Wright State University and Premier Health more closely align operations, creating a transformational partnership

Premier Health and Wright State University are closely aligning their operations under a new long-term affiliation agreement that enhances the Dayton region’s access to state-of-the-art medical care.

The new agreement highlights the institutions’ shared commitment to excellence in education, workforce and economic development, research, clinical program development and community health.

The partnership is transformational and prioritizes producing more clinicians, nurses and other health care providers; spurring new research opportunities; and providing patients better access to vital medical care closer to home.

The agreement formally establishes a primary academic affiliation between Wright State and Premier Health and includes all of Wright State’s colleges and academic programs and all of Premier Health’s sites of care. The partnership also will present new opportunities for federal funding to support clinical activities, teaching, and research.

This more integrated operating model will position Premier Health and Wright State to develop a comprehensive, collaborative approach to meet the needs of the community for years to come.

On April 26, the Wright State University Board of Trustees approved the new affiliation agreement, which replaces the current agreement between the two organizations.

“This new affiliation agreement is a game changer for the Dayton region,” said Sue Edwards, president of Wright State University. “It not only continues and improves the delivery of excellent medical care to residents of the region by expanding the accessibility of a wider array of medical care closer to home, but it also offers increased training and learning opportunities for our nursing, public health and medical students and medical school residents.”

“The level of trust, excitement and depth in the relationship between senior leaders of both institutions has been striking to me,” said Michael C. Riordan, president and CEO of Premier Health. “From the beginning, we’ve recognized that this affiliation can be transformative for both institutions. There’s just tremendous potential here to bolster our workforce and the future of health care in the region.”

Highlights of the 30-year agreement include:

Innovations and new initiatives in health care education: Investments from Premier Health — totaling $10 million in year one and $15 million in year two — will be invested to support an increase in the class size at Wright State’s Boonshoft School of Medicine, as well as training and programs to grow the nursing workforce.

Shared board representation: Wright State University and Premier Health will each appoint one member of its board leadership to serve as a non-voting representative on the other’s governing board.

Collaborative operations: A new Joint Operating Committee will serve as the vehicle through which strategic partnership initiatives will be developed and executed.

In December, Wright State and Premier Health announced the creation of a new integrated leadership position that will serve as the dean of the Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine and the chief academic officer of Premier Health. The organizations have hired Russell Reynolds Associates to lead a national search for this new position.

The agreement also is a catalyst for recognition of Miami Valley Hospital as an academic medical center, and for growth in clinical training programs at other Premier Health hospitals such as Atrium Medical Center in Middletown and Upper Valley Medical Center in Miami County.

Premier Health and Wright State University already collaborate in many ways through the Boonshoft School of Medicine and Wright State’s nursing and health sciences programs.

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About Wright State: A Carnegie-classified research university, Wright State University’s main campus is 12 miles northeast of downtown Dayton, Ohio, near the historic landmarks where the Wright brothers taught the world to fly. The university operates a branch campus, Wright State University–Lake Campus, on the shores of Grand Lake St. Marys in Celina, Ohio. Wright State serves 11,000 students and offers nearly 300 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional degree programs through six colleges and the Boonshoft School of Medicine. For more information, visit wright.edu.

About Premier Health: Based in Dayton, Ohio, Premier Health (www.premierhealth.com) is committed to support the community through its mission: To Care. To Teach. To Innovate. To Serve. Home to the region’s only adult Level I trauma center and the largest locally based clinical laboratory, Premier Health continues to build upon a more than 130-year legacy of providing clinical excellence and compassionate care to friends and neighbors across Southwest Ohio. The health system offers award-winning care at five hospital sites: Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton with additional inpatient sites at Miami Valley Hospital South in Centerville and Miami Valley Hospital North in Englewood; Atrium Medical Center in Middletown; and Upper Valley Medical Center in Miami County. In addition, Premier Health provides a comprehensive range of care choices at its seven emergency departments, eight Urgent Care locations, and more than 130 outpatient locations and affiliated primary care and specialty physician offices, as well as home health, mental health, and substance abuse services.