Gov. Scott’s pro-active move to keep doctors in Florida

Wednesday, Florida Governor Rick Scott’s office released information about the new Statewide Residency Program at All Children’s Hospital:

For the first time, hospitals are receiving a supplemental payment specifically for graduate medical education which was made possible by the $80 million appropriation recommended by Governor Scott in the 2013 Florida Families First Budget.

Scott said, “In order to grow more opportunities for Florida families to succeed, we must invest in programs that will diversify our economy and create jobs for future generations. That’s why my Florida Families First budget invested $80 million for Graduate Medical Education programs, which helps hospitals expand their residency programs. In the Tampa Bay area alone, this program will invest $13 million to expand residency programs in 10 hospitals, which is great news. This program is the first of its kind to coordinate with hospitals on supporting their medical education programs and will ensure we keep more of our medical school graduates here in the Sunshine State.”

scott hospitals

Through the new Statewide Residency Program, 10 hospitals in Hillsborough and Pinellas County will receive more than $13 million of the total $80 million statewide allocation. Funding from the new Statewide Residency Program is available to all hospitals—large and small, urban and rural—so long as they sponsor residents.

Senator Denise Grimsley, Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services said, “Many doctors who participate in residency programs in Florida end up practicing in our state. It is important, particularly in rural areas, that there are enough physicians to meet the future needs of our aging population. I am pleased that we were able to make an investment in the health of Floridians by creating the Statewide Residency Program.”

Representative Matt Hudson, Chair of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee said, “The move this year to DRG reimbursement for hospital inpatient stays in the Medicaid program created the perfect opportunity to begin the Statewide Residency Program. The new program will provide more transparency and accountability for graduate medical education funding, and ultimately deliver a greater value to the tax payers of Florida.”

Liz Dudek, Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration said, “Traveling the state, I have heard time and again from medical school and hospital leadership that they are thankful that Governor Scott made the new Statewide Residency Program a priority. I am honored that we are able to administer a program that means so much to education and health care stakeholders in our state.  The new funding specifically for graduate medical education is another way Governor Scott has demonstrated his commitment to education, health care and jobs.”

Chad Brands, M.D., Director of Medical Education, All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine said, “In partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine, we are building a new pediatric residency program focused on developing physicians as future innovators and leaders in the field of children’s healthcare. Graduate medical education funding will help us shape pediatric care for the 21st century.”doctor-handshake

Jim Burkhart, Chief Executive Officer ýat Tampa General Hospital, Chairman of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida and Board Member of the Teaching Hospital Council of Florida said, “With Florida on the cusp of a significant physician workforce shortage, Tampa General Hospital applauds the efforts of Governor Scott to elevate the importance of graduate medical education through the creation of the Statewide Medicaid Residency Program. By raising awareness and allocating appropriate resources this legislative session to train the state’s future physicians and medical personnel, Florida will be in a far better position to address our looming demand for doctors and ensure all of our citizens have access to high-quality care.”

Jonathan Ellen, M.D., President and Physician in Chief, All Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Dean, All Children’s Hospital, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said, “The advances we make as a teaching hospital are essential to helping children with complex or chronic illnesses become healthy adults. By focusing on innovative approaches to medical education, we will develop new care models to improve children’s health and prevent many of the chronic medical conditions in adults that have their roots in childhood–including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.”

Joe Johnson, CEO, Florida Hospital Carrollwood said, “We are appreciative of Governor Scott’s and our legislature’s leadership in helping to ensure that Florida medical students can continue their training while at Florida Hospital Carrollwood. This benefits the residents as they broaden their experience and establish relationships among those who will hopefully become their colleagues and patients. Most importantly, it will have a positive impact on our patients, who will benefit from the innovations in medicine that these new physicians will bring to patient care and the patient experience.”

Charles Paidas M.D., M.B.A., Vice Dean, Clinical Affairs & GME; Chief, Pediatric Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine said, “Florida now has more graduating medical students than it has residency slots. Physicians tend to stay and work where they trained.  In order to address the aging population and meet our community’s needs, we should be investing in the physicians of the future.”

Media Release

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