WSU, Ascension announce partnership to bolster health care … – The Derby Informer

Wichita State University's College of Health Professions and Ascension Via Christi's Wichita hospitals announced today the creation of a strategic initiative to provide a critical pipeline of qualified health care professionals to the region.

Through the affiliation, Ascension Via Christi's hospitals will provide office and classroom space to Wichita States College of Health Professions School of Nursing and School of Health Sciences, expanding WSU students close access to working health care professionals directly in the hospital setting.

Additionally, the affiliation will provide a framework for WSU and Ascension Via Christi to help fuel the pipeline of trained health care professionals entering the field and further enhance professional growth opportunities for current and future Ascension Via Christi associates and WSU students.

"As Wichita State strives to live its mission to be an educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater good, it's crucial to prioritize the health and well-being of our community as a vital component in our overall success and prosperity," said Wichita State Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Shirley Lefever. "This collaboration connects our students with advanced professional opportunities, addresses the need for qualified health care workers in our state, and further establishes Wichita as a health care hub for our region. It also increases access and affordability to working health care professionals looking to enhance their education through Wichita State."

Kevin Strecker, ministry market leader for Ascension Via Christi, said the affiliation aligns well with the health care systems mission and efforts to recruit and retain the associates needed to ensure high-quality, compassionate care.

WSU wants to expand the enrollment capacity of its College of Health Professions degree programs, and we hope many of those students will choose to pursue their calling at Ascension Via Christi, Strecker said.

For WSU, the agreement will provide a robust collaboration for advancement of education, innovation and discovery, and community engagement, including:

It is an exciting time of change in academic health, biotechnology and pharmaceutical development, said Dr. Greg Hand, dean of the WSU College of Health Professions. Our university-teaching hospital affiliation is a major step forward in the march toward establishing Wichita and south central Kansas as a hub for innovation and collaboration in health care and health care education. This collaboration is a bold effort to address the major health challenges of our Wichita communities and to improve the wellness of Kansans across the state.

Ascension Via Christi and its associates will benefit from having an expanded pool of qualified health care professionals from which to recruit, many of whom will have trained with them in on-site clinical rotations and other learning opportunities.

Qualified Ascension Via Christi associates also will have expanded access to professional development and interprofessional and continuing education, including:

This is another example of our commitment to ensuring that our associates have on-the-job opportunities to grow and enhance their skills throughout their healthcare career, said Laurie Labarca, hospital president of Ascension Via Christi St. Teresa, who serves on WSUs Board of Trustees and on its College of Health Professions Deans Advisory Board. This strengthens our organization and our community.

The WSU and Via Christi affiliation also includes a commitment to continuing its collaboration in other ways, including research and innovation, public health initiatives, and youth education on health-related careers.

Ultimately the primary beneficiary of this affiliation will be the patients, patients families, and communities throughout Kansas that WSU and Ascension Via Christi serve, Strecker said.

Wichita State President Dr. Rick Muma says WSU is committed to serving the community through this and similar health care initiatives, such as theWichita Biomedical Campus, a plan by WSU, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas to build an approximately 470,000 square foot, $300 million shared biomedical campus in the heart of downtown Wichita.

This affiliation with Ascension Via Christi is just the latest example of that commitment.

Wichita State is heartily committed to being a driving force and advocate for the people and businesses of the communities we serve, and we are thrilled to be aligned with an organization whose values align so precisely with our own, Muma said.

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WSU, Ascension announce partnership to bolster health care ... - The Derby Informer