Message Archive
July 9, 2009
Update on the Proposed Partnership with Hartford Healthcare
The proposed partnership with Hartford Healthcare provides a
pathway aimed at providing the UConn Health Center the new
hospital it deserves, and presents a strategy for fiscal
solvency for our institution. Most importantly, the partnership
offers a new vision for academically-based healthcare for the
region featuring a 1,100 bed University Hospital system on two
campuses.
All of us are anxious to know the outcome of the legislative
deliberations as the special session continues. While no one
knows when the exact timing will be, I have been continually
impressed with the dedicated efforts by the University and
Hartford Healthcare to engage and educate legislative leaders
about the need to move forward with the partnership. We were
also delighted when the UConn Advocates, a coalition of
approximately 75,000 supporters of the University, recently
reached out to legislative leaders and urged support for this
issue.
Together with President Hogan, I remain extremely enthusiastic
about the possibility of creating the new University Hospital.
It would help to retain our outstanding faculty and help attract
similarly accomplished faculty to our medical and dental
schools; improve access to clinical trials for patients
throughout the region; and become an even more forceful economic
driver than either entity - the Health Center or Hartford
Healthcare - is on its own.
Over the past eight months President Hogan and I have worked
diligently to follow the C.A.S.E. report process in developing a
collegial arrangement with Hartford Hospital. Our work focused
first on developing a common vision of the future with Hartford
Hospital, and then crafting an agreement that addressed our
desire to preserve and enhance the academic integrity of the new
enterprise.
Yesterday morning, more than 50 faculty leaders at the Health
Center met with Elliot Joseph, the CEO of Hartford Hospital.
Frank questions were asked and I believe frank answers were
given by him. I have asked our faculty leaders to hold
meetings across the Health Center during the next two weeks to
discuss their impressions of the meeting and the course we are
following.
Please know I will continue to relay new information as I obtain
it.
Thank you.
Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.
Vice President for Health Affairs
Dean, School of Medicine
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