Wayne State University and Oakwood Healthcare, Inc.
Sign Affiliation Agreement in Graduate Medical Education,
Research and Clinical Care

Signing marks continuation of long history of academic partnerships

Detroit – June 5, 2006 – Wayne State University (WSU) and Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. (OHI) today signed an affiliation agreement to create an academic and clinical care partnership of national renown. It will encompass new programs in graduate medical education (GME), research and clinical care.

The agreement, which includes the School of Medicine’s affiliated faculty physicians, the Wayne State University Physician Group, creates 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.

"This affiliation provides an opportunity for us to expand our educational commitment to our students,” said Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid. “We are first and foremost an educational institution, and this partnership will help us to broaden training opportunities for the medical professionals of tomorrow. It also will enhance our ability to conduct research that will assist in bringing the benefits of nationally significant academic medicine to the clinical needs of the community. Our partnership strengthens the delivery of education, research and patient care which are critical to the future of health care in our region and beyond."

The community will benefit from the enhanced array of specialized medical and surgical services provided by OHI hospitals, its network of physicians and outpatient facilities. “Both of our institutions have a long history of working with one another to create strong academic partnerships that have improved the quality of health care in southeast Michigan,” said Gerald Fitzgerald, president and CEO of OHI. “With this new collaborative effort, our organizations will build the future of health care in this community by creating new models for care delivery, shared resources and joint ventures. The result of these efforts will be a teaching, research and clinical-care model of national renown that will attract and retain the best and brightest clinical talent to provide our patients and the various communities we serve with the highest level of quality care.”

In addition, OHI and its patient base will bring new depth to WSU’s research programs, and the affiliation will enable WSU to expand the scope of clinical translational and community-based research that is directly relevant to the care of southeast Michigan’s diverse populations, including African Americans, Arab Americans and Hispanic Americans.

“Together we will identify and develop programs that have the potential to achieve national prominence,” said Robert M. Mentzer, Jr., M.D., dean of the WSU School of Medicine. “Joint programs will be framed by education and research, with a goal of improving clinical outcomes.”

“Through our partnership, we will create new clinical care, teaching and research opportunities that will build upon the already exceptional clinical quality of our medical staff,” said Michael A. Geheb, M.D., division president, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center and Oakwood Heritage Hospital, and a WSU School of Medicine graduate.  

The agreement is non-exclusive. Oakwood can accept students from other universities into its clinical programs and affiliate with other universities. WSU has the right to enter into affiliation agreements with other health care providers or medical centers.

OHI has a long history of productive and successful educational relationships with WSU’s colleges of nursing, pharmacy and health sciences. Today’s announcement takes that important partnership to the next level.

Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.


Wayne State University School of Medicine
With more than 1,000 students, the Wayne State University School of Medicine is the nation\'s third largest medical school. Together with its clinical partners, the Wayne State University Physician Group, and the hospitals of the Southeast Michigan Center for Medical Education, the school is a leader in medical research and patient care with emphases on cancer; maternal-child health; neurosciences; and population studies and urban health.

Oakwood Healthcare System
Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., is a comprehensive regional network of hospitals, healthcare centers, skilled nursing centers and related healthcare facilities. Oakwood has a medical staff of more than 1,200 doctors, and provides service to more than 1.2 million people in 35 southeastern Michigan communities. Oakwood\'s specialty services include women\'s and children\'s health (including high-risk obstetrics and neonatal care), geriatrics, emergency care, cancer care, surgery, cardiology and other specialties. Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center has been recognized as one of the nation\'s Top 100 cardiovascular hospitals six out of the last seven years. Oakwood is affiliated with the schools of medicine at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan and is a member of the University of Michigan Cancer Center Network. With more than 9,000 associates, Oakwood is the second largest employer in suburban Wayne County.  

Contact: Tom Worobec, Oakwood Healthcare, Inc.,
Voice: (313) 586-5389

Contact: Maria Leonhauser, Franco Public Relations Group
Voice: (313) 567-5080