Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Enter New Era of Academic Medicine with Increased Investments, Greater Integration, More Exceptional Care

Tampa General and University of South Florida Announce Agreement to Strengthen Affiliation, with Greater Investments in Talent, GME Programs, Academics and Research. 

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (USF Health) at the University of South Florida (USF) announced today a historic investment in academic medicine, strengthening integration across the two organizations and deepening their commitment to excellence in quality health care. Tampa General will direct more than $162 million in 2025 to USF Health, roughly $100 million more than what TGH invested in its university affiliate just over 5 years ago. The extraordinary investment supports a shared vision between the two affiliated organizations to increase integration, recruit best-in-class providers and advance research initiatives while continuing to grow the region's economy and create jobs.

"Through our collaborative efforts at Tampa General and USF Health, we are transforming the health care landscape. Together, we have expanded our world-class teams, launched new cutting-edge initiatives, adopted innovative technologies and disrupted old care delivery models," said John Couris, president and CEO and Tampa General Hospital. "We're setting the standard for the future of health care, and now is the time to strengthen our investments and integrations across the academic health system so that we can have an even more meaningful impact on our patients and the health care industry across our state and the country."

"The University of South Florida's long-standing partnership with Tampa General Hospital has provided significant benefits to our students and our region, and today's approval propels us even further along in our collaboration," said USF President Rhea Law. "At the core of this agreement lies our commitment to delivering world-class patient care, expanding our state's health care workforce and advancing research — three goals that play a vital role in the future of our university and our communities."

"This agreement is evidence of what we've long known to be true – that USF Health and Tampa General are stronger together than we could ever be apart," said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. "Our expanded union will certainly advance both of our institutions but, more importantly, it will also benefit our patients and the greater community as we advance quality health care."

The commitment comes in the form of a revised affiliation agreement, which was approved by the board of directors at Tampa General on August 6 and approved today by the Governance Committee acting on behalf of the USF Board of Trustees. The agreement is effective October 1.

"As we continue to deepen our relationship with USF Health, together we are fundamentally transforming the health care landscape in Florida. We're attracting new talent, expanding our health care workforce, discovering new treatments and therapies and saving more lives," said Drew Graham, chair of the board of directors at Tampa General. "With this increased investment and enhanced integration, we are building the academic health system of the future to promote health and wellness for families, and provide world-class care to the patients we serve."

"This is an exciting time at USF and for the entire Tampa Bay area, with tremendous growth and opportunity," said Will Weatherford, chair of the USF Board of Trustees and chair of the BOT Governance Committee. "Our expanded connection to Tampa General adds incredible value to that continued progress and we certainly look forward to seeing the expanded affiliation further elevate our region."

Tampa General Hospital and USF Health form one of the nation's leading academic health systems. Tampa General and USF Health combine clinical care, teaching and research to deliver the best possible outcomes and support patients, including those with the most severe illnesses and complex health conditions.

Tampa General has been affiliated with USF Health since the medical school was established more than five decades ago. Over the years, the partnership has evolved, enabling both organizations to work more collaboratively to advance patient care, improve outcomes and propel breakthroughs. Leveraging their collective assets and expertise, the system has impacted the lives of millions of patients, as well as attracted some of the world's most sought-after specialists, deployed next generation technology and advanced cutting-edge research.

Through the joint Office of Clinical Research and the Center of Research Excellence, the system fosters research and development with support for administrative services, clinical trials and journal submissions. By collaborating on joint clinical trials and translational studies, the system takes discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside, bringing the most sophisticated level of care to the community and beyond. 

The academic health system is educating and training the next generation of health care providers and workforce to expand access to the exceptional care provided at Tampa General. Several hundred USF Health medical students conduct clinical rotations each year at Tampa General, along with 726 residents and fellows who also train there. Tampa General funds programs that support 344 of these USF residents, as well as more than 70 training programs. On average, every month, there are nearly 200 undergrad USF nursing students and 315 ancillary USF students gaining hands-on experience at Tampa General Hospital.

Working together, Tampa General and USF Health have earned national recognition in research and quality of care. The academic health system climbed to the second highest ranked hospital in Florida this year, according to U.S. News and World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals, and Tampa General is recognized as one of the nation's top 50 hospitals in eight medical specialties and ranks among the top 10% in three additional medical specialties. In 2023, USF joined the nation's leading research institutions as a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, in part because of the university's commitment to research and innovation in health care.

The growing prominence of the academic health system has attracted new investments and talent to the area, developing Tampa's growing reputation as a global destination for exceptional care, advanced research and emerging biotechnology. The academic, research, science and technology organizations reside within the Tampa Medical and Research District, which is anchored by TGH and USF Health. Looking ahead, Tampa General and USF Health are on a journey to transform the health care landscape by pursuing innovative ways to disrupt the traditional delivery models and lead to better patient outcomes.

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 Employer's 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 is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers 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, TGH Outpatient Center, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 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 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