Ms. Polo serves as CFO of BayCare Health System, the largest academic health system serving West Central Florida. She leads enterprisewide financial strategy with oversight of financial reporting, accounting, revenue cycle, managed care contracting, treasury, risk management and financial planning. With 38 years of professional experience, she co-leads BayCare’s value-based care initiatives with the chief physician executive and has direct oversight of BayCarePlus, the system’s Medicare Advantage plan. BayCare maintains an “Aa2” rating from Moody’s and posted an operating margin of 11.8% in 2025, up from 9.6% in 2024. Ms. Polo played a critical role in “BayCare 2.0,” a transformational initiative that ended the joint operating agreement established in 1997 and transitioned BayCare to 100% community ownership in West Central Florida. Under her financial leadership, the system has financed two hospitals, secured land and broken ground on its 17th hospital, and expanded access through new outpatient facilities, including several freestanding emergency departments. She introduced an 18-month rolling forecast model and disciplined use of internal rate of return metrics, established a centralized pricing office ahead of federal price transparency requirements, doubled the number of financial health coaches and redesigned billing statements. Before becoming CFO, Ms. Polo served as vice president of finance and director of finance at the system.
