HCA Midwest Health extended its partnership with Kansas City University, becoming the latest health system to try to bolster the workforce pipeline through higher-education affiliations.
The seven-hospital division of for-profit hospital chain HCA Healthcare extended its physician training partnership Wednesday with the largest medical school in Missouri. It builds on an existing partnership between the two organizations that has been in place for many years, a spokesperson from the university said.
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HCA Midwest Health is among a growing group of health systems that aim to broaden their recruiting efforts and hone training programs as they manage staffing shortages. Universities are poised to benefit from these types of partnerships as medical students seek employment opportunities at health systems after graduating.
More than 71,000 physicians left the industry in 2021 and 2022, outpacing the number of doctors entering the workforce, according to data from data analysis firm Definitive Healthcare and the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Here are five recent partnerships between health systems and colleges and universities.
1. HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City University
Under the extended six-year partnership, Kansas City University medical students will be able to train under an attending physician at HCA Midwest hospitals, including Research Medical Center, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Centerpoint Medical Center, Menorah Medical Center, Lee's Summit Medical Center, Belton Regional Medical Center and Lafayette Regional Health Center. Physicians at Kansas City, Missouri-based HCA Midwest also will receive academic faculty appointments at the university. HCA Midwest's parent company has been continuing to build on its long-term clinician recruitment strategy since its 2020 acquisition of the Galen College of Nursing in Louisville, Kentucky.
2. Memorial Health, Illinois State University
Springfield, Illinois-based Memorial Health, in partnership with the Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing, opened a Mennonite College of Nursing facility in Springfield in August. In June, the five-hospital nonprofit health system invested $4 million in Illinois College’s nursing program. Memorial also has partnerships with University of Illinois, Lincoln Land Community College and Richland Community College.
3. AdventHealth, Orlando Health, University of Central Florida College of Nursing
Altamonte Springs, Florida-based AdventHealth and Orlando Health invested $10 million in June in the University of Central Florida College of Nursing. The health systems, which employ more than 12,000 nurses at 34 hospitals across Central Florida, will provide tuition assistance to 10 nursing students a year at a new UCF campus in the Orlando area and establish a paid summer internship program for up to 15 students annually.
4. Trinity Health Michigan, University of Michigan
Trinity Health Michigan, a division of Liviona, Michigan-based Trinity Health, partnered with University of Michigan’s School of Nursing in Flint in July. Trinity will provide tuition assistance for up to two semesters for nursing students who commit to a one- to two-year student employment contract with Trinity.
5. Ochsner Health, University of Queensland
New Orleans-based Ochsner Health and University of Queensland (Australia) extended their joint venture in September to expand training opportunities for physicians. The primary care-focused joint venture, which started in 2009, was extended through 2030. The program has led to 856 medical student graduates since 2009, 30% of whom have stayed in Louisiana, Ochsner said. Ochsner also has a partnership with Loyola University New Orleans to expand training opportunities for undergraduate nursing students.
