Academic health science centre

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An academic health science centre (AHSC; also known as an academic health sciences centre, an academic health science(s) system, an academic health science(s) partnership or an academic medical centre) is a partnership between two or more universities and healthcare providers focusing on research, clinical services, education and training.[1] AHSCs are intended to ensure that medical research breakthroughs lead to direct clinical benefits for patients.[1] The organisational structures that comprise an AHSC can take a variety of forms, ranging from simple partnerships to, less frequently, fully integrated organisations with a single management board.[1]

There are AHSCs operating in a number of countries including Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.[2]

In Australia, AHSCs are also referred to as Advanced Health Research & Translation Centres (AHRTCs). AHSCs currently in operation in Australia include:

In Canada, AHSCs are also referred to as Academic Healthcare Organizations. AHSCs currently in operation in Canada include:

In 2007 a review of healthcare in London led by Professor Lord Darzi, A Framework for Action, recommended the creation of a number of AHSCs.[2][4] In October 2007 Imperial College Healthcare became the first AHSC to be established in the UK when the Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine merged with the Hammersmith Hospital and St Mary's NHS trusts.[4] Four more AHSCs have subsequently been established in the UK and one is planned.[4]

Funding mainly comes from NHS and work was already "in hand to identify the funding" when expressions of interest were solicited.[5] When contracts were signed with NHS in 2013, AHSCs shared among themselves around £60 million of funding.

With a clear purpose, structure and approach of individual AHSCs is a matter for local decision especially with the contrasting approaches adopted as well as the differences in opinions voiced out by network founders.[6]

The following AHSCs are currently in operation in the UK:[7][8][9]

This page was last edited on 8 July 2018, at 09:21 (UTC).
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_health_science_centre under CC BY-SA license.

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