Start of Work for 41 Medical Residents and Physicians Signals Strength of Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. And Wayne State University Partnership
To: EDUCATION EDITORS
Contact: Paula Rivera-Kerr of Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., +1-313- 791-4817
DEARBORN, Mich., July 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, at a ceremonial signing, executive leadership representing Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. (OHI) and Wayne State University (WSU) announced the latest milestone in our joint efforts to preserve, protect and enhance world-class healthcare for the residents of southeast Michigan. A total of 41 WSU physicians and residents specializing in the areas of Otolaryngology, Urology and Dermatology have joined Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center’s (OHMC) highly trained specialists who are currently providing exceptional care. In addition, the WSU residents and physicians now have access to the highest level of training possible, utilizing Oakwood’s state-of- the-art facilities and advanced technology.
“Wayne State University is one of the premier academic medical schools in the country, and we are excited to partner with them in providing a first-rate medical education to the 41 new residents joining our ranks,” said Brian Connolly, president and CEO, OHI. “Oakwood is proud of its long history of service, and with this new partnership, we will be able to offer these exceptionally talented healthcare professionals a high-quality place to practice medicine, while simultaneously providing the communities we serve greater access to excellent healthcare.”
Oakwood and WSU share a goal to provide high quality healthcare to the residents of southeast Michigan within the educational and research framework of an academic medical center. This will include undergraduate and graduate medical education and basic, clinical and community-based research in order to become an academic health center of national renown.
“This enhanced relationship with Oakwood provides us with a partner that can collaborate with us on all three components of our mission — education, research and patient care,” said Robert M. Mentzer Jr., MD, dean of the Wayne State University School of Medicine. “As the School of Medicine develops its strategic plan for its future as a regional health care partner, relationships like this will be vital to our future.”
In June of 2006, OHI and WSU signed an affiliation agreement to create an academic and clinical care partnership. This latest collaboration is another example of efforts to create a long-term partnership between both institutions that will result over time in the creation of programs that support enhanced medical education, research and clinical care.
Kerith Spicknall, MD, is a WSU resident in Dermatology. Spicknall, 31, has been with Oakwood since September 2006, and is pleased to have access to expert staff, an exceptional surgical clinic and new laser technology; however, the location is also a welcoming factor.
“I live in Detroit, so I wasn’t really interested in being shifted to a hospital that’s further in the suburbs. I like Dearborn, I like where Oakwood is located,” said Spicknall. “I think it’s very convenient, but at the same time, it offers a whole subset of new patients in a state-of-the-art and inviting atmosphere.”
With the increase in medical staffing, OHMC will be able to reduce the time it takes Oakwood patients to see a physician, which will result in better patient outcomes and improved patient satisfaction. Additionally, new technology allows residents to explore many new and exciting aspects of their careers in medicine.
“Having access to high-tech equipment is good for the residency training program because we’ll be using these new innovations once we get out into the new world and practice on our own,” said fifth- year Otolaryngology Chief Resident, Giancarlo Zuliani, MD. “It’s really advantageous for us to get experience with the technologies because patients will want the newest and greatest and, as a physician, you want to be able to provide those services.”
For more information on Oakwood or WSU, visit http:// www.oakwood.organd http://www.wayne.edu.
Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center (OHMC) in Dearborn has 620 beds, and is a full-service teaching hospital that has served southeast Michigan for more than 50 years. OHMC offers state-of-the art emergency medicine, general medicine and surgery, outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging, labor and delivery/neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, intensive care and coronary units. This center is also the hub for Oakwood’s centers of excellence in Heart and Vascular, Orthopedics/Neurology, Women’s Health and Cancer. The facility is accredited by the Joint Commission and received the coveted Gold Seal of Approval in 2007 for its Total Joint Replacement program. OHMC was recognized as a “Top 100″ cardiology hospital for the seventh time in eight years.
Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs to more than 33,000 students through 11 schools and colleges. For more information, visit http://www.wayne.edu. With more than 1,000 students, Wayne’s School of Medicine is the nation’s largest single campus medical school. Together with the Wayne State University Physician Group and 13 hospital partners, the school is a leader in medical education, biomedical research, and patient care. Its programs of excellence include cancer, maternal-child health, neurosciences, and population studies and urban health. For more information, visit http://www.med.wayne.edu.
SOURCE Oakwood Healthcare, Inc.
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