Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital's CEO is shedding more light on the hospital's plans to invest $162 million next year to support greater integration with USF Health, its university affiliate.
In late August, Tampa General announced it would direct $162 million in 2025 to USF Health, marking a 160% increase from what the hospital invested in the affiliation five years ago. The two have been affiliated since the USH Health Morsani College of Medicine was established more than 50 years ago and together form one of the nation's leading academic health systems.
Specifically, the financial commitment will enable the systems to deepen three key components of their partnership: enhance clinical services, expand opportunities for graduate medical education, and pursue new research initiatives to improve outcomes, John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General, told Becker's.
"When I joined [Tampa General] nearly seven years ago, one of the main initiatives I was tasked with was deepening the relationship between our organizations," he said. "The integration between our systems ensures we can deliver on our promise to provide world-class care across the region and meet the growing demands on our healthcare system."
Across the U.S., many hospitals are ramping up investments to train more medical school graduates amid a lack of federal action to expand Medicare-supported residency slots. TGH funds programs that support 344 USF Health residents as part of its affiliation with the university.
Tampa General's additional investment will also support a new behavioral health hospital slated to open early in 2025; it will be one of the first behavioral health teaching hospitals in Florida. This year, a new law created a behavioral health teaching designation in the state, with TGH and USF Health selected as one of four teaching hospitals to open a specialized facility.