Methodist Healthcare and University of Tennessee Announce Affiliation Agreement
MEMPHIS -- Recently, Methodist Healthcare and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center announced they have signed an affiliation agreement that makes Methodist Healthcare the principal adult private teaching hospital for UT in the Shelby County area. To demonstrate this commitment, Methodist Healthcare - Central Hospital is being renamed Methodist Healthcare - University Hospital.
"This is the beginning of a different course of medicine in Memphis and the Mid-South," said William R. Rice, Chancellor, UT Health Science Center. "A new learning environment is being created that will bring together the best and brightest physicians from the private community with the greatest minds among academic physicians and educators. Ultimately, this will mean better patient care "
"This coming together of Methodist and UT is truly an historic moment for our community," said Gary S. Shorb, President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare. "We're raising the bar so that everyone involved in providing healthcare at Methodist and UT can learn and improve."
"Research shows that the best medical centers in the country are academic medical centers," said Dr. Henry Herrod, Dean of the College of Medicine at UT.
"Recently published studies demonstrate that mortality rates are lower in major teaching hospitals. That's just one example of how we're going to be able to improve patient care."
"We are excited about Methodist University Hospital being a vibrant learning environment where physicians, nurses and other clinicians can offer the very best in patient care by constantly keeping up with the latest developments in their fields," said Cameron J. Welton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Methodist. "We see this as an investment in intellectual resources and a commitment to the healthcare of this entire community."
UT will continue its residency programs at Memphis' major public hospitals, the Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED) and Memphis Veteran's Affairs Medical Center. This new arrangement with Methodist will provide a private component.
"This affiliation is important because it will help us deliver even better patient care and that's our number one priority. We've already got some of the best doctors in the country and we want to continue to attract patients locally, regionally and nationally. This will positively affect our ability to do that," said Dr. Charles Handorf, associate chief of staff at Methodist Central.
Methodist Healthcare President and CEO Gary Shorb said, "This affiliation is exciting because over time it will transform the delivery of medicine in Memphis and mean great things for this community and the people we serve. I also see it as a natural evolution, building on Methodist's longstanding good relationship with the university.
"For years, UT has had Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center as its pediatric teaching site and that relationship has certainly elevated the level of patient care there. Le Bonheur became a part of the Methodist system in 1995 and we plan to use the good model they have created as we move forward."
Methodist has also been partnering with UT in its residency programs in surgery and neurology and recently began coordinating efforts in orthopedics. Through this affiliation Mr. Shorb says Methodist will be able to further its refined vision of becoming the physicians' healthcare provider of choice.
Even as Methodist and UT make this announcement, they simultaneously work as part of the University Medical Center Coordinating Council that also includes The MED, Memphis VA, and UT Bowld. Earlier this year, the newly formed council announced its goals of improved quality of medical care, financial savings and a smoother working relationship among the medical center hospitals. Dr. Robert Waller, UT College of Medicine alumnus and president emeritus of Mayo Clinic, is chairman of the council. As part of this effort, Methodist, UT and The MED are working with the Juran Institute on joint quality improvement projects.
"Our work with the Juran Institute and this affiliation bringing UT and Methodist closer together are strategic steps that will further strengthen an already dynamic medical center," said Chancellor Rice.
Terms of the affiliation agreement include:
- UT will be responsible for all undergraduate and graduate medical education programs located at Methodist. Methodist's existing residency programs in medicine and radiology will become UT programs within three years.
- UT may develop programs at Methodist's other hospitals in Memphis and West Tennessee.
- Methodist also has first right of refusal for relocation of existing and new UT graduate medical education programs in Shelby County and West Tennessee.
- Methodist has first right of refusal to new hospital based patient care programs developed by UT in Shelby County with the exception of such programs initiated by The MED, UT Bowld, Memphis VA or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
- UT will fund existing Memphis-based Centers and Chairs of Excellence to the extent that they are endowed. Methodist acknowledges that certain Centers of Excellence are subject to the State budget process. UT agrees that all new hospital-based Centers and/or Chairs of Excellence will be located at Methodist University Hospital, Le Bonheur or other Methodist hospitals, with the exception of those that are initiated and funded by The MED, UT Bowld, Memphis VA or St. Jude.
- Methodist and UT will work together to increase and develop the clinical research programs at Methodist.
- UT will have at least one position on the Methodist Healthcare, Inc. Board of Directors. Initially, that appointment will be Chancellor William Rice.
- A UT-Methodist Planning Committee will be formed to develop detailed plans for the implementation and continuation of this affiliation agreement.
- UT will establish and maintain an educational program (including but not limited to graduate and undergraduate medical education) at Methodist in clinical services. Each clinical service established will be directed by a site director who will be a full-time member of UT's faculty.
About Methodist Healthcare:
Methodist Healthcare (MH) is an integrated health delivery system based in Memphis, Tennessee, primarily serving the communities of Eastern Arkansas, West Tennessee and North Mississippi. MH owns and operates 14 hospitals in Memphis and throughout West Tennessee, as well as rural clinics and home health agencies. Methodist Healthcare operates nearly 2,500 beds and employs approximately 11,000. For more information, visit our web site at www.methodisthealth.org.
About UT Health Science Center:
The UT Health Science Center is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master and doctoral degrees and currently offers seven undergraduate and 10 graduate/professional degrees within the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and the School of Biomedical Engineering. The campus has 43 endowed professorships of which 19 are Chairs of Excellence. The campus is home to seven Centers of Excellence.
Founded in1911, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center now includes the Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville as well as graduate medical education programs in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville; Family Medicine Centers in Knoxville, Jackson and Memphis; public and continuing education programs across the state; and the UT Bowld Hospital in Memphis. The UT Health Science Center is the ninth largest employer in Memphis with approximately 4,000 faculty and staff employees. The UT Medical Group, the private practice arm of the Health Science Center faculty, is the Mid-South's largest multi-specialty physician group practice. For more information visit www.utmem.edu.