University Hospitals Named Health Care Partner For The MAC
University Hospitals Selected As Health Care Partner For The Mid-American Conference
CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has entered into an agreement and formally announced today the partnership of University Hospitals (UH) as the official health care provider of the MAC. As the official health care partner of the MAC, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, the health system’s nationally recognized academic medical center, will provide a complete team of physician specialists covering the MAC’s championship health care needs.
During the three-year partnership UH will provide medical counsel and coverage for students at all of the 23 sponsored MAC tournament championships. In total, the agreement will provide over 5,000 students medical care under UH. The innovative partnership was brokered by IMG, the MAC’s multi-media rights partner.
Also with this partnership, UH will be involved with the Mid-American Conference Student Well-Being Committee that will study and research mental health and other student welfare issues.
Both organizations’ leaders described a commitment to co-create an innovative sports medicine program based on medical and scientific evidence-based research to advance the athletic performance and the overall physical and mental health and fitness of MAC students.
“We are pleased to announce this partnership with University Hospitals,” said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “Health and safety is a very important issue for our students. Our goal is to continually and aggressively look at how we can positively affect our organization. Through this medical partnership, we will further develop innovative and comprehensive programs that enhance athletic performance and wellness.”
University Hospitals became the official healthcare partner of the Browns in 2014, and have been responsible for providing medical care to players and their families as well as any urgent care required by fans at the Browns stadium.
“We are involved at the collegiate and professional levels already but when the opportunity to become affiliated with the MAC presented itself, we wanted to take advantage of it,” said Dr. Sean Cupp, lead medical team physician of the Cleveland Browns, UH Case Medical Center Co-Director, Sports Medicine and assistant professor, orthopaedics and family medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “This partnership is a continuation of our vision to create and establish innovative sports medicine programs in Cleveland and beyond.”
About University Hospitals
University Hospitals, the second largest employer in Northeast Ohio with 25,000 employees, serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 15 hospitals, 28 outpatient health centers and primary care physician offices in 15 counties. At the core of our $3.5 billion health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center, ranked among America’s 50 best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in all 12 methodology-ranked specialties. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, UH Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopaedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and genetics. Its main campus includes UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org
About Mid-American Conference:
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio. For more information, go to www.mac-sports.com
