Detroit Medical Center, part of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, and Troy, Mich.-based Wayne State University Physician Group agreed to a partnership extension on Aug. 27.
Under the memorandum of agreement, DMC and Wayne State expect to enter into a five-year clinical and medical administrative services contract under which the roughly 300 Wayne State physicians will continue providing medical services at DMC's seven hospitals and associated healthcare facilities, according to a joint news release obtained by Becker's Hospital Review.
"This agreement addresses the main concerns of both DMC and UPG. Most importantly, as these discussions continue, there are no changes to the existing academic and administrative agreements, meaning no disruptions for patients, physicians, students, medical residents, staff or the community," Charles J. Shanley, MD, Wayne State University Physician Group president and CEO, said in an Aug. 27 letter to faculty obtained by Becker's.
In an Aug. 27 statement to staff obtained by Becker's, Detroit Medical Center CEO Anthony Tedeschi, MD, said that the health system and Wayne State expect to finalize the agreement over the next few weeks, with a signing planned in late September.
The deal comes roughly four months after both sides threatened to end their nearly 100-year relationship earlier this year. In May, DMC and Wayne State said they were ending their partnership, but later reneged and agreed to extend their contract by six months.