Brooks: FSU/TMH Merger – An Argument for Working it Out

By Dana Brooks

It seems everyone has a strong opinion about Florida State University taking over Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Once we get past the ruffled feathers over how the matter came to light, it’s clear it all comes down to the same problem we always have in Tallahassee: who gets to decide how we grow.

In a nutshell, the City of Tallahassee owns the land and assets of TMH and leases it to them for $1.00 a year. TMH runs operations, led by a President/CEO and a 15-member board of directors, comprised of nine local business leaders and six members of the TMH medical staff. In March 2025, TMH asked the city to approve a 17-page plan creating a new regional board and brand to expand beyond Tallahassee. City leaders were concerned that the proposed changes granted TMH a lot of additional authority while diminishing city oversight. That prompted an agenda item at the next city commission meeting that included exploring the feasibility and potential advantages of a sale of TMH’s assets. FSU expressed an interest in acquiring the hospital to create an academic medical center under the “FSU Health” banner.

The FSU Medical School already partners with TMH, which has resulted in expanding health care to previously underserved populations. There is no reason to believe that reach would recede. Indeed, TMH CEO Mark O’Bryant has long endorsed TMH becoming an academic health center, saying it was in TMH’s strategic plan for a long, long time. The arguments in support are many and those against it are few, but meaningful. It seems the only thing to do now is work out the details.

An obvious pro is ending the automatic “get out of town” response residents hear when people learn they’re dealing with a serious illness. Either we or someone we know has had to leave town for medical treatment. Even with health insurance, most people do not have the flex in their budgets to accommodate missing work and traveling for healthcare.

Another supporting argument is that academic medical centers have doctors and scientists conducting research to bring new, innovative treatments to our area and beyond. They attract the best and brightest students by placing them with leading academic experts using state-of-the-art technology. For patients, that gives us multiple sets of eyes and ears working together for the best possible outcomes.

Not only would an academic medical center expand the accessibility of higher-level health care in our region, it would make Tallahassee relevant for more than the legislature and football games. We could draw greater talent, which creates broader interest in our area, beyond medicine. Instead of our residents driving to Atlanta or Jacksonville to fly to conventions and symposiums, Tallahassee could host those meetings. It could free us from the economic hamstring created by the cyclical nature of living in a college town/capital city. Business owners would have reliable employees all year long, allowing them to grow their businesses and compete with chains, all while retaining the unique character of our community.

Yet another positive is that FSU would be the main source of capital for these improvements. The FSU/TMH expansions already in process have reportedly not cost taxpayers. With FSU as a partner or owner, TMH could expand services and technology without raising taxes.

Still, there are well-founded concerns. One fear is that this would result in corporatized local healthcare or turn our healthcare providers into state workers. Many local medical practices have moved to a more efficient, technologically advanced, corporate structure. Staffing structures can be negotiated. That’s why God created lawyers.

Some fear losing their doctors who prefer working in a “community based” medical setting. But when was the last time you saw your doctor, versus an extender? The delivery of healthcare is rapidly changing, and patients have learned to adjust. But when an institution only wants oversight from a board of friends and co-workers, it is fair to question why.

Finally, many fear a loss of control at the local level and more top-down influence from the state level, introducing politics into local medical care. If you follow the news, you know that ship has sailed. There is a way to grow our city and our healthcare options, introduce some objectivity and accountability to the process, and maintain sufficient local control, but it’s going to take maturity, level heads, putting the community first, and parking the egos in the garage.

Dana Brooks is managing partner of Fasig|Brooks Law Offices, serving injured persons throughout North Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science and Masters in Social Work as well as her law degree, magna cum laude, from Florida State University. Dana is a frequent speaker and panelist on matters ranging from leadership to women’s issues to community welfare. She has called Tallahassee home since 1991.