Physicians Who Attended a Local High School Together Return Home to Expand Primary Care Access in Brevard County

VIERA, Fl (September 21, 2026) — As Brevard County continues to experience rapid population growth and increasing demand for primary care services, the Orlando Health East Region is expanding access to comprehensive, community-based care with the addition of two primary care physicians who attended Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School together and now, years later, after completing their medical training, they have returned to the area they grew up in to care for local families.

Dr. Srividya Kannan and Dr. Anita Fazeli, who are both primary care physicians (PCP), have joined Orlando Health Physician Associates and are practicing family medicine in Viera, helping increase access to preventive and primary care services for both children and adults in one of Central Florida's fastest growing communities.

“This move back to Brevard County truly feels like coming home,” said Dr. Srividya Kannan, primary care physician with Orlando Health Physician Associates. “I grew up nearby in Cape Canaveral, and being able to care for the people in the community that helped shape me is incredibly meaningful. Family medicine allows me to care for patients at every stage of life, build long-term relationships, and help families stay healthy for years to come.”

Dr. Kannan was born at Cape Canaveral Hospital and raised in the area; her parents still live here. She will provide family medicine services for patients of all ages, including children of all ages.

For Dr. Fazeli, returning to Brevard County is both a professional and personal decision.

“There is nothing quite like returning to your hometown,” said Dr. Anita Fazeli. “It is a privilege to be back here and to both raise my family and care for our community,” primary care physician with Orlando Health Physician Associates. “A PCP is the anchor to your healthcare journey, your long-term partner in wellness. It is incredibly important for my patients to feel comfortable when they enter the office, to feel listened to and hopeful about reaching their healthcare goals.”

Dr. Fazeli attended Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School before graduating from Viera High School and later pursuing her medical training. She speaks fluent Persian and conversational Spanish and will provide care for patients ages 16 and older. Together, Dr. Kannan and Dr. Fazeli are helping Orlando Health expand access to culturally responsive care for the region’s increasingly diverse population.

Being part of an integrated healthcare system allows patients to benefit from coordinated care across the Orlando Health network.

“When patients need specialty care, imaging, or surgery services, having those resources connected within one health system helps create a seamless experience,” said Dr. Fazeli. “Our goal is to make healthcare more accessible, more personal, and easier to navigate for every patient we serve.”

“Primary care is the foundation of a healthy community, and access to those services becomes even more important as our communities grow,” said Aaron Bridges, associate vice president, Orlando Health Medical group, East Region. “Dr. Kannan and Dr. Fazeli bring not only exceptional clinical expertise, but also a personal connection to Brevard County that will help them build meaningful relationships with patients and families throughout the region.”

The physicians join Orlando Health Medical Group at a time when communities across Florida and the nation continue to face challenges recruiting and retaining primary care providers.

While Brevard County is not without primary care providers, but like much of Florida, it is experiencing increasing pressure on its primary care workforce due to rapid population growth, an aging population, and physician shortages that can make it harder for some residents to access timely care, according to the Florida Medical Association.

Orlando Health continues to invest in physician growth across Brevard County, with a focus on improving access to primary care, supporting preventive health initiatives, and meeting the healthcare needs of the community.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 321-842-5591.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $15 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $1.7 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 23, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.