Oct. 6, 2026 — Tampa General Hospital’s (TGH), Neuro Spine Program has earned the Surgical Review Corporation’s (SRC) first-in-the-world designation as a Center of Excellence in Neuro Spine Surgery.
In addition to the award, Dr. Puya Alikhani is also recognized as the first surgeon in the world to earn SRC’s Master Surgeon designation in Neuro Spine Surgery. This distinction honors years of dedication and the highest level of surgical skill, clinical outcomes and patient care. Drs. Patrick Kim, Erik Hayman and Alexander Haas were also each recognized as SRC Surgeons of Excellence, reflecting their commitment to delivering high-quality spine care to every patient they serve.
“These achievements reflect the dedication of the entire TGH spine team and a shared commitment to delivering the highest standard of care to every patient,” said Alikhani, director of the division of spine surgery, chief of neurosurgery at Tampa General Hospital and professor with the USF Morsani College of Medicine. “Leading with excellence and advancing spine surgery has always been at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to set that standard for the world.”
The SRC accreditation process includes a rigorous, outcomes-focused review that evaluates health care organizations and surgical teams against nationally and internationally recognized benchmarks. Tampa General excels in critical areas such as surgical case volume, facility resources, evidence-based clinical protocols, patient education and ongoing quality improvement initiatives. The on-site assessment also offered valuable insights and best-practice recommendations, further supporting the academic health system’s commitment to enhancing patient care and advancing clinical excellence. TGH has also been recognized as a center of excellence for minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery, continence care, complex endometriosis care, women’s surgery, minimally invasive gynecology and gynecologic surgical oncology.
“This designation provides patients and families with added confidence that they are choosing a spine program that meets the highest standards of quality, safety and outcomes,” said Luke Straus, vice president of the TGH Neurosciences and Orthopedic Institutes. “It reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation, advancing spine care and ensuring every patient has access to the very best treatments, expertise and support throughout their care journey.”
Learn more about TGH’s Neuro Spine Program.
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 I trauma and a 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.
