Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Enter New Era of Academic Medicine with Increased Investments, Greater Integration, More Exceptional Care

Tampa General and University of South Florida Announce Agreement to Strengthen Affiliation,
with Greater Investments in Talent, GME Programs, Academics and Research. 

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (USF Health) at the University of South Florida (USF) announced today a historic
investment in academic medicine, strengthening integration across the two organizations
and deepening their commitment to excellence in quality health care. Tampa General
will direct more than $162 million in 2025 to USF Health, roughly $100 million more
than what TGH invested in its university affiliate just over 5 years ago. The extraordinary
investment supports a shared vision between the two affiliated organizations to increase
integration, recruit best-in-class providers and advance research initiatives while
continuing to grow the region’s economy and create jobs. 

“Through our collaborative efforts at Tampa General and USF Health, we are transforming
the health care landscape. Together, we have expanded our world-class teams, launched
new cutting-edge initiatives, adopted innovative technologies and disrupted old care
delivery models,” said John Couris, president and CEO and Tampa General Hospital.
“We’re setting the standard for the future of health care, and now is the time to
strengthen our investments and integrations across the academic health system so that
we can have an even more meaningful impact on our patients and the health care industry
across our state and the country.”

“The University of South Florida’s long-standing partnership with Tampa General Hospital
has provided significant benefits to our students and our region, and today’s approval
propels us even further along in our collaboration,” said USF President Rhea Law.
“At the core of this agreement lies our commitment to delivering world-class patient
care, expanding our state’s health care workforce and advancing research — three goals
that play a vital role in the future of our university and our communities.”

“This agreement is evidence of what we’ve long known to be true – that USF Health
and Tampa General are stronger together than we could ever be apart,” said Dr. Charles
J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani
College of Medicine. “Our expanded union will certainly advance both of our institutions
but, more importantly, it will also benefit our patients and the greater community
as we advance quality health care.”

The commitment comes in the form of a revised affiliation agreement, which was approved
by the board of directors at Tampa General on August 6 and approved today by the Governance
Committee acting on behalf of the USF Board of Trustees. The agreement is effective
October 1. 

“As we continue to deepen our relationship with USF Health, together we are fundamentally
transforming the health care landscape in Florida. We’re attracting new talent, expanding
our health care workforce, discovering new treatments and therapies and saving more
lives,” said Drew Graham, chair of the board of directors at Tampa General. “With
this increased investment and enhanced integration, we are building the academic health
system of the future to promote health and wellness for families, and provide world-class
care to the patients we serve.”

“This is an exciting time at USF and for the entire Tampa Bay area, with tremendous
growth and opportunity,” said Will Weatherford, chair of the USF Board of Trustees
and chair of the BOT Governance Committee. “Our expanded connection to Tampa General
adds incredible value to that continued progress and we certainly look forward to
seeing the expanded affiliation further elevate our region.”

Tampa General Hospital and USF Health form one of the nation’s leading academic health
systems. Tampa General and USF Health combine clinical care, teaching and research
to deliver the best possible outcomes and support patients, including those with the
most severe illnesses and complex health conditions. 

Tampa General has been affiliated with USF Health since the medical school was established
more than five decades ago. Over the years, the partnership has evolved, enabling
both organizations to work more collaboratively to advance patient care, improve outcomes
and propel breakthroughs. Leveraging their collective assets and expertise, the system
has impacted the lives of millions of patients, as well as attracted some of the world’s
most sought-after specialists, deployed next generation technology and advanced cutting-edge
research. 

Through the joint Office of Clinical Research and the Center of Research Excellence,
the system fosters research and development with support for administrative services,
clinical trials and journal submissions. By collaborating on joint clinical trials
and translational studies, the system takes discoveries from the laboratory bench
to the patient bedside, bringing the most sophisticated level of care to the community
and beyond.  

The academic health system is educating and training the next generation of health
care providers and workforce to expand access to the exceptional care provided at
Tampa General. Several hundred USF Health medical students conduct clinical rotations
each year at Tampa General, along with 726 residents and fellows who also train there.
Tampa General funds programs that support 344 of these USF residents, as well as more
than 70 training programs. On average, every month, there are nearly 200 undergrad
USF nursing students and 315 ancillary USF students gaining hands-on experience at
Tampa General Hospital. 

Working together, Tampa General and USF Health have earned national recognition in
research and quality of care. The academic health system climbed to the second highest
ranked hospital in Florida this year, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2024-2025
Best Hospitals, and Tampa General is recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 hospitals
in eight medical specialties and ranks among the top 10% in three additional medical
specialties. In 2023, USF joined the nation’s leading research institutions as a member
of the prestigious Association of American Universities, in part because of the university’s
commitment to research and innovation in health care. 

The growing prominence of the academic health system has attracted new investments
and talent to the area, developing Tampa’s growing reputation as a global destination
for exceptional care, advanced research and emerging biotechnology. The academic,
research, science and technology organizations reside within the Tampa Medical and
Research District, which is anchored by TGH and USF Health. Looking ahead, Tampa General
and USF Health are on a journey to transform the health care landscape by pursuing
innovative ways to disrupt the traditional delivery models and lead to better patient
outcomes.