New Bayfront Health program aims to open doors for minority business owners

In an effort to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, Orlando Health has announced it will open its Diversity and Minority Business Development Program to businesses in the St. Petersburg area.

The initiative, which has been operating in Central Florida since 2013, comes seven months after Bayfront Health St. Petersburg was acquired by Orlando Health.

“This program opens an important avenue to engage small and minority business owners who may not otherwise be well-positioned to compete against larger companies,” said Quibulah Graham, the program’s corporate director. “In addition to providing avenues for new business, it’s also a remarkable opportunity for these vendors to grow in capacity. Even if prospective vendors don’t meet our criteria now, we provide comprehensive feedback on grants and certifications that can help them grow to meet the criteria and reapply in the future.”

Orlando Health established its Diversity and Minority Business Development Department to increase supplier diversity and advance equity and inclusion efforts within the organization and across the community. As part of the program, Orlando Health provides business development opportunities for diverse suppliers through mentoring, internal referrals, matchmaking, speaking engagements, networking and scholarships. The organization also partners with team members and community organizations to support diverse and minority populations.  

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the program experienced remarkable growth in 2020:

• Vendor registrations increased 78 percent year over year
• Vendor mentoring increased 28 percent
• More than 52,000 attendees at 22 community outreach events focused on supplier diversity and nearly 17,000 attendees at community outreach events focused on diversity, equity and inclusion
• Over 5,200 participants attended expos, supplier matchmaker and minority business conference events

This is the latest in a series of improvements that have been implemented at Bayfront Health since Orlando Health took the helm on Oct. 1, 2020. Hospital administrators have been focused on reducing infection rates and providing more timely, efficient patient care. Additionally, they’ve made supporting team members a top priority by providing them with enhanced pay, benefits and assistance in helping them achieve a better work-life balance. In terms of improving the health of the community, Bayfront also played a key role in fighting Covid-19 through its vaccination program.

In addition to internal improvements, the exterior of Bayfront Health will be getting a new look. The proposed façade for the hospital’s main building will feature a new color scheme and modern coastal design.

To learn more about business development opportunities with the hospital and with Orlando Health, click here.