The City of Tampa Announces On-Demand Health Care Solution for Homeless Communities

January 28, 2025

The City of Tampa, in partnership with Tampa General Hospital, Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg and OnMed, has taken a groundbreaking step in its commitment to addressing the welfare of the city's homeless population with the introduction of an OnMed CareStation.

Funded by Tampa General Hospital and The McNamara Foundation, the indoor structure is a clinic-in-a-box that can be installed anywhere there is an outlet. It allows residents to have real-time consultations with a licensed clinician via high-definition audio-video capabilities and a comprehensive suite of medical devices.

Tampa Hope is the first homeless shelter in America to offer this on-site care for its nearly 235 residents, who also benefit from the shelter’s basic support, including meals, clothing, transportation, mental & behavioral health support, and more.

Local media are invited to visit the CareStation at Tampa Hope for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and experience it firsthand on Wednesday, January 29 at 10 a.m.

“Between the high cost of services and struggles to find transportation, getting to the doctor can be a real problem for our homeless community,” said City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. “These CareStations allow Tampa Hope residents to achieve quality care without having to travel. We applaud Tampa Hope and all of its partners for their extraordinary work to uplift our most vulnerable population and the example it's setting for other cities, as they look to us for inspiration and guidance to pursue similar initiatives."

The interior of the OnMed CareStation resembles a small doctor’s office, in which patients access care by pressing “start” on a screen. They are instantly connected with a certified nursing assistant, who walks through a quick intake process and then with an OnMed clinician for a live, virtual visit. The CareStation is equipped with medical-grade diagnostic tools, providing the clinician with an accurate, real-time view of all vital signs. It also features high-definition thermal imaging cameras to better examine the patient’s skin, eyes, ears and throat as needed to diagnose infection and other conditions.

“As the region’s leading academic medical system and safety-net hospital, our job is to care for the entire community,” said John Couris, President and CEO of Tampa General. “Through this innovative program, we can provide accessible world-class health and wellness care to Tampa Hope residents when and where they need it.”

“This partnership is an exemplary model for cities across America to observe and emulate as our country continues to struggle with the issue of homelessness,” said OnMed CEO, Karthik Ganesh. “Our focus is to find the bright spots where healthcare innovation, kindness, and compassion collide. We commend the City of Tampa for stepping up to acknowledge the importance of the preventative and ongoing healthcare needs of its homeless population.”

Through the CareStation, a provider can offer a diagnosis and treatment plan, including recommended medications, referrals, and e-prescriptions sent directly to the preferred pharmacy. Electronic medical records are stored securely in the patient’s OnMed medical record, which can be shared with other necessary care providers.

“The OnMed CareStation has already proven invaluable here at Tampa Hope,” said Maggie Rogers, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. “It means our residents can access essential medical care without delay, and that makes a real difference—not just in treating immediate health concerns, but in providing consistent, preventive care that helps them get back on their feet.”

After each patient leaves, the CareStation locks and automatically runs a sanitization cycle to prepare for the next patient.

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Contacts

Linda Tat

Publicist, Disrupt PR

Email: linda@disruptpr.com

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