A New Chapter Confirmed at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, acquired by Orlando Health in October of 2020, is the city’s first and largest hospital. Under new leadership by Orlando Health, with John Moore at the helm as President, Bayfront Health St. Petersburg has shown significant growth and improvements in less than one year’s time. 

“After the acquisition, our team’s focus was to identify the most important issues to the hospital and community,” said John Moore. “We conducted an extensive listening tour, speaking with team members, patients, physicians and community members. This feedback was critical in understanding the culture and determining what areas needed attention and what changes to make.” 

Moore and team put together an action plan focused on not only growth and innovation, but a true culture change. Of the many improvements and initiatives implemented, some of the most visible to the community have been: 

• Improved hiring strategies to attract top-quality applicants 

• Enhanced education opportunities for staff, including a tuition reimbursement program 

• Upgrades to the patient record system, moving to a new electronic health record 

 Substantial investment in the newest equipment available 

• Updated safety and quality improvement protocols consistent with Orlando Health 

“This is just the beginning,” Moore has said. “You will continue to see us focus on quality and improving and making Bayfront Health St. Petersburg the best place for patient care in the region.” 

The next important step in the transformation of the hospital is investing in the quality of the facility. 

A study is underway to assess numerous aspects of the facility, including operational efficiency, and improving the patient experience. The facility master plan study will be complete in late spring; however, smaller campus improvements have already begun. Architectural enhancements for the façade will come later. Plans are currently in the early stages and will require additional design review, permitting, and then construction. 

In addition to the plans above, Bayfront Health St. Petersburg is working on a community health assessment to identify the county’s needs over the next year. 

This assessment, along with the facility master plan, will drive the hospital’s overall needs pertaining to patient safety and access, adjacency within departments, functionality, and to accommodate for future growth. 

As needs are identified to support growth, technology and patient care, a newly established Foundation, Orlando Health Foundation West Florida, will partner with caring individuals, foundations and organizations to raise crucial funds for the hospital. 

To learn more about how you can support Orlando Health Foundation West Florida, please contact Blake Bard at (727) 893-6806 or [email protected].