Studer Community Institute

What medical tourism could mean for Pensacola

February 26, 2015
/ Carlton Proctor
/ community-dashboard

People already come to Pensacola for our sugar-white beaches and our rich cultural history. Might we also be able to lure them here with our health care? Proposed legislation that would earmark millions of dollars to market Florida as a "medical tourism" destination is getting strong support from local health care providers. Earlier this week, companion bills were filed in both the House and Senate that would set aside $3.5 million a year to promote the Sunshine State's hospitals as a "destination for quality health care services." The legislation would expand an existing grants program set up in 2014 by the Legislature under Visit Florida — the state's lead tourism agency — to promote medical tourism. If signed into law, the legislation would allocate funds annually to Enterprise Florida, the state's lead economic development agency, which would decide how and where to spend the marketing dollars. The Florida Legislature's 60-day regular 2015 session begins March 3. Under both bills the marketing effort would focus on highlighting nationally, and perhaps internationally, the expertise of Florida health-care providers, while promoting medical-related conferences or business opportunities in Florida. "We do support these bills and are thankful that state leaders are proposing legislation… that would provide greater access for patients from outside our community," said Baptist spokesman Brett Aldridge. The Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sport Medicine in Gulf Breeze is but one high-profile medical facility in the Pensacola area that could benefit from such a campaign. It draws athletes and others based on the reputation of Dr. James Andrews, its founder. Sacred Heart CEO Susan Davis said Pensacola area health care providers already are a destination for people from across Northwest Florida and South Alabama. But a broader marketing campaign promoting the Pensacola area would be welcomed, she said. "This community is fortunate to have excellent hospitals and physicians, many of whom offer specialized medical expertise and surgical skills that rival anything in the country," Davis said. "The hospitals in the State of Florida provide exceptional care. In addition, they are major employers that tend to be economic engines in their communities," she said. "That certainly is true in Pensacola." Aldridge said he believes local lawmakers — including Sens. Don Gaetz and Greg Evers, and State Reps. Doug Broxson, Clay Ingram, Mike Hill and Matt Gaetz — will support the proposed legislation. "We are confident our local delegation will see the mutual benefit to our community and their constituents with this proposal," he said. "Our local delegation previously illustrated their confidence in these types of programs through their support of the Eagle Fund. " The Eagle Fund is a state grants program for health care providers that is designed to help wounded veterans. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

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What medical tourism could mean for Pensacola

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