In early February, Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences celebrated its fourth anniversary.
“Anniversaries are a time to look backward at where we've been and forward on where we're going,” said Norm Hubbard, Henry Ford + MSU president. “It’s inspiring to look at what this group has been able to do together in four short years.”
From the initial concept written on a napkin to the official establishment on February 1, 2021, the Henry Ford + MSU partnership is setting a new standard for how individuals and communities experience care across the state of Michigan and the nation.
“With new students in new places, new researchers doing new work and now clinical integration creating unprecedented opportunities, the only thing more exciting than looking back is looking forward to what we're going to do together,” said Hubbard.
The partnership completes its fourth year with tremendous progress made throughout the Henry Ford + MSU committees. Each committee is comprised of Henry Ford and MSU members who are passionate and dedicated to creating new synergies that will push the partnership’s vision forward.
“More than four years ago, we started dreaming about this vision of bringing two amazing institutions together to change the image and the future of health care around the nation,” said Adnan Munkarah, M.D., Henry Ford + MSU board chair.
This past year, the partnership achievements include the Henry Ford + MSU Research Center groundbreaking, cancer planning with a new leadership triad, clinical integration with the Henry Ford Medical Group and MSU Health Care, and expanding education and innovation initiatives, ranging from MSU Engineering Capstone projects to interprofessional education advances.
“We are incredibly proud to see the successes from our efforts of collaboration in research, education, cancer, and now in clinical integration,” said Munkarah. “This has been a really wonderful, wonderful partnership that is going to have a very long-lasting impact, and we look forward to the many more years of success, hope and excitement as these two great partners come together with one vision.”
The Henry Ford + MSU partnership now welcomes the beginning of its fifth year with enthusiasm as joint teams are diligently advancing priorities for 2025.
“I think 2025 in particular is a pivotal year,” said Teri Grieb, Ph.D., Henry Ford + MSU chief administrative officer.
Some of the new initiatives include further solidifying clinical integration, advancing areas that can serve as precursors to NCI Cancer Center Support Grant programs, and establishing a joint vision for MSU medical and nursing education at Henry Ford Health.
“This year will be an inflection point for the great work that the partnership has planned on the horizon as we lock into our vision of transforming lives,” said Grieb.