The Dallas-based parent company of Detroit Medical Center decided to end the decades-long partnership with Wayne State University, according to a letter sent to staff from the school's president M. Roy Wilson.
The university was negotiating with Tenet Healthcare Corp. for a new long-term agreement, which would have ensured the Wayne State University Physician Group stayed on the hospital's campus.
But Wilson said Wednesday that Tenet moved to dissolve the partnership, beginning with the WSUPG.
"This came as a surprise to Wayne State and WSUPG, as we were working toward a mutually beneficial, long-term contract that would allow Tenet to continue meeting its financial goals while allowing WSU to develop additional partnerships with health care entities that share the vision of creating a cutting-edge academic health sciences center," Wilson said.
Wilson said while the school is disappointed with the outcome, they will work with Tenet to ensure a smooth transition. Undoing the partnership will take several years, Wilson said.
He also said medical students and residents' education will not be affected. The existing contracts ensure that current residencies are taught to completion and graduation, and current undergraduate medical students will complete the hospital portion of their education without interruption.
