Expansion Project Update – March 28, 2008

 

Printable Version

The overarching intent of the Medical College of Georgia’s Physician Education Expansion Project is to contribute to a healthier Georgia by assuring that Georgians have access to high quality health care—the right care provided by the right provider in the right location at the right time. Activities of note over the latest reporting period include the following:

 

ADMINISTRATION

1. On March 19, President Rahn presented an update on the physician education expansion project to the Board of Regents, emphasizing the need for collaboration, synergy, and a continuing focus on the overarching intent of the project—a healthier Georgia.

 

2. Following that presentation, Presidents Rahn and Adams, Dean Miller, and Provost Mace met in Atlanta to discuss budgetary, accreditation, and other administrative issues associated with the execution of the MCG/UGA partnership and medical education expansion into Athens.

 

3. Also on March 19, Dean Miller and Provost Mace co‐chaired the first monthly meeting of the MCG/UGA campus dean search committee in Washington, Georgia. Members of the MCG and UGA faculty, as well as a member of the Athens medical community, constitute the search committee.

 

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

1. No significant updates for this reporting period. Efforts to identify clinical education opportunities in regions across the state continue, as do collaborative curriculum development discussions.

 

ADMISSIONS

1. No significant updates or changes to activities for this reporting period. The working group of the School of Medicine Admissions Committee continues its assessment of admissions structure and process.

 

FACILITIES

1. On March 24, the United States Department of Education notified President Adams of its contingent approval of UGA’s application to acquire the 58‐acre Navy Supply Corps School property and facilities through a public benefit conveyance to create a centralized health‐related academic campus. The US Navy is expected to dispose of the Navy School property by September 2011 and, upon the Navy’s approval of the Local Redevelopment Authority plan, would assign the property to the United States Department of Education for conveyance to UGA.

 

2. MCG has received a declaration of intent from the members of the Augusta Richmond County Commission authorizing the City Administrator to develop a financial mechanism to purchase the Gilbert Manor property and gift it to the University System of Georgia and MCG. The commitment is to develop a comprehensive acquisition and transfer plan within 60 days.

 

3. With this municipal commitment in hand, the program planning and integrated design of a dental school, medical school, and educational commons complex can continue to move forward on the Gilbert Manor site.

 

REGIONAL CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

1. The first round of interviews for the assistant dean position at the southeast campus based in Savannah is complete. The search committee has chosen two candidates to return for a second round of interviews in both Augusta and Savannah.

 

2. The southwest clinical campus continues to grow with two new sites—Albany and Columbus—being added this week in psychiatry. St. Francis Hospital in Columbus is eager to affiliate with us to sponsor students in psychiatry and several other rotations in the near future.

 

FINANCIAL

1. The chief financial officers of MCG and UGA joined a meeting on March 19 with Presidents Rahn and Adams, Dean Miller, and Provost Mace to discuss budgeting and financial management for the Athens site. Specific items addressed included funding of the initial facility to be leased by UGA to MCG and development of a budget structure that would fully fund the partnership between the two institutions.

 

LEGISLATIVE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS

1. On March 24, President Rahn spent the afternoon at the Capitol and appeared before the Senate Higher Education Appropriations subcommittee.

 

2. We continue to follow activity at the Capitol related to funding for both the physician education expansion project and MCG proposed dental facility. Funding decisions will impact future directions related to co-location of facilities to support both expansions while realizing financial and other efficiencies for the state.

 

a. As of Friday afternoon, the Senate version of the budget included the Governor’s recommendation for $7.2 million to support medical education expansion. Five million to support planning and design of a medical school commons in Augusta, which was included in the House version, was zeroed out by the Senate. House and Senate budget conferees have begun efforts to reach consensus on final budget recommendations in anticipation of an April 4th close of session.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

As noted in the first update, MCG’s ongoing expansion efforts are guided by a comprehensive operational plan that outlines short- and long-term critical tasks and target dates. The first report outlined major pushes over the coming months and specific expected outcomes through April 2008.

 

Key Near-term Events

1. The working group charged by the School of Medicine Admissions Committee will make recommendations to the committee and to the Dean regarding structural and procedural changes to support the expansion by mid‐April.

 

2. The selection of an assistant dean for the southeast clinical campus in Savannah is expected to occur in May with the successful candidate assuming responsibilities this summer.

 

3. Leadership from MCG and UGA will seek guidance from the LCME Secretariat in Washington DC on April 17, 2008, related to the appropriate pathway and timeline for development and accreditation of the MCG branch campus in Athens in partnership with UGA.

 

Submitted by …
Daniel W. Rahn, MD
President, Medical College of Georgia
and Senior Vice Chancellor for Health and Medical Programs, University System of Georgia