November 18, 2004

Initiative advances clinical programs

The University, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation have entered into a five-year agreement to jointly plan and advance strategic clinical program development, medical education and research, quality and patient safety initiatives, and community service programs.

Northwestern and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (above) will commit $86 million to ensure a place among the nation’s top academic medical centers.

As part of the agreement, the University and the hospital will commit $86 million to the initiative designed to secure the foundation for continued growth and stability and to ensure the partners’ place as one of America’s top academic medical centers.

A significant component of the agreement provides for the foundation to join the Northwestern Memorial Insurance Company (NMIC), the hospital’s subsidiary professional and general liability insurance company. This will allow a joint focus on patient safety and quality initiatives and make a joint defense strategy between the hospital and foundation a reality.

In a joint statement, Lewis Landsberg, M.D., dean of the Feinberg School and vice president for medical affairs, and Dean Harrison, president and chief operating officer at NMH, said, “Beyond the substantial resources involved, the opportunity for joint planning and alignment of strategic objectives among the three institutions creates the potential for major progress for each organization and their collective enterprise.”

Over the next several months, members of the three partners’ clinical leadership, senior management and trustees will begin to develop and move forward plans in each area for review and approval.