Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Joins the Orlando Health Family

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg is now officially part of Orlando Health Inc. Orlando Health, a private, not-for-profit healthcare organization headquartered in Central Florida, officially closed on the hospital purchase from Community Health Systems (CHS) on Wednesday, September 30. The City of St. Petersburg, which owns the land that the hospital sits on, approved transferring the lease to Orlando Health in July. 

On October 1, Bayfront Health St. Petersburg team members, physicians, nurses, and administrators were met with a celebration when they walked into work. Orlando Health executives and fellow team members from Central Florida came with balloons and welcome signs to greet the morning shift and will return to greet the evening shift. The festivities include food, a Movebooth and branded giveaway prizes, such as badge pulls and lapel pins for all team members. The Orlando team is on site to introduce themselves, answer questions and get to know their fellow St. Petersburg team members. 

“We are proud to be serving alongside team members in an organization with such a rich tradition in this City and this region,” said John Moore, FACHE, the new president of Bayfront Health St. Petersburg. “In the coming weeks we will conduct listening tours to assist in understanding what team members and physicians are most proud of and where we need to focus improvement efforts in order to provide the best care possible for our patients and to make Bayfront Health St. Petersburg a ‘Best Place to Work’ Hospital.” 

Several hospitals in the Orlando Health group have been consistently ranked by FORTUNE, Forbes, Modern Healthcare, and Becker’s Healthcare as a best place to work. Bayfront Health St. Petersburg can expect to see substantial physical improvements following a thorough review of all the properties. Merit pay increases for team members will be granted as one of the first priorities.  

“We know that the last several months have been challenging for everyone and we look forward to supporting these amazing team members going forward. To that end, we are pleased to be able to provide team members with much deserved merit increases,” shared Mr. Moore. “

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and its free-standing emergency department in Pinellas Park became the 14th and 15th hospital and free-standing emergency departments to join the Orlando Health network. Bayfront Health St. Petersburg’s executive team consists of John Moore, who served as president of Orlando Health South Lake Hospital from 2011 to 2020; LaTasha R. Barnes, CPA, the hospital’s new chief financial officer, and Omar Gonzalez, the new corporate director for Bayfront Health St. Petersburg’s IT and Clinical Engineering.