Of course, no matter where you live, a healthy life is a happier one. An important component of the bay area's health care industry is its many centers of excellence.

Bayonet Point Regional Medical Center in West Pasco County has been named one of the nation's Top 50 cardiac care facilities by U.S. News & World Report for delivering clinical outcomes better than most. The second - busiest open-heart surgery unit in Florida also received a five - star rating from HealthCareReportCards.com, which gave second and third-place rankings to the heart programs at Morton Plant Mease Healthcare in Clearwater and University Community Hospital in Tampa. Other Tampa Bay area hospitals on the list included Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Tampa General Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida campus in Tampa receives considerable national attention. Good Housekeeping magazine named five doctors from the institution among the nation's top cancer specialists.

Brandon Regional Medical Center, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Memorial Hospital of Tampa, South Bay Hospital Sun City Center, South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Women's Hospital Tampa, Tampa General Hospital, Town & Country Hospital, University Community Hospital, University Community Hospital Carrollwood, Vencor Hospital Central Tampa.

All Children's Hospital St. Petersburg, Bayfront Medical Center St. Petersburg, Bay Pines V.A. Medical Center, Edward White Hospital St. Petersburg, Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital Tarpon Springs, Largo Medical Center, Mease Hospital Dunedin, Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, Northside Medical Center St. Petersburg, Palms of Pasadena Hospital St. Petersburg, St. Anthony's Hospital, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg General Hospital, Sun Coast Hospital Largo, Venco Hospital St. Petersburg.

Community Hospital Dade City, Community Hospital New Port Richey, East Pasco Medical Center Zephyrhills, North Bay Hospital New Port Richey, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point Hudson.