First-of-its-kind in Tampa Bay: Medical Home for HIV patients delivering full-service health care and social services will open soon

Home 3050 logoSt. Petersburg, Fla. (May 19 ,2015)  HOME 3050, located at 3050 1st Ave. South in St. Petersburg, will be a first-of-its-kind medical home to serve HIV+ individuals in the Tampa Bay area.  HOME 3050 is a partnership between Empath Health’s AIDS Service Association of Pinellas (ASAP) and BayCare Health System’s Pinellas Care Clinic (PCC).  Participants will experience full-service health care and social services all on one convenient campus.

HOME 3050 will offer a full continuum of patient-centered care and services that include medical care (primary care and HIV specialty care), laboratory, pharmacy, counseling (including psychiatric medication management), benefits services, medical case management, HIV and STD testing, therapeutic and support groups, ‘Ryan White’ program eligibility, and education that focuses on prevention and wellness.

“This is a natural partnership between like-minded non-profit organizations dedicated to serving our community. It is an opportunity to provide the highest level of care and expanded services to our present clients and, eventually the community at large,” says William Harper, Executive Director of ASAP.  He adds, “Our parent organizations complement the partnership’s continuum of care with hospitals, integrative medicine clinic, hospice, traditional and palliative home health, inpatient care centers, a PACE program for seniors, spiritual support, advance care planning and an array of other services.”

Jimmy Baumgartner, Director of Research for BayCare Health System and department head for PCC, says, “What we will achieve by aligning with ASAP is a true patient-centered, medical home model. This union will strengthen our individual continuums, remove barriers to care and improve outcomes across all services. The community will benefit heavily from this move.”

HOME 3050 will offer personalized care teams that focus on achieving treatment success and the best possible quality of life for every patient. Team members will include physicians, nutritionists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, case managers and more. Care will be covered by Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, Ryan White programs and the ongoing support of the community.  All proceeds from the pharmacy services, provided by Empath Health, will be reinvested into community HIV services.

“Our commitment remains strong to help those with HIV/AIDS live even healthier lives,” says Rafael Sciullo, president and CEO of Empath Health. “We look forward to offering our community a comprehensive array of high-quality health care and social services in a one-stop location. Our partnership is rooted in our mutual commitment to delivering expert care enriched by compassion and respect for those we serve. We are deeply grateful for our community’s generous donations supporting the essential care and services of HOME 3050.”

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About ASAP:

ASAP (AIDS Service Association of Pinellas) is a non-profit organization that provides medical case management, pharmacy services, group and individual counseling, basic need items and other services for clients and their families as well as works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through education, testing and advocacy. ASAP is a member of Empath Health, a non-profit integrated network of care. Contact ASAP at 727-328-3260 or ASAPservices.org.

About Empath Health:

Empath Health is a non-profit integrated network of care that provides expert, life-changing health care to those with chronic and advanced illnesses. Empath Health includes hospice, palliative home health and physician services, independent living assistance and day care for seniors, HIV services and advance care planning. Contact Empath Health at 727-467-7423 or empathhealth.org.

About PCC:

BayCare Health System’s Pinellas Care Clinic strives to serve the HIV community of the Tampa Bay area with quality, seamless, and comprehensive care.  Through our extensive in-house services and our community partners, we maintain a service plan with the full complement of services, including access to primary care, specialty care and inpatient services at St. Anthony’s Hospital.  Pinellas Care is proud to offer the area communities an environment where trust, dignity, responsibility, respect and excellence are the corner stones to our service delivery model.

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 13 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.