Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Maricopa Integrated Health System, District Medical Group — all in Phoenix — and Omaha, Neb.-based Creighton University School of Medicine signed a memorandum of understanding to increase the number of physicians and health professionals in the state of Arizona.
The agreement was created to improve and expand the organizations' health education programs and to develop new academic and clinical education programs in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and allied health. Officials tentatively named the collaborative organization the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance.
While the formal agreements have yet to be finalized, the organizations have developed plans for a partnership of residency and fellowship programs to begin July 2017. The new alliance will also expand Creighton's presence in Arizona. The other parties will continue to offer their individual programs and educational training opportunities.
"Our physicians see this as an opportunity to further our mission of patient care, education, and research," said Kote Chundu, MD, president and CEO of District Medical Group, in a statement. "We are excited about how this partnership will be instrumental in providing for Arizona's healthcare workforce needs and allowing us to continue to recruit excellent faculty for our medical students and residents."