Metro Inclusive Health unveils regionwide expansion
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Apr 19, 2023

Metro Inclusive Health is planning a major expansion throughout Tampa Bay.

The nonprofit health care organization currently has four centers and intends to operate in eight locations by the end of the year. Metro has been active in Tampa Bay for 30 years and has health centers in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater and New Port Richey.

Metro plans to “redistribute operations” that are currently located in St. Pete and Tampa to all the current and upcoming centers. The areas were all identified as “high demand and high need,” according to Brian Bailey, chief marketing and business development officer for Metro. Each location will provide more than 100 health, wellness and social services with labs and pharmacy services.

The nonprofit began studying its patient demographic patterns in 2019. When the pandemic hit, it saw “explosive growth,” and Bailey said it realized it had patients traveling from all corners of the region. More than 30,700 patients used Metro in 2022, up nearly 27,000 from 2021. Bailey said it adds approximately 30 patients a month in the Clearwater center alone.

The group also subsidized nearly $60,000 in transportation for medical appointments in 2022. Metro accepts most insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid and offers sliding-scale fee programs for uninsured patients.

Metro will hold the soft opening for a new St. Pete center, 2235 Central Ave., next week. It is currently in the process of finalizing plans for the other locations. The organization targets Brandon, the Gandy area in St. Pete and the University area in North Tampa.

According to Bailey, Metro will be looking to lease spaces that range from 3,500 square feet to 4,500 square feet. Metro expects every location to be full-service, meaning the locations will have space for everything from large gathering spaces for groups to areas for specific services.

“This is our opportunity to invest in local health care equity,” Lorraine Langlois, co-CEO, who is retiring at the end of 2023 after 30 years of service to Metro, said in a release.

Bailey said Metro realized it needed to “get back to its roots” to prioritize putting community health care back into local neighborhoods. Metro’s roots are in HIV case management, and Bailey said the organization has always had a “very strong connection to the LGBTQ+ community.”

By expanding its footprint, Bailey said Metro could offer its services — including providing PrEP, rapid fourth-generation HIV testing, and combining both primary care and HIV care — to residents who may have otherwise not been able to access specialized care.

“Ninety-percent of patients receive more than one service at Metro,” Priya Rajkumar, co-CEO and future CEO of Metro Inclusive Health said in a release. “These moves will create substantial annual cost savings that can be redirected toward providing services to the community while also contributing to the financial longevity of the organization.”