Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute Celebrates 2 Years of Growth and Innovation

As Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute in Florida approaches its 3-year anniversary, Eduardo M. Sotomayor, MD, the institute’s vice president and executive director, notes that the progress it has achieved was made possible by continually searching for creative solutions to address patients’ needs.

“There is a need for [the] cancer institute to provide the best care to the growing population in the Tampa Bay area,” Sotomayor, who was named to his current appointments in November 2023,1 said in an interview with OncologyLive. “We are in the process of working through the vision, mission, and our strategic plan, but we are a cancer institute that is highly translational. We are going to be focused on basic science, but basic science that is going to rapidly translate to the bedside. We are committed to the community that we serve [and] we’re going to have very strong community outreach, engagement, education, and training.”

In December 2022, the TGH Cancer Institute, which also serves as the primary teaching hospital for the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine, received a 3-year accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (COC). The COC is a quality program established by the American College of Surgeons; earning accreditation signifies that the TGH Cancer Institute met 34 quality care standards, utilized a multidisciplinary approach, and demonstrated a commitment to improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Institutions that are accredited by the COC diagnose and/or treat more than 70% of all patients with a new cancer diagnosis.2

In June 2023, Newsweek selected TGH as one of the top cancer hospitals in the United States. The institute received this distinction by ranking in the top 3% of cancer hospitals based on hospital quality metrics and survey results encompassing replies from both patients and oncology health care professionals.3

Since its establishment in April 2021, the TGH Cancer Institute has experienced remarkable growth, both in terms of attracting talent and expanding its physical footprint. The cancer institute has recruited 22 physicians across surgical, radiation, and hematologic oncology, as well as more than 20 advanced practice providers, including pharmacists, nurses, managers, and administrators.1

The TGH Cancer Institute sets itself apart by offering initiatives such as the TGH-USF Health Precision Medicine Biorepository. The biorepository, which is located on the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine campus, collects, catalogs, and stores biologic samples for future research. The biorepository allows the institute to conduct clinical and translational research and to further develop precision medicine approaches that will have an impact on patients in the Tampa area and beyond.4

Another program that has led to improved care for patients with cancer is the institute’s integration of the CareComm command center. CareComm, which was developed in partnership with GE HealthCare, consists of 20 artificial intelligence apps—video walls made up of 38 large screens, 32 workstations, and multiple computer systems—staffed by a multidisciplinary clinical team. The artificial intelligence apps or “tiles” apply advanced analytics to aid decision-making, help monitor patient flow, and track delays in care, allowing the clinical staff to make better-informed decisions and even predict the needs of patients before they arise.5

In October 2020, TGH reported that the integration of the CareComm command center had led to a $40 million reduction in systemwide inefficiencies since its inception in 2019. TGH noted that CareComm decreased the average length of stay for patients by eliminating 20,000 excess days.6

TGH has also invested significant resources into upgrading its radiation oncology program. In January 2023, the cancer institute announced the expansion of the program to include new technologies such as CyberKnife and TrueBeam, as well as high dose rate brachytherapy. CyberKnife is a radiosurgery system that offers a noninvasive alternative to surgery. The TrueBeam linear accelerator allows for fast and precise delivery of image-guided radiation therapy.7

“We [have] started developing our clinical translational research program, which is going very well; we are opening innovative phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials,” Sotomayor said. “This year, we are going to speed up that effort. Also in 2024, we will be building our basic science company recruitment of top-notch cancer researchers from the nation. Being post COVID[-19 pandemic] will help us recruit talented people. Because of all this growth, the board of TGH and the CEO have made a commitment for the next 5 years to support the cancer institute. This year we are going to apply for Center of Excellence accreditation, but our ultimate goal is to pursue National Cancer Institute designation within the decade.”

References

1. Dr Eduardo Sotomayor named vice president and executive director of Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute. News release. Tampa General Hospital. November 30, 2023. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://bit. ly/3Tbecby

2. Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute awarded coveted accreditation from Commission on Cancer. News release. Tampa General Hospital. December 1, 2022. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://bit. ly/3NgFDNE

3. Tampa General Hospital named one of America’s top cancer hospitals by Newsweek. News release. Tampa General Hospital. June 28, 2023. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://bit.ly/3GwvkRS

4. Tampa General Hospital and USF Health advance scientific collaboration in Tampa’s Water Street District. News release. Tampa General Hospital. October 21, 2022. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://prn.to/3GsnSHn

5. Tampa General Hospital opens new CareComm command center to transform patient care. GE HealthCare. August 20, 2019. Accessed December 5, 2023. https://bit. ly/46LjIFg

6. Tampa General Hospital and GE HealthCare’s CareComm saves $40 million, cuts 20,000 excess days and reduces length of stay. News release. Tampa General Hospital. October 29, 2020. Accessed December 5, 2023. https:// bit.ly/47ZNgjX

7. Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute expands its radiation oncology program. News release. Tampa General Hospital. January 13, 2023. Accessed December 6, 2023. https://bit.ly/3TjfRfz