Study concludes Sussex medical school feasible
A medical school in Sussex County is feasible if certain conditions are met, according to a study commissioned by the Sussex Economic Development Action Committee.
The study was conducted by Tripp Umbach, a leading consulting firm specializing in medical education feasibility studies, and delivered April 1 after an intensive nine-month review of Sussex County’s and the state’s healthcare environment, needs and opportunities. Chris Weeks and George Beckerman oversaw the study on behalf of SEDAC.
“SEDAC recognizes that our county is experiencing a shortage of doctors, and it will only get worse,” Weeks said. “We cannot stand still. With the study report, we now have concrete steps to take to have a positive impact on healthcare and the regional economy.”
The report concluded that the best approach to having a medical school in Sussex County is to partner with an existing medical school to create a branch campus, an arrangement many medical schools have undertaken both within the school's home state and elsewhere.
The three healthcare systems in Sussex County – Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare and TidalHealth Nanticoke – are supportive of establishing a medical school. Their support is vital to the undertaking since they will provide clinical training for school students.
SEDAC and key stakeholders will soon meet to review the report’s findings, analyses and recommendations and to decide on a course of action and a realistic timetable for the medical school initiative. Given the compelling healthcare and medical workforce needs and the desire for regional economic development impact, Tripp Umbach strongly recommends the next steps in the initiative get underway quickly. It recommends a competitive process to select the established medical school.
Other activities underway in Sussex County aimed at increasing the physician workforce include continued expansion of clinical training programs for medical students, residents and fellows in each of the three healthcare systems. National trends show that medical students who do their clinical training and those who do their post-graduate residency training in a location are more likely to stay and practice in that area.
A branch campus of an established medical school would also have a significant impact on the Sussex County economy. It would create a significant number of jobs and have a substantial annual economic impact on Sussex County by 2030.
Organizations that provided financial support for this study are Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare, TidalHealth Nanticoke, Sussex County Council, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware, the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, the Christian and Julie Hudson Family Foundation, Chesapeake Utilities, Delaware Electric Cooperative, Fulton Bank and SEDAC.
“As the need grows for healthcare professionals, creating opportunities to attract, train and retain physicians in Delaware is crucial to keeping our state healthy,” said Nick Moriello, president of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. “We appreciate the Sussex Economic Development Action Committee leading a feasibility study for a Sussex County medical school as we collectively seek solutions to our healthcare workforce shortage.”
