BayCare Medical Respite at Pinellas Hope Receives FHA Community Benefit Achievement Award

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Oct 24, 2017, 13:14 ET

CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- BayCare has been recognized for its commitment to providing care to homeless patients once they are discharged from its hospitals by the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) with a Community Benefit Achievement Award. The award was presented at the FHA's 2017 Celebration of Achievement in Quality and Service Awards in Orlando.

The BayCare Medical Respite won the Florida Hospital Association Community Benefit Achievement Award for its work with providing health care for the homeless.

Called the BayCare Medical Respite Program and located at Pinellas Hope, the program provides housing, medications and other health care services to support patients' recovery. After being discharged from one of four BayCare hospitals – St. Anthony's, Morton Plant, Mease Countryside and Mease Dunedin – patients can go to the Medical Respite to receive additional care.

"We are honored for the BayCare Medical Respite Program to be recognized for carrying out our mission to help everyone in our community," said Sr. Mary McNally, St. Anthony's Hospital vice president of mission who oversees the coordination of the Medical Respite Program. "We saw a need to help those who were able to be discharged but still needed additional care. This program gives patients an opportunity and the resources to continue their recovery."

The Community Benefit Achievement Award recognizes hospitals that have distinguished themselves through efforts to improve the health and well-being of their communities. BayCare won the award in the category of hospitals with more than 150 beds.

St. Anthony's Hospital opened a 10-unit Medical Respite Center within Pinellas Hope in 2009. St. Anthony's operates the program in collaboration with Catholic Charities which operates Pinellas Hope, Morton Plant Mease Health Care and BayCare.

Each Medical Respite client resides in a casita, a small one-room housing unit, and receives daily care and support. Some clients simply need a stable place to regain their strength while others need continued medical treatment. Clients who need such services as wound care, IV antibiotics or other medical treatment receive visits from BayCare Home Care Services.

Before a client is discharged from the program, an appointment is established for the client with a primary care provider and ensures access to prescribed medications. Each client moves into some type of housing, including the Pinellas Hope camp if needed. The program has assisted more than 320 clients.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System