The award recognizes how a health system’s reputation resonates in their community.
Sept. 2, 2026 — Tampa General Hospital (TGH), Florida’s Premier Academic Health System™, has been named a 2026 NRC Health® Best in Brand Winner — a national distinction awarded to only 10 health systems across the country each year. The award recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate exceptional brand strength, patient trust and community connection across their markets.
NRC Health’s Best in Brand program evaluates organizations through a rigorous methodology that measures how well a health system’s reputation resonates with the patients and communities it serves. Tampa General earned this distinction by consistently delivering patient-centered care that builds lasting trust across Tampa Bay and the state of Florida.
“NRC Health’s awards recognize organizations that consistently deliver experiences that earn trust, strengthen loyalty and improve healthcare for the people they serve,” said Trent Green, CEO for NRC Health. “This recognition reflects a sustained commitment to listening, learning and acting on what matters most to patients, consumers, families and care teams. We are honored to celebrate organizations that turn insight into action and set a powerful example for healthcare organizations nationwide.”
Tampa General has been recognized as the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay for 11 straight years by U.S. News & World Report. This latest recognition from NRC Health adds to a growing record of distinction earned through measurable outcomes and patient experience.
“Being named an NRC Health® Best in Brand Winner reflects the dedication of every member of our team,” said Laurie Slater, senior vice president of MarComm and Physician Business Development at Tampa General. “Brand is ultimately the reputation you earn with the people you serve. This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects how our community sees and experiences Tampa General. It’s the trust they place in us, the care they receive and the confidence they have in choosing TGH. That’s what we work to build every day.”
Tampa General has more than 160 locations across Florida, including seven hospitals along Florida’s West Coast and a growing network of services. On the East Coast, TGH supports rural healthcare through a partnership with Lakeside Medical Center. TGH’s specialized teams perform more procedures, carry deeper expertise and deliver better outcomes, giving patients across Florida access to advanced treatments close to home.
The 2026 NRC Health® Best in Brand Winner designation reinforces TGH’s mission to serve the Tampa Bay community with the highest standard of care, and its commitment to earning the confidence of every patient who walks through its doors.
ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, Florida’s premier academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning Florida. As the only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system’s hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Hospitals for 11 consecutive years, with five medical specialties ranking among the top 50, two additional medical specialties ranked among the top 100 best hospital programs and two specialties ranked in the top 10% in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health system has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. Tampa General’s commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by four prestigious Forbes magazine rankings — in the 2026 America’s Best Large Employers, ranked as the Tampa Bay region’s #1 employer in the healthcare category for the sixth year in a row, the 2026 America’s Best Employers for Company Culture, in the top 100 for the 2026 America’s Best Employers for New Grads and the 2026 America’s Best Employers for Women.
Tampa General is the area’s safety-net hospital, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2024, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $289.1 million in the form of healthcare for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is recognized as one of the leading adult solid organ transplant centers in the nation and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General has a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General’s footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org.
