Colorado State University and UCHealth announced a landmark partnership focused on academics and health care on May 2. The partnership includes the following elements:

• UCHealth will work with the CSU Student Health Network to build and help staff the new CSU Health and Medical Center. UCHealth physicians will work in the new Center – as will CSU Health Network health care providers including CSU physicians – to continue providing the very best medical care while significantly increasing convenience for CSU employees, students and the community in one location.
• UCHealth will continue to serve as the preferred in-network health care provider, increasing the quality and value of health care for CSU and supporting employee wellness. Currently, the majority of CSU employees already use UCHealth physicians and facilities.
• The partnership will provide events for the Fort Collins community to promote health and wellness.
• CSU and UCHealth are extending their longstanding relationship with Rams Athletics to care for CSU’s student-athletes. Under this agreement, UCHealth extends its role as the exclusive healthcare partner of CSU Athletics.

Additionally, the University of Colorado School of Medicine will explore the possibility of expanding medical education opportunities with Colorado State University. The University of Colorado and Colorado State University are setting mid-2017 as the target date for developing a plan that could lead to a medical school branch in Fort Collins in the future.

“This is an extraordinary day for CSU in every dimension,” CSU President Tony Frank said. “I am excited to expand a critical partnership with UCHealth and open the possibility of an expanded academic and research partnership with the CU School of Medicine, a wonderful partner for CSU.”

“We’re excited to deepen our relationship with CSU with this partnership in health care, academics and athletics,” said Kevin Unger, President and CEO of UCHealth’s Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies. “As someone who graduated from CSU, I’m proud to work closely with my alma mater and ensure CSU’s staff, athletes and students receive the very best health care.”

“By fostering an expanded partnership between the state’s leading research universities in key areas of mutual interest, the entire state wins,” said University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Chancellor Don Elliman. The universities already work together closely through a joint venture for the Colorado School of Public Health and as partner members in the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

“The partnership with UCHealth gives us the ability to continue to provide excellent care and to dramatically increase the convenience in accessing that quality care for our students, faculty and staff,” said Anne Hudgens, executive director of the CSU Health Network. “By partnering with UCHealth, we will be able to provide an even broader range of health care services to the entire campus. We’re thrilled about the possibilities this offers to serve our community together.”

“There’s no question that CSU and CU compete with one another for a few hours each year on the field and court,” Frank said. “But we also work extraordinarily well together when it comes to what really matters: service to our state, our communities, and the advancement of knowledge. Our partnership with UCHealth has served CSU so well for many years. This agreement takes these commitments to a whole new level.”

About Colorado State University

Colorado State University is one of America’s premier public research universities and an institution on the rise, with a mission of access, discovery, and engagement. Over the past several years, CSU has seen record enrollment each year, more than $300 million in annual research expenditures, and unprecedented fundraising success, surpassing more than $170 million in the last fiscal year and anticipating another record this year. CSU’s faculty is renowned for its expertise in research and scholarly activities as well as its commitment to enrolling and graduating one of the largest most qualified and diverse student bodies in the history of the University. CSU graduates on average carry less student debt and are employed at a higher rate than their peers nationwide – and most important, nine out of 10 Colorado State graduates in a recent survey said they would choose CSU again.

About UCHealth

UCHealth is a Front Range health system that delivers the highest quality patient care with the highest quality patient experience. UCHealth combines Memorial Hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Colorado Health Medical Group, and University of Colorado Hospital into an organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. UCHealth partners with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and numerous community organizations to provide care. Separately, these institutions can continue providing superior care to patients and service to the communities they serve. Together, they push the boundaries of medicine, attracting more research funding, hosting more clinical trials and improving health through innovation.

About the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at University of Colorado Health, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The school is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. To learn more about the medical school’s care, education, research and community engagement, visit its web site.

About the Health and Medical Center

The 113,000-square-foot building will be home to the existing CSU Health Network, which provides a full range of medical, mental health, and health education and prevention services to CSU students. The new center also will house public health care services, including a walk-in clinic and occupational health services. In addition, the facility will feature a Center for Healthy Aging, providing space and a framework for collaborative research on aging and educational, outreach programs. Construction is ongoing at the northwest corner of College Avenue and Prospect Road, with a goal of completing the project by late 2016.