With a few pen strokes, the University of Toledo and ProMedica inked an academic affiliation agreement Wednesday, ending months of negotiations and linking the institutions together for 50 years.
The pact provides UT’s college of medicine and life sciences with an influx of money for building projects on its Arlington Avenue campus and on ProMedica’s campus, as well as millions more in annual support payments.
The first $22 million chunk is en route to UT, university spokesman Jon Strunk said.
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Large numbers of UT medical students and residents eventually will train at Pro-Medica Toledo Hospital and Toledo Children’s Hospital.
UT trustees authorized the agreement Monday. ProMedica trustees approved it Friday. The deal was made official in a ceremonial signing Wednesday at downtown Toledo’s Grand Plaza Hotel.
“This is a transformational day for the University of Toledo, for ProMedica, and for the Toledo community,” said UT President Sharon Gaber. “As you all know, this agreement brings together the strengths of both of our organizations to recruit to Toledo the next generation of medical students, residents, and fellows and keep more of them practicing medicine in Toledo.”
She was seated at a table next to the 48-page document’s other signees, Dr. Christopher Cooper, UT’s executive vice president for clinical affairs and medical college dean; and Randy Oostra, ProMedica’s president and chief executive officer.
“Take the strength of the college of medicine, take the clinical operations of Toledo Hospital and Toledo Children’s and you combine those together, you have the makings of what will be one of the top academic medical centers in the country,” Mr. Oostra said.
A five-year transitional period begins now, in which the former Medical College of Ohio and ProMedica work to bring more medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty to ProMedica’s sites.
Dr. Cooper expressed appreciation for city leaders, including Paul Block, Jr., the late co-publisher of The Blade, who helped create the medical college nearly 51 years ago.
“I think today is a pivotal day, like 1964, because we’re signing an affiliation agreement that brings together two powerful organizations — the University of Toledo and ProMedica health system,” he said.
The University of Toledo Medical Center will continue to be independently owned and operated by UT.
ProMedica’s yearly academic support payments — used to recruit and retain faculty, build new clinical programs, and cover other expenses — will climb until they reach $50 million in fiscal year 2021. Following that, the sum UT receives will be based on a percentage of ProMedica’s patient-care revenue, an amount expected to be at least $50 million a year.
The first $100 million of $250 million slated for medical school campus development projects is to be spent by 2027.
The affiliation pact and building projects will be overseen by a six-member governing group led by Dr. Cooper. UT’s other members are Ms. Gaber and David Morlock, UTMC’s chief executive. ProMedica’s representatives are Mr. Oostra; Dr. Lee Hammerling, chief physician executive and chief medical officer; and Arturo Polizzi, president of Toledo Hospital and Toledo Children’s Hospital.
Contact Vanessa McCray at: vmccray@theblade.com or 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @vanmccray.
First Published August 27, 2015, 4:00 a.m.
