BayCare Creates Separate Women's Health Group to Tailor Physician Model
Event summary
- BayCare Health System has created a dedicated women's health medical group, BayCare Women's Medical Group, separate from its existing BayCare Medical Group.
- Nicole Johanson, previously COO of Growth Orthopedics, has been appointed as the first VP/COO of the new group, effective March 30, 2026.
- BayCare delivered 13,255 babies in 2025 across its seven hospitals with labor and delivery services.
- The new group complements BayCare's existing Women's Institute, aiming for alignment across clinical, operational, and strategic priorities.
The big picture
BayCare's creation of a distinct women's health group signals a strategic move to tailor its physician model and potentially address the unique needs of women's healthcare, a segment experiencing increasing demand and complexity. This separation allows for a more focused approach to recruitment, compensation, and service offerings, potentially improving market share and patient satisfaction. The move also suggests a recognition that a one-size-fits-all physician group model may not be optimal for all specialties.
What we're watching
- Physician Alignment
- The success of BayCare's strategy hinges on attracting and retaining women's health specialists to the new group, potentially diverting talent from the existing BayCare Medical Group.
- Financial Performance
- How the financial performance of BayCare Women's Medical Group compares to the existing BayCare Medical Group will be a key indicator of the strategic shift's effectiveness.
- Integration Risk
- The degree to which the Women's Medical Group and Women's Institute can truly integrate and avoid operational silos will determine the overall impact on patient care and outcomes.