Regional One Health and University of Tennessee Health Science Center recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the creation of the UT Regional One Health physicians provider group.
For the past decade, UTROP has provided exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, and hands-on education for medical students.
Now, UTHSC and Regional One Health look forward to continuing their robust partnership as they work toward building an academic medical center to serve our community’s health care needs for generations to come.
In 2014, Regional One Health and University of Tennessee Health Science Center created the UT Regional One Physicians (UTROP) physician group to care for patients at the hospital.
Ten years later, they’re celebrating a decade of growth and success, as well as a bright future as they partner to build an academic medical center in the heart of Memphis.
Leaders and providers gathered October 29 to celebrate “A Decade of Distinction.”
Regional One Health President & CEO Reginald Coopwood, MD said it is remarkable to reflect on how much the physician group has grown in terms of services and reputation.
“When we started, we brought together about 170 physicians and advanced practitioners and committed to building an academic environment,” he said. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown radiology, OB/GYN, anesthesia, trauma surgery and more. We’ve brought in oncologists and urologists. Now, we have over 280 providers caring for patients primarily here at Regional One Health, and they’re doing it in an academic environment.”
UTHSC Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD said the milestone is something leaders and providers should be proud of. “This is a monumental moment. Ten years is a substantial period of time in developing an academic medical practice,” he said. “We’ve managed to cultivate and nurture a practice plan with a strong academic component, which is no small feat.”
Both Dr. Coopwood and Dr. Buckley said a great deal of the credit goes to Randy Sites, UTROP executive director.
UTHSC Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD; UTROP Executive Director Randy Sites; and Regional One Health President & CEO Reginald Coopwood, MD were joined by providers and other health care system leaders to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the founding of UTROP.
“Randy is the person who is responsible for leading this endeavor,” Dr. Coopwood said. “The success is heavily weighted on Randy’s commitment and the leadership team he put together.”
Sites has led UTROP since its formation in 2014. At the time, it was recognized as a new and innovative way of creating, governing and managing a physician practice group.
Through UTROP, Regional One Health is responsible for administration and processes designed to provide a positive patient experience. Meanwhile, as the academic partner, UTROP is tasked with conducting research that can lead to better patient outcomes.
The goal is to provide excellence on three fronts: patient care, academic teaching, and research.
Sites said all three areas have flourished over the past decade, and UTROP is committed to continued improvement: “We have achieved a lot in terms of quality measures, satisfaction scores and finances, but we need to continue to go uphill,” he said. “I challenge everyone to keep moving forward in an atmosphere conducive to academic minded physician leaders.”
Dr. Buckley said the hospital and university have created the right environment to do so.
He noted that UTROP works well because Dr. Coopwood is highly engaged while allowing the physician portion of the practice the freedom to grow.
He noted this has allowed UTROP to become home to the majority of UTHSC’s department chairs, which is important for continuing to attract the best physicians. As new physicians are recruited, Dr. Buckley explained, they want to know that both the hospital and practice plan are strong, and that the relationship between the two is healthy as well.
“It has been a big journey, and we’re going to continue to improve,” said UTROP Executive Director Randy Sites. “Our patients deserve nothing but the best. It really is about what we do for the patients who come through the halls of Regional One Health.”
“That is foundational for our further development,” he said.
Dr. Coopwood agreed, noting UTROP continues to grow on all three of its key missions: New high-level physicians are being recruited, Regional One Health serves as a training site for over 210 residents every year, and the research portfolio is expanding.
As Regional One Health and UTHSC plan for the future, a robust partnership will be essential.
The hospital and university are partnering on the ONE Campus initiative, which would create an academic medical center designed to meet the community’s health care needs for generations. The project would be one of the largest capital projects in the history of Shelby County and would expand and modernize Regional One Health’s campus in the Memphis Medical District.
Sites said throughout the process, the focus for UTROP will remain squarely where it belongs: on delivering exceptional care for patients from all over the Mid-South.
“Thank you to Dr. Coopwood and the leadership who had the vision to create a practice plan tied to the philosophy of Regional One Health. It has been a big journey, and we’re going to continue to improve,” he said. “Our patients deserve nothing but the best. It really is about what we do for the patients who come through the halls of Regional One Health.”