Florida Trend Exclusive
Labor pains
Florida obstetricians deliver an average of 219,000 babies statewide each year. But nearly half of the 1,521 obstetricians who responded to a 2024 state survey say they may stop providing that care in the next two years. “That is startling. That is frightening,” says Florida Hospital Association (FHA) President and former Florida Agency on Health Care Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew. Mayhew points to a series of chronic factors — burnout due to the long and unpredictable hours, high medical malpractice premiums and low reimbursement rates, especially from Medicaid. But those factors don’t explain a dramatic spike in obstetricians thinking of getting out compared to previous years. [Source: Florida Trend]
Some Florida nonprofit hospitals aren't using their tax breaks the way they're expected
Nonprofit organizations are expected to use their tax breaks to give back to their communities. But a new national study found that many Florida hospitals aren’t doing as much as they should. The Lown Institute, a national health care think tank, examined 1,800 hospitals across 20 states to see how they were using the money they saved on taxes from 2020 to 2022. Out of the 88 Florida hospitals studied, the results were split almost down the middle. [Source: Health News Florida]
Senate won’t confirm two of DeSantis’s top health care secretaries
In a snub to Gov. Ron DeSantis amid a widening House probe into first lady Casey DeSantis’ signature welfare-assistance program, the Florida Senate will not take up confirmations of two state agency heads before the end of the legislative session. Senate Ethics and Elections Chair Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, confirmed Monday that his committee will not consider the confirmations of Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris and Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor Hatch at the panel’s final meeting Tuesday. More from the News Service of Floridaand the Florida Phoenix.
'Gage's Law' would require Florida hospitals to test overdose patients for fentanyl
The Florida House on Wednesday unanimously passed a proposal to require hospitals to test for fentanyl when a person comes in with a suspected overdose appears. The bill (HB 1195), known as "Gage's Law," is sponsored in the House by Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando, who says it's named for Gage Austin Taylor, who died three years ago of an accidental fentanyl overdose. It advanced in the House by a 114-0 vote. The Senate must still vote on a companion bill (SB 1346). [Source: WFSU]
Reproductive health access is on Florida employees’ minds
A national study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that one in 10 adults planning to have kids in the next decade has moved or knows someone who’s moved to another state because of abortion restrictions. Florida ranked the highest in people who are concerned about contraception access, with 58%. This can likely be attributed to the state’s near-total ban on abortion after six weeks, one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country. [Source: WUSF]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Healthcare is changing for South Florida families. Take a look at what’s new
Healthcare in South Florida is undergoing change, emphasizing pediatric care expansion, community outreach and innovative treatments. Collaborative efforts like the affiliation between Nicklaus Children's Health System and Broward Health aim to enhance regional access to specialized pediatric services, addressing gaps in care. Advances in medical technology, such as Nicklaus Children's new surgical tower, showcase a drive to revolutionize treatment capabilities for complex conditions.
› Disappointed, saddened community marks death of Rockledge Hospital at age 84
On April 22, Rockledge will lose a hospital that has been part of the city's landscape since 1941. Orlando Health's decision to close its Rockledge Hospital — announced just four months after purchasing the hospital from Steward Health Care — has been met with anger and sadness from local residents, hospital employees and public officials, as well as fears of a dangerous gap in medical coverage for the Central Brevard County communities the 298-bed hospital has served.
› Tampa General Hospital buys property for women's and men's health centers
Tampa General Hospital has purchased a South Tampa building to house the University South Florida’s women’s health center and the startup of a companion men’s health center. The 14,315-square-foot facility, at 509 S. Hyde Park Ave., will expand access to specialized concierge services offered by the TGH and the USF Health, the hospital said in a news release. Tampa General's purchase price of $9.1 million was announced in a news release from real estate advisory firm Avison Young.
› A life sciences and health care hub is growing in the Palm Beaches
Palm Beach County is rapidly becoming a global powerhouse in life sciences and health care, hosting over 625 life science companies and nearly 6,000 health care businesses. With more than 100,000 people employed in these industries, the region is proving to be an ideal location for career growth and an exceptional quality of life.