Developing a Community-Academic Health Center: Strategies and Lessons Learned

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe the process that Wright State University School of Medicine used to establish and build partnerships with various stakeholders in the City of Dayton, Ohio, to develop a community—academic health center. To ensure the success of this effort, it was important to identify key stakeholders in an inner city health center, and to establish effective partnerships with the stakeholders. Common goals were developed for the health center that met the expectations of all the partners. Application of the principles of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) led the group to define the set of common goals. The needs of the community were identified, and mechanisms to address the needs were developed using the tools of the CQI process. The programs emphasized health promotion by focusing on patient education and behavioral modification. Accepting the various priorities for the center enabled the School of Medicine to establish a quality community-based educational site for students that was fully supported by the other stakeholders. Success is evident in that all partners are satisfied with the outcomes, and students rank the site as their first choice for the family medicine rotation.