By HFT Staff

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) and Kitson & Partners announced an agreement to bring Tampa General's care to Babcock Ranch, America's first solar-powered town. This partnership connects Babcock Ranch's innovative and growing community with Tampa General Hospital, one of the nation's leading academic health systems. 

Encompassing 18,000 acres, Babcock Ranch is planned for 19,500 residences and 6,000,000 square feet of commercial space. Created by Kitson & Partners with the philosophy that smart growth and sustainability work hand in hand, half of Babcock Ranch's footprint is set aside as greenways, parks and expansive lakes, providing recreation and scenic backdrops for Babcock Ranch's homes and the Founder's Square downtown district. 

As a first step, Tampa General will construct a TGH Urgent Care Powered by Fast Track at the main entrance of Babcock Ranch in The Shoppes at Yellow Pine on Cypress Parkway. It is expected to be a 6,500-square-foot facility that will serve approximately 8,000 residents who currently live in Babcock Ranch, as well as the residents in the surrounding communities. 

The rapid growth of Babcock Ranch has accelerated the demand for local access to quality healthcare. With the planned TGH Urgent Care Powered by Fast Track, residents will soon have access to immediate care from providers for common illnesses and injuries. With the help of care navigators, they will also gain more efficient and timely access to the specialists and experts across the academic health system. 

The 6,500-square-foot facility includes 2,500 square feet for TGH to provide more healthcare services to the community. TGH will weave in care navigation to facilitate appointments, respond to specific care needs and help access community resources and support. TGH plans to engage directly with the residents of Babcock Ranch through outreach and focus groups to gauge their healthcare needs. With this information, Tampa General will work with stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that can evolve and grow to meet the needs of the community over time.