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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                 Matt Dulin                   Tony Hernandez      Jim Parsons
                Jason Poland             Dusti Rhodes           Blake Whitaker

Hospital partnership is good for UH's health

A shot in the arm for medical research and UH's hopes for Tier I status, Tuesday's announcement heralds one of many strategic moves the System will be making in its quest to take on a bigger role in Houston and among its peers.

By joining with The Methodist Hospital, the UH System builds up an already impressive résumé, with promising efforts in myriad fields, from biomedical engineering and BioNano technology to pharmacy and physics. With partnerships like this one, it will be increasingly harder for state legislators and private donors alike to ignore UH.

Perhaps more importantly, the alliance will help Methodist develop and deliver new therapies and treatments that could save lives, both in Houston and around the world. UH's unique role in that effort is telling of our potential. The partnership also puts UH on the same playing field as Weill Cornell Medical College and Texas A&M University, making it a more competent competitor for research funds. Over the course of the 30-year partnership, one thing is certain: UH is going to be a part of some exciting changes in the field of medicine. 

For years, UH has had relatively little involvement with the Texas Medical Center, with only a few programs keeping a link. UH was too easily left in the dust when The University of Texas and Baylor University came to town, establishing lucrative alliances and setting up strong medical programs in UH's front yard. Finally, UH has taken its place in the TMC -- but it's only the beginning. More moves like this one are on the horizon as UH begins to play a bigger role in the community and in higher education.

The partnership will help form a new institute that will draw on the combined resources of UH and the hospital to research cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, cancer, cell and gene therapy and orthopedics. The new opportunities will have trickle-down benefits, such as attracting new faculty and students, which will only further the System's goals of reaching flagship status.