BayCare Updates Plans for Community‑Focused Care Beyond the Hospital

CLEARWATER, Fla., March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BayCare's unwavering commitment to serving its communities' health was evident once again as the largest academic health care system in West Central Florida released its 2026–2028 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Implementation Plans. The plans — one for each of the counties in BayCare's primary footprint — are released every three years and outline how the health system will work with its community partners to improve health and well-being across the region. From free clinics and mental health initiatives to school-based food pantries, the plans focus on extending care deep into communities to improve health outcomes for all residents.

"These plans are the roadmap for how our communities can count on us to show up for them in the next three years," said Lisa Bell, BayCare's director of Community Benefit. "These plans are based on what our communities told us they need most and they represent BayCare's commitment through our outreach programs and also our partnerships with more than 80 community organizations."

New survey findings helped identify key community health needs that guided the plans.

For the third time, BayCare was part of the All4HealthFL Collaborative, a regional partnership of seven hospital systems and four county health departments that conducts community surveys and analyzes local, state and national data to identify shared health priorities that improve community health. Among the findings in the 2025 surveys:

• Nearly a quarter of residents of West Central Florida have not had a medical checkup in the past year.
• Close to 20% of low-income residents under the age of 65 don't have health insurance, nearly double the U.S. average.
• One in seven households is food insecure.

The collaborative identified three primary areas of focus for West Central Florida, which BayCare then used to inform its CHNA plans:

• Access to Health and Social Services
• Behavioral Health, including mental health and substance use
• Exercise, Nutrition and Weight

Economic stability also emerged in the 2025 survey as a growing concern, particularly its impact on an individual's capacity to maintain good health. To address this challenge, BayCare invests in workforce development initiatives that support youth and adult populations through on-the-job training and pathways into health care careers.

Following community meetings in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties — and for the first time, Manatee County — BayCare developed its 2026–2028 plans. Each county-specific plan details BayCare's goals, programs and community partnerships aimed at reducing barriers to care, like the cost of prescriptions, and addressing social factors that influence health, including food insecurity.

One example of BayCare's community impact informed by the CHNA process is BayCare's Medication Assistance Program. Launched in 2017 after a CHNA identified the cost of medication as a major barrier to care, the program helps eligible patients apply for reduced-cost or free medication, many provided through pharmaceutical manufacturers. Staffed by five BayCare team members, the program served more than 1,800 patients in 2025, saving in excess of $10 million in prescription costs.

In 2025, BayCare provided nearly $500 million in Community Benefit, including Medicaid and income-based programs, charity care and community services. This support included helping serve more than 93,000 households through 42 school-based food pantries across the region.

BayCare's full 2026–2028 CHNA plans are available at Community Benefit and Community Health Needs.

About BayCare

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit academic health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals, including a children's hospital, and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. The system is West Central Florida's largest provider of behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare.org. 

SOURCE BayCare Health System