The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Omaha-based Nebraska Medicine and the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb. have announced a partnership to develop a clinical and academic affiliation, according to a WOWT 6 report.
Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine and president of Nebraska Medicine, expressed optimism for the partnership saying it will increase opportunities for training, research and innovation that can transform the lives of all people with rehabilitative needs in addition to serving the local community, patients and university students, according to the report.
Under the agreement, UNMC plans to develop a new residency program, of which Madonna will serve as the primary teaching site. In addition, UNMC plans to develop an academic department of physical medicine and rehabilitation within the university's College of Medicine.
UNMC and Nebraska Medicine will provide physician services at Madonna's campus in Omaha, and the three entities will collaborate to develop new technologies that improve rehabilitation outcomes, according to the report.
Omaha is an underserved metro area in physical medicine and rehabilitation services, according to the report.
To combat the shortage of services in the area, Madonna established a long-term care hospital and inpatient rehabilitation services at Bellevue (Neb.) Medical Center, which is a part of Nebraska Medicine, this spring. Under the new partnership, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine will continue to clinically support the new Madonna location as well as provide a wider range of services and academic programs.
Madonna's new Omaha Campus is scheduled to open in the fall of 2016, according to the report.