Faculty Collaboration Database

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment: How a Health Care Conversion Foundation Is Transforming a Medical School. Acad Med 2016 Jan;91(1):42-7

Date

10/08/2015

Pubmed ID

26445084

DOI

10.1097/ACM.0000000000000924

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84952975667 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

Health care conversion foundations, such as the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (the endowment) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), result from the conversion of nonprofit health organizations to for-profit corporations. Over the past several decades, nearly 200 of these foundations have been created, and they have had a substantial impact on the field of health philanthropy. The MCW was a recipient of funds resulting from Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin's conversion from a nonprofit to a for-profit status in 1999. Established in 2004, the endowment has invested approximately $185 million in 337 research, education, and public and community health initiatives that benefit Wisconsin residents. However, the transformative potential of the health care conversion foundation has extended well beyond the opportunities provided through the endowment's financial resources. As the endowment celebrates its 10th anniversary, the authors describe the transformative nature of the endowment, as well as significant accomplishments and lessons learned, in the following areas: shared power, community partnerships, translational research, and integration of medicine and public health. It is the authors' hope that these lessons will be valuable to other medical schools and the communities they serve, as they invest in improving the health of their communities, irrespective of the funding source.

Author List

Maurana CA, Lucey PA, Ahmed SM, Kerschner JE, Bolton GA Jr, Raymond JR Sr

Authors

Cheryl A. Maurana PhD SVP Str Acad Ptnrshp, Dir, Prof in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
John R. Raymond MD President, CEO, Professor in the President department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Community-Institutional Relations
Foundations
Health Promotion
Humans
Public Health
Schools, Medical
Wisconsin