University Hospitals receives $15 million gift to open new education center

Founded in 1866, the Cleveland-based University Hospitals (UH) is made up of a network of 21 hospitals, including five joint ventures, more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. At the same time, UH Cleveland Medical Center, which has a residency program with nearly 1,200 residents and fellows, is also one of the only major academic medical centers in the country to not have an education and conference center.

That's going to change now, though, thanks to a $15 million gift from Iris S. and the late Bert L. Wolstein, which University Hospitals announced on Monday will be used to create the Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Center, which will be situated along Euclid Avenue in front of the Center for Emergency Medicine.  

The 30,000-square-foot facility will be equipped with audiovisual and remote learning technology, with space to host national and international conferences; visiting lecturers, professors and speakers; and Continuing Medical Education conferences. It will also have dedicated simulation and training labs, breakout space, a cafe and a publicly accessible art gallery. 

In the release, UH notes that the Center "will transform UH’s capacity to convene and train healthcare professionals," which is becoming a bigger priority thanks to healthcare shortages. Just under 334,000 healthcare providers dropped out of the workforce in 2021, including 15,000 internal medicine doctors, over 13,000 family practice physicians, nearly 11,000 child psychologists and chiropractors, over 8,500 psychiatrists, and over 8,000 optometrists. In Q4 of 2021 alone, 117,000 physicians quit or retired, as did over 53,000 nurse practitioners.

The total cost of the center is estimated to be $30 million, and University Hospitals is already launching a campaign, which will begin this month, to raise the other half of the money.

As such, there's no current date scheduled for a groundbreaking, as the opening will be determined in coordination with the fundraising; however University Hospitals is pledging to use diverse and local suppliers, including small businesses, as well as minority- and female-owned businesses.

“Over decades of giving, the Wolsteins have made an indelible mark at UH and positively impacted countless lives, bringing hope to children facing cancer diagnoses, fueling ground-breaking medical research, and so much more,” Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, University Hospitals CEO and Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair, said in a statement.

“With their new gift, they are among the most significant donors in UH history and leave a legacy that will touch hearts and minds for generations.”

(Image source: uhhospitals.org)