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Baptist Memorial Health Care Donates More Than $3 Million to Tennessee Universities and Colleges

Posted on: Thursday, 11 October 2007, 09:00 CDT

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Baptist Memorial Health Care will formally announce a $2 million gift to the University of Memphis today, bringing its recent total of health care education donations to more than $3 million.

Last month, Baptist contributed $1 million to Union University's nursing and pharmacy programs and $250,000 to Southwest Tennessee Community College's nursing, natural sciences and biotechnology building campaign.

"Helping to ensure the future of health care in our community starts with preparing today's students for careers in health care," said Stephen C. Reynolds, president and chief executive officer for Baptist. "This is one way we can help plant a seed, by contributing to the education of health care students."

Baptist's gifts come as health care organizations face the challenge of recruiting health care workers. A growing need for health care faculty and a decrease in the number of students entering the health care field make the challenge daunting.

"As a faith-based institution, our mission of healing, teaching and preaching extends beyond our hospital and into our community and our schools," said Reynolds. "We believe it is critical for health care organizations to work together with quality universities and colleges to build a strong work force for tomorrow."

Baptist supports a number of health care education programs at many colleges and universities throughout the Mid-South, including the University of Mississippi, Dyersburg State Community College, Bethel College and Mississippi University for Women. Baptist's donation of property in the Medical Center district to the University of Tennessee is the largest single gift ever given to the University. In addition, Baptist has provided millions of dollars for professorships and other programs at UT over the years.

"Private fundraising is more important now than at any other time in the history of Tennessee public education," said Charles W. Manning, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents. "The entire community benefits when public higher education, businesses and organizations collaborate to meet critical community needs."

Baptist also invests $12 million a year in the Baptist College of Health Sciences. The school's graduates go on to work for a number of health care organizations, both within and outside the Baptist system.

One of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States, Baptist offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 14 hospitals; more than 3,100 affiliated physicians; home, hospice and psychiatric care throughout West Tennessee and North Mississippi; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist College of Health Sciences. In fiscal year 2006, Baptist provided $373 million in community benefit.

For more information about Baptist, please visit http://www.baptistonline.org/ or call 800-4-BAPTIST.

Baptist Memorial Health Care

CONTACT: Kimberly Speros, Public Relations Specialist, +1-901-870-7757,+1-901-227-7243 ID# 2509 (pager), kimberly.speros@bmhcc.org, or Ayoka Pond,Public Relations Manager, +1-901-227-3503, +1-901-227-7243 ID# 2296 (pager),ayoka.pond@bmhcc.org, both of Baptist Memorial Health Care

Web site: http://www.baptistonline.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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