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WSU/DMC Break Impasse,
Core Residencies Remain Joint
By PAUL
NATINSKY
Gov. Jennifer Granholm did not serve Thanksgiving dinner to WSU
and DMC negotiators as she feared, and mediator David Fink got
to carve a holiday bird with his family on Turkey Day.
WSU and the DMC
hammered out a three-year deal early in the morning Nov. 22 that
"guarantees that core residency programs remain joint programs
beyond the end of (the three-year) agreement," said Fink.
The meat of the
agreement calls for the DMC to fund Wayne State
University/University Physicians Group an annual base amount of $76
million per year for teaching, clinical and administrative services.
The agreement also sets up a potential payment of $8.8 million in
performance bonuses and recruitment support.
"For the first
time in the 26 years of this contract, we have performance
standards," said DMC CEO Mike Duggan. He said that previously "it
(wasn't) clear what faculty doctors (were) supposed to do for the
money they were paid." He said it wasn't the physicians' fault, but
it was an issue that needed to be addressed.
WSU Medical
School Dean Robert Mentzer, MD, said the agreement will help offset
the impending physician shortage that will occur in Detroit and
throughout the country by ensuring an adequate supply of
Detroit-trained physicians, 43 percent of whom end up practicing in
the Tri-County Area.
Dean Mentzer said
WSU will work to get the word out to potential residents and fellows
that the program is on stable ground once again, but said the
strongest message will be sent by existing residents and fellows to
their future colleagues.
All 68 residency
programs will continue under the agreement, but some will be solely
administered by the DMC, others by WSU. Fink said "core programs
that other programs rely on," such as Internal Medicine and Surgery,
will remain jointly sponsored, but declined to list the programs
that will remain under joint sponsorship.
A relieved Paul
Bozyk, MD, said he "missed the memo about dark suits," but had never
been more glad to wear his white physician's long coat. Dr. Bozyk is
president of the WSU/DMC Resident Council.
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