Partnership makes community health care research a priority

FMC signing
FMC signing
NAU President John Haeger and Bill Bradel, Northern Arizona Healthcare president and CEO, signed a memorandum of understanding to work collaboratively as part of the Translational Health Research Initiative, or THRIVE.

Northern Arizona University and Northern Arizona Healthcare have solidified a formal relationship designed to improve the health of communities in the region.

The partnership outlines NAU and NAH’s agreement to work collaboratively as part of the Translational Health Research Initiative, or THRIVE.

NAU President John Haeger and Bill Bradel, NAH president and CEO, signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday, Feb. 25, during a ceremony at the 1899 Bar & Grill.

Through THRIVE, the two organizations will conduct health care research in the areas of population and community health, precision and personalized medicine, and translational and biomedical health. The diverse populations of northern Arizona will be the focus of the partnership.

A joint research project currently under way focuses on improving the care of and reducing the cost for patients with heart disease following hospitalization. The project, funded by the Flinn Foundation, also will investigate cultural barriers to the delivery of personalized medicine after hospital discharge.