Florida State University is celebrating the opening of its new health center as FSU and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare move forward under one health system.
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New FSU health center opens as university and TMH become one systemThe new building will bring patient care, education and research together.
The first floor will house FSU Family Medicine, which serves more than 12,000 patients each year. The second floor features simulation labs, where students can get hands-on training. The third floor will be dedicated to advanced research.
The opening comes as FSU and TMH begin their next chapter as one health system. The merger has raised some concerns about local control and whether the level of care would be impacted, but Dr. Matthew Stanridge said the partnership will benefit patients across the region and state.
"FSU Health is going to change the Panhandle. I think it's going to be, this partnership with TMH and FSU is really going to bring an increase in quality, an increase in access, and I think it's really going to be very good for all parties," Stanridge said.
The new building will also give medical students more opportunities to train in Tallahassee. That includes the chance to complete their residencies locally, helping build the next generation of healthcare workers in the Big Bend.
"Most residents stay in the community in which they train. So improving residency training in the region, adding more residencies, we're hopefully bringing more doctors to our region," Stanridge said.
FSU President Richard McCullough said the partnership will also help expand research and bring more specialized care to the area, so patients may not have to travel outside the region for certain treatments.
"Huge step forward for health care in this region. It will have an immediate impact on the people of Tallahassee because it will be more access to primary care for the people of Tallahassee and more residents," McCullough said.
Leaders said this new building is just one part of a larger effort to strengthen healthcare and keep more opportunities in the Big Bend.
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