Peter Schorsch
Tampa General Hospital is now one of the first hospitals in Florida to join national research studies to fight the spread of COVID-19.
“As we all have been affected by this global pandemic, innovation brings hope to fighting COVID-19. Tampa General is one of the few hospitals in Florida able to commit so many resources to seeking new therapies,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “This is a testament to the power of academic medicine. Because we’re an academic medical center, we have the teams of experts and the clinical infrastructure already in place and ready to go.”
As a leading academic medical center and clinical study research site, TGH has committed to multiple significant national research studies on COVID-19. Physicians participating in the research include TGH medical staff, USF Health faculty and private practice doctors. TGH is the primary teaching hospital of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
“We’re fortunate to have so many USF Health faculty members and private practice physicians committed to advancing medicine through research,” Couris said. “Their drive to be at the forefront of discovery helps us deliver world-class care to our patients, especially during this time of need.”
The national studies that Tampa General Hospital is participating in include:
—Enrolling health care workers in the national Healthcare Worker Exposure Response & Outcomes (HERO) Registry, that may ultimately determine whether the drug hydroxychloroquine can help prevent COVID-19 infections.
—Research to see whether infusions of antibody-rich plasma from recovering COVID-19 patients can help treat patients who are severely ill.
—Trial of a monoclonal antibody in a new indication designed to modulate the body’s immune response so that it doesn’t damage the lungs and other organs.
The HERO Registry launched on April 13, requesting U.S. healthcare workers at participating sites, including Tampa General, to share clinical and life experiences to better understand the perspectives and problems faced by those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, Tampa General is conducting independent research studies. These include a trial of the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine to treat patients with COVID-19 and a project with USF Health to see whether 3D printed nasal swabs are as effective as traditional swabs, which are in short supply.
“We hope that this research will produce new weapons in the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Sally Houston, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at TGH. “At Tampa General, we practice innovation every day in delivering world-class care to our patients. Now we’re taking that same innovative approach and focusing it on a new target — COVID-19. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help Florida and our nation find new solutions to overcome the greatest health challenge of our lifetimes.”
Tampa General Hospital is a 1,007-bed non-profit academic medical center and the region’s only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. It is one of the nation’s busiest organ transplant centers, conducting 585 transplants last year and more than 10,000 since it was founded.
