BayCare brings health tech store into HealthHub facilities

CLEARWATER, FLA: Fitbits, weight scales, apps and a tech store. That’s not what people expect to see in a health care setting. BayCare Health System is transforming patient experience by bringing a “genius bar” like store into its innovative, high-tech health and wellness facilities called HealthHub™.

BayCare is the first health system in the region to introduce TechDeck™, an innovative resource for health and wellness technology. TechDeck provides advanced and high-tech products including weight scales, blood pressure cuffs, wearable technology and various apps that can be connected to personal digital devices.

“BayCare TechDeck™ is designed to help patients engage in their own health through wearable and consumer technology,” said Craig Anderson, director of Innovation at BayCare. “This innovative service, which is new to health care, provides cutting-edge technology that is recommended by our physicians.”

TechDeck products, which are available to any community members in the Tampa Bay area, allow patients to monitor the status of their health including blood pressure, weight fluctuations and daily steps. Patients have the option to report that health data to their primary care physicians.

“This service provides additional opportunities for physicians and patients to become even better partners in their own health care,” said Dr. Jeffrey Held, vice president and chief medical officer for Ambulatory Services at BayCare. “It also allows patients to use technology to increase physical activity and monitor their health outside the doctor’s office, encouraging them to be more proactive about their health.”

TechDeck is equipped with certified health technology coaches who bring the skills and knowledge to help patients learn how the technology can enhance their overall health and wellness.

The first BayCare TechDeck is open at BayCare HealthHub located at 8787 Bryan Dairy Road in Largo, FL 33777. The second TechDeck is expected to open in March 2019 in the BayCare HealthHub™ at Bloomingdale located at 2470 Bloomingdale Avenue in Valrico, FL 33596.