Representative Sam Garrison Joined Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Morsani College Of Medicine to Highlight Innovation in Health Care at Florida's State Capitol

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, Representative Sam Garrison joined Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Tuesday in the Senate Portico for a discussion highlighting the breakthroughs in innovation and technology research that are elevating care in Florida and expanding access for patients.

"Florida's strong leadership and commitment to pro-business, pro-family policies have made our state a destination not just for its beautiful beaches, but for opportunity and innovation," said Representative Garrison. "Hospitals like Tampa General play a key role in this vision by combining research, technology and innovation to provide the best possible care for families and visitors."

The event was part of We Are TGH Day at the Florida Capitol and also featured TGH president and CEO John Couris; Scott Arnold, TGH's executive vice president and chief digital and chief innovation officer; and Nishit Patel, M.D., vice president of medical informatics for USF Tampa General Physicians and professor and associate residency program director for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery.

"From the weather and our coastlines to our reputation as an entertainment capital, Florida has a reputation as a world-class destination," said Couris. "But we're also a destination for innovation in health care. Right here in the Sunshine State, we're implementing the latest research findings and the newest technologies to provide the best possible care to our patients. Tampa General is truly transforming the health care landscape."

The discussion, titled "Florida: The Destination for Innovation," focused on the growing reputation of the Sunshine State as a destination for world-class care. Stefan Grow, chief of staff at Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, served as moderator.

"At Tampa General, we're partnering with some of the world's most advanced technology companies," said Arnold. "Through our new Innovation Center at Tampa General Hospital, we will be collaborating directly with our partners to develop the next-generation technologies and shape how they enhance health care delivery."

Tampa General is building an Innovation Center in the Tampa Medical and Research District, where developers, engineers and creators can collaborate with health care researchers, providers, and team members to craft solutions that enhance care.

"We're leveraging technology to not just optimize care delivery, but also enhance patient experience," said Dr. Patel. "Through integrated managed services, we're increasing transparency for patients to securely access their own medical information and communicate virtually with their providers."

Dr. Patel led the design of Tampa General's "Patient Room of the Future" program, which evaluates, tests and scales new transformative care technologies.

As the region's only university-affiliated academic health system, Tampa General is at the forefront of groundbreaking research, pioneering advancements and world-class training that are reshaping the future of care delivery across the industry. On We Are TGH Day, examples of TGH's innovative technologies, including the TGH exoskeleton, AquaBot, and Aquafence, were on display at the Capitol for lawmakers and legislative aides to explore. A member of the AeroMed helicopter fleet was also positioned on Adams Street for attendees to explore.

In partnership with USF Health and Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, and like-minded leaders of health care and life sciences innovation, Tampa General established a world-class medical and research district in the City of Tampa. The Tampa Medical & Research District (TMRD) is firmly cementing Florida as a foremost destination for world-class clinical care, exceptional academics, cutting-edge medical research, and innovative life sciences and biotechnology companies. By serving as a catalyst for job creation, a more prosperous community and a healthier population, the TMRD is elevating Florida's status as a globally recognized leader in the health care and life sciences industry.

We Are TGH Day is an opportunity for Tampa General patients and their families to advocate for the world-class care they received at TGH. More than 150 Floridians from across the state were in Tallahassee to participate in Tuesday's events. Students from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine were also in attendance.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, with two medical specialties ranking among the top 20 in the nation and eight medical specialties ranking among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by three prestigious Forbes magazine rankings – in the top 100 nationally in the 2024 America's Best Large Employers, the top 50 in Florida in the 2024 America's Best Employers by State and the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2022, provided a net community benefit of approximately $240.3 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It was the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant center in 2024 and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes TGH North, which is comprised of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, two TGH Outpatient Centers, TGH Virtual Health, and 20 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

ABOUT USF HEALTH
USF Health's mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the Taneja College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, and USF Health's multispecialty physicians' group. The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital