[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

I'm from a small state, in square mileage. We have several teaching hospitals with some of the best doctors' groups in the country as a result. Florida is a very large state, with fewer teaching hospitals spread out over a much larger chunk of real estate. As a result, the best doctors will be few and far between, both figuratively and literally.

If you want a broad selection of excellent doctors, you need to find the spot with the shortest routes to the most teaching hospitals. Between them, you'll find those excellent doctors in all specialties, in groups and in private practice. No idea if Tampa or Miami have clusters like this, up here in Central Florida we have - Gainesville, and that's pretty much it.

The Miami area has the U Of Miami Medical Center, Jackson Memorial, Baptist, Mt Sinai, Hollywood Memorial, Broward General and the Cleveland Clinic which is the only real "cluster" of teaching hospitals in FL and one of a few really in the nation.

[Ghaati]

So I just checked.

Florida is 65,758 square miles, population around 21.8 million, give or take.
Connecticut has 5,543 square miles. And 3.6million people, give or take.

Florida has 12 teaching hospitals. The entire state, which has more than 4 times the population and well over 10 times the square mileage, has only one more teaching hospital than the state of Connecticut.

That means fewer people have access to those teaching hospitals, there are fewer beds available for those who do have access, fewer doctors and universities, fewer specialists groups with teaching hospital amenities. Teaching hospitals tend to have access to newer medical technology as it becomes available, because that is where students are taught how to use them. Dr. Jones who's had his practice for the past 30 years doesn't have access to that equipment, UNLESS he is affiliated with a teaching hospital. And if he lives 100 miles away from the nearest teaching hospital, he isn't likely to have any affiliation with it at all. That's a huge problem in Florida. Millions of people in the state are underserved by good medical care, because the state is very large, and the teaching hospitals are spread out too far to accommodate them.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

So I just checked.

Florida is 65,758 square miles, population around 21.8 million, give or take.
Connecticut has 5,543 square miles. And 3.6million people, give or take.

Florida has 12 teaching hospitals. The entire state, which has more than 4 times the population and well over 10 times the square mileage, has only one more teaching hospital than the state of Connecticut.

That means fewer people have access to those teaching hospitals, there are fewer beds available for those who do have access, fewer doctors and universities, fewer specialists groups with teaching hospital amenities. Teaching hospitals tend to have access to newer medical technology as it becomes available, because that is where students are taught how to use them. Dr. Jones who's had his practice for the past 30 years doesn't have access to that equipment, UNLESS he is affiliated with a teaching hospital. And if he lives 100 miles away from the nearest teaching hospital, he isn't likely to have any affiliation with it at all. That's a huge problem in Florida. Millions of people in the state are underserved by good medical care, because the state is very large, and the teaching hospitals are spread out too far to accommodate them.

Another facet of living in a state minus income tax, infrastructure shortfalls. Unlike highways/roadways where toll roads have taken up the slack, no such measures exist for health care in FL. The distance aspect you point out is worth notation given the number of retirees who move to areas of the state more than thirty minutes from suitable health care facilities. It doesn't seem due diligence is at work for many and perhaps should be.

[Corrie22]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

Florida is 65,758 square miles, population around 21.8 million, give or take.
Connecticut has 5,543 square miles. And 3.6million people, give or take.

Connecticut is almost twice as dense/populated as Florida....

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Another facet of living in a state minus income tax, infrastructure shortfalls. Unlike highways/roadways where toll roads have taken up the slack, no such measures exist for health care in FL. The distance aspect you point out is worth notation given the number of retirees who move to areas of the state more than thirty minutes from suitable health care facilities. It doesn't seem due diligence is at work for many and perhaps should be.

Texas is a large state and I don't hear many complaints about the medical care.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Texas is a large state and I don't hear many complaints about the medical care.

Because it largely does not have the affordability issues as seen in FL. The major metros like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio are still approachable for most.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Because it largely does not have the affordability issues as seen in FL. The major metros like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio are still approachable for most.

Yea. I was looking at houses in The Galveston area, and just south of Houston. My house in Punta Gorda dropped in value like a rock due to all the listings around southwest FL but I could sell this house pay the loan off and buy a 3 bedroom house in the metro area with cash. Places especially like Corpus and Brownsville area could get a 3 bed new construction too. The economy for a working aged person is also much better in the Houston/Galveston area too and more industry. I'm 40 btw and I feel VERY old in a lot of places in FL. Houston Galveston area has a pretty young median age. If you want warm weather stick to Corpus on South. Brownsville Texas has the same winter weather as Venice. Averages the same but they get a few pretty cold snaps there colder than us but also get hotter days in the winter too sometimes.

[SanyBelle]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Yea. I was looking at houses in The Galveston area, and just south of Houston. My house in Punta Gorda dropped in value like a rock due to all the listings around southwest FL but I could sell this house pay the loan off and buy a 3 bedroom house in the metro area with cash.

Go for it!!! That's awesome news!