The pace of change in all of our lives seems to be accelerating at an almost dizzying pace. As someone who has the privilege of leading the University of Kansas Medical Center, I have a front-row seat from which to view the momentum of change. What I see is nothing short of remarkable.

One of my greatest joys is the opportunity to share with legislators, community leaders, students and other interested audiences how their medical center is a catalyst for positive change. The exceptional work of my talented colleagues and the dedication of our students, combined with the passion our donors and supporters bring to this institution, have made magnificent advancements possible.

While the University of Kansas Medical Center has been valued by our region for over a century, the progress we have made in recent years allows us to aspire to achievements previously thought unimaginable. As much as I enjoy sharing all that we have accomplished in the past, I am even more excited to convey all that we plan to achieve in the future.

The life sciences are at the core of what we do as an academic medical center. The lifesaving cures and new treatments that emerge from our labs enhance the lives of the patients we serve and create a robust environment to both teach and learn medicine. But the University of Kansas Medical Center is not an island, nor can we pursue our ambitions in a vacuum. Thankfully, there are many institutions and individuals who share our commitment to building an even better academic medical center.

To reach our goals and to make our vision a reality, we will need to aggressively pursue new partnerships in research and education.

This is one of the primary reasons we have engaged in discussions with The University of Kansas Hospital, Saint Luke’s Hospital, and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, and with Via Christi Regional Medical Center and Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. We believe that new affiliations with these key partners can help us expand our reach and support our mission to end suffering and death from disease. These research and academic collaborations will enhance our educational program by exposing our students to a rich variety of clinical settings. They also will improve our research results by bringing new talent and resources to support our life sciences agenda.

These new collaborations are designed to help educate more doctors, and the right kind of doctors, for service in our state and region. These new affiliations also will complement ongoing partnerships we have in place with researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. I am convinced that by working together around a shared vision, we will greatly accelerate the momentum behind the transformation of our regional economy and significantly improve the climate for world-class scientific research in the Heartland.

The University of Kansas Hospital, our primary partner, has enjoyed great success in recent years. Recently, the hospital welcomed Bob Page as the new President and CEO. We look forward to working with Bob and his team to create an even more vibrant and successful academic medical center here at 39th and Rainbow. In partnership with Bob and many others, we are making a difference at the University of Kansas Medical Center. I can assure you we will continue to work each day to do just that for the students, patients and the citizens we serve. +