The Florida Senate

1004.41  University of Florida; J. Hillis Miller Health Center.--

(1)  There is established the J. Hillis Miller Health Center at the University of Florida, including campuses at Gainesville and Jacksonville and affiliated teaching hospitals, which shall include the following colleges:

(a)  College of Dentistry.

(b)  College of Health Professions.

(c)  College of Medicine.

(d)  College of Nursing.

(e)  College of Pharmacy.

(f)  College of Veterinary Medicine and related teaching hospitals.

(2)  Each college of the health center shall be so maintained and operated as to comply with the standards approved by a nationally recognized association for accreditation.

(3)(a)  The University of Florida Health Center Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund shall be administered by the University of Florida Board of Trustees. Funds shall be credited to the trust fund from the sale of goods and services performed by the University of Florida Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital. The purpose of the trust fund is to support the instruction, research, and service missions of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

(b)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301, and pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of the trust fund.

(4)(a)  The University of Florida Board of Trustees shall lease the hospital facilities of the health center known as the Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinics on the campus of the University of Florida and all furnishings, equipment, and other chattels or choses in action used in the operation of the hospital, to a private not-for-profit corporation organized solely for the purpose of operating the hospital and ancillary health care facilities of the health center and other health care facilities and programs determined to be necessary by the board of the nonprofit corporation. The rental for the hospital facilities shall be an amount equal to the debt service on bonds or revenue certificates issued solely for capital improvements to the hospital facilities or as otherwise provided by law.

(b)  The University of Florida Board of Trustees shall provide in the lease or by separate contract or agreement with the not-for-profit corporation for the following:

1.  Approval of the articles of incorporation of the not-for-profit corporation by the University of Florida Board of Trustees and the governance of the not-for-profit corporation by a board of directors appointed and chaired by the President of the University of Florida, or his or her designee, and vice chaired by the Vice President for Health Affairs of the University of Florida.

2.  The use of hospital facilities and personnel in support of the research programs and of the teaching role of the health center.

3.  The continued recognition of the collective bargaining units and collective bargaining agreements as currently composed and recognition of the certified labor organizations representing those units and agreements.

4.  The use of hospital facilities and personnel in connection with research programs conducted by the health center.

5.  Reimbursement to the hospital for indigent patients, state-mandated programs, underfunded state programs, and costs to the hospital for support of the teaching and research programs of the health center. Such reimbursement shall be appropriated to either the health center or the hospital each year by the Legislature after review and approval of the request for funds.

(c)  The University of Florida Board of Trustees may, with the approval of the Legislature, increase the hospital facilities or remodel or renovate them, provided that the rental paid by the hospital for such new, remodeled, or renovated facilities is sufficient to amortize the costs thereof over a reasonable period of time or fund the debt service for any bonds or revenue certificates issued to finance such improvements.

(d)  The University of Florida Board of Trustees is authorized to provide to the not-for-profit corporation leasing the hospital facilities and its not-for-profit subsidiaries comprehensive general liability insurance including professional liability from a self-insurance trust program established pursuant to s. 1004.24

(e)  In the event that the lease of the hospital facilities to the not-for-profit corporation is terminated for any reason, the University of Florida Board of Trustees shall resume management and operation of the hospital facilities. In such event, the Administration Commission is authorized to appropriate revenues generated from the operation of the hospital facilities to the University of Florida Board of Trustees to pay the costs and expenses of operating the hospital facility for the remainder of the fiscal year in which such termination occurs.

(f)  The University of Florida Board of Trustees is authorized to provide to Shands Jacksonville Healthcare, Inc., and its not-for-profit subsidiaries and affiliates and any successor corporation that acts in support of the board of trustees, comprehensive general liability coverage, including professional liability, from the self-insurance programs established pursuant to s. 1004.24

History.--s. 186, ch. 2002-387.