more than $1.1 billion in uncompensated care and contributed more than $3.5 million to community organizations across the state. Visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
