It is not an easy thing for a family to place trust in someone else to care for their child — but in Greater Tampa Bay, they can rest easy knowing their loved ones are in good hands.
The region is home to several highly regarded hospitals devoted to the unique care that youth require, including Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, which was the No. 1 children’s hospital in Florida in 2021 and number one in the region in 2022. Each children’s hospital has its own unique strengths and specialties that combine to make GTB a place where children can receive all the care they need — whether it is a common health concern or a complex and severe condition.
Medical care for children has some notable differences from the needs of adults. Developing young minds require extra compassion, thoughtful communication and more involvement from the entire family. Medication doses are smaller and carefully measured, while equipment also must be the appropriate size. Having quality care is crucial at this stage of life, and instilling good habits is extremely important for setting youth up to lead a healthy life, mentally and physically. The area’s several teaching and research hospitals not only master these differences, but they stay on the cutting edge of technology and innovative treatments to advance medicine for children.
Any hospital, especially those devoted to children, has a huge responsibility to care for both patients and their families to the best of their ability. They provide comfort and care for not just the body, but also the mind and spirit.
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital — St. Petersburg
National rank
- No. 18 Pediatric Neurology & Neurosurgery
- No. 34 Pediatric Diabetes & Endocrinology
- No. 34 Pediatric Nephrology
- No. 50 Pediatric Orthopedics
Regional rank
- Florida No. 4
- Southeast No. 11
— U.S. News & World Report, 2022. The hospital’s ability to provide exceptional care for the most medically complex and sick patients contributed to its ranking in specialties.
Originally opened in 1926 as the American Legion Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg is a children’s general medical and surgical facility providing comprehensive care and more than 50 pediatric specialties. The teaching hospital has a mission to advance clinical education and research to benefit patients and physicians of the future.
Johns Hopkins received national ranking in four pediatric specialties, which include neurology and neurosurgery, diabetes and endocrinology, nephrology and orthopedics.
Beyond the walls of the hospital, Johns Hopkins partners with community leaders to support healthy lifestyles, disease management, injury prevention and childhood development. It leads several community-focused programs and initiatives throughout the region.
Tampa General Hospital Children’s Medical Center — Tampa
One of the primary teaching hospitals for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa General Hospital is a level I trauma center providing medical, surgical and rehabilitative services for infants, children and adolescents. It offers several specialized programs and services that can only be found in a few other places around the state of Florida.
TGH has one of only three dialysis units in the state. The hospital is one of few in the state to specialize in kidney transplants for children and has a legacy of providing this program since 1983. The Pediatric Burn Program addresses patient’s special needs for burns and other skin wounds. TGH also cares for the invisible wounds that burn victims carry after they leave the hospital, inviting them to a week-long summer camp for other child burn victims, called Camp Hopetáke.
When injuries occur, specially trained nurses and physicians are prepared to comfort and care for children in the pediatric emergency and trauma center. Other programs include a comprehensive pediatric cancer program, pediatric dialysis, a Day Hospital with a child-friendly environment and more.
St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital — Tampa
Tampa is home to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, a leader in pediatric heart and cancer care. There are more than 80 pediatric physician specialists representing 25 medical and surgical disciplines.
St. Joseph’s was named one of Merative’s 100 Top Hospitals in 2022, its sixth time earning this recognition. It is part of the BayCare Health System, which has a very large presence in GTB. St. Joseph’s treats more children than any other hospital in GTB.
The hospital prides itself on treating children with specializations in inpatient and outpatient pediatric care to children and their families.
Children’s Emergency Room — Adventhealth
Formerly known as Florida Hospital, in 2019 the medical chain was changed to Adventhealth. With several pediatric ERs in Pasco County, the Adventhealth Hospital chain has the ability to provide what any child needs. The pediatric ER board-certified staff are trained specifically in providing expert and kid-friendly care. The emergency rooms are well equipped to handle anything from broken bones and allergic reactions to spiked fevers.
Adventhealth Zephyrhills ranked in the 250 best hospitals in America by Healthgrades in 2021, 2022 and 2023. U.S. News also recognized Adventhealth Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills as high performing hospitals.
By Jewell Tomazin.
