Tampa General Hospital (TGH) recently hosted The Power of Academic Medicine at the Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion. The community was invited to learn about the latest developments in how the academic health system is expanding patient access to groundbreaking care in the Palm Beaches and on the Treasure Coast. As guests entered the Cohen Pavilion’s ballroom, an immersive tech playground offered them the opportunity to explore and experience the state-of-the-art technology Tampa General is implementing to enhance patient care. These advancements included:
• Symani Surgical System, the first FDA-approved robot that performs microsurgery
• TGH at Home, a hospital at home program, leverages innovative technology to deliver high-quality acute care in the comfort of patients’ homes
• Tampa Medical & Research District positions Tampa as a destination for clinical care, academics, cutting-edge research, life sciences, biotech, and job creation
Shortly after Ashleigh Walters, a former WPTV news anchor, greeted guests, Tampa General President and CEO John Couris joined her on stage for an interview. He shared his vision for the future of the academic health system as it continues to expand in Palm Beach County.
“Our approach is focused on innovation, creating a smart hospital, reducing redundancy, streamlining efficiency, enhancing the patient experience, and ultimately improving outcomes,” said Couris. “We accomplish this through strategic partnerships ¾ both in Tampa and across the state.”
Strategic partnerships have been the hallmark of Tampa General’s growth and expansion in Palm Beach County. “We’re partnering with the best physicians and practices here in the Palm Beaches to expand the community’s access to academic medicine,” Couris added. Currently, Tampa General has more than 75 providers in 13 medical specialties, practicing in 20 locations.
Couris discussed Tampa General’s recently announced partnership with Mass General Brigham (MGB). The two hospitals’ first joint venture in Palm Beach County is to create a 20,000-square-foot radiation oncology center at Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens. TGH will manage day-to-day operations, while MGB Radiation Oncology will provide expert quality and safety oversight. The collaboration applies the tenets of academic medicine, as MGB and TGH will create a robust, integrated team of experts. These specialists will serve all patient needs across the spectrum of care, from physicians and dosimetrists to patient advocates and administrators. All team members will cross-collaborate, share, and support each other to deliver high-quality, responsive, and customized care for each patient. TGH is MGB’s first national clinical affiliation, and the two hospitals have collaborated closely for over three years.
“The power of MGB is connecting with the power of Tampa General and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine,” noted Couris. “Together, we believe the value proposition we’re going to create will be unmatched locally, nationally and globally.
“Ultimately, we’re building a distributed network across the county; this is an asset-light approach. We want to be where people live and work. We strive to be convenient, accessible, and priced appropriately. When you do these kinds of things, you create value in the communities that you serve, and you pass that value on to the patient, the employer, and the insurer. That’s how we create real value.”
Couris also touched on Tampa General teaming up with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County to provide strategic, operational, and administrative support to Lakeside Medical Center. Located in Belle Glade, Lakeside is the Health Care District’s public teaching hospital. Together, the two organizations will work to enhance quality and increase access to care in rural areas of Palm Beach County.
“This is just a start. There is a much bigger vision in play,” Couris continued. “We’re coming here to help care for the community and we’re going to stay. And we’re designing it in a way that’s for everybody.”
The remainder of the evening featured in-depth discussions with Tampa General physicians, highlighting groundbreaking projects currently under way at the academic health system. For more information about the providers and services Tampa General offers in the Palm Beaches and on the Treasure Coast, please visit TGH.org/ThePalmBeaches
