Collaboration to help improve health
care in South County
Citing their shared vision to improve population health, the
University of Rhode Island and South County Health, a nonprofit health care
provider based in South Kingstown, have signed a memorandum of understanding to
enhance education for health professionals and advance the well-being of local
communities.
“The University’s academically robust programs related to
health and health care make it a uniquely qualified partner for South County
Health, as we work to advance our common goals of educating highly skilled
health care professionals and improving the health of the communities where we
live and work,” said Bryan Blissmer, acting director of URI’s Institute for
Integrated Health and Innovation.
In 2016, URI created the Academic Health Collaborative —
comprising the Colleges of Health Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy — to further
innovation across disciplines in the rapidly changing landscape of population
health and health care.
The Institute for Integrated Health and Innovation acts as the community engagement and research arm of the Collaborative and will implement joint efforts with South County Health, which operates South County Hospital and three other community health entities.
URI and South County Health already collaborate on the
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds initiative. South County Health launched this
effort to diminish disparities and improve the overall health of local
residents through education, health care and social service. The new agreement
formalizes this relationship and offers additional opportunities for
collaboration.
The purposes of the new partnership are:
- Design
and implement student experiences that advance the education of health
professionals while providing service to the community;
- Seek
funding for innovative community health programs that build on
collaboration among URI, South County Health and community partners;
- Enhance
educational opportunities for South County Health employees seeking to
gain skills and knowledge in their health professions;
- Identify
and pursue funding for clinical research that engages South County Health
patients and marshals the expertise of URI faculty.
Specific initiatives, projects and collaborations are being
developed as a result of this agreement, and details will be announced as they
emerge.