Tampa General, Florida’s premier academic health systemTM, delivers world-class care to patients in the Palm Beaches and on the Treasure Coast. This includes a high level of clinical quality, compassion and coordinated service.
With this in mind, Tampa General’s Health Ambassador Program connects patients in Palm Beach and Martin counties with the academic health system’s growing network of local experts and healthcare services. Currently, the network includes more than 90 providers across 14 specialties, with 21 locations throughout Palm Beach County.
Lynn Stockford, RN, BSN
If complex care requires a visit to Tampa General, an ambassador works closely with both the patients and providers to help coordinate care. Whether an individual needs help making an appointment with a specialist, scheduling a test or preparing for surgery and/or an inpatient stay at Tampa General, an ambassador handles those details, offering patients peace of mind.
Lynn Stockford, RN, BSN, functions as one of Tampa General’s health ambassadors on Florida’s East Coast. “The program reduces stress on patients and families, so they can focus on what matters most,” said Stockford.
Stockford connects individuals with Tampa General physicians and services located in Palm Beach County. If patients need complex care at Tampa General, she helps by:
- Facilitating surgery and consultation appointments
- Coordinating medical services such as labs and imaging
- Supporting hospital-to-hospital transfers
- Assisting with a hotel and other travel arrangements
- Collaborating with the assigned medical team before, during and post-care, providing patients and providers with status updates
Stockford, who has worked in healthcare in Palm Beach County for more than 30 years, is well respected and connected in the community. She said it’s unique for a hospital, especially one as large as Tampa General, to have an expert team speaking directly with patients, as opposed to a call center staffed with individuals who often lack comparable skills and knowledge.
Stockford works closely with the system’s state-of-the-art Care Coordination Center and Tampa-based ambassador team to ensure a smooth experience for patients who need to travel. “They are amazing about reaching out to patients, making sure everything is taken care of,” she said. “This includes transferring medical records, reaching out to nursing staff and helping patients and their families locate the best parking.”
Stockford notes that when it comes to local community providers, the health ambassadors are the best conduits for providing their patients with access to seamless, coordinated and complex care at Tampa General. For emergency situations, Tampa General also has a fleet of Aeromed* helicopters, offering comprehensive air ambulance and interfacility transport services that bring high-level medical care to Florida patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
For more information about how Tampa General’s Health Ambassador Program can help you connect your patients with world-class, complex care, please call (561) 644-0125.
*Air transport services provided by Metro Aviation, Inc.
