Mayor Jane Castor, City Of Tampa | City Of Tampa website
Mayor Jane Castor, City Of Tampa | City Of Tampa website
The City of Tampa, alongside Tampa General Hospital, Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg, and OnMed, has introduced an innovative health care solution aimed at assisting the homeless community. This initiative features an OnMed CareStation at Tampa Hope, a homeless shelter serving nearly 235 residents.
The CareStation is a portable clinic that can be set up anywhere with access to electricity. It provides real-time consultations with licensed clinicians through high-definition audio-video technology and various medical devices. "Between the high cost of services and struggles to find transportation, getting to the doctor can be a real problem for our homeless community," stated City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. She highlighted how these CareStations enable residents to receive quality care without traveling.
Tampa Hope becomes the first homeless shelter in the United States to offer such on-site medical support. The shelter also provides essential services like meals, clothing, transportation, and mental health support.
John Couris, President and CEO of Tampa General Hospital remarked, "As the region’s leading academic medical system and safety-net hospital, our job is to care for the entire community." He emphasized that this program ensures accessible healthcare for Tampa Hope residents.
OnMed CEO Karthik Ganesh praised this collaboration as a model for other cities dealing with homelessness: "Our focus is to find the bright spots where healthcare innovation, kindness, and compassion collide."
The CareStation allows patients to engage with certified nursing assistants before connecting with OnMed clinicians for virtual consultations. Equipped with diagnostic tools and thermal imaging cameras, it facilitates accurate assessments of vital signs and conditions.
Maggie Rogers from Catholic Charities noted the impact: “It means our residents can access essential medical care without delay...providing consistent preventive care that helps them get back on their feet.”
Following each use, the CareStation undergoes automatic sanitization in preparation for subsequent patients.
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