The University of Memphis and Church Health Center have agreed to work together to help provide healthcare to a portion of Memphis’ undeserved population.
Both the U of M and Church Health Center said they share the same mission to improve the quality of life in the community. They will collaborate in the areas of wellness research, programming and education.
“We are in the business of improving healthcare outcomes in our city,” said Church Health Center CEO Scott Morris. “This partnership is another great step in that direction.”
The Church Health Center, located at 1210 Peabody Ave., seeks to reclaim the Church’s biblical commitment to care for our bodies and our spirits.
Morris, a family practice physician and ordained United Methodist minister, founded the Church Health Center in 1987 to provide quality, affordable healthcare for working, uninsured people and their families. Church Health Center now handles more than 42,000 patient visits at its clinic each year.
The Church Health Center and the U of M will develop opportunities for collaborative research in wellness and health to benefit the underserved, offer reciprocal programming to provide a deeper educational experience and provide access to educational opportunities at the university for the staff of Church Health Center. Church Health Center will also provide health coverage for U of M graduate students.
In addtition to the U of M, the Church Health Center also partners with Baptist Memorial Health Care Family Medicine Program to collaborate on Family Medicine Residency.
They work to provide high quality Family Medicine resident education in a high quality environment. Family Medicine patient care across clinical continuums, which will emphasize both the holistic approach to comprehensive individual health and the coordination and collaboration required across disciplines to improve outcomes for diverse populations.
Their graduating family physicians are prepared to practice family medicine, while mastering the science and technology of the evolving health care system in order to become leaders in advanced primary care practices for the community and nation.
Church Health Center is committed to serving as the foundation for educating young medical providers and providing physician role models. They support a training model of continuous, comprehensive, convenient, accessible and coordinated patient care. Their staff is dedicated to education and the care of patients within the practice as it relates to the greater community and the community we serve.
Their partnership with the U of M will enable Church Health Center staff to continue their mission of providing quality care and service to those in need while supporting the university’s mission as a learner-centered metropolitan research university.
“The University of Memphis is privileged to participate in this meaningful collaboration with the Church Health Center. The affiliation will enhance the impact of both organizations in serving vulnerable populations in the Greater Memphis area,” said U of M Provost Karen Weddle-West.
The University of Memphis and Church Health Center will sign the agreement Sept. 15, at 9 a.m. in Room 225 of the FedEx Institute of Technology.
