Presidential Town Hall Provides Institutional Updates
By Office of the President | Nov 8, 2022
Last week, I unveiled Downstate’s new Strategic Plan at our fall Town Hall Meeting. IMPACT 2030 is a dynamic and forward-thinking document charting Downstate’s future direction. It sets concrete short- and long-term goals to guide us as we continue our transformation into a world-class health sciences university.
We also covered several projects and programs—some impacting Downstate now and others that will be transformative when fully implemented. Here’s a review in brief:
Healthcare Worker Bonus Program – New York State underwrites this program that attracts talented people into the health professions during a time of significant attrition while also retaining staff who worked diligently during the pandemic by providing them with additional financial compensation.
New Downstate Branding – The rebranding efforts that went live last year continue to evolve and have been advertised in Brooklyn with bus shelter ads, lamppost signage, and digital ads, to name a few. We will also begin changing the signage around the institution in the coming months to reflect the new brand.
Facilities Update – Several campus upgrades, including areas such as the HSEB entrance and the Cafeteria, are already underway or close to completion. Our objective is to provide a more aesthetically pleasing and energy-efficient campus that will make everyone at Downstate and those who visit the campus and hospital proud while steadily reducing our carbon footprint.
Student Affairs Update – Our key student data points are a source of pride. Downstate remains the largest medical school in New York City and the second largest in New York State by enrollment. We also enroll more African American and Hispanic/Latinx students among the four SUNY medical schools.
IT Update – Among the many upgrades in IT, one of the most forward-looking is the search for a new Electronic Health Records platform that will improve our clinical enterprise’s operational and financial processes.
“We Care” UHD Update – University Hospital at Downstate’s We Care initiative is part of the institution’s journey toward becoming a high-reliability organization. Points of pride include strong outcomes in our revitalized transplant unit and our new outpatient pharmacy. In addition, safety, quality, and communication are critical elements we strive to attain as the “best place to get care” and the “best place to give care.”
Project Phoenix – While years from implementation, this visionary project will be integral to the “New Downstate.” The goal is an improved clinical ‘front door’ to our physicians and healthcare services at 324 Winthrop Street and 711 Parkside Avenue. It will be part of a larger mixed-use development project, including faculty and student housing, retail, community space, and other amenities. Importantly, this project will require no State funding. Instead, we plan to finance it through public-private partnerships with the HSCB Foundation and philanthropic efforts.
IMPACT 2030 and the improvements and projects are not the work of one or two people—paraphrasing a famous African proverb, “It takes a village.” Instead, it takes a campus where hundreds of faculty, staff, and students across Downstate have contributed their ideas and time to these projects.
I want to thank all of you. You are the foundation of Downstate and what makes us the remarkable institution we are. Thank you for all you do.
Tags: Events, Strategic Plan