Nashville leaders discuss future of healthcare, education
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Writer: Jerrica DuBois
July 2024 — The symbiotic relationship between healthcare and education is clear, with the two sectors collaborating to ensure they are meeting the evolving needs from emerging trends, according to industry leaders speaking at the recent Invest: Nashville launch conference.
“Every hospital has to have a CFO, a COO, wrap-around services, and all of those pieces that make it work. We have to make sure we are creating the educational platforms for those entities to also be provided and be available,” said Frank Stevenson, dean of students and associate vice president for Tennessee State University.
Stevenson participated in a panel titled, Future Ready: How promoting a symbiotic healthcare-education relationship positions the Middle Tennessee economy to meet emerging trends. The panel was presented by George Crawford, attorney at Butler Snow, and moderated by Melanie Thomas, chief information officer for Nashville General Hospital. The discussion featured insights from key figures in healthcare and education: Greg Jones, president of Belmont University, David Lewis, CEO of The Surgical Clinic, and Stevenson.
“We sometimes focus on just those that are going to medical school, but there are so many other aspects to careers in this space that we are redefining and reintroducing,” added Stevenson when asked about new programs and curriculum adjustments to address emerging trends in healthcare. “We are seeing students that don’t want to be an MD, but want a career in health delivery and health services. ”
Discussions around healthcare, particularly in an industry hub like Nashville, include new partnerships and collaborations. For example, Franklin-based Community Health Systems, Inc. recently expanded its partnership with Cost Plus Drugs Co., owned by Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban. With nearly 300 healthcare organizations in Middle Tennessee, oversaturation could be a concern. Some, however, believe the competition makes the region stronger.
“Look at what we have here with Vanerbilt, HCA TriStar, Ascension Saint Thomas, and Maury Regional Medical Center,” said Lewis. “These world-class organizations make Nashville the healthcare hub that it is. What you get with them is competition that is healthy because everyone wants to be the best. That is going to provide better quality of care and better outcomes for our patients. It should also help reduce costs. One of the challenges we face is the consolidation in healthcare. When you have less providers, you have less choice, and economically that makes the price go up.”
One factor in keeping cost manageable, in healthcare and education, is investment. According to CNBC, the health-tech startup arena is booming in the region, as Nashville’s rich history in healthcare makes it prime for innovation. According to the Nashville Health Care Council, the city brings in $97 billion per year in revenue from healthcare companies. With that, it makes sense that the city also looks to support new businesses in the industry through organizations such as the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. That also filters back into education when looking at investments in Middle Tennessee’s colleges and universities, and specifically in their healthcare programs. For example, Belmont University recently opened its new Fist College of Medicine.
“In our new building, we have 60,000 square feet of a simulation lab to bring together health professionals,” said Jones. “Healthcare is a team sport, and we need to train people more in those teams to cultivate better patient care and patient outcomes. We have a strong focus to work in the community. One of the ironies that we need to address in Nashville is that a city known as a healthcare hub actually doesn’t have very good healthcare outcomes. We have to look more at the social drivers of health, which is something that is embedded in our curriculum.”
To hear more, click here.
Winding down the conversation, the panelists tackled the future of healthcare and education in the region. The discussion covered everything from the importance of attracting high-quality students to Nashville and instilling a commitment to lifelong learning.
“The quality of a city is immensely measured by the rigor of its healthcare delivery and higher education opportunities,” Stevenson stated. “Nashville has done well.”
For more information, visit:
https://thesurgicalclinics.com/
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