West Florida Health Now Providing Home Care Services

Florida Hospital Home Care and Chapel Home Care have united to form West Florida Health Home Care, a Tampa General Hospital and Florida Hospital partnership

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) - The state has approved the home health agency licensure application from the bay area’s newest healthcare company, West Florida Health, to provide home care services in Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas and portions of Sumter counties. West Florida Health is a partnership between Tampa General and Florida Hospital with a mission to build on the expertise of the two hospitals to provide accessible, affordable care to the greater Tampa Bay community.

“Home care is an important part of the healing process as it allows a patient to leave the hospital sooner and continue recovery in the comfort of their own home,” said Jim Burkhart, President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “Because we can provide specialized care needed for recovery, patients can often avoid being readmitted to the hospital.”

West Florida Health Home Care will provide professional clinical care, personal care, and a wide range of medical services that a patient might need after being discharged from a hospital. The home care agency also provides specialized care for medical issues like heart failure, respiratory diseases, orthopedics, and diabetes.

“Through the collaboration of our two hospitals, our home care team can provide a direct and coordinated approach to home care. That means they will have the ability to assess a patient’s vitals and monitor treatment based on real-time medical information, historical and current, which enables them to more effectively manage and monitor the progress of patients after they leave the hospital,” said Mike Schultz, President and CEO of Florida Hospital West Florida Region.

The West Florida Health Home Care team works with patients and physicians to develop a plan of care. The home care staff includes: Registered nurses (RNs) with MBA/MSN; licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs); wound care-certified RNs; certified ostomy nurses; infusion specialists; occupational therapists; speech language pathologists; licensed practical nurses (LPNs); nurses experienced in end-of-life care; licensed physical therapists; and home health aides.

“Our existing home care patients will not experience an interruption in care as a result of our new home care agency and we will continue to provide the outstanding quality and service they have come to expect with us. Our home care nurses can manage all aspects of a patient’s care and our registered nurses are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions,” said Cindy Higgins, RN, BS, MSM, and Regional Administrative Director for West Florida Health Home Care. Higgins has been a registered nurse for over 22 years, including 20 years of experience in home care and 13 years as an administrator for home care.

West Florida Health Home Care has offices in Brooksville, Tampa and Zephyrhills and plans to expand to Pinellas County in the near future. The home care agency is accredited by the Joint Commission and is a Medicare-certified provider. To learn more, please visit http://www.WestFloridaHealth.org or call (844) 887-2851.

About West Florida Health
West Florida Health is a jointly owned not-for-profit company and partnership between Florida Hospital and Tampa General Hospital. The vision of West Florida Health is to redefine health and wellness through its mission to build on the expertise of Tampa General and Florida Hospital to provide accessible, affordable care to the community. Florida Hospital West Florida Region is a 1,257-bed hospital system composed of 6 hospitals in Tampa Bay and 3 in the Sebring/Wauchula area. Florida Hospital is a state wide network of 23 hospitals and part of the Adventist Health System. Tampa General Hospital is a 1,011-bed academic medical center that serves as the region’s only center for level I trauma care.