Jyric Sims, President, HCA Healthcare West Florida Division
In an interview with Invest: Tampa Bay, President Jyric Sims, HCA Healthcare West Florida Division, discussed the organization’s growth, innovation, and commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of a rapidly expanding population. “We’re investing heavily in technology, access points in the community, and partnerships to ensure we’re agile and responsive to the communities we serve,” he said.
What were the key milestones or achievements for HCA Healthcare’s West Florida Division over the past year?
The West Florida Division of HCA Healthcare includes 18 hospitals, with over 23,000 employees. It extends from Citrus County down to Fort Myers with the recent acquisition of HCA Florida Lehigh Regional. When I think about significant milestones, three come to mind. First, as a healthcare system, we’ve grown significantly to match our growing communities. As I mentioned, we now have 18 hospitals and have launched many new freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers throughout the region to ensure the growing population has access to our care continuum.
Second, I think about the resilience we’ve shown in responding to the three hurricanes that hit our region. Five or six hospitals had to be decompressed, moving patients to HCA Healthcare and partner healthcare facilities. HCA Florida Largo Hospital was closed for six weeks due to flooding. We responded with food, supplies, fuel trucks, and more to support our community and employees, ensuring continued care.
The third milestone is our graduate medical education program. We now have nearly a thousand residents and fellows across our hospitals. This helps us meet the demand for healthcare as we partner with our Graduate Medical Education colleagues to train the next generation of physicians. We’ve expanded and grown in many areas, but these three stand out as significant milestones.
Looking at the broader region, how do you see the state of the health sector in Tampa Bay and West Florida, and what trends stand out?
We can discuss Tampa and the region and would also like to acknowledge that there is significant and unparalleled growth happening statewide and in our region. The trends reflect this, and we’re working to keep pace by ensuring our healthcare services match the growing population.
We’ve invested in increasing capacity at our inpatient hospitals to accommodate this growth, as well as in outpatient access through ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, and freestanding emergency rooms. This ensures we’re agile enough to be close to communities and provide access to our healthcare continuum.
Technology is another area of significant growth. We’ve invested in robotics and advanced surgical capabilities to meet patient demands for high-quality healthcare. Additionally, we’ve enhanced our communication platforms to facilitate efficient, effective, and value-driven interactions with doctor’s offices as they schedule procedures, surgeries, or admissions. This bidirectional communication improves coordination and delivers better outcomes for everyone.
With the shift toward home-based care and plans for new emergency rooms in Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties, what impact do you expect these locations to have?
Our growth objectives as a system and hospital company are to ensure we meet the needs of a growing population. We strategically place our freestanding emergency rooms in areas like Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties, an area we refer to as our north market. With precision, we analyze growth patterns, trajectories, and permits for new homes to position assets where demand is highest. As inpatient capacity becomes necessary, we build hospitals around these freestanding emergency rooms.
Before that, we take more conservative steps with urgent care centers, outpatient ambulatory surgery centers, and physician practices. We assess birth rates, population epidemiology, demographics, population migration patterns, and a wide range of economic data (to name a few) to ensure we allocate resources effectively within the healthcare continuum. This stepwise approach ensures we meet the needs of our growing communities.
How has the shift to value-based care evolved, and what role does it play in driving growth and excellence in service quality?
Value-based care is evolving and will continue to evolve. It aims to balance efficient, effective care at a sustainable price point. Nationally, healthcare accounts for about 20% of the gross domestic product. At the local level, we ensure our price points are effective. For example, in our hospitals, we focus on metrics like length of stay and capacity management to strike the right balance of efficiency and effectiveness. This helps patients return home to their loved ones and communities, becoming more productive citizens.
For physicians, I believe they choose where to practice based on efficiency and technology. We prioritize advanced technology and streamline processes to maximize both doctors’ and patients’ time within our healthcare continuum. Our goal is to deliver high-quality care efficiently, ensuring customer satisfaction and positive outcomes for patients.
What specific services or specialties are expected to show higher demand, and how do you see this demand evolving?
There is no doubt that, commensurate with our growth, we are also seeing an aging population. Florida is highly desirable, not just for healthcare growth, but across many sectors, including areas for retirees. With aging comes chronic conditions, so we’re investing in comprehensive healthcare services.
In oncology, we’ve invested in the Sarah Cannon Network, providing end-to-end cancer treatment within our West Florida Division. For cardiovascular disease, we have a heart transplant program at HCA Florida Largo Hospital, along with kidney, pancreas, and liver transplants. We also have comprehensive stroke centers, trauma centers at HCA Florida Bayonet Point and HCA Florida Blake hospitals, and Level II and III NICUs.
Our goal is to treat any ailment and support families at any stage of life. Systemically, we operate as a continuum, not just a single access point. Once you access HCA Healthcare at any location, you gain access to our entire network to meet your healthcare needs.
What is your outlook for the healthcare industry in the Tampa Bay region, and what role do you see HCA Healthcare playing in shaping its future?
The future is incredibly bright. We have some of the best systems here, with excellent access to care. Having worked in four states and five divisions with HCA Healthcare, I can confidently say the leadership in this region is top-notch, highly capable, and collaborative. While it’s competitive, this collaboration benefits the region, its residents, and the healthcare ecosystem.
The research and development happening here, along with clinical training for our learners and next-generation physicians, is cutting-edge. We have a thousand residents and fellows across our West Florida Division hospitals and a strong partnership with the University of South Florida. This focus on research, technology, and academics is driving innovation.
Heavy investments in new hospitals, access points, and care models further strengthen our position. Our partnerships with industry are fantastic, supported by a can-do business ecosystem. We focus on “why not” instead of “why,” seeking solutions and driving progress.
As President of the HCA Healthcare West Florida Division, I’m committed to leading from the front. With more than $600 million in investments across our division alone, we’re demonstrating our commitment to innovation and growth. I’m excited, honored, and proud to be part of HCA Healthcare and this transformative journey.
We’re in the business of people taking care of people. Our 23,000 employees are our strongest assets. I’m incredibly proud of our growth, our partnerships, and how we continue to expand care. Reputation, community engagement, and interaction are key priorities. We’re committed to using our brand and scale to meet the growing healthcare climate.
