Kettering Health (KH) and Ohio University (OU) recently strengthened their partnership with an aim to boost the physician workforce, enhance the delivery of treatment, and improve outcomes for residents across Ohio.
“This affiliation is focused on improving health for the people of Ohio,” said Mike Gentry, president and CEO of KH. “By scaling a trusted relationship with the HCOM (Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine), we’ll grow the healthcare workforce, expand access to care, and support statewide health priorities through education, research, and clinical innovation.”
Improving the health of Ohio residents
The affiliation will help elevate the delivery of care while addressing Ohio’s health challenges of behavioral health, substance abuse disorder, women’s health, prevention through screening and chronic physical and developmental condition management in rural, underserved, and Medicaid-priority populations. These are regions KH has already prioritized.
As part of the agreement, KH and OU’s HCOM will assess and determine best approaches toward an interactive academic, clinical, and research relationship, which includes the creation of a joint Health Innovations Hub to combine talent and resources. A joint oversight council, supported by education, research, and clinical care subcommittees, will oversee the arrangement.
Strengthening the workforce pipeline
A dedicated effort to increase workforce development, which drives long-term sustainable impact, is another asset of affiliation. Expansion of residency and fellowship training opportunities at KH will create a strong pipeline of Ohio-trained clinicians to meet the state’s health needs. Moving forward, residency and fellowship opportunities and future academic programs and training pathways will be evaluated to better align with community and system needs.
“Integrated education, research, and clinical care amplify impact,” said Steven Crawford, MD, chief medical officer of KH Medical Group. “This affiliation allows us to train physicians in real-world settings, advance research that directly informs patient care and expand access where the need is greatest.”
KH and OU will also explore the possibility of creating a regional Ohio University Heritage College campus within the KH service area.