Tampa General Hospital, Cancer Center of South Florida Form New Alliance to Provide World-Class Care in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast

The new locations for Tampa General Hospital Cancer Care will be TGH’s first locations
on the east coast of Florida.

Tampa, FL (May 28, 2020) – Tampa General Hospital and the Cancer Center of South Florida have formed a new alliance, enabling cancer patients in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast to receive the world-class care and complex services that a major academic medical center provides right in their own back yard.

The Cancer Center of South Florida’s two locations in Palm Beach County will become the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute, marking the first time that Tampa General, nationally ranked by US News and World Report and one of Florida’s leading academic medical centers, has opened a location on the east coast of Florida. Tampa General’s expansion plans across the state will continue as the institute builds relationships with additional local physicians in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, aggregating more specialists into the Tampa General network to provide comprehensive treatment options across multiple specialties.

Palm Beach and Treasure Coast residents can now receive world-class cancer treatment and services provided by a leading academic medical center paired with hometown convenience.

Tampa General surgical oncologists and specialists will work in collaboration with local physicians to provide the most comprehensive treatment options in a seamless, coordinated manner. Cancer specialists will travel to Palm Beach County to consult with local patients, working closely with their referring physicians to create a comprehensive treatment plan.

Patients will be able to receive case evaluations from multi-disciplinary panels of TGH experts, participate in a broader array of cutting-edge clinical trials, and benefit from new services, such as palliative care and genetic counseling. And those patients who need complex, specialized surgeries will have a new option right here in Florida; instead, they’ll benefit from a convenient, streamlined process to have surgeries in Tampa with pre-and post-surgery care performed in Palm Beach.

These patients will benefit from a hybrid model that allows them to have pre- and post-surgical care in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast. Nurse navigators with specialized cancer expertise will coordinate their visit to Tampa for surgery with specialists who are leaders in their fields. Patient ambassadors will help coordinate with travel and accommodations.

“We’re excited to provide enhanced world-class cancer care that residents in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast can access close to home,” said John Couris, Tampa General’s president and CEO. “Our specialists will serve as an extension of the great healthcare that exists in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast today. Our team of specialists, combined with the high caliber of local care, will allow residents across Florida to be able to receive the highest quality of care with the latest technologies and treatments, including extensive clinical trial opportunities.”

Current patients can still receive care and treatment planning from CCSF’s current skilled and compassionate providers, who all trained or taught at top-tier medical programs, such as Harvard University. Patients will now be able to receive palliative care consultations that offer a holistic approach to care, offering patients resources to help with pain management, nutrition, mental health and other issues. They also can receive chemotherapy, radiation and other care in Palm Beach County.

“CCSF is excited that this new agreement brings our patients expanded access to the very best cancer treatment options as we continue our tradition of providing care that is tailored for each patient – providing care for each patient, one patient at a time,” said Dr. Abraham Schwarzberg, chief of Oncology at CCSF and senior vice president for Oncology Services and Network Development at Tampa General.

New services that patients can benefit from include:

• Access to a broader variety of clinical research trials, offering the newest treatments in cancer care

• Enhanced personal oncology treatment plans

• Access to complex, minimally invasive surgical management

• Innovative personalized medicine

• Advanced immunotherapy treatment options

• Expertise in rare cancers requiring complex surgeries

Patients can make appointments at the new Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute locations in Palm Beach County by contacting 561-253-3980.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1007-bed non-profit academic medical center, delivers world-class care as the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. 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 five 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 an 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 15 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 Florida, Tampa General Hospital is first in the state to open a command center in partnership with GE Healthcare. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

ABOUT THE CANCER CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Cancer Center of South Florida provides personalized patient care with state-of-the-art medical treatments. Our devoted team of former Harvard Medical School faculty formed the Center to provide South Florida patients access to cutting-edge clinical trials and therapies. Our doctors, oncology nurses, and pharmacy department spend the time needed with each patient to best understand their individual condition. We then explain the array of medical options available and with the patient, select the most effective treatment plan. Our warm and compassionate atmosphere offers unparalleled level of care and support for patients and their loved ones.