2020 VISION
Discover Learn Heal
TULANE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE S T R AT E G I C P L A N
LETTER FROM THE DEAN . . .
Since its founding, Tulane University School of Medicine has striven to discover and share knowledge that will train the next generation of physicians and scientists to address our most compelling healthcare challenges. We work to provide high quality health care for our patients in the communities we serve. But we must constantly reflect and evaluate to make sure that we are fulfilling our mission. In fall 2013, more than 100 faculty, students, trainees and staff began an intense process to assess our strengths and weaknesses and looked rigorously at our opportunities and potential threats. Our medical school community has collaborated and devised a plan that will carry us forward into the year 2020. What we have created is Vision 2020, the strategic plan for the Tulane School of Medicine. As a valued supporter of the School of Medicine, we wanted to share a brief introduction to our five main goals for the future. Vision 2020 not only serves as a guide, but it will push us further and help
us expand the realm of what we thought possible. I am excited about the possibilities for our future and look forward to sharing our progress in achieving these goals, as well as how your support can make our vision a reality.
L. LEE HAMM, M.D.
Senior Vice President & Dean of the School of Medicine The James R. Doty Distinguished Professor and Chair
RESEARCH WITHOUT BOUNDS . . .
Our research has the power to better human life. With existing and emerging clinical and public health challenges, we ask ourselves, how can we enhance our research strengths to create more discoveries that have greater impact? And how can we make the work we are doing more effective? Collaboration. Researchers often work in separate worlds of basic sciences and clinical research. And that separation can become even more intense when we factor in specific disease types or even specialties of medicine. Yet by putting our researchers together, either physically or virtually, they realize a shared interest and better ways of answering questions. That collaboration sparks creativity. A new vision for the same problem is how we make breakthroughs in science. Our plan is to organize our research more effectively by establishing a comprehensive clinical research center that can provide a hub for recruiting talented faculty, professional growth, and innovation. The center will provide our faculty and scientific staff with the resources they need to succeed, be more creative, more productive, and focused on translating their findings to improve patient care. We need to combine our energy and focus on the things we already do well. Areas like infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases including renal and metabolic disorders, cancer, and aging are our current research strengths, and we will focus our efforts on making these areas more productive and better recognized. But we also want to explore our emerging strengths in lung biology, liver disease, neurosciences, and health disparities. These are areas for future growth and have great potential for excellence in research. OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THE FUTURE
• Recruit and develop a critical mass of innovative investigators. • Focus recruitment efforts on renowned and very promising faculty in key research areas. • Develop junior faculty using proven training strategies. • Create a comprehensive clinical research center.
LIFELONG LEARNING . . .
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” ~ A L B E R T
EINSTEIN
Medicine is an exciting, yet challenging field in part because it is constantly evolving and changing. As technology broadens and biomedical science expands, it is necessary to enhance one’s knowledge in order to best serve patients and the medical profession. Lifelong learning is an essential component for physicians, scientists and educators. It begins with our continued ability to attract and retain qualified students from diverse backgrounds, irrespective of financial means. We not only want to give these future health professionals the tools they need to continually acquire knowledge, but we want to give our past students the ability to come back to Tulane and continue their education. To provide our students with the tools they need to learn, we want to organize our efforts and create sections or academies devoted to areas of similar interest. Research, global health, primary care and technology are all potential areas that could be the focus of a learning academy. These academies would play an essential role in the development and camaraderie of students and the faculty who teach them. They would work on educational programming that enhances the learning experience, cultivates their interpersonal skills, and ultimately provides the foundation for better patient care. These academies would provide interaction and learning for residents and fellows. This hub will create a new exchange of knowledge and enhance students’ understanding of lifelong learning. With medical advances and increasing practice regulations come new requirements for practicing physicians to be up to date in their field. We want our alumni, residents and fellows to see Tulane as a natural place to return and enhance the skills that are essential for high quality patient care. We hope to provide an avenue for any physician, regardless of Tulane affiliation, to receive continuing education from a world-class medical institution. We plan to develop a program that will provide opportunities for physicians to maintain their certifications across multiple specialties. OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THE FUTURE
• Develop six to eight learning academies. • Expand programs for physicians to maintain certification in their field while increasing quality of patient care. • Increase student scholarships.
GROWING OUR CLINICAL ENTERPRISE . . .
Tulane intends to grow our clinical footprint. But today’s changing healthcare landscape requires innovative approaches and new strategies to overcome the challenges ahead. Working in teams and investing in primary care can improve health outcomes while being cost effective for patients. We are placing an emphasis on finding ways to reduce costs while providing quality service. We must strategically expand our clinical practice in order to achieve those goals. The creation of integrated health systems has been a way to improve collaboration, prioritize programs and improve the value of care. The national trends toward more outpatient services and more primary care, along with a focus on wellness and incentives to deliver care more efficiently, make the expansion of the ambulatory care footprint a natural one. We plan to offer our patients convenient, outpatient care close to where they live and work. This will benefit our patients, and it will increase the outreach of our physicians and other healthcare providers.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THE FUTURE
• • • •
Enlarge the ambulatory care program. Offer affiliation opportunities to other practicing physicians. Align our strategies with our hospital partners. Expand clinical services for the Tulane University community.
PREMIER PROGRAMS . . .
Oncology, neuroscience, sports medicine and transplantation are among our areas of strength for treatment and care of our patients. But the scope of our services and our visibility as a destination provider should be enhanced. Our goal is to make Tulane a nationally recognized home of excellence in these clinical areas. By partnering with Tulane Medical Center, we will expand programming, hire new faculty and become the best provider of these services in the region. Growing these areas will allow Tulane to become a destination of choice for services in oncology, neuroscience, sports medicine and transplantation. In research, we have nationally recognized strengths in infectious diseases, oncology, cardiovascular and kidney diseases and aging. We will focus on these areas of strength to enhance our overall research portfolio and increase discoveries that advance the fields and ultimately improve patient care. Enhancing areas of clinical and research strength and becoming nationally renowned will revitalize the recognition and the brand of Tulane University School of Medicine.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THE FUTURE
• Further develop clinical areas of oncology, neuroscience, sports medicine and transplantation. • Partner with the hospital to expand these areas, grow market share and achieve national recognition. • Enhance research strength in infectious diseases, oncology, cardiovascular and kidney diseases and aging.
OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY . . .
Patients and their families consider many factors when choosing health care, but ultimately, none is more important than the quality of patient care delivered and the satisfaction experienced by both the patients and their families. As an institution, we are committed to the best quality of care and patient safety. Our goal is to become a national leader in improving healthcare quality and safety. We must take progressive steps forward and focus on accountability and transparency. We will develop programs and tools that engage healthcare workers—from frontline staff to senior leadership—to realize measurable advances in care delivery throughout our entire health system. Our success will be measured in continual clinical performance monitoring, medical outcomes, ongoing research and academic programs and receipt of national published designations and awards.
OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THE FUTURE
• Create a system for documenting quality metrics that ensures accountability. • Establish a patient and family advisory board to offer new perspectives and feedback about patient care. • Promote quality and safety through faculty and staff development programs such as Tulane Team STEPPS (an evidence-based teamwork system), research on quality and cost and outcomes-focused, population health research.
Discover
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Learn W H AT W I L L S U C C E S S LOOK LIKE?
By following the strategies set in place and working toward our goals, Vision 2020 will ensure our future success. As a collaborative institution, we will obtain the highest standards of research, education and patient care. We will invest our resources wisely and enlist support where it is needed.
To be truly successful, we will need your help. You are an important part of making Vision 2020 come to life. Our alumni and community are our partners in this journey, and Vision 2020 is our road map to the future.
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VISION
To be a distinctive, preeminent, research-intensive medical school, transforming health through discovery, lifelong learning and patient-centered health care.
MISSION
We improve human health and foster healthy communities through discovery and translation of the best science into clinical practice and education to deliver the highest quality patient care and prepare the next generation of distinguished clinical and scientific leaders.
C O R E VA L U E S
Accountability | Compassion | Quality Integrity | Diversity | Creativity | Collaboration
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