WSUSOM,
HFHS Investigate Partnership
Henry
Ford Health System and Wayne State University have entered
into discussions aimed at creating a partnership in education,
research and clinical services, according to reports on
both organizations’ websites.
Henry
Ford and Wayne State have signed a letter of intent to
conduct extensive and formal discussions that would bring
Wayne State's School of Medicine into a closer, more comprehensive
relationship than currently exists with Henry Ford.
If,
in the next 90 days, talks conclude with an agreement to
proceed, the two institutions will work toward a goal of
a formal agreement that would be implemented by mid-2010.
Both
organizations bring substantial resources to the table.
Henry Ford Hospital with its 1,000-member Henry Ford Medical
Group is the nation's 7th largest provider of graduate
medical education, with seven hospitals, 27 medical centers,
an established, integrated health system and more than
$70 million in annual research expenditures. The
Wayne State School of Medicine is the nation's largest
single-campus medical school, with more than 1,200 medical
students and 400 additional students in doctorate and master's
programs. In 2008, the School of Medicine received
more than $115 million in research funding and grants.
Discussions
are expected to be wide-ranging and comprehensive. Potential
topics include:
- Increasing
the number of Wayne State medical students training at
Henry Ford;
- Combining
research efforts with an emphasis on translational research;
- The
potential for a new research center in or near TechTown;
andProviding the next generation of physicians with a
more comprehensive education in integrated health systems
and best clinical practices.
The
two organizations already collaborate on a number of projects
in research and medical education. Henry Ford has been
a core academic affiliate of the Wayne State School of
Medicine since 2002. In 2008, Henry Ford was the pilot
site for the School of Medicine's clinical campus model,
hosting 62 third-year medical students at Henry Ford's
Detroit campus; through that agreement, Henry Ford physicians
and researchers who teach WSU students receive academic
appointments as Wayne State faculty.
More
than 260 Wayne State School of Medicine alumni work at
Henry Ford. The two organizations also have collaborated
on a planning grant submitted for a National Institutes
of Health Clinical Translational Science Award, while Henry
Ford's cytogenetic diagnosis, DNA and drug discovery labs
are located in the TechOne building at TechTown, the university's
research and technology park.
"This
partnership clearly would mean a major enhancement to the
research and education programs of our School of Medicine," said
Jay Noren, MD, president of Wayne State University. "Training
our students at a national top 10 integrated health system
such as Henry Ford would give them the diverse experiences
and highly skilled technical knowledge required for the
next generation of medical practice. I look forward to
working with leadership of Henry Ford toward our common
goals of exceptional medical education, extraordinary research
and excellent medical care."
"Not
only does this potential partnership strengthen our academic
and research missions," said Nancy Schlichting, president
and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. "It also strengthens
Detroit's reputation as a go-to city for training, research
and clinical services and could be a strong, economic boost
for the city."
"These
talks are a natural progression of our long-term relationship
with Henry Ford," said Valerie Parisi, MD, MPH, MBA,
interim dean of the Wayne State University School of Medicine. "This
is a really exciting opportunity for our medical students,
exposing them to an integrated health system recognized
nationally for its clinical excellence, patient safety
and e-technology."
"Henry
Ford Medical Group has a long history of leadership in,
and commitment to, academic medicine," said Mark Kelley,
M.D., CEO of the Henry Ford Medical Group. "Together
with Wayne State's School of Medicine, we will be one of
the country's premier organizations dedicated to conducting
innovative research and will strengthen our academic mission
of providing outstanding future health care providers."
Henry
Ford is comprised of seven hospitals, including its flagship,
Henry Ford Hospital, and the 1,000-member Henry Ford Medical
Group, modeled after the Mayo Clinic employed group practice.
Henry Ford recorded $3.6 billion in revenues in 2008 while
providing more than $164 million in uncompensated medical
care. Every year, 23,000 Henry Ford Health System employees
provide care during more than 3.1 million patient contacts.
Henry Ford health care providers perform 78,000 ambulatory
surgery procedures each year. More than 81,500 patients
are admitted to Henry Ford hospitals annually.
Founded
in 1868, the Wayne State University School of Medicine
is the nation's largest single-campus medical school with
more than 1,200 medical students. In addition to undergraduate
medical education, the school offers master's degree, PhD
and MD-PhD programs in 14 areas of basic science to about
400 students annually. More than one-half of the School
of Medicine's alumni remain in Michigan to practice medicine
after graduation.
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