Tampa General Hospital Partners with the Visiting Nurse Association Home Health Agency to Enhance Seamless Care for Patients

Tampa General Hospital patients needing further care at home can now continue to receive the same world-class care they experienced while in the hospital.

TAMPA, Fla., July 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To improve the quality of home care for its patients, Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is partnering with home health agency, the Visiting Nurse Association, (VNA) to form TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida. The new entity will provide a full range of home care services for Tampa General patients, as well as those in the community needing home care.

"Through TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida, patients will have the choice to remain with our network of care for the services they need while continuing to recover in the comfort of their home," said Adam Smith, executive vice president and chief ambulatory officer, Tampa General. "Staying within Tampa General means our patients can make a seamless and safer transition home. They remain our patient, which means they can more easily access the combined resources of an academic medical center and an experienced home care agency, that supports improved quality, outcomes, and overall patient experience. Adding a new service such as home care will help us move forward in achieving our vision of being the safest and most innovative academic health system in America."

Home care is a variety of personal and skilled nursing care services provided in the home for patients recovering from an illness or injury or living with a chronic medical condition. TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida offers both in-home personal care and nursing services, including home health aides, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, chronic disease management, medical social services and more.

"We have been providing home health services to Floridians since 1976, with care delivered to Tampa General patients and the surrounding communities for 26 years. Our team has a deep understanding of the diverse and complex needs that patients of a Level I Trauma Center may have," said Jennifer Crow, CEO, Visiting Nurse Association. "Our long-standing expertise and VNA's mission to serve all patients with quality home health care align perfectly with Tampa General Hospital's commitment to providing world-class care.  We promise to deliver the highest level of care and we believe that our partnership will be the catalyst that creates a full circle of excellence for patients needing in-home support for their recovery."

A patient's return to the comfort of their home begins at the hospital, where a TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida nurse meets with the patient and their family to learn about their home setting and needs for care. The nurse will directly access important information to make the patient's return home an easier process with all the services and equipment needed for recuperation.

"With electronic medical record integration, our patients will receive the benefit of continuous care coordination as they work towards regaining their independence, with caregiver and family support at home. This new TGH service also offers patients access to nurse navigators who can provide ongoing support as patients progress and return to the community," said Elan Melamed, senior director ambulatory experience and operations. TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida services are available for patients in the community as well.

TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida will serve all patients in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Hardee and Highlands counties, no matter what hospital they are discharged from. Whether patients live in the Tampa Bay region, or have traveled for their care, the Visiting Nurse Association has seven locations throughout Florida which create a network for patients across the state. 

TGH Home Care powered by VNA of Florida began providing services June 20. For more information, visit https://www.vnaflorida.org/ or call 813-692-5969.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 1,041-bed not-for-profit academic medical center, 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 2021-22 Best Hospitals, and one of the top four hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious 2021 Forbes magazine rankings – America's Best Employers by State, third out of 100 Florida companies and first among health care and social organizations and 13^th nationally in 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 2020 provided a net community benefit worth more than $182.5 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 six 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 Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track.  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 uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost.  For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

ABOUT VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION
For over 45 years, Visiting Nurse Association of Florida (VNA) has been serving Florida communities as their trusted nonprofit home health care provider. We are a Medicare-certified agency delivering award-winning care for patients in the comfort of their own homes. VNA staff total more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists, aides and ancillary staff.  As one of the largest Florida based agencies, we have been the premier choice for residents in need of quality home health care - including patients facing a new diagnosis or illness, care following a hospitalization, post-surgical care, treatment for chronic illnesses and much more.  We currently serve more than 15 counties throughout Florida and consistently rank among the elite providers by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) star rating system. With a record of health care excellence that spans over four decades, modeled after Florence Nightingale, you can trust Visiting Nurse Association of Florida to treat you and your loved one with compassion, professionalism, and respect.

Media Contact: Karen Barrera
Assistant Director of Communications & Partnerships
(813) 844-8725 (direct)
(813) 928-1603 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital