Tampa General Hospital and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County Invite Feedback, Outline Vision for Lakeside Medical Center at Community-Wide Town Hall
Strategic partnership to enhance access to world-class care across rural communities of Palm Beach County.
BELLE GLADE, Fla., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County on Monday welcomed residents of the Glades to the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center in Belle Glade to discuss their new partnership at Lakeside Medical Center.
Before nearly 200 attendees, Tampa General president and CEO John Couris outlined the shared vision for the region's safety net hospital, including expanding services and targeted initiatives to recruit and retain a strong workforce of physicians and health care providers.
"Lakeside Medical Center represents a true partnership – one that combines the best of the Glades community with the expertise and quality care of one of the nation's leading academic health systems," said Couris. "Hearing from the community this week gives us a much better sense of what residents want to gain from their local hospital. Together, we will elevate the level of care available in this region, increase access to specialists, and leverage technology and research findings to improve health outcomes for Glades residents with the most complex conditions."
Darcy J. Davis, president and CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, discussed why the District sought a strong partnership with an academic health system to enhance Lakeside Medical Center, which the Health Care District owns and operates.
"Community engagement is critical to our mission at the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. This Town Hall was a tremendous success and allowed us to be transparent and honest about the future of Lakeside Medical Center alongside Tampa General," Davis said. "Together, we will keep care local, keep it strong and keep it innovative for generations of Glades residents."
Stacey Brandt, executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Tampa General, and Ron Doncaster, vice president and administrator of Lakeside Medical Center, joined Couris and Davis on stage to invite feedback from the community and answer questions.
"Lakeside doesn't just serve patients—we serve neighbors, friends and family," said Doncaster. "As I've stepped into this role, I have recognized the unique spirit of this community, which is shaped by generations of resilience and connection. Preserving that identity as we enhance and elevate specialized care at Lakeside isn't just important—it's our mission."
The discussion was moderated by prominent community leader Tammy Jackson-Moore, who also serves as a member of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County Board and the Lakeside Health Advisory Board.
"This open discussion with the residents of the Glades was a great opportunity for the community to have their voice heard as leaders at Tampa General and the Health Care District develop a plan for the future of Lakeside," said Jackson-Moore. "This partnership is incredibly meaningful to our region. I am extremely supportive of this path forward, and I am confident it will not only enhance the care but improve the health and wellness of our community."
Tampa General Hospital and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County reached a Management and Administrative Services Agreement on Feb. 1 for Tampa General to provide administrative leadership, operational management and strategic support for Lakeside Medical Center, the only rural teaching hospital in Florida.
The joint mission of this partnership is to:
- Advance access to high-quality health care close to home
- Improve community health by supporting better outcomes
- Enhance clinical services and innovation at Lakeside Medical Center
Tampa General's work with Lakeside Medical Center marks an expansion of Tampa General's existing network of providers and services in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, which already includes primary care, cancer care, digestive health, kidney care, radiation, oncology and general surgery.
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 2023, provided a net community benefit of approximately $301.8 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 19 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 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 THE HEALTH CARE DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is an independent special taxing district that has served as a healthcare safety net for 36 years to fill in gaps in access to healthcare services. This unique healthcare system covers the entire county with nine community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers) which serve everyone regardless of ability to pay; school health teams in 172 public schools; a Trauma Hawk aeromedical helicopter program; a rural, public teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center; a skilled nursing center; a ground ambulance program for Health Care District patients needing a higher level of care and the county's Trauma Agency, which ensures quality outcomes within the county's trauma system and leads initiatives to prevent traumatic injury.
Media Contact:
Amanda Bevis
(202) 680-9262 (cell)
[email protected]
SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
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