Lakeland Regional Health and BayCare HomeCare Aim to Improve Home Care Access in Polk County

Lakeland, FL – Two of the region’s most respected health care providers have joined forces to improve access to high-quality post-acute care for Polk County patients. Effective December 1, 2021, Lakeland Regional Health purchased a minority interest in BayCare HomeCare, Inc. In Polk County, BayCare HomeCare services will be known as BayCare HomeCare/Lakeland Regional Health. The potential benefits of this type of care coordination between the two organizations include improved patient communications, reduced readmission rates and more effective discharge planning. 

“We are excited to join with BayCare HomeCare in Polk County to expand and strengthen access to post-acute care within our community,” says Danielle Drummond, MS, FACHE, President and CEO, Lakeland Regional Health. “Patients will greatly benefit from this arrangement as it will improve and streamline the transition from hospital to home health care. By working with BayCare HomeCare for these services, we believe we can improve care delivery at a much faster pace than by pursuing on our own.”

BayCare HomeCare has provided in-home care and support services for decades, including serving many patients in the Lakeland community upon their discharge from the hospital. BayCare HomeCare is one of the largest providers of home care services in Florida, serving 13 counties along the state’s west coast. BayCare HomeCare is in the top quartile in the country for quality and safety and has been able to dramatically reduce readmissions through innovative approaches, such as remote monitoring of patients. In addition to Lakeland Regional Health, Community Health Corporation – a related entity to Sarasota Memorial Hospital -- also owns a minority interest in BayCare HomeCare. 

The new relationship between Lakeland Regional Health and BayCare HomeCare includes in home services. These services include home health, video supported remote monitoring, respiratory equipment and support, durable medical equipment and home infusion service. 

“All the owners of BayCare HomeCare have the same goal,” said Kathy McGuire, BayCare’s vice president for HomeCare. “We want our patients to have the easiest path for staying out of the hospital yet also transitioning quickly and safely from home when hospitalization is needed. By joining forces, we can offer the finest clinicians, latest technology and the highest quality care to respond to the community’s needs.”

About Lakeland Regional Health 
Not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health reaches beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Hollis Cancer Center and ambulatory care locations. Lakeland Regional Health earned Most Wired Advanced and Most Wired status seven times since 2013 and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 864-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates the Jack and Tina Harrell Family Institute for Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine; a Level II Trauma Center; the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, which includes a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; and the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine.  For more information, visit www.mylrh.org. 

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 15 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. BayCare is the nation’s only large health system ranked in the top 20 percent by IBM Watson Health® Top Health Systems that’s also a FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®. For more information, visit BayCare.org.