CNHI
August 17, 2010 —
As the result of a $30 million investment and a unique partnership of three institutions, a 10-year-old dream will be fulfilled Friday, Aug. 27 with the dedication of The Center for Health, Education and Research (CHER).
The public is invited to a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting ceremony on the first floor of the four-story CHER facility, which is located on the campus of St. Claire Regional Medical Center as a joint venture of St. Claire Regional, Morehead State University and the University of Kentucky.
“This ceremony will be a tribute to those individuals who never gave up their dream of a state-of-the-art facility where students from across this region could be trained for a variety of careers in healthcare,” said MSU President Wayne D. Andrews.
Mark J. Neff, president and CEO of St. Claire Regional said:
“We now have the means for students and residents to train side-by-side and care for patients in a modern primary care facility and where research on the causes of chronic diseases in East Kentucky can be evaluated and innovative solutions proposed.”
The 90,000 square foot facility was constructed on land provided by St. Claire Regional with funding from the state and federal governments. It is considered the first such partnership involving a regional public university, a land grant university and a private, non-profit hospital corporation.
“Our institutions owe a huge debt of gratitude to Congressman Hal Rogers and to State Rep. Rocky Adkins and others whose efforts brought us the planning monies and later the construction and equipment dollars,” said Andrews and Neff (and UK person).
A variety of programs will be housed in the new Center, including MSU’s bachelor’s and associate degrees in nursing, associate degree in radiologic sciences, and bachelor’s degrees in computed tomography/magnetic resonance and diagnostic medical sonography.
The facility also will host St. Claire Regional’s family medicine clinic, family medicine residency, certified registered nurse anesthetist program and the Northeast Kentucky Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
The University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine will operate its Rural Physician Leadership Program, the third and fourth year of medical school, as well as the Center for Excellence in Rural Health, the Office of Research and Engagement for Advancing Community Health (REACH) and the Kentucky Homeplace Program.
CHER also will house the master’s degree in physician assistant studies of UK’s College of Health Sciences. According to Andrews and Neff, a number of other program opportunities are being discussed with UK’s Colleges of Dentistry, Pharmacy and Public Health.
In terms of its impact on the region, the opening of CHER will result in the creation of a number of new, high paying jobs as educational programs and clinical programs are established and expanded.
The facility is expected to markedly improve the supply of urgently needed healthcare professionals by allowing local students to train here and remain near their hometowns to practice.
The significantly expanded SCR Family Medicine Clinic will improve citizen access to primary care service. The new facility will serve as an important recruitment tool for Morehead State University and St. Claire Regional.
CHER has allowed the UK College of Medicine to develop its first off-campus satellite training program in Kentucky. It also will enhance rural health research capacity in the region.
