Florida State University and the City of Tallahassee on Friday completed the legal transfer of city-owned hospital assets, marking a historic milestone for FSU Health, the university's academic health system.
The action allows Florida State and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to continue their work toward establishing an academic health center in Florida's capital city.
The transfer follows approvals by the Tallahassee City Commission on March 11, the Florida State University Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors.
"This milestone reflects years of partnership and a shared vision for the future of health care in our region," said FSU President Richard McCullough. "This is a major step forward for FSU Health and for expanding clinical care, research and medical education in North Florida."
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey added: "Tallahassee is known across the nation for its high quality of life, and with the future of FSU Health now solidified, our community is poised to play a leading role in advancing medicine while elevating the care available to our residents and the broader region. We have successfully strengthened the heartbeat of our city by uniting research, education and patient care."
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare will continue its long‑standing role of operating the hospital and remains responsible for patient care, employees and daily operations.
This partnership will expand medical education, strengthen clinical care, and grow research in Tallahassee and across North Florida. Together, the organizations are building an integrated academic health system designed to better serve patients while advancing discovery and training the next generation of health care professionals.
"This is an exciting day for TMH, FSU and our community. This brings us one step closer to our vision of an academic health model - one that will strengthen our ability to recruit physicians, expand specialty services, and continue delivering exceptional care close to home," said Mark O'Bryant, CEO of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare becomes the clinical anchor of FSU Health and builds on years of collaboration between the two institutions, including construction of the FSU Health Research Center on the TMH campus, which is expected to open later this year.
Leaders have emphasized that TMH's longstanding mission remains unchanged, including its commitment to serve all patients. Deed restrictions approved by the city require the continuation of charity care and ensure the property remains a hospital.
"FSU Health places our community at the forefront of innovation, expanding access to high quality healthcare, creating jobs and improving lives across every corner of our community and North Florida," City Manager Reese Goad said. I'm proud that we have charted a course toward ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for Tallahassee."
