Posted on May 22, 2014
MFB and MSU form research partnership
Grand Rapids, Mich. – Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine are joining together to transform Mary Free Bed into a research and teaching hospital. This collaboration sets the stage for cutting-edge research and evidence-based medicine to improve the lives of patients and encourage more medical school students to focus on physical rehabilitation.
Mary Free Bed CEO Kent Riddle and MSU College of Human Medicine Dean Marsha D. Rappley, M.D., announced the affiliation agreement today. They touted its potential to bring more top-notch researchers and research grants to Grand Rapids and to take Mary Free Bed’s best practices to the next level.
“Combining MSU’s research expertise with Mary Free Bed’s outstanding clinical operation will create a powerful partnership that can translate into even better outcomes for rehabilitation patients,” Rappley said. “It also adds Mary Free Bed physicians to our faculty, giving them greater access to the most current literature and bringing their knowledge and expertise directly into the medical school.”
The partnership means Mary Free Bed will expand its patient-centered focus to include an emphasis on research and innovation.
“As Mary Free Bed expands, we’ll also be growing our leadership role in the industry,” said Riddle. “We’re adding a research component because research is the backbone of innovation. And, we will immediately expand the number of rotations, enabling medical students to get hands-on experience in the field of rehabilitative care.”
The John F. Butzer Center for Research & Innovation will be headed by Dr. John Butzer, who will step down from his role as chief medical officer at the rehabilitation hospital, a post he has held for 29 years.
“By collaborating on research and education, we improve the care that we provide to our patients,” Butzer said. “This affiliation is one more way to ensure that we continue to provide superior rehabilitative care and pave the way for educating and training future rehabilitation doctors and other professionals.”
