Our Growth
Morton Plant Hospital
Founded in 2003 by a group of emergency department physicians at Morton Plant Hospital, Bay Area Emergency Physicians LLC (BAEP) marked a pivotal shift from merely working shifts to taking an active role in community and healthcare management. As physicians dissatisfied with our roles as employees of a national staffing firm, we sought to enhance our engagement within the community by owning and managing our practice.
Assuming control of the emergency department operations, we as owners became directly accountable to the hospital administration and medical staff. This ownership encouraged us to spearhead innovations in processes that led to improved operational efficiencies, better patient flow, and increased profitability. Notably, these changes also kept financial resources within our local community, which previously would have been paid out as management fees to the national firm.
The success of BAEP underscores the value of physician ownership in fostering enhanced community health services. By being stakeholders in our communities, we have been able to significantly improve the quality of care and strengthen the ties within our local health ecosystem. Hospitals partnering with us benefit from this model, gaining not only administrative expertise but also a committed partner in healthcare and community well-being.
Bardmoor Emergency Center
In 2005, Morton Plant Hospital recognized the need for a new free-standing Emergency Center in Largo, Florida. Given the successful existing partnership, it was a natural decision for Morton Plant to engage BAEP to oversee the development of the facility’s internal operations.
Leveraging their extensive expertise in Emergency Department management and emergency medicine practice, BAEP effectively designed clinical processes and protocols for the new center, mirroring many of the effective practices already in use at Morton Plant Hospital.
BAEP coordinated closely with the local medical community to develop specific call plans and collaborated with county EMS to ensure proper patient transport protocols. Their expertise was pivotal in launching the Bardmoor Emergency Center on schedule.
The collective efforts of Morton Plant Hospital, BAEP, and the local healthcare providers led to the thriving success of the Bardmoor Emergency Center, which exceeded its first-year patient projections by 10,000. BAEP is proud of its crucial role in successfully establishing one of the state’s first four free-standing emergency departments.
Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
In 2012, our staffing firm expanded its collaboration with BayCare, taking on Emergency Department staffing and management at Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey, Florida—a diverse and expanding community. Our shared dedication to patient care and operational excellence led to a flourishing partnership, enabling us to address the hospital’s needs effectively and innovate processes to boost efficiency and patient outcomes.
A key element of our strategy was recruiting physician leaders committed to involvement in administrative roles and the adoption of clinical best practices. This approach not only enhanced clinical governance but also promoted a culture of ownership and accountability among the medical staff. Our aim was to integrate seamlessly into the hospital culture and invest in its long-term success. As we became more embedded in hospital operations, we emerged as crucial members of its leadership team, spearheading improvements in clinical practices and protocols.
This cooperative effort allowed the hospital to manage growing patient volumes and complexity, maintaining the highest service standards yet remaining flexible to change. Upon assuming management, we increased efficiency, shortened wait times, and upheld high-quality care consistently. Our management also led to marked enhancements in key performance metrics, reflecting the positive impact of our initiatives. We have more than doubled our provider staffing numbers since the start of our engagement and our partnership with the hospital system continues to thrive, marked by ongoing improvements year after year.