FSU Health is a bold initiative of Florida State University that brings together researchers, clinicians, and local clinical partners under one umbrella to help transform health and health care in Florida.
The university is partnering with several institutions -- Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Mayo Clinic, Andrews Institute, Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic, and others-- to grow its health research portfolio and clinical offerings and attract some of the top clinical providers and researchers from around the country to our region, resulting in a more robust health care system for the residents of Florida.
Additionally, the university and TMH are partnering to establish an academic health center in Tallahassee and an acute care hospital in Panama City Beach.
The idea of transforming TMH into an Academic Health Center has been under discussion for more than a decade. The TMH Board of Directors first outlined its vision in its 2008 strategic plan, and the hospital and FSU have since added multiple residency programs in internal medicine, general surgery and psychiatry.
In 2021, the TMH and FSU Boards jointly approved the FSU/TMH Academic Health Center Strategic Alignment Plan, which laid out plans for an Academic Health partnership. Construction is under way on the Academic Health Research Building on the TMH campus.
When City of Tallahassee officials expressed interest in divesting of the hospital property, FSU and TMH worked diligently to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to bring to government officials who are vetting it in through a process of public meetings.
The Memorandum of Understanding states that FSU and TMH will work with the City of Tallahassee on the transfer of the hospital assets to FSU, including the 75-acre property, 2-million-square-foot hospital building, and related assets. FSU will then lease the assets to TMH under a new 40-year lease and operating agreement.
TMH will remain the licensed operator of the hospital, preserving its independent, tax-exempt status, while collaborating with FSU through research, branding, academic and clinical operations agreements. The TMH board will continue to set strategy, approve the hospital budget and make operational decisions, but the board composition will be now include a minority number of members nominated by FSU.
No, the City of Tallahassee and FSU are negotiating a price for the land and facilities that would be paid out over several years.
Currently, the city receives $1 per year from TMH for the property, the buildings and other assets.
Ownership of the city-owned assets allows FSU to make direct investments to improve the facilities over time.
Tampa General Hospital and USF benefit directly from a special Hillsborough County Health Care Plan, a 0.5% indigent care sales surtax, part of the total county sales tax, in addition to the state and school surtaxes. Therefore, Hillsborough County is directly involved and helps support charity care within their partnership.
This new partnership will not interfere with the operation of the hospital or the relationship between providers and patients. Patients will be able to keep their current doctors/providers.
All parties are committed to the involvement of FAMU and TSC in the partnership, including through board representation.
No. FSU, FAMU, and TSC will continue their partnerships with TMH to ensure that the next generation of healthcare workers receive the proper educational and training opportunities.
Yes. The MOU between TMH and FSU requires that TMH continue to maintain a charity care program at least as generous as it does today.
This next step in the FSU/TMH partnership demonstrates FSU’s commitment to help expand care at the hospital. Many specialists in high-demand fields are looking specifically for appointments at an academic health center. This partnership would greatly enhance our recruiting efforts of top clinicians in a variety of areas.
The state of Florida is committed to helping FSU build a world class health system that offers the best care to its residents. The hospital board will remain an independent community board. All hospital board members have a fiduciary responsibility to make all decisions in the best interest of the hospital.
FSU faculty have long been engaged in the health and health care fields. More than 30 years ago, Florida State Chemistry Professor Robert Holton synthesized the drug Taxol making it widely available to breast cancer patients and saving countless lives. The university’s medical school was founded with a mission to improve care statewide and graduates more than 115 physicians each year, and our College of Nursing has dramatically increased its enrollment capacity to help address the state’s nursing shortage. Our current faculty are actively involved in broad areas of health-related research including, mental and behavioral health, drug discovery and delivery, successful aging, human performance and more.