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USF, Tampa General Hospital prepare to unite as a single medical group

The deepened alliance between two long-time partners aims to increase patient access to more specialized care and clinical trials.
 
Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida are combining resources to form what they said will be one of the largest academic medical groups in Florida.
Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida are combining resources to form what they said will be one of the largest academic medical groups in Florida. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ]
Published July 16, 2021

The University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital announced Friday that they have decided on a name for their deepened alliance and that a national search would begin for its leader.

The two institutions have worked together since USF’s medical school opened in the 1970s. But last summer they announced they would “align administrative and clinical practice areas,” strengthening their affiliation and forming a new nonprofit organization that will combine more than 1,400 employees.

The newly named “University of South Florida Tampa General Physicians” is slated to launch this October and aims to increase patient access to more specialized care and clinical trials.

The organization will combine management services for more than 800 health care providers currently with the Tampa General Medical Group and the USF Health physician faculty practice group. Together they will be one of the largest academic medical groups in Florida, according to a USF news release.

Private practice physicians on staff at Tampa General Hospital will also be able to use services of the new organization.

“This enhanced affiliation will have a lasting impact on Tampa Bay, bringing the highest quality care to our region,” Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, said in the release.

“Patients will experience the best of both worlds as we come together as one united physicians group,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “TGH, USF and our private practice physicians have always had the most success when working together to improve health in Tampa Bay. Now that we are more closely strategically aligned, we can create a powerhouse that delivers world-class health care on the west coast of Florida.”