Tampa Bay job market - Patient Care
With more than 50 hospitals, dozens of clinics and ambulatory care centers, the Tampa Bay has an abundance of top-rated health care facilities for children and adults.
The region also has a wealth of well-trained medical professionals - nearly 53,000 nurses and more than 9,200 physicians (including physician assistants) - provide care to Tampa Bay residents and visitors every year.
More than 62,000 Medical Personnel in Tampa Bay:
- 7,874 Medical Doctors
- 789 Osteopathic Physicians
- 578 Physician Assistants
- 38,751 Registered Nurses
- 14,057 Licensed Practical Nurses
Tampa Bay Hospital Stats:
- Total number of licensed beds in the region - 12, 944
- Total number of full-time employees - 42,988
- Average FTE salary - $41,569
- Total number of admissions - 493, 658
Source: Florida Hospital Association, 2002
Tampa Bay hospitals at a glance
U.S. World & News Report 2003
Three Bay area hospitals were on the 2003 U.S. World & News Report list of top100 hospitals in America.
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute received recognition for cancer care, while Tampa General Hospital was highly rated for its treatment of kidney disease and St. Joseph's Hospital was recognized for orthopedics and digestive diseases.
Here is complete listing of Tampa Bay healthcare facilities, organized by county. For more detailed information about hospital services and centers of excellence, please call or visit each organization's Web site.
Hernando:
- Oak Hill Hospital,
- Brooksville Regional Hospital,
- Spring Hill Regional Hospital
Hillsborough:
- St. Joseph's Hospitals,
- St. Joseph's Women's Hospital,
- St. Joseph's Children's Hospital,
- Tampa General Hospital,
- University Community Hospital,
- University Hospital - Carrollwood,
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital,
- Brandon Regional Hospital,
- Town & Country Hospital,
- Memorial Hospital of Tampa,
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute,
- South Bay Hospital,
- Tampa Shriners Hospital for Children,
- Kindred Hospital Tampa,
- Kindred Hospital Central Tampa
Manatee:
- Blake Medical Hospital,
- Manatee Memorial Hospital,
- Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Pasco:
- Community Hospital of New Port Richey,
- East Pasco Medical Center,
- Morton Plant North Bay Medical Center,
- Pasco Regional Medical Center,
- Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
Pinellas:
- All Children's Hospital,
- Bayfront Medical Center,
- Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital,
- Edward White Hospital,
- Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital,
- Kindred Hospital Bay Area/ St. Petersburg,
- Largo Medical Center,
- Mease Hospital-Dunedin,
- Mease Hospital-Countryside,
- Morton Plant Hospital,
- Northside Hospital & Heart Institute,
- Palms of Pasadena Hospital,
- St. Anthony's Hospital,
- St. Petersburg General Hospital,
- Sun Coast Healthcare
Polk:
- Bartow Memorial Hospital,
- Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center,
- Lakeland Regional Medical Center,
- Winter Haven Hospital,
- Lake Wales Medical Center,
- Watson Clinic
Sarasota:
- Bon Secours-Venice Healthcare,
- Doctors Hospital of Sarasota,
- Englewood Community Hospital,
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Patient Care Services
Every medical and surgical specialty, from cancer and cardiac care to neurology and orthopedics, trauma, rehabilitation, women's services and neonatal intensive care, is represented in the Tampa Bay region.
The area can boast of healthcare facilities second to none. Here are some of the highlights of Tampa Bay health care.
Burn Treatment
Tampa Bay has one of four burn centers in Florida at the Tampa General Hospital. Burn patients are cared for in a self-contained unit that begins with initial emergency admission and continues through reconstructive surgery and follow-up care.
Cancer
While the majority of Tampa Bay hospitals offer cancer programs, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, located on the USF campus, is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida.
The nation's third largest cancer center based on outpatient visits and the largest blood and bone marrow transplant program in the Southeast are located at Moffitt.
The hospital also offers 13 site-specific cancer treatment teams, cutting-edge clinical trials and a new approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment called Total Cancer Care.
This innovative program will allow physicians and health care facilities throughout Florida and beyond access to Moffitt programs, such as molecular profiling of tumors, without the patient having to leave home.
Moffitt has several affiliated cancer programs at local hospitals and clinics, including Morton Plant Hospital, Morton Plant North Bay and the Watson Medical Clinic.
Adult Cardiac
Heart disease, the nation's number one cause of death, is a major focus for nearly all Tampa Bay hospitals. Excellent inpatient cardiac services and state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities are found throughout the region.
13 Tampa Bay hospitals offer the full-range of comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic programs - from minimally invasive procedures to cardiovascular surgery. These hospitals include:
- Pinellas County - Morton Plant Hospital, Northside Hospital & Heart Institute, Bayfront Medical Center, All Children's Hospital and Largo Medical Center
- Hillsborough County - St. Joseph's, Tampa General Hospital, University Community Hospital and Brandon Regional Medical Center
- Pasco County - Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
- Polk County - Lakeland Regional Medical Center and Winter Haven Hospital
- Sarasota County - Sarasota Memorial Hospital
Clinical Research
Many Tampa Bay hospitals participate in national clinical research trials designed to improve patient care and save lives. Some of the facilities, like Tampa General Hospital in Hillsborough County, Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota County and the Watson Clinic in Polk County, have dedicated clinical research centers.
Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Polk County has a comprehensive clinical trial program for cancer, with more than 50 studies underway at any time.
By participating in clinic research, hospitals and physicians allow eligible patients to receive cutting-edge treatments, medications or procedures still under study and not yet on the market.
Until the last few years, many of these studies were conducted only at major urban teaching centers in select locations around the country.
Now, they are more widely available and in locations closer to patients' homes.
Neurosciences
While most hospitals care for patients with certain neurological conditions, such as stroke, some have further neuroscience specialization for the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of a wide variety of neurological conditions and injuries. Here are a few highlights:
- Tampa General Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center have comprehensive epilepsy programs that include inpatient units and a surgical program.
- Bayfront has one of four Gamma Knife treatment programs in the state. Gamma Knife uses radiation rather than a surgical scalpel to treat tumors and other vascular conditions in the brain.
Obstetrics & Newborn Intensive Care
Many hospitals in Tampa Bay offer outstanding family-centered childbirth centers. A smaller number of hospitals offer specialized services for women and children. Here are a few highlights:
- Four Tampa bay hospitals offer maternal fetal medicine programs that care for women experiencing high risk pregnancies. These hospitals include Bayfront Medical Center, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Brandon Regional Medical Center, Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph's Women's Hospital.
- Five hospitals offer Level III neonatal intensive care units for the most acutely ill or premature babies. These hospitals include Tampa General, Brandon Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, All Children's Hospital and Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
- A fetal surgery program to correct certain serious abnormalities before birth is available at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital.
Pediatrics
A regional pediatric referral center for heart and kidney transplantation, pediatric immunology, cystic fibrosis, cardiology, neurosurgery, genetics, cleft palate and craniofacial disorders is offered at All Children's Hospital in Pinellas County.
The hospital's pediatric cancer program is among the largest in the Southeast.
Children with orthopedic-related problems receive care free of charge at Tampa Shriners Hospital for Children, located on the USF campus.
The hospital provides care for virtually all pediatric orthopaedic problems, and has an expertise in hand disorders, hip disorders, leg length discrepancies, limb deficiencies, metabolic bone disease, neuromuscular disorders, scoliosis, skeletal growth abnormalities and spina bifida/myelodysplasia.
Tampa General Hospital and All Children's Hospital have Ronald McDonald Houses on campus to serve pediatric patients and their families.
St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is undergoing a $6.2 million expansion project to accommodate the largest pediatric heart surgery program in Florida.
Rehabilitation
Many Tampa Bay hospitals offer outpatient services and inpatient beds for a variety of rehabilitation needs - recovery from stroke, total joint replacement, car accidents and more.
A smaller number of hospitals offer specialized rehab services.
- Tampa General Hospital, Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center have comprehensive inpatient rehab programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
- Tampa General and Winter Haven Hospital are state-designated spinal cord injury centers.
- Tampa General and Bayfront Medical Center are CARF-accredited head injury centers.
Teaching Hospitals
Thirteen Tampa Bay hospitals are teaching hospitals, which means new physician graduates pursue hands-on residency training there in their chosen area of specialty - all under the guidance of more experienced physician specialists and faculty members.
Tampa General Hospital is the primary teaching hospital for the University of South Florida College of Medicine, while All Children's Hospital is the primary teaching hospital for pediatrics.
Other USF-affiliated hospitals include Moffitt, Tampa Shriners Hospital for Children; the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital and Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital.
Seven hospitals in Tampa Bay not affiliated with USF also have physician residency teaching programs. These include:
- Pinellas County: Bayfront Medical Center, Northside Hospital & Heart Institute and Morton Plant Mease Health Care
- Manatee County: Manatee Memorial Hospital (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine)
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Doctors Hospital of Sarasota (Florida State University College of Medicine)
- Winter Haven Hospital (University of Florida College of Medicine)
Transplantation
Three Tampa Bay hospitals are transplant centers:
- Pediatric heart and kidney transplants at All Children's Hospital.
- Adult heart, lung, kidney, liver and pancreas transplants, and pediatric kidney transplantation at Tampa General Hospital.
- The largest blood and bone marrow transplant program in the Southeast is located at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.
Trauma Centers
Tampa Bay has four trauma centers, which means that people with severe traumatic injuries can receive life-saving care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- There is one Level I trauma center - Tampa General Hospital in Hillsborough County.
- There are three Level II trauma centers - Bayfront Medical Center in Pinellas; St.Joseph's Hospital in Hillsborough County; and Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Polk County.
- There are two pediatric trauma centers - St. Joseph's Hospital is a Level II trauma center and pediatric trauma center with St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. Bayfront Medical Center is a Level II pediatric trauma center with All Children's Hospital
- The military's Special Operations Command Medics gain first-hand experience in trauma and emergency care at Bayfront Medical Center and Tampa General Hospital.
- Two aeromedical emergency helicopter programs, one at Tampa General Hospital and one at Bayfront Medical Center, bring life-saving care to every corner of the Tampa Bay region.
Veterans Administration Hospitals
Tampa Bay is home to two Veterans' Administration Hospitals: Bay Pines Veteran's Hospital in Pinellas County, and the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Hillsborough County. Bay Pines is one of the busiest VA hospitals in the country.
Largest Hospital Networks in the Region
There are many smaller networks and independent hospitals, but BayCare Health System (nonprofit) and HCA (investor owned) are the largest hospital networks in the region
- The BayCare Health System is a Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) organized into three Community Health Alliances with seven hospitals in three counties - Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough.
- HCA (Healthcare Corporation of America) has 12 hospitals in six counties and 10 Ambulatory Surgery Centers located in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota.