NJHA and N.J. Council of Teaching Hospitals Announce Transition Plan

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals announced today that they have approved an agreement to transition five key functions from NJCTH to NJHA to continue both organizations' strong commitment to teaching hospitals and medical schools.

The agreement is the result of ongoing discussions between the two associations as NJCTH has determined to wind down its operations. The goal is to provide member support and advocacy to the state's teaching hospitals in an efficient, effective way.

"Our organizations share a commitment to New Jersey's 42 teaching hospitals and their vital role in delivering education, research and cutting-edge healthcare services to the people of our state," said Steven Littleson, president of Meridian Hospitals Corp. and chairman of the NJCTH Board. "This agreement assures that those activities will continue in a seamless way."

"NJHA and NJCTH have joint members among New Jersey's teaching hospitals. We're pleased to be able to give them a common home at NJHA," said Leslie Hirsch, president of Saint Peter's Healthcare System and chairman of the NJHA Board.

Under the one-year agreement, NJCTH President and CEO Deborah Briggs will remain in her role and will move her office to NJHA's headquarters in Princeton. Briggs will continue to provide NJCTH administrative and member services, while working with NJHA staff on transitioning five essential core functions from NJCTH to NJHA and its corporate subsidiary, the Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey:

• enhancing undergraduate and graduate medical education through stakeholder forums
• supporting physician workforce research and publications
• supporting physician retention programs
• maintaining and staffing the Council of Children's Hospitals
• providing medical education advocacy.

The goal is to have NJCTH's core functions fully integrated into NJHA in 2017.

"This is a win-win for our members," said Briggs. "I'm so pleased that we were able to reach an agreement where the key priorities of NJCTH will continue to flourish under NJHA. We have a very positive, collaborative working arrangement that will truly benefit our teaching hospital members."

New Jersey's 42 teaching hospitals play an essential role in the state's healthcare delivery system. They train more than 3,100 residents each year, preparing the next generation of physicians for our state. The state's teaching hospitals also are responsible for conducting medical research and clinical trials that provide leading-edge healthcare services. They also are an essential part of New Jersey's healthcare safety net, delivering patient care to our state's neediest patients.

According to a 2013 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges, New Jersey teaching hospitals had a total economic impact of $15.4 billion in 2011 and were responsible for 95,000 jobs.

Key policy issues confronting teaching hospitals include the need for adequate state and federal funding for graduate medical education and the need for sufficient residency slots to train future physicians.

"The issues confronting teaching hospitals have a very real impact on the people of New Jersey," said NJHA President and CEO Betsy Ryan. "We count on teaching hospitals to ensure there will be a sufficient number of physicians to care for us in the future, and to provide clinical trials and other leading-edge healthcare services right here at home."

SOURCE New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA)

Related Links

http://www.njha.com